The Bonduel High School football team fell behind 13-0 in the first quarter and couldn’t stop Amherst the rest of the way in a 45-0 loss to open Central Wisconsin Conference-8 play Friday at Rush Niles Memorial Field in Bonduel.
As Amherst (3-0, 1-0 CWC-8) quarterback Garrett Groshek found the end zone twice in the first quarter — the first on a 7-yard run, the second a 62-yard footrace — the Bears’ offense struggled to get first downs, much less score. Bonduel also committed two special teams turnovers.
“We struggled to move the ball early, and it kind of snowballed out of control,” Bonduel coach James Westrich said.
Even when Bonduel (2-1, 0-1 CWC-8) got breaks, the reigning CWC-8 champions quickly found a way to regain the advantage.
Early in the second quarter, Amherst fumbled crossing midfield and Bonduel’s Hunter Berry came up with it. The momentum was short-lived, as Bonduel fumbled at the Amherst 38-yard line, where Amherst’s Connor Zblewski came up with it.
The Falcons scored on that possession when Austin Boelte punched it in from the Bonduel 6-yard line. Zblewski scored on the next Falcon possession, running it in from 28 yards out. After another Groshek touchdown, this time of 30 yards, the half ended when Bonduel quarterback Colton Dobratz was picked off at the Amherst 2-yard line with Amherst leading 42-0.
“We knew they were going to be a very disciplined team and we needed to play disciplined football,” Westrich said. “You can’t do your own thing. Defensively we had a couple guys make mistakes, go the wrong way. They burn you on that.”
Bonduel held Amherst to just a field goal on the opening drive of the second half and the next three possessions ended in turnovers.
“It was tough, we had a lot missed tackles, a lot of turnovers, lot of missed snaps,” Westrich said.
Neither team scored in the fourth quarter.
Dobratz finished with only one completion in 14 attempts for nine yards and three interceptions. VanderLinden had 14 carries for 60 yards.
Groshek had 198 yards and three touchdowns on 15 carries. He went three for seven for 43 yards throwing the ball. Zblewski had seven rushes for 125 yards and two touchdowns.
Westrich said the game was frustrating for his players, but how they respond will mean a lot.
“This next next week, we’ll see a lot more about our team,” Westrich said. “How they come back. Is there going to be a hangover? (Are we going to be) moping around because we just got our butts whopped or are we going to get better and own up to what we need to get done? We’ll see.”
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