The Tigers football team has used the pass and run effectively all season. However, a steady, hard rain and strong winds blew away Gillett High School’s shot at passing too much vs. Hilbert-Stockbridge in a WIAA Division 7 playoff game Friday.
No. 3-seeded Hilbert-Stockbridge went with its normal run-orientated approach, which worked to perfection in the second half. With No. 6-seeded Gillett up a touchdown at halftime, Hilbert-Stockbridge used the legs of Riley Baer to score a come-from-behind 28-14 victory.
“This weather hurt us big time,” Gillett coach Rick Kamps said. “They don’t throw the ball much, so it doesn’t affect them. We’re pretty balanced and when you look at our yardage on the year, we’re within 100 yards of throwing and rushing. It hurt us. It’s tough to throw the ball when it’s a gale force wind and it’s pouring on you all night.”
Gillett senior quarterback Alex Zeitler was limited to 12 pass attempts. Hilbert-Stockbridge’s only pass of the night turned into the game-winning touchdown early in the fourth quarter.
“It helps, because if a team’s going to try and throw, this weather’s hard for them to throw,” Hilbert-Stockbridge coach Mike Breckheimer said. “But it does negate our speed, because we do have good team speed, linemen included. So on a sloppy field that slows us down a little bit; it’s a horse apiece.”
The Wolves didn’t need to throw with Baer in the backfield. After amassing under 50 yards as a team in the first half – Baer had 30 yards rushing – the senior running back went off for 200 yards in the second half and finished with 27 carries for 232 yards and two touchdowns.
The 5-foot-6 back ran came into the game with over 1,000 yards on the season, averaging 121 yards per night.
“He was definitely tough,” said Zeitler, whose job from his safety position was to spy on Baer and follow him wherever he went. “He reminded me of Monte Noffke. He was short, but he’s strong and fast, too.”
Both teams had a tough time holding onto the ball in the first half. Hilbert-Stockbridge (10-0) fumbled four times and lost one, while Gillett (6-4) recovered its two fumbles.
The only points in the first half were set up by Gillett’s special teams. The Wolves lined up to punt from their 31 and the snap went over punter Grant Propson’s head. He jumped on the loose ball, but it set up Gillett at the 16-yard line. On a third-and-9 at the 15, Zeitler rolled out and found tight end Ben Taylor, who hauled in the pass and walked into the end zone. Danny Myrick nailed the extra point to put Gillett up 7-0 with 4:07 remaining the first half.
“First half, we weren’t getting off the ball,” Breckheimer said. “Our kids are 155 to 160 pounds and we have to use our speed. In the first half, I don’t know if our kids were intimidated by them or what, but we weren’t getting off the ball and playing our fast football.”
On the opening drive of the third quarter, Baer found a hole in the middle and raced 49 yards for a score. Trevor Schmitz’s 2-point run was stopped to keep Gillett up 7-6.
After a Gillett punt, Hilbert/Stockbridge was at it again. Baer had a 16-yard run down to the 4. The next play, Baer plunged into the end zone to give the Wolves their first lead, 12-7.
Brett Milhans returned the ensuing kickoff to the Hilbert-Stockbridge 35, before being rewarded by taking a handoff, breaking about four tackles and scoring from 20 yards out, as Gillett regained the lead, 14-12.
On a critical third-and-10, the Wolves surprised the Tigers’ defenders and went to the air. Quarterback Jack Halbach spotted Chris Langteau all alone for the score. Bennett Lau added a 2-point conversion run to make it 20-14.
“They run so much that they caught one of my corners sleeping and the pass was wide open,” Kamps said. “That was the backbreaker giving that up. I thought maybe we could hold them there and that was a third-and-long. We hold them there on fourth-and-long and get the ball back, maybe it’s a different story and we can grind out the clock.”
Gillett had two more chances on offense , but the Tigers couldn’t move the sticks inside Hilbert-Stockbridge territory.
Zeitler finished the night 7-for-12 passing for 78 yards. He also had 11 carries for 31 yards. Milhans ran for a team-high 35 yards on nine attempts.
“I’m proud of this group,” Kamps said. “They did something that nobody else was ever able to do (back-to-back playoff appearances). I’ll always remember this group, that’s for sure.”
HILBERT/STOCKBRIDGE 28, GILLETT 14
Gillett 0 7 7 0 — 14
Hilbert/Stockbridge 0 0 12 8 8 — 28
Scoring Summary
First quarter
No scoring
Second quarter
G: Taylor 15-yard reception from Zeitler (PAT good) 4:07.
Third quarter
H/S: Baer 49-yard run (2-point conversion missed) 9:40.
H/S: Baer 2-yard run (2-point conversion missed) 3:13.
G: Milhans 20-yard run (PAT good) 1:11.
Fourth quarter
H/S: Langteau 19-yard reception from Halbach (2-point conversion good) 9:20.
H/S: Halbach 12-yard run (2-point conversion good) 1:31.
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