The streak is finally over.
It was a skid that the Oconto Falls High School football program didn’t necessarily want to be known for. It doesn’t have to be any longer.
The Panthers (1-3, 1-3 North Eastern Conference) scored 21 second-quarter points and christened Dan Rider Field with a 42-13 victory over Green Bay West (0-4, 0-4 conference) on Friday to snap a 30-game losing streak.
It’s Oconto Falls’ first win since Sept. 30, 2011, when it beat Shawano 30-6. It’s also the first win for third-year coach Jeff Trochil.
“There’s a lot of positives about football, and you work to do your best on everything, but there’s nothing that gets you going in the right direction like a W,” Trochil said. “We’ve been so thirsty for that win and it took a long time, but we got it.”
Panthers running back Michael Manns, who scored two rushing touchdowns and one receiving, was elated after the game to get his first varsity victory after three years on the team.
“It means everything,” Manns said. “The new field, the new stadium – we all came here and got our first W on the field. It was awesome. You can’t explain it.”
While addressing his players after the game, Trochil got a little choked up.
“It’s an emotional time,” Trochil said. “There’s been a lot of work gone into this, culminating in this game. I’m really proud of the boys.”
Quarterback Connor Scray led five touchdown drives, throwing for a career-high 197 yards on 6-for-11 passing and two scores. He also added a rushing touchdown.
“It’s the most fun I’ve ever had playing football,” said Scray, a junior, who was in seventh grade the last time the Oconto Falls varsity team won a game.
Both teams entered the game winless. Green Bay West had been outscored 133-12 and Oconto Falls 132-13.
Something had to give.
Oconto Falls racked up 441 yards of offense compared to just 148 for Green Bay West.
The Panthers ran the read option well all night. When Scray didn’t keep the ball, he pitched out to his reliable running backs.
“It’s like Novocaine: Give it a little time and it works,” Trochil said. “Once you get it rolling, it’s tough to get a Band-Aid on it from the other team’s perspective. The players did a great job.”
Oconto Falls amassed 244 yards rushing. Austin Kowalczyk ran for a game-high 67 yards on 15 carries. Sam Shroyer added 54 yards and Scray 33 yards.
The effective running attack set up the passing game for the Panthers.
“The second wheel worked beautifully, because the corners were cheating so hard on the run because we just gashed them,” Manns said.
On Oconto Falls’ first offensive play of the game, Scray hit Brice Delzer for 27 yards. Just four plays later, Manns took a pitch and found the end zone from 8 yards out. The Panthers lined up for the point-after attempt, but a botched snap saw Sam Shroyer end up with the ball. Under pressure, the holder tossed a pass in the back of the end zone that was grabbed by Jack Huberty to make it 8-0.
It marked the first time Oconto Falls had led in a game all season.
“That’s what started us off, especially our offense, because we haven’t been clicking very well lately,” Manns said. “That first drive, we were moving, moving. Connor had a great audible out of a play, and we scored. It was perfect.”
After West turned the ball over on downs, Oconto Falls had a promising drive stopped in West territory. The Panthers opted to punt, which turned out to be a bad decision. Jamar Brown took the kick at his own 10, made a few Oconto Falls defenders miss and raced down the right sideline for a 90-yard touchdown.
Clinging to an 8-7 lead, Oconto Falls responded in a big way.
After a big return on the kickoff by Shroyer set the Panthers up in Wildcats territory, Oconto Falls used 10 plays to score. Shroyer walked into the end zone on a 12-yard run after receiving an option pitch from Scray. Delzer kicked the extra point put Oconto Falls up 15-7.
Following a three-and-out by West, the Oconto Falls offense went to work again. The Panthers converted on two third downs and a fourth-and-6 as Scray hit Delzer, who led the Panthers receivers with three catches for 69 yards, on a slant for 19 yards to the West 20. Two plays later, Scray called his own number on the option and ran in from 19 yards out. Delzer hit another point-after, and it was 22-7.
West, dead in the water with a fourth-and-15 at the Oconto Falls 30, scored a touchdown as quarterback Collin Bouressa connected with Austin Williquette with 1:24 remaining in the first half.
With 1:24 remaining in the first half, instead of kneeling and taking a 22-13 lead into halftime, Oconto Falls needed just two plays to score again. Scray hit a wide open Manns down the left sideline and the running back, who was split out wide, raced 72 yards into the end zone. With just 19.2 seconds left, the Panthers took a 29-13 advantage.
“We had a matchup and we went to it,” Trochil said. “(Manns) made a great play and there was a great block on it. That’s a huge play for us to get the momentum back after they scored.”
Oconto Falls took the opening kickoff of the second half and marched down the field. Scray connected with Manns for 28 yards to get to West’s 39. Three plays later, Scray threw a 35-yard pass to Shroyer for a touchdown.
The Panthers capped the scoring in the fourth as Manns was in at quarterback and called a keeper. An unassuming play up the middle turned into a 65-yard score.
Oconto Falls will attempt to start a winning streak for the first time in four years when Marinette (0-4, 0-3 conference) comes to town Friday for homecoming at 7 p.m.
“It’s going to be a challenge making sure we’re ready,” Trochil said. “They do a great job up there and they play tough football. Hopefully we can do our best to prepare ourselves to have success next Friday.”
Manns said the Oconto Falls players can finally take a breath after their first victory and build off the success.
“I think this is going to lead to a lot more wins,” Manns said. “Now we have our confidence back and we know what we can do. I think we’re just going to start rolling. It’s going to be like the old days and start winning, winning and winning.
OCONTO FALLS 42, GREEN BAY WEST 13
Score by quarter
Oconto Falls 8 21 6 7 — 42
Green Bay West 7 6 0 0 — 13
Scoring Summary
First quarter
OF: Manns 8-yard run (Shroyer to Huberty, 2-point pass) 8:14.
GBW: Brown 90-yard punt return (PAT good Vong Xiong) 2:06.
Second quarter
OF: Shroyer 12-yard run (PAT good Delzer) 9:26.
OF: Scray 19-yard run (PAT good Delzer) 3:29.
GBW: Bouressa to Williquette 30-yard pass (2-point conversion pass intercepted by Scray) 1:24.
OF: Scray to Manns 72-yard pass (PAT good Delzer) :19.2.
Third quarter
OF: Scray to Shroyer 35-yard pass (PAT no good) 8:40.
Fourth quarter
OF: Manns 65-yard run (PAT good Delzer) 45:25.
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