FOOTBALL: Homecoming Heartbreaker

Panthers’ senior Robert Brent, shown here last year, returned to the field Friday after missing action due to an injury. (File Photo/The Report).

Freak play dashes Panther hopes

By Jason Arndt
Editor

Less than one yard from forcing a second overtime, the ball just did not bounce in favor of Wilmot Union High School Friday at Bucci Field, where a promising start came to a heartbreaking end in a showdown with Lake Geneva Badger.

Down 31-24 and facing fourth and goal at the 2-yard line, Panthers’ quarterback Zach Lamberson jumped in the air to field a high shotgun snap, and chaos ensued.

The football bounced into the end zone, but found its way back in front of the goal line, where Alex Willemark recovered the ball and was declared down after the four officials deliberated.

According Panthers’ Robert Brent, who had 16 carries for 45 yards in his first game back from an injury, his team did due diligence in the last drive of the contest.

“We tried to drive the ball in since we were close to the end zone,” Brent said. “We didn’t push hard enough. We gave it all we got, but it came up short.”

“I honestly think we played great. I love the guys on my team. I love them with all my heart. I’ll do anything for them.”

With the Panthers coming up short 31-24, they experienced a case of deja vu against the Badgers, who defeated Wilmot in overtime last year.

The Panthers’ homecoming loss comes after they led 24-13 entering the fourth quarter.

In the fourth quarter, the Panthers’ saw its lead diminish to a 24-24 deadlock, courtesy of a Lake Geneva Badger 100-yard interception return followed by a field goal to force overtime.

Lake Geneva, which had first possession in overtime, scored on Brandon Bernardo 7-yard run.

Panthers surge
Although Badger jumped to a 6-0 lead, courtesy of a Wes Sontag 12-yard run with 8:27 in the first quarter, Wilmot responded with 21 unanswered points in the second quarter.

The Panthers, down 6-0 at 3:47 in the first quarter, took possession on their own 37-yard line and moved the football 30 yards downfield to the Badger 33-yard line before time expired.

In the second quarter, Panthers’ quarterback A.J. Frisby made a 24-yard strike to Kade Carlson, and scored on the next play with a 9-yard run.

After Lake Geneva turned the ball over on downs, Wilmot took over on its own 33-yard line with 7:54 left in the first half.

The Panthers, who manufactured a drive of more than five minutes, capped it off with a Frisby to Carlson 22-yard touchdown pass to extend the lead to 14-6.

Then, Wilmot capitalized on special teams, where they blocked a Badger punt to take control at the Badger 33-yard line.

The next play, Frisby found Carlson for a 33-yard touchdown strike to give the Panthers’ a 21-6 edge entering halftime.

Carlson finished with a game-high 106 yards receiving on five catches.

Momentum shift
Lake Geneva, however, trimmed its deficit to 21-13 in the third quarter, where Colton Surges scored on a 1-yard run at 7:14.

Wilmot responded, adding a 36-yard Anthony Poco field goal, which gave the Panthers a two-score advantage entering the fourth quarter.

In the fourth quarter, despite a Panthers’ 57-yard drive to place the ball at the Badgers’ 3-yard line, Wilmot drew a false start penalty to push them back to 8-yard line.

Frisby, who made a 3-yard run, then threw an interception to Lake Geneva’s Will Keller and returned for a 101-yard score with 8:08 left of regulation.

To make matters worse for Frisby, who produced 287 all-purpose yards, he came down with an injury as a defensive back at 2:00.

Frisby completed 7 of 15 passes for 145 yards, and on the ground, he had 18 carries for 142 yards.

More than seven minutes later, Badger’s Josh Taddeo deadlocked the contest at 24-24 with 55 seconds left on a 35-yard field goal.

Without Frisby, Square turned to Brent, who completed both of his pass attempts for 27 yards before time expired in regulation.

As Badger stayed unbeaten at 5-0, the Panthers dropped to 3-2 in SLC, and faces two must-win conference contests to secure a playoff berth.

After a road contest against Burlington Oct. 6, the Panthers return home to play Westosha Central on Oct. 13.

Panthers’ Jacob Gerzel, who had four interceptions at Union Grove last week, added his fifth in two contests on Friday.


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