At the intersection of writing and life with the author of the Cameron Ballack mysteries

Friday, September 23, 2016

The Wildcat Lair (2016: Vol. 10)

Just the facts this week, folks. Just the facts. No hashtags. we mean business. It's time for a win.

1-4 is not what was planned, but life rolls on into the autumn with the Wildcats still poised to make a move upward in both the Metro League and district standings. Priory is the next challenge up for Westminster after our 24-17 defeat in the rain and mire at Lutheran South, and though the Rebels might be standing at 0-5, we cannot take them for granted.

Although being outscored by an average of 6.6 to 37.2, the Rebels will throw everything at the Wildcats in the person of quarterback James Dimitroff, who has completed 50 percent of his passes so far for 354 yards as the successor to record-breaking Andrew Rund. Holden Wilmsen and Dan Willman anchor a durable running game, the latter churning out 247 yards on 34 carries for a rate of 7.3 ypc. Connor Donnelly heads up a young receiving corps with 11 receptions for 205 yards, and he can take a hit, too, as he showed in the playoffs last year against Josh Pottebaum.

On defense, Anthony Kraus, Christian Hulett, and Dan Willman all have more than 30 tackles each for the year and will endeavor to slow down the Wildcat offense. With the ball in the air early and often, that might stretch the Rebel stop forces. LB Battle is due for a solid game at running back as the coaching staff hands him the start behind Pottebaum, whose arm might fall off in an attempt to nudge receivers like Dylan Conway upward on the stat pack. Conway stands ten receptions from the school career lead, and if there's a day that could see him snag double-digit catches, it's tomorrow.

After several bruising rounds in the Metro League, the Wildcat defense is prepared to roam free and make high-impact plays behind the generalship of Cooper "Knock 'Em Around Some" Moore and Austin "Smack 'Em, Yack 'Em" Greene. Look for young players to get some game time to spell five players who are playing both ways.

Kickoff is at 1 pm. Be there and be loud. Your team needs you. (And while you're at it, show up for a $5/head Straub's BBQ tailgate at 11 am in conjunction with Sporting WCA High School Gameday!)

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