Muscle Stops Speed in Pewaukee Win Over West

There was a minute – actually the game’s first 29 seconds – when it looked like the speed of the Tosa West ground attack would dominate this game like the four games that preceded it.

On the Trojan’s first offensive play, Mickey Morgan ran outside for 60 yards, and on the second play Jameson Brock took the ball to the end zone from 10 yards out. West was up 6-0 over the Pewaukee Pirates. 

But then reality set in. The Pewaukee Pirates – one of the area’s strongest teams – established success against the Trojan’s on both sides of the ball in a battle of the two remaining Woodland Conference undefeated teams, winning this contest 27-6. The Trojans are now 4-1 and the Pirates are 5-0.

After that first drive the Trojan offense could not generate momentum. Outside runs were boxed in by Pirates’ tight containment. Trojan blockers seemed outmuscled or outnumbered. Most passing attempts were slightly off-target or ended in sacks.

One of the few bright spots in the first half was a successful fake punt by West’s Mickey Morgan, resulting in a much needed first down. But the offense went 3-and-out from there thanks to tough linebacker and secondary play by the Pirates.

On the strength of Pewaukee’s ground game, they took the lead 14-6 in the middle of the second quarter.

The Trojan’s looked like they might have something going just before the half, with two first-down runs by Brock and Morgan. But a strong run by Morgan inside the five-yard line that would have made it first and goal was negated by a holding penalty. Tosa West came away empty after taking a chance on a fourth-down pass attempt that fell incomplete. 

In the second half, the Pirate attack featured more of their same ground game – mixing off-tackle runs with half-back sweeps that featured quick backs behind talented, pulling linemen. They scored twice more on the ground, making the final score 27-6.

Next up for the Trojans is “Parents' Night” at home against New Berlin Eisenhower. Game time is 7 p.m. Friday.