Cedarburg beats Homestead for first time in six years
CEDARBURG – Cedarburg’s football team earned redemption in two ways on Friday night.
The Bulldogs, following a season-opening loss to Whitefish Bay, scored three consecutive touchdowns after giving up the opening score in their 21-14 home victory over Homestead. Cedarburg earned its first win against the Highlanders since 2014.
“I thought our line did a good job getting a surge off the ball,” Bulldogs’ coach Brian Leair said. “(Senior quarterback) Wyatt (Hart) made some plays out of nothing. He’s been like that all year for us. He extended drives where they had us in some unfavorable down and distance. It’s about kids making plays when the opportunities are there. It was a true battle.”
“Cedarburg did a great job,” Homestead co-head coach Matt Wolf said. “They’ve got a really good offensive line and two really good athletes on the outside that we had to be concerned about anytime they wanted to throw the football. It put us in a little bit of a bind on defense. They’re well-coached. Brian does a great job.”
Homestead struck first after forcing a turnover on downs. Junior running back Joseph Ollman took a handoff 53 yards down the right side to give the Highlanders their lone first half score.
“Joe is a really good young player,” said Wolf of Ollman. “He’s figuring it out. I think he’s got a really bright future for us.”
Cedarburg instantly responded with a drive that consisted of three explosive plays. Hart hit a 23-yard pass to fellow senior receiver Lucas Bork, who made a fingertip catch on the right sideline. Hart then broke a 30-yard run up the middle before senior running back Jason Schulz broke a 31-yard touchdown run to the right to tie the game.
“Jason was just huge tonight,” Leair said. “He’s always been a really good running back. He had a major knee injury last year, but he rehabbed all the way through and got to 100 percent just before the season started. His story is pretty special. The team rallies around him and he ran his tail off.”
The Bulldogs took the lead with a sustained drive following a defensive stop. Hart threw passes to junior tight end Wesley Stroebel and Bork (who made a jumping catch over the middle), respectively, to get the home squad into the red zone. Senior receiver/defensive back Drew Biber finished the drive with a highlight-reel diving catch on the right side to give Cedarburg its seven-point halftime bulge.
“He’s been making those plays for three-plus years,” said Leair of Biber. “We expect him to make those plays. At this point, that’s what it’s gotten to. We take opportunities to throw it up to him.”
Both teams intercepted passes before the break. The Bulldogs drove deep into Homestead territory again following a stop, but Highlanders’ defensive back Collin McGinley picked off an overthrown pass over the middle and returned it 24 yards to give the road squad a chance to score before halftime. However, Biber intercepted a Hail Mary pass to end the half.
Cedarburg continued its momentum into the second half with help from three Homestead offensive penalties, including a personal foul that set the Bulldogs up in Highlanders’ territory following a turnover on downs. The home squad then overcame a holding call when Hart converted a 3rd and long with a 17-yard scramble to the left. Schulz scored from 27 yards out down the left side one play later to double the Cedarburg lead at 21-7.
“I had a big opportunity to step up,” Schulz said. “I just took advantage of the opportunity and tried to come out explosive to bring the hype up on the offense and keep them going.”
Homestead produced an eight-plus minute drive to cut the lead back to seven. Ollman established a rhythm on the ground, as he had six five-plus yard carries as well as a three-yard run that converted a fourth down in the red zone. Senior quarterback Jack Wirthlin, who took over for junior Ryan Quinn in the second half, hit two passes on the drive, including a six-yard scoring strike to junior tight end Mark Hartlieb.
The Highlanders’ defense earned a stop on the ensuing drive, but the Bulldogs responded to that with another turnover on downs to set the offense up to run out the clock.
