The Milwaukee Penguins

The Milwaukee Penguins is the Division 1A collegiate football team for Milwaukee College. We're a school "known for its academics." This is a record of our accomplishments, on the field and off.

Saturday, September 03, 2005

Season 2, Game 5: @ U of Louisville

Milwaukee College Penguins (1-3, #96) vs University of Louisville Cardinals (3-0, #24)

We came into Papa John's Cardinal Stadium - don't you just hate corporate sponsorship? - to face a team that has won it's first three games of the season. They just broke the AP Top 25.

We, standing at 1-3, were tremendous underdogs, and the stadium was filled with ravenous - and loud - football freaks. In states where there is no pro football team, all the attention goes to their college programs. Having a team in the Top 25 is no small feat.

Staying up there - and maybe eventually winning a conference or even national championship - requires a bit of luck, no matter how good you are. They're first TD came off a lucky break. K. Anderson (SS #26) tipped a thrown ball ... right into the hands of the intended receiver, who then ran it in for the touchdown.

After a couple of 3-and-outs on our offense's part - our first quarter performance this season is truly pathetic - and soon it became 14-0. What was disturbing was that the Cardinals actually called the run against us. Remarkably, our defense leads the league against the run, but that's largely because offensive coordinators know that throwing down field against us is actually a high-percentage play.

In the 2nd quarter, I started calling a lot of double tight-end sets. In our first touch-down drive, we coverted a fourth-and-1 and Koch (QB #22) ran to convert a third-and-5. It was capped by a pass to Wetzel (HB #47).

But the play of the half came courtesy of our secondary. The Cardinals were driving and with less than a minute left to go in the half, on the 14 yard-line and facing fourth-and-inches, instead of going for the sure field goal to make it 17-7, they decide to go for it. Something in me decides to call a nickel defense to stack up against their goal-line offense. When their tight end springs to the sidelines, Bennett shifts over and lo! the pass was in her hands. Interception. She deked their quarterback with a nifty spin move and then raced 91 yards for our second interception returned for a TD in as many games.



14-14 going into the half.

They struck first in the second half, capitalizing on our second turnover of the game (a Wetzel fumble). After a Goodman (K #30) field goal to make it 21-17, it was our turn to get a turnover. K. Anderson (SS #26) recovered a fumble deep in their territory, setting up a short touchdown drive - featuring what I think is Foldy's (FB #29) first reception of the year - to take a lead at the beginning of the 4th quarter.

They score on their next drive - 5 consecutive running plays and then a long touchdown pass. 28-24.

Then came the critical drive of the game. 14 yard-line, fourth-and-3. Well within Goodman's field goal range. But a field goal would still leave us down one point, with less than four minutes left to play. Koch tried to draw them off-sides, but they didn't bite. From my new favorite formation (Shotgun - Ace), Wetzel ran a route to the end zone and drew their middle line-backer on defense ... and Koch threw it to him. An over-the-should catch by Wetzel gives us back the lead!

It was a lead our defense wouldn't relinquish. A critical three-and-out, then several first downs by our offense and we became Louisville's first blemish of the season. Incredible.

STATS: MKE @ LOUISVILLE

score: 34-28
first downs: 16-12
total offense: 252-314
rushes - yards: 27-85 --- 26-106
comp-att-TD: 18-35-3 --- 10-20-4
passing yards: 167-208
sacked: 1 - 1
turnovers: 2 - 2
fumbles - lost: 1 - 1--- 3 - 1
intercepted: 1 - 1
t.o.p: 18:37 -- 13:23

KEY PLAYERS (Offense)

Koch (QB #22) 114.1 rating 18-35 for 167 yards, 3 TD, 1 INT; 5-11 rush (2.1 avg)
Wetzel (HB #47)19-63 rush (3.3 avg), 1 fumble; 7-68 yards rec (9.7 avg), 2 TD
Montgomery (WR #82) 3-22 yards rec (7.3 avg)
Sieczek (TE #86) 2-13 yards rec (6.5 avg), 1 TD
X. Leplae (LG #69) 2 pancakes

KEY PLAYERS (Defense)

Straka (CB #1) 6 tackles, 2 INT; 3-74 kick return yards (24.6 avg); 3-67 punt return yards (22.3 avg)
Bennett (CB #10) 2 tackles, 1 INT, 1 TD; 2-36 kick return yards (18 avg)
S. Umali (MLB #43) 5 tackles
K. Anderson (SS #26) 4 tackles (1 for loss), 1 pass deflect, 1 fumble recovery
Miller (RE #62) 3 tackles (3 for loss), 1 sack, 1 forced fumble

Notes: Ciraldo (FB) left the game in the 3rd quarter with a strained pectoral. He is questionable for the next game.

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