Central's early season struggles continue
Jamison Feickert returns a kickoff in the Warriors’ game against the Dons. (Photos by Bev Hamann)
Kale Doeppke had 6.5 tackles in Central’s Sept. 1 loss to Don Bosco.
Kyle Reinhart accumulated 40 return yards versus the Dons.
By Willis Patenaude, Times-Register
The Central football team faced another tough opponent on the gridiron Sept. 1, suffering a 70-6 loss to Don Bosco at the Dittmer Sports Complex.
The Warriors were undone by the Dons’ explosive plays, including a score on the first play of the game. Central also lost the battle at the line of scrimmage and was limited on the offensive side of the ball as a result. In the running game, the Warriors gained just eight yards on 27 attempts.
Some of the Warriors’ offensive issues stem from losing starting quarterback Isaac Loan to an injury during practice leading up to the game, which forced backup Kale Doeppke to shift from wide receiver into the starting role. With few reps in practice, Doeppke played admirably, completing eight of 15 passes for 44 yards and one late-game touchdown.
“It is never easy to step in and play QB, especially when you do not get a lot of reps at that position normally. I thought Kale did a nice job of stepping into that role this week,” said coach Ben Heitland.
The player on the receiving end of those passes was Braxton Bormann, who caught all eight for 44 yards, including a 25-yard touchdown.
Central was able to limit turnovers this week with improved ball security, having just one fumble on a kickoff return. The Warriors also showed better discipline, minimizing penalties overall, though pre-snap penalties remain a concern.
“Offensively, we did not have any turnovers, which I was pleased to see…[But] we were again the less physical team. We need to do a better job at the line of scrimmage. We allowed four sacks this week, and were ineffective with running the ball throughout,” Heitland said.
On defense, the Warriors finished with 26 total tackles, led by Doeppke with 6.5. Kyle Reinhart had 4 and Ryan Schroeder finished with 3.5 and the team’s only tackle for a loss. Sam Fettkether, who recovered a fumble, also had 2 tackles, and Max Fettkether finished with 2.5 tackles.
The Warrior special teams returned eight kickoffs for 63 yards, with a team-high 40 yards from Schroeder, while Bormann picked up 10 yards.
Central now sits at 0-2, but the expectations to continue fighting, getting better and giving effort remain the same. With injured players potentially returning this week, there is hope that help is on the way.
“We all knew going into the season that the first few weeks were going to be very tough games…As for morale, this is something that will be a focus point this week. We have to stay positive and stay together as a team,” Heitland said.
The Warriors will welcome Tripoli (0-2) to town Friday, Sept. 8. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.
