Monday Morning Quarterback
Pete Watson/News Republic
Baraboo's Mark Kowalke makes a 12-yard reception and and picks up a couple more during action against Mount Horeb on Friday at Beryl Newman Stadium.
By Pete Watson/News Republic
Though on the short end of a 47-12 decision on Friday, the Baraboo Thunderbirds (0-7) football team took some positive steps forward in their homecoming game against the Badger North’s Mount Horeb Vikings.
The squad scored a pair of touchdowns for the first time this season, and had its healthiest offensive performance of the year gaining 249 yards on 47 plays.
Baraboo (0-7) heads to DeForest (5-2, 3-1 Badger North) on Friday to take on the Norskies.
High marks
Baraboo receiver Mark Kowalke, who at 6-foot-7 was the tallest player on the field on Friday, used his height to his advantage by hauling in a season-high eight passes for 123 yards and two touchdowns.
Perhaps the biggest catch Kowalke made came with less than 10 seconds to play the half.
After Kowalke drew a pass interference penalty on the defense to put the T-Birds at Mount Horeb’s 43 yardline, the Vikings succeeded in knocking down three consecutive passes from senior quarterback TJ Kaminski to the wideout.
But on fourth down, Kowalke used his size to exploit a single coverage matchup downfield, and came down with a 43 reception before carrying a trio of defenders to the 1 yardline.
Following a timeout with three seconds left on the clock, Kaminski kept the ball himself and beat the Vikings defense to the corner of the endzone for six.
Gritty performance
Kaminski finished 11 of 17 for 156 yards passing and two touchdowns, and played through injury in the second half.
Kaminski roughed up his throwing arm while scoring BHS’s first-half touchdown, landing in a jump pit that rests alongside of the south endzone.
Not knowing how the injury would affect his quarterback in the second half, BHS coach Jeff Ochsankehl called six consecutive running plays on the T-Birds next two possessions.
Proving he could handle a snap and was capable of leading the offense through the air, Kaminski got the green light to resume passing during Baraboo’s only possession of the fourth quarter, and made the most of it by completing three passes.
The senior’s most impressive throw was a 24 yard touchdown toss to Kowalke.
As Kowalke bent his route in and up the middle of the field, Kaminski delivered a strike between two defenders, allowing his big wideout to make the grab in stride near the 5 yard-line and scamper in for six.
Workmanlike
BHS senior linebacker/fullback Josh Baerwolf has been busy on the playing field the past two weeks.
A week after recording what head coach Jeff Ochsankehl said was his best game defensively, Baerwolf got the opportunity to dole out a few hits coming out of offensive backfield on Friday.
At 6-2, 179 pounds, Baerwolf is an ideal change-of-pace back, and Ochsankehl used the senior to soften up the middle of the Vikings defense early on.
Out of the five T-Birds players who notched at least one rushing attempt, Baerwolf had the second highest amount of carries with seven.
Baerwolf has emerged as one of the team leaders, according to Ochsankehl.
"He’s a young man that really stepped up this season," Ochsankehl said. "He started off the year unsure and a little uncomfortable at linebacker, but he’s become a nice, solid player for us."
Sharing the load
Five players helped Baraboo garner 93 rushing yards against Mount Horeb.
Junior Caleb Leonhardt led the way with 54 yards on 11 carries, plus 34 receiving yards.
Kevin Green (who left the game at halftime with an injury) chewed up 20 yards on four carries, and Baerwolf picked up 10.
Senior Ethan Mallory experienced being a ball carrier for the first time, moving his 6-4, 220-pound frame off the line and into the backfield.
Mallory finished with four carries for eight yards.
Kaminski notched one rushing yard.
Conference update
There’s a four-way tie atop the Badger North Conference, as Waunakee, DeForest, Reedsburg and Mount Horeb share 3-1 records.
A week after toppling Waunakee, Reedsburg was blanked at DeForest, 28-0.
Waunakee took care of business in a non-conference tilt at Stoughton, 37-0.
Sauk Prairie (2-3) and Portage (1-4) locked horns, and it was visiting Sauk that captured a 24-22 victory.