Hartford advances as Slinger and Germantown fall in WIAA football playoffs | By Jason Howarth

October 30, 2021 – Germantown, WI -Brutal autumn winds had little chance of slowing Germantown as it battled Wauwatosa West in a WIAA playoff game Friday night.

Both teams seemed to use the first quarter to feel each other out as it was a scoreless quarter, with both defenses managing to stymied their opponents’ running game.

It wasn’t until there was 5:42 left in the second quarter that a touchdown was scored, as Tosa West senior Avery Dixon scored a 4-yard touchdown, although the Trojans failed a two-point conversion making it 6-0. On the next Trojans’ possession, Germantown senior Joe Homa would recover what would be the first of three fumbles forced and recovered by the Warhawks.

After that recovery Germantown junior quarterback Henry Kelley would scramble for a 10-yard touchdown run to put the Warhawks up 7-6 with 2:41 left in the second quarter. A mere 19 seconds later, the Trojans saw another running back fumble the ball, this time recovered by Germantown senior Alex Macksam at Tosa West’s 27-yard line. However, the Warhawks were unable to capitalize on the ensuing opportunity, turning the ball over on downs, but still going into halftime up 7-6.  

The game’s pace was once again deliberately slow throughout much of the third quarter, with the only major play of note being the third and final Germantown fumble recovery, this one secured by junior Nathan Schmidt with 3:49 left in the third quarter. The Trojans finally broke the defensive war by scoring off a 21-yard pass from junior quarterback Zach Izzo to senior Michael Loechler. It was only one of two pass attempts by the Trojans all game and the only completed pass. Izzo would run in a two-point conversion to make it a 14-7 game with 8:13 left in the fourth quarter. The defensive stalemate resumed as Germantown tried everything in their offensive arsenal to at least tie the game.

With 1:53 left to play, on a 4 and 17, Kelley managed to throw a “Hail Mary” type pass that was miraculous caught by junior Michael Ubert. The Warhawks, rather than playing it safe by kicking the extra point to tie the game, decided to be bold and go for a two-point conversion to win. However, Kelley’s pass was broken up in the endzone leaving the score at 14-13. The Warhawks tried a last-ditch onside kick attempt, but were ultimately unsuccessful, a well-played game all-around that just was not enough on this night.   

Other local scores from Level 2 of the WIAA Football Playoffs: 

Division 2:  

• No. 4 Hartford defeated No. 1 De Pere 43-42 (1OT); will play @ No. 3 Pulaski on Friday November 5, 2021 at 7 p.m. 
• No. 3 Pulaski defeated No. 7 Slinger 10-7