Finale flourish has Warriors eager for 2010
Close losses, victory over Case defined 1-8 season
Senior quarterback Adam Schulz (2) will be heavily relied upon as a leader on and off the field for the Warriors, who are trying to rebound from last season’s 1-8 record. Photo By C.T. Kruger
Muskego — In the grand scheme of things, last October's meeting between winless Racine Case and winless Muskego in the 2009 regular-season finale was meaningless.
That is unless you wear Muskego red, white and black.
That contest, which ended in a 30-6 Muskego victory, snapped the Warriors' 14-game losing streak, sent the players, coaches and fans into the offseason with a taste of success and put an end to a frustrating season.
"That last win helped because that's the last memory of the season and it was a good memory that helped us get into the weight room," said Muskego coach Ken Krause, now in his third year with the Warriors. "We're so much further than where we've been. When I was head coach at West Allis Central, it was the third team that made the playoffs. These guys remind me of that group. Year two we were really close and year three we put it all together. We're on the verge."
The Warriors went 1-8 overall and 1-6 in the Southeast Conference in 2009. Muskego lost five games by seven points or less, or the equivalent of a touchdown and an extra-point. Three of those narrow losses came in league play to teams that eventually qualified for the playoffs: Franklin (by five points), Racine Park (six) and Oak Creek (seven).
The results of those types of games will likely spell the difference between another one-win campaign and making the playoffs for the first time since 2006.
"It's arguably the toughest conference in the state and this year it will be the toughest because (Kenosha) Bradford's the D1 favorite and Franklin might be the D2 favorite," Krause said. "You've got to win the close ones. For us, our record was deceiving. We lost the close games. Our record was very, very misleading last year, but the 'W' is all that counts.
"As goofy as it sounds, we could have been 7-2. We had so many close games. We had three games we were winning and lost. There were other games we were right there. We're pretty excited. We know we were very, very close last year and our theme this year is 'finish.' We just have to finish the games and finish what we're doing. We were young last year and have a lot of talent back."
Senior quarterback Adam Schulz will be counted on to run the offense, and four players who started as sophomores last year - linebackers Tommy Starks, Jordan Gruettner and Roland Dunlop and defensive lineman Jeff Bolster - anchor the defense.
"Our junior class has got a lot of talent and our senior class has a lot of hard workers," Krause said. "The biggest difference between this team and the first two is we have depth. We actually have competitions and guys fighting for spots.
"The expectations are a lot higher this year. We started four sophomores and three juniors on defense (last year). We've got a returning starting quarterback, one of the leading rushers in the conference (senior Luke Przybylka), one of the better receivers back (senior Devin Grainger) and our JV went 8-1 last year without those four sophomores. We know we have a chance to be a playoff team this year if we stay healthy."
Muskego schedule
(all games 7 p.m.)
AUG. 27: at Port Washington
SEPT. 3: vs. Waterford
SEPT. 10: vs. Franklin
SEPT. 17: at Kenosha Tremper
SEPT. 24: vs. Racine Park
OCT. 1: at Kenosha Bradford (Jaskwhich Stadium)
OCT. 8: vs. Racine Horlick
OCT. 15: vs. Muskego
OCT. 20: at Racine Case
E-mail Newsletter
Your link to the biggest stories in the suburbs delivered Thursday mornings.
Enter your e-mail address above and click "Sign Up Now!" to begin receiving your e-mail newsletter
Get the Newsletter!
More from Sports
- Muskego players sign with colleges
- Sports Wrapups: Jan. 30
- Deeper Warriors wrestlers ready for tourneys
- Sports Wrapups: Jan. 23
- Co-op gymnasts turn in best score in winning Arrowhead Invite
- Warriors hold own in rugged Zelinski mat field
- Sports Notes: Jan. 23
- Sports Wrapups: Jan. 16
- Sports Notes: Jan. 16
- Back from the abyss: Muskego boys continue surge
0 COMMENTS