Warriors come up just short of crown

Muskego - The football stayed in the air for only seconds, but it seemed like minutes, as the Southeast Conference championship and an unbeaten season hung in the balance.

Settled under the ball in the right corner of the end zone were several receivers for Muskego and a couple of defensive players for Kenosha Bradford, each trying to pull it down.

In the end, no one was able to make the catch, the ball fell incomplete and the Red Devils took over on downs with 1 minute, 4 seconds left. They then ran out the clock to secure a 21-18 victory in a thrilling game before an overflow crowd Friday.

Bradford improved to 6-0 in the SEC and 8-0 overall, while Muskego slipped to 5-1, 7-1. The Warriors close out the regular season on Oct. 14 at Oak Creek (3-3, 4-4), while the Red Devils finish at home against Racine Park (3-3, 4-4).

Recurring theme for Warriors

The final end zone play typified the game, as Muskego came up just short on a few big plays.

"We're an inch here, a catch there, away from winning this game," coach Ken Krause said.

Bradford took a 21-12 lead into the fourth quarter and looked to be in control when it stopped the Warriors on fourth down at the Red Devils' 18-yard line.

On the next play, however, the Red Devils fumbled, with Muskego defensive end Roland Dunlap recovering at the Bradford 17. Dunlap then scored from 6 yards out, moving to the right, then making a sharp cut back into the middle. A two-point run was no good, leaving the Warriors behind 21-18 with 8 minutes, 10 seconds remaining.

The Red Devils then moved from their 26 to the Muskego 32, but a fourth-down pass from quarterback Zach Swisher was intercepted by defensive back Josh Breider, his second pick of the game.

"I think Josh Breider is an all-state football player," Krause said. "He's only a junior, but he's a weapon."

Muskego took over at its 39 with 3:11 left. The Warriors gained one yard on two plays, and on third-and-9, quarterback Eric Pachowitz rolled to his right into the open and fired a bullet to wide receiver Peter Chaniotakis for a 24-yard gain and a first down at the Bradford 36.

Brady Simkowski, who collected 95 of his 104 yards rushing in the second half, rambled to the 25 for another first down.

On fourth-and-5 from the 20, Pachowitz stayed in the pocket for a while, then broke to his right, evading several tacklers and waiting for an opportunity downfield. Nearing the line of scrimmage, he fired into the end zone, only to see the ball fall incomplete.

"We don't throw a lot, but we needed (Pachowitz) to step up tonight, and he did," Krause said. "He made the plays there at the end. Talk about scrambling and making something out of nothing. He almost won us the game there."

Defense kept up pressure

Muskego was able to stay in the game because of its defense, which forced four turnovers and held the Red Devils to half of their season average of 40 points.

On Bradford's first possession of the contest, defensive back Ryan Rantala made a sideline interception on the Red Devils' 27. That set up Jordan Gruettner's 4-yard touchdown run. Gruettner's point after, though, was wide right, leaving Muskego up 6-0.

Bradford responded with a 4-yard touchdown run by Dewey Warner, and Eric Wittkowske's kick gave the Red Devils a 7-6 lead.

In the second period, they drove 80 yards in 14 plays, capped by a 2-yard run from John Myers, and took a 14-6 advantage.

Muskego, which totaled only 47 yards of offense and two first downs in the first half, opened the second half with a 71-yard march, largely on the feet of Simkowski, who ran nine times for 46 yards. Gruettner used a nice spin move to his left to score from 4 yards.

Gruettner, however, was tackled just short of the goal line on a two-point run, leaving Muskego trailing 14-12.

"We put a new formation in this week," Krause said about the second-half offensive burst. "We were going to bring it out when we needed it, and we did need it in the second half. It started to open things up for us."

Bradford, though, drove 67 yards for another score, an 11-yard run by Myers, and took a 21-12 lead into the frantic fourth.

"(Our kids) have just got tremendous heart," Krause said. "I'm disappointed we lost, but I'm proud of the kids. They played their hearts out; they never gave up."