Prep football: Birth of a football rivalry

Wildcats fall to Middleton in first Big Eight matchup

Dennis Semrau  —  9/14/2008 3:58 am

MIDDLETON -- The parking lot was packed. There was a steady stream of customers at the concession stand. And there was a long line at the ticket window that didn't diminish until well after the playing of the National Anthem.

Not even a steady shower in the second half could put a damper on what proved to be a special evening for Middleton senior middle linebacker David Utterback and the rest of his Cardinals' teammates.

The Verona Wildcats were making their first-ever appearance against the Cardinals in a prep football game, and it was better than must-see TV.

You had to be there, a point that was shared by the several thousand spectators who had eagerly awaited the matchup between Middleton and Verona ever since it was announced two years ago that the Wildcats would be joining the Big Eight Conference this season.

"It will be a special rivalry," Utterback said after Middleton got early bragging rights in the series following a convincing 31-14 victory over the Wildcats.

"I played for the St. Francis youth program in Cross Plains and we had a lot of success. But the one team we always had to battle was Verona. So we've been going up against those guys since grade school. It was a dogfight. To beat them here at home feels real good."

Middleton senior offensive tackle Ryan Groy, who also took some snaps on defense and is the Cardinals' long snapper, said it was too bad that the seniors on both teams would only get to meet once on the football field.

But the University of Wisconsin recruit, who helped anchor an offensive line -- including tight ends Erich Lengfeld and Sean Bayer, center Shayne Steward, guards Kevin Drunasky and Stephen Vassalotti and tackle Ty Hartjes -- that paved the way for a 330-yard rushing effort by the Cardinals, was pleased to get a crack at the Wildcats.

"We've had a rivalry with these guys since elementary and middle school. It's great to get to play them here," Groy said. "We knew our time was coming. It was fun to play Verona but beating them was even better."

It was not nearly as much fun for the Wildcats and coach Dave Richardson, especially after Middleton senior tailback Brooks Braga rushed for the first two of his four touchdowns in the first quarter to stake Middleton to a 14-0 lead.

However, Braga, who ran for a career-best 277 yards and four touchdowns, thoroughly enjoyed his only opportunity to play the Wildcats in a Big Eight football game.

"It's the beginning of a great rivalry," said Braga, a 6-foot, 180-pounder who was battling a flu bug but refused to let anything get in the way of meeting Verona on the Breitenbach Stadium FieldTurf.

While it was the teams' first meeting in a varsity football game, they have played each other in nonconference basketball action several times.

"The seniors only get one crack at them our whole careers (in football)," Braga said. "So beating them like that makes us feel good about ourselves because they are an incredible team."

Braga said while the emphasis is naturally supposed to be on each game and each opponent on their schedule, it was difficult for the Cardinals and Wildcats not to look ahead to this game ever since last season ended.

"We've been looking at this game all year," he admitted. "This game was definitely a highlight on our calendar."

The Cardinals rushed for a combined 103 yards on their first two drives, 15 yards more than Verona had allowed in its first two games combined.

But there was more at stake than rushing stats or getting the first strike in a rivalry that is finally off and running.

Both teams entered the game tied at 2-0 in the Big Eight along with Janesville Craig and Janesville Parker. And after Parker lost at home to Madison West 23-6 and Middleton topped Verona, Craig and the Cardinals are the only two unbeaten teams left in the Big Eight.

"As a staff, we are pretty proud of how the kids played," Middleton coach Tim Simon said. "In the second quarter, I thought Verona outplayed us. But we laid out a challenge to the guys at halftime about making a statement in the third quarter. They answered that call."

After Verona trimmed its deficit to 14-7 on Cameron Bathe's 23-yard TD run with 36 seconds left in the first half, the Wildcats had the momentum going into the break.

But Middleton drove 90 yards in eight plays and grabbed a 21-7 lead when Braga broke several tackles and sprinted down the left sideline to finish off a 41-yard TD scamper on the opening drive of the second half.

Tom Huepenbecker's 28-yard field goal in the third quarter and Braga's 3-yard TD run early in the fourth quarter sealed the deal for the Cardinals.

So while Richardson wasn't particularly pleased with his team's performance or the outcome, he agreed that the rivalry could become a special one.

"I think it could be. It's about six miles between the schools apart on Map Quest. I think this is a natural rival," Richardson said. "It will be fun."

Verona senior co-captain Nick Chenoweth wished it could have ended differently for the Wildcats. But he didn't regret having the opportunity to play against some of his childhood friends in a new setting.

"We knew that they'd be a tough team. The whole week we were preparing like this was the top team in the state," he said. "We worked hard. We just didn't execute."

Simon, who was obviously in a much better mood after the satisfying win, admitted he was nervous for most of the week leading up to the game.

"Our kids and their kids have played against each other in basketball and football and baseball," Simon said. "There is a lot of history there in youth sports."

But Simon breathed a sigh of relief to have this game registered in the win column.

"Coach Richardson has built a great program at Verona and they've dominated the Badger South for years," Simon said of the Wildcats, who had their regular-season winning streak snapped at 21 games. "So they are going to be just fine in the Big Eight. They won't miss a beat."

Braga said while Madison Memorial is already a natural rival with its proximity to Middleton, the Cardinals' future Big Eight battles with Verona could surpass its competition with the Spartans.

"Maybe in basketball it will still be Memorial," he said, "but I think we have a new rival in football."

Dennis Semrau  —  9/14/2008 3:58 am