I don't mean Pro Football, although I do watch it.
My son Andrew is a Junior in High School and he had his first start as the Quaterback this past week.
Here is the story from the St. Paul Pioneer Press, I think the Sportswriter came to the game to write about the other QB for he is one of the best in western Wisconsin.
St. Croix Central wins on three second-half TDs
By Bruce Brothers
ELLSWORTH, Wis. — St. Croix Central looks like a second-half team.
The visiting Panthers bent early but didn't break, then rallied for three consecutive second-half touchdowns to defeat Ellsworth 34-27 in a Wisconsin high school football opener Thursday night.
The winners came up with plenty of big plays, including two TD passes from junior quarterback Andrew Thomley to junior Luke Brown.
"His first start," Central coach Tony DiSalvo said of Thomley. "He played well."
Ellsworth began as if its Panthers would have no problems on a clear, warm evening at its nicely manicured home field.
After a keeper by quarterback Josh Miska went nowhere, Miska loosened up his strong right arm.
Eight plays later, Ellsworth owned a 7-0 lead after a 71-yard drive, with Miska completing 4 of 5 passes for 60 of the yards. A 25-yard pass play to Matt Sager was the big play, and Zach Thurber took the ball up the gut for the final two yards and the touchdown.
When St. Croix Central was halted on downs at the Panthers' 10-yard line after two fine pass defenses by Coty McLaughlin, things looked bright for Ellsworth.
But Central, also nicknamed the Panthers, stopped Ellsworth after just 9 yards, then took a short punt and started again at the Ellsworth 20.
Zack Gilles ran 12 yards and 3 yards before Thomley hit Brown in the end zone to tie the score in the final seconds of the first quarter.
Ellsworth went 80 yards to open the second quarter, capping the drive with a 30-yard pass from Miska to Riley Johnson for a 14-7 lead, but at that point both defenses stiffened.
Miska was a thorn in Central's side all night long.
"He's a good quarterback," DiSalvo said. "I'm real proud of our kids, the way they hung in there."
St. Croix Central pulled within a point with 5:09 left in the first half on a 2-yard sneak by Thomley, set up by his 22-yard pass to Jesse Krizan.
But the PAT attempt went wide, and the home team went into the half with a 14-13 lead.
As the setting sun turned the sky from blue to purple to gun-metal gray by the second-half kickoff, Ellsworth's fortunes also seemed to darken.
St. Croix Central got a 26-yard scoring burst up the middle by junior running back Isaac Lindahl to take the lead less than three minutes into the third quarter, and after Ellsworth fumbled the ball away, Thomley hit Brown with a 38-yard scoring pass on SCC's first play from scrimmage to make it 27-14.
Ellsworth's Miske wasn't finished, however, and an 18-yard scoring pass to Seth Seymour — Miske's third pass of 17 yards or more in the drive — pulled the home Panthers within 27-20 with 9:40 left in the fourth quarter.
By the time Miske took a keeper 21 yards for the game's final TD with less than a minute to play, St. Croix fans were justifiably feeling comfortable.
"This was a big game for us, a huge game," DiSalvo said, adding that he hopes the victory "sets the tone for this season."
Things get no easier for the respective Panthers next weekend when St. Croix Central jumps into Dunn-St. Croix Conference competition against rival Baldwin while Ellsworth plays at River Falls.
My son Andrew is a Junior in High School and he had his first start as the Quaterback this past week.
Here is the story from the St. Paul Pioneer Press, I think the Sportswriter came to the game to write about the other QB for he is one of the best in western Wisconsin.
St. Croix Central wins on three second-half TDs
By Bruce Brothers
ELLSWORTH, Wis. — St. Croix Central looks like a second-half team.
The visiting Panthers bent early but didn't break, then rallied for three consecutive second-half touchdowns to defeat Ellsworth 34-27 in a Wisconsin high school football opener Thursday night.
The winners came up with plenty of big plays, including two TD passes from junior quarterback Andrew Thomley to junior Luke Brown.
"His first start," Central coach Tony DiSalvo said of Thomley. "He played well."
Ellsworth began as if its Panthers would have no problems on a clear, warm evening at its nicely manicured home field.
After a keeper by quarterback Josh Miska went nowhere, Miska loosened up his strong right arm.
Eight plays later, Ellsworth owned a 7-0 lead after a 71-yard drive, with Miska completing 4 of 5 passes for 60 of the yards. A 25-yard pass play to Matt Sager was the big play, and Zach Thurber took the ball up the gut for the final two yards and the touchdown.
When St. Croix Central was halted on downs at the Panthers' 10-yard line after two fine pass defenses by Coty McLaughlin, things looked bright for Ellsworth.
But Central, also nicknamed the Panthers, stopped Ellsworth after just 9 yards, then took a short punt and started again at the Ellsworth 20.
Zack Gilles ran 12 yards and 3 yards before Thomley hit Brown in the end zone to tie the score in the final seconds of the first quarter.
Ellsworth went 80 yards to open the second quarter, capping the drive with a 30-yard pass from Miska to Riley Johnson for a 14-7 lead, but at that point both defenses stiffened.
Miska was a thorn in Central's side all night long.
"He's a good quarterback," DiSalvo said. "I'm real proud of our kids, the way they hung in there."
St. Croix Central pulled within a point with 5:09 left in the first half on a 2-yard sneak by Thomley, set up by his 22-yard pass to Jesse Krizan.
But the PAT attempt went wide, and the home team went into the half with a 14-13 lead.
As the setting sun turned the sky from blue to purple to gun-metal gray by the second-half kickoff, Ellsworth's fortunes also seemed to darken.
St. Croix Central got a 26-yard scoring burst up the middle by junior running back Isaac Lindahl to take the lead less than three minutes into the third quarter, and after Ellsworth fumbled the ball away, Thomley hit Brown with a 38-yard scoring pass on SCC's first play from scrimmage to make it 27-14.
Ellsworth's Miske wasn't finished, however, and an 18-yard scoring pass to Seth Seymour — Miske's third pass of 17 yards or more in the drive — pulled the home Panthers within 27-20 with 9:40 left in the fourth quarter.
By the time Miske took a keeper 21 yards for the game's final TD with less than a minute to play, St. Croix fans were justifiably feeling comfortable.
"This was a big game for us, a huge game," DiSalvo said, adding that he hopes the victory "sets the tone for this season."
Things get no easier for the respective Panthers next weekend when St. Croix Central jumps into Dunn-St. Croix Conference competition against rival Baldwin while Ellsworth plays at River Falls.
