Little Chute football dominates early season play

The Little Chute football team expects to get the best from every opponent this season, but the Mustangs are giving it right back.

Little Chute, which played in the Division 4 state title game last year and is one of the favorites to get back to Camp Randall Stadium, secured its second blowout win of the new season with a 40-15 victory over Fox Valley Lutheran on Thursday, Aug. 27, at Fitzpatrick Field.

The Mustangs are 2-0 on the young season after rolling over Xavier 42-0 in the season opener.

“You can tell the difference from last year. Guys are coming at you. We’re up there, so they’re really trying to hit us and take us down,” Little Chute senior quarterback Jaden Hermsen said.

So far, opponents haven’t had much luck taking down the Mustangs.

Little Chute outscored the Foxes 18-0 in the second quarter to build a 26-7 halftime lead and was never threatened.

Hermsen had two touchdown runs in the first half for Little Chute, which also got a couple of big plays for scores on a 55-yard punt return for a touchdown by Trevor Verhagen in the second quarter and a 76-yard touchdown run by Tyler Hietpas in the third quarter.

“It’s awesome to have multiple guys that you feel great about when they are in there,” Little Chute coach Mark Krommenacker said. “You’re able to rotate guys in, keep them fresh. That’s huge. We’re very intentional about keeping these guys fresh. There’s guys stepping up. We got sophomores stepping up when we already have a senior-heavy team. That gives us an opportunity to do a lot of different things and keep guys fresh.”

Little Chute also got a 3-yard touchdown run from Reece Joten, who thwarted an FVL drive in the first quarter from his linebacker position when he dropped into coverage and intercepted a pass as the Foxes were nearing the red zone.

In the second year of running Krommenacker’s offense, the Mustangs are using all of the weapons in their deep, talented roster.

“It’s really fun because you never really know what’s coming next,” Hermsen said. “You never know what the next play is. It could be going to you. It could be going to one of your teammates. You don’t know. No matter what you run, everyone’s successful. Every guy is getting yards and it’s just fun to see everyone compete and have fun.”

Little Chute faces another tough test in Week 3 with a home matchup Sept. 4 against Wrightstown, but the team isn’t afraid of the target on its back.

“I’m pretty confident in us,” Hermsen said. “I believe that if everyone does their job and everyone competes and gives 100% effort every single play, then I think we can do good things.”

There was no sense of panic in Chad Michalkiewicz's postgame interview following Kimberly's 28-13 loss to Bay Port on Aug. 27.

Yes, the Papermakers are 0-2 to start a season for the first time since 2004, but that doesn't mean Kimberly's confidence has wavered.

It's a long season and Michalkiewicz knows it.

"Nobody's happy with a loss, but you're in ballgames in the second half of two of the top five teams in the state. Nobody's gonna feel sorry for you, but if we can keep this together and keep going, we're gonna be just as good as anybody," Michalkiewicz said.

Kimberly was playing without starting quarterback Rylan Welch, who Michalkiewicz said was out with a "head injury" suffered late in the Papermakers' loss to Sussex Hamilton in the season opener.

The Pirates got big plays from their offense through the air and on the ground. Perhaps the biggest was Jackson Smith’s 74-yard touchdown run on the first play of the third quarter that broke open a 14-7 game in favor of the Pirates.

Ryder Timmerman scored his second touchdown of the night on a 19-yard reception that put the score at 28-7.

Kimberly added a late 2-yard touchdown run from Maddux Hermus to complete the scoring. Hermus also scored from 8 yards out in the first quarter. Hermus had 100 yards passing and 46 yards rushing. He also averaged 45 yards a punt. Carter Rosen added nine carries for 60 yards for Kimberly.

"They should have no reason to be down," Michalkiewicz said. "They should have no reason to think they're not a good football team. They should have every reason to say, 'Hey, we need to continue to stand by our water mentality and get better every week.' You can hold it together and continue to see growth."

One silver lining for the Papermakers was that the defense held a Bay Port offense that scored 55 points against Middleton last week to 28 points. Bay Port finished with 424 yards overall with Smith leading the team in rushing (80 yards) and Jackson Otradovec in receiving (seven catches, 85 yards).

"We're playing with the Kimberly identity," Michalkiewicz said. "Everybody's growing into the role, but they're understanding pursuit to the football. We had two takeaways tonight against Bay Port. That's a phenomenal job. And just like we're hoping for the team, we know everybody's going to get better every week and the defense is playing at a high clip right now."

West De Pere (2-0) also had a big first-half lead in its 35-7 victory over Appleton North. The Phantoms' Cooper Schabo had 169 yards rushing and two touchdowns.

Calvin Hank had a 4-yard touchdown run to lead Appleton North (1-1). Brock Struensee had 16 rushes for 60 yards to lead North on the ground.

This article originally appeared on Appleton Post-Crescent: Little Chute football dominates early season play