Lack of players takes a toll on Eagle football team
Lack of players takes a toll on Eagle football team
By MARVIN BAKER
EDITOR
There was clearly a disadvantage when Friday night’s football game began between New Town and Berthold and it boiled down to sheer numbers.
Berthold suited up 33 players and New Town could only muster 17, make that 16 as freshman Wes Aubol suffered a broken leg on the opening kick off.
Head coach Dave Williams was frustrated. And after an opening night, 47-0 loss to Belfield, the Bombers, behind the running attack of Michael White’s five touchdowns, beat the Eagles 38-0.
“Where are the players,” Williams said. “I need players to play this game.”
Unfortunately, in an 11-man system, starting players were required to play both offense and defense, which physically had them tired out by halftime. On the other hand, Berthold continued throughout the game to put in fresh players which became the obvious advantage for the Bombers as the game wore on.
White was unstoppable and piled up most of his 252 yards rushing in the first half. In fact, the Bombers capitalized on a reluctant New Town defense in the first quarter to chalk up 31 points in the first eight minutes.
Despite the Eagles playing most of the game with just 16 players, the team wasn’t without some stellar individual plays. In the second half, Lucas Wollschlager, a freshman, came into the game on a third and long play and line up at runningback. Quarterback Jesse Bear handed off to Wollschlager whose intent was to pass downfield and pick up a first down. Wollschlager was hit hard as the Berthold defense swarmed around him, but his left-handed pass hit the target for a first down.
