Warhawks strike first, fast and last

Posted: Sept. 11, 2011

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Rick Wood

Catholic Memorial's Casey Townsend catches a long pass but lands out of bounds while Arrowhead's Sam Seonbuchner covers in the first quarter Sept. 9.

Rick Wood

Catholic Memorial's Casey Townsend catches a long pass but lands out of bounds while Arrowhead's Sam Seonbuchner covers in the first quarter Sept. 9.

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If there’s a criticism of the new high-powered offense run by first-year coach Greg Malling’s Arrowhead varsity football team, it’s that they score too quickly.

That was never more evident than last Friday night when the Warhawks defeated host Waukesha Catholic Memorial in a Classic 8 Conference game at Carroll University, 23-6.

Undefeated after its first three games of the season (2-0 in league play), Arrowhead needed just 53 seconds to score a touchdown on its first possession of the game and then scored another six points on their second possession, this time taking just 63 seconds off the clock.

For an encore, their final touchdown came late in the second quarter and that scoring march took all of 38 seconds. That’s three touchdowns in a span of 2:24.

“It’s easily the best across-the-board offensive group I’ve ever worked with,” Malling said with a big smile on his face after the game. “It’s because there are no weaknesses. It helps to have our offensive line, which is huge, and then obviously there’s Ryan (Saeger), the receivers and the running backs.”

That group on offense, along with another stingy performance by the defense, was more than enough to keep the Warhawks undefeated.

Arrowhead, ranked 10th in the state in last week’s Associated Press poll, has now outscored its first three opponents by a 103-14 score. The first-team defense has allowed just one touchdown this season.

The win was the fifth straight by the Warhawks over the Crusaders in the 15-year history of the Classic 8 Conference. Memorial started out by winning three of their first four games with Arrowhead. Since then, the Warhawks have reeled off 10 wins in their last 11 meetings.

After two weeks of play in the conference, defending state champion Waukesha West and Arrowhead are deadlocked for first place with 2-0 records.

Hawks take the lead

AHS wasted no time getting on the scoreboard, marching 69 yards on just four plays on the game’s first possession . The first play of the game was a 23-yard double reverse run by sophomore receiver Ricky Finco. On the very next play, Saeger hooked up with junior end Brandon Kim on a 40-yard pass play. The 6-foot-4, 215-pound quarterback ran for five yards to the 1-yard line before he scored on the next play.

Memorial scored its lone touchdown on their first series when Casey Townsend scored on a 2-yard run after a 15-play, 87-yard drive. The Crusaders missed their extra-point kick and trailed 7-6. The big play of that CMH drive was a 22-yard pass from Charlie Walsh to end Andre Bodden.

But the Warhawks had an answer for that score. On their second possession, they marched 70 yards in just four plays, hitting two passes for 30 and 35 yards and getting the touchdown when Saeger plowed in from the 2-yard line. Sean Berendes and Kenny Finco caught the two passes before the Saeger score.

Holding on to a 14-6 edge late in the second period, Arrowhead got some breathing room when Kim caught a 27-yard touchdown pass from Saeger. Right before the score, Saeger hooked up on a 30-yard completion to senior back Jamahl Wright that put the ball at the CMH 27-yard line.

“They (Arrowhead) just wear you out with numbers,” veteran Memorial coach Bill Young said. “Our demo team must have run 500 of Arrowhead’s plays this week, but you really can’t simulate a really, really good quarterback like Saeger.”

Chewing up clock

Finally, after three quick scoring drives, the Warhawks took some time off the clock when they scored the final points of the game on a 27-yard field goal by Steve Dentice in the fourth period. That drive took 7:45 off the clock and consisted of 15 plays.

Saeger scored twice, completed 16 of 25 passes for 276 yards and ran 16 times for 90 yards. In the first half, the red-hot Saeger was 12 of 17 for 220 yards passing.

Arrowhead’s defense turned in another balanced effort. The Crusaders never got deeper than the Arrowhead 38-yard line after scoring on their first possession. Jesse Christofferson, Kevin Brester, Jackson Groonwald and Matt Gasper turned in some good plays for the winners on defense. Groonwald had the lone fumble recovery for the Warhawks

Kim had his best game of the season, finishing with five receptions and 100 yards. All of those catches came in the first half.