By Dan Truttschel
Correspondent
No matter the reason, there have been a number of struggles for the East Troy High Schol football team throughout 2014.
But at least for one night – last Friday – the Trojans put enough parts of their game together to emerge with a hard-fought and much-needed Rock Valley Conference victory.
The Trojans erased a 14-13 deficit with three second-half touchdowns and held on for a 33-27 win over host Edgerton. East Troy improved to 2-5 overall and 2-2 in the RVC.
“I am very proud of how our players fought and finished the game,” East Troy coach Eric Sulik said. “We didn’t play our best, and we certainly made things difficult on ourselves (128 yards in penalties, one turnover).
“However, we overcame those issues and played well enough to win. It’s the first time since joining the RVC we have won versus Edgerton on the road.”
After Edgerton took its one-point lead by halftime, the Trojans went to work.
Ryan Olsen started the rally with a 30-yard touchdown run that gave East Troy a 19-14 lead, followed by a 3-yard run by quarterback Charlie Kutschenreuter and a two-point passing play to Jacob Remza that built the Trojans’ lead to 13 points.
Edgerton made things interesting in the fourth quarter with a 23-yard touchdown, but Kutschenreuter struck again to give the Trojans some much-needed breathing room.
Kutschenreuter, who rushed for 196 yards and threw for 77 more, scored on a 42-yard run that rebuilt East Troy’s lead to 12 at 33-21. Edgerton scored one more touchdown in the fourth quarter, but couldn’t complete the comeback.
“We are now into week eight, and I still don’t think there is a player we have faced that is more athletic than Charlie,” Sulik said. “He is one of the finest examples of a high school football player I have ever coached.
“(He is) tough, unselfish, poised and talented. He has led our team during good times and bad times. However, he would be the first to say it’s not all about him. He prepared for the season like no other and shows up every Friday night.”
Both teams exchanged first-half touchdowns to keep things close.
East Troy struck first on a 5-yard run by Owen Goedland, but Edgerton answered with a 5-yard score of its own to knot the score at 7-7 heading into the second quarter.
But Kutschenreuter got into the act in the second quarter with a 4-yard run to regain the Trojans’ lead at 13-7. Edgerton scored on a 1-yard run before halftime to setup the second-half scoring.
For the game, East Troy finished with 7.7 yards passing and 231 yards rushing on 33 carries. Edgerton had 37 yards passing and 308 rushing.
East Troy looks for its second straight win Friday night when it hosts Evansville-Albany at 7 p.m. Evansville improved to 4-3 overall and 3-1 in conference play last week with a 41-6 victory over Whitewater.
“Evansville-Albany is a fine football team,” Sulik said. “Coach Grovesteen will have his players ready. (They) ruined our chances of making the playoffs last season and took away our opportunity of finishing in sole possession of a conference championship in 2012.
“Emotions will be high, and our players will need to play well to win, but I like our chances.”
