Trojans lose Division 4 opener by one point
By Dan Truttschel
Correspondent
The finality of the post-season is a cruel one for every high school team but the one that ends up as the state champion.
One minute, you’re alive and well – the next, you’re season has come to an end.
And that’s just what the East Troy High School football team is dealing with after a brutally difficult 7-6 loss to Rock Valley Conference foe Big Foot in a Division 4 opener Friday night.
East Troy beat Big Foot 20-14 just two weeks before.
The loss ended the Trojans season at 6-4 overall and snapped a six-game winning streak that helped East Troy erase an 0-3 start to the season.
While disappointed, the loss can’t take away what East Troy accomplished in 2015, coach Eric Sulik said.
“I’m extremely proud of the players, especially our senior group,” he said. “Our guys never folded after starting the season 0-3 and put together the longest winning streak in our program since 1991.
“I love all of them, and I am proud of their effort.”
Big Foot struck first Friday night on a 6-yard touchdown pass from Jackson Enz to Beau Cary. Zak Greco added the extra point.
The Trojans fought back in the third quarter on a 1-yard run by Zach Zewiske, but the extra point was unsuccessful.
And that’s how the score stayed.
East Troy turned the ball over on downs twice in the second half, Sulik said, and Big Foot picked off a late pass to seal the victory.
“We really had a difficult time sustaining anything offensively,” he said.
East Troy managed just 172 total yards, 63 rushing and 109 passing, as Big Foot put together a solid defensive game plan, Sulik said.
“They blitzed our run game and held Owen (Goedland) in check all game long,” he said. “We couldn’t get our passing going. They beat us on third down, and our short-yardage offense was ineffective.
“They had answers for everything we attempted to do. I didn’t do a good job preparing our players for the elements. I bear the responsibility for our loss.”
Goedland led the Trojans with 81 yards rushing on 24 carries, while quarterback Nick Ruffalo completed 13 of 27 passes for 109 yards.
Big Foot finished with just 93 yards rushing and 146 passing, as the Trojans’ defense matched the Chiefs play for play.
“We pursued, tackled well and played extremely physical (on defense),” Sulik said. “It’s the same formula we have had all season long.”
The loss ended the East Troy playing careers of seniors Justin Growel, Ryan Olsen, Ruffalo, Zewiske, Jake Remsza, Jake Nixon, Logan Parsons, Nick Biersack and Zach Brinkman.
Results of All-RVC voting will run in a future edition.
