By Kevin Cunningham
Sports Correspondent
After a 28-0 defeat at the hands of East Troy, the Whitewater Whippets’ football team had a home matchup on Friday against the Jefferson Eagles. Both teams entered the contest 1-4 overall and were coming off double-digit losses.
It didn’t take long for the road team to strike, as after just one quarter, the Eagles led, 14-0. Running back Hunter Milbrath scored from 14-yards out, and then quarterback Jack Cincotta ran another in from two yards away.
Whippets head coach Tom Grosinske said he knew that Jefferson’s offense ran through Cincotta, and the opposing signal-caller continued his dominance in the second quarter. Cincotta ran his second touchdown of the game in from 19-yards out, then threw another two touchdown passes before halftime.
Jefferson led, 34-0, and Cincotta had four total touchdowns heading into the third quarter.
“Their offense requires our defensive front seven to read the blocks in anticipation of where the ball was headed,” Grosinske said. “We didn’t generate enough even gap control, and push all too often, allowing them to hit the second level and generate yards. The couple of touchdown passes they did throw were the result of miscommunication and execution on our end along with well-run offensive plays.”
Grosinske also said that the halftime conversation that took place after being down 34 points was the best of the season. Ensuing the talk, running back Ernie Magana ran in a five-yard touchdown, giving the Whippets its first points of the game.
Jefferson would answer with a Jacob Arnold touchdown run, and then in the fourth quarter, Arnold would score again, making the score, 46-6. Whippets’ top rusher in the game, Bryan Parker, would run one in from one yard away for the final score of the game, 46-12.
Despite the 34-point defeat, the Whippets played the Eagles evenly in the second half. Grosinske said the team was more successful in the final 24 minutes because of its blocking and hard running style.
“That type of success is what we know our kids are capable of any given day,” Grosinske said. “Our kids continue to battle and seek improvement, which makes the coaching staff very proud and excited about our next three games. Our record is not what we hoped, but our kids keep battling and seeking better outcomes and opportunities.”
The team’s next game is against Evansville/Albany, who will enter the contest with a 6-0 record. The Whippets will have home-field advantage, and the game is set to start at 7 p.m. under the Friday night lights.
In Grosinske’s first season as the Whippets’ head coach, the team possesses a 1-5 overall record through six games.
“As with anyone who is in his or her first year as a head coach, there are many points in time in the season you reflect back on and have numerous ideas for improvement,” Grosinske said. “As a staff, we constantly reflect on what we have done well and what we need to do better. Our goal is to re-establish a winning tradition for Whippet football and bring excitement and enthusiasm along with that winning mindset. I constantly have that mission at the forefront of all we plan for and work to accomplish.”
