The Wisner-Pilger Football Team won 20-18 at Tekamah-Herman Friday night to end the season.
The game was tied at 6 at the end of one and at 12 at halftime.
The Gators won the 4th quarter 8-6 to make up the final score. No one scored in the 3rd quarter.
Head Coach A.J. Burki says it was a good team win. "I would begin by saying it was an all team effort. You know as the season goes on, sometimes it's hard to play for something when you haven't had a lot of success, your numbers are down, and you are pretty banged up. We talked all week about the importance of this game and how not to let, the above mentioned scenarios dictate the teams fate. We spoke about how they (the boys) want to remember this season and how for the older guys this will be how they go out in their senior year, and for the younger guys how this will set the tempo for the future. The boys have worked hard all year, and it was great for them to be down, come back, and be rewarded for their efforts, and show their overall desire to win. And, honestly the boys attitude was great all year, they came ready to practice everyday and truly wanted to get after it, to become better players, athletes, and be a better team. They are and were a pretty self-determined team, and I think that's what really was the difference, they want to compete, they want to be good, and they want to win - and will do what they need to try and accomplish that goal."
Wisner-Pilger ends the year at 1-8.
Burki says he's losing a special group of seniors. "Just - them!!!! Of our 6 Seniors, only 2 have played football for all four years (Hunter Waterman and Keegan Ruskamp - good players and even better kids) - the other 4, hadn't either played at all or not since their Freshmen year. For that reason, we are just going to miss them, they are good kids, that realized that the team was in need, that we were young and didn't have a lot of numbers. So they stepped up and played, making sure that a JV schedule was sure to happen. They were ALL leaders - each in their own way, working with and helping the younger guys how ever they could. They turned this team into a family, and they had each others back. They are a pretty great group of guys, who always put the team first. We will miss them."
Other seniors who played this year were Logan Polenske, Sam Dorris, Jack Canetta, and Trenton Lierman.
Key returners for the Gators next season include Trevor Styskal, Colby Heller, Dylan Kneifl, Justin Pieper, Mason Dimon, Jacob Borgelt, Dylan Uhing, Caden Schweers, and Jayden Raabe.
Wisner-Pilger ought to be pretty good given all the talent they have coming back.
This was kind of a rebuilding year of sorts for the Gators you could say, the one thing you have to say about this team is that they never gave up.
I felt Wisner-Pilger played two of their better games this season the last two times out.
Burki says this win was about so much more than just the game of football. "I think this was huge! This was the culmination of everything they did and went through all season. I am not so much worried about the off-season (though I think it is greatly important - for our team) but instead the rest of this school year, right here and now, and the winter sport season, then the spring and summer. We preached all year about changing the culture, not for football but for our boy sports in general - we want (more importantly they want) to compete and excel at everything we do (every sport). And I think this win takes them in that direction."
I think the Gators are going to have a very good basketball team this year, and it should make for an exciting season.
The football players not out for basketball should go to basketball games and support their teammates.
Same with football and basketball players not involved in wrestling.
Wisner-Pilger is looking to build a winning culture, and it all starts with hard work, kids bonding together, and coming together as one.
If the Gators continue to play with a positive, upbeat attitude and have a good offseason, brighter days should be ahead for Wisner-Pilger.
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