WAUSA — The season started off on a high note for the Wolfpack Friday night as they beat down the Wausa Vikings 44 to 14.
EPPJ played well on both sides of the ball. The defense allowed just one touchdown, that coming on the Vikings first possession of the second half. Wausa’s other touchdown came on special teams when Matthew Schindler returned a kickoff 73 yards.
“For the first game I was really happy with it,” Coach Greg Wemhoff said. “I thought in the second half we played getter and gained confidence.”
In many ways it was a tale of two halves. The Wolfpack jumped out to a 14 to 8 lead, but appeared sluggish, making the kind of mistakes teams make in the first game of the season.
Both of the Wolfpack’s first half touchdowns came courtesy of senior Gage Thiessen. With an offensive line led by sophomore center Jarek Erickson, EPPJ scored on their second possession when Thiessen blasted through the line for a 36-yard score.
Thiessen’s second touchdown of the half came in the second quarter. He capped a long drive which consisted of mainly running play. His second touchdown was a three-yard run. After Schindler’s kickoff return, neither team found the endzone the rest of the half.
The second half was another story. “We were very physical, particularly in the second half,” Wemhoff said. “I knew that we could be the more physical team and we were.”
After Schindler’s touchdown cut the Wolfpack’s lead to 22 to 14, EPPJ closed out the game holding the Vikings scoreless the rest of the way.
EPPJ put up two touchdowns in the third quarter. After Schindler’s second touchdown, the Wolfpack responded quickly. A Kellan Hoefer to Dylon Lueking completion for 37 yards put the ball on the Vikings 13-yard line. Two plays later the Wolfpack were in the endzone on a seven-yard run by fullback Taylor Beckman. On their next possession, EPPJ went 57 yards in 10 plays, ending with a Hoefer to Lueking touchdown pass.
The Wolfpack’s final touchdown was set up when sophomore Karson Kallhoff recovered a muffed punt on the Vikings 29-yard line early in the fourth quarter. From there it took nine plays with Thiessen finishing off the drive with a six-yard run.
Thiessen finished with four touchdowns. He rushed 23 times for 128 yards. Hoefer completed 12 of 20 passes for 176 yards. Lueking led receivers with four catches for 75 yards, Blake Henn had four for 50 and Thiessen caught four for 51 yards.
“Once we started to figure out our blocking scheme … I was able to bounce out and find the holes.” Thiessen said about following Beckman into many of those holes.
Among the many standouts on defense were Nick Anderson and Beckman
A senior, Anderson had one of the biggest hits of the night. “When you get them in your sights it feels amazing,” he said about the tackle.
Beckman said the defense was swarming to the ball throughout the game. “We weren’t happy about the first half defense,” he said. “We really stepped it up (in the second half).”
Dylan Kolm led EPPJ in tackles with 16, one more than Lueking.
Next up for the Wolfpack is Friday night’s home opener against perennial powerhouse Humphrey St. Francis.
Kickoff will be at 7 p.m. at Elgin Field.
For team and individual statistics, see this week’s edition of the Elgin Review.
