Waunakee defeats DeForest in rivalry football game
Waunakee controlled its annual football matchup with DeForest, handing the Norskies a lopsided defeat.
Waunakee controlled its annual football matchup with DeForest, handing the Norskies a lopsided defeat.
Waunakee, ranked No. 6 in the Bound Wisconsin Division 1 Coaches Poll, shook off a slow start, using a 21-point second quarter to secure a convincing 42-13 victory over DeForest on Friday, Sept. 18 at DMB Community Bank Stadium.
Following the victory, Waunakee extends its win streak against its crosstown foe to seven games — a stretch dating back to 2019.
With an unusual 6 p.m. early kickoff due to impending weather concerns, DeForest struck first.
Senior defensive back Noah Manthe halted the Warriors’ opening drive with an interception. Only a handful of seconds later, senior Norski running back Dalton Lee broke loose on a 66-yard touchdown, igniting the poncho-dressed crowd to give DeForest an early 7-0 advantage with 9:43 left in the first.
Game recap
Senior defensive back Noah Manthe races down the field after recording an interception during the first Waunakee drive on Friday, Sept. 18 at DMB Community Bank Stadium.
On the ensuing drive, Waunakee methodically marched up the field. The Warriors then found themselves comfortably at the Norski goal line, threatening to score.
On fourth-and-goal from the one-yard line, DeForest stuffed the rush, taking over on downs.
But after that specific play, the Warriors took control the rest of the way.
With less than three minutes remaining in the first, Waunakee capitalized on strong field position. Junior running back Zander MacKenzie powered home a 27-yard rushing touchdown to tie the game at seven apiece.
As the first-quarter clock turned from minutes into seconds, senior linebacker Jackson Strobel returned a 16-yard pick-six. His touchdown gave Waunakee a 14-7 advantage going into the second quarter.
Warriors’ coach Chris Graverson was proud of how his team responded after the slow start.
“(DeForest) has some good players over there,” Graverson said. “They’re a good team. They’re gonna get some things figured out.”
“We’re going to get everybody’s best, and we should expect to be in that situation some more, where somebody’s going to come at us,” Graverson continued. “I thought they did a nice job of doing that, and I thought our kids did a nice job of responding.”
As the second quarter unfolded, the Warriors outscored DeForest 21-0 to put the game away.
Waunakee scored its first of three second-quarter touchdowns when senior wide receiver Andrew Mussallem ran 50 yards on a sweep-for-a-score to lead 21-7 with 10:21 remaining.
Less than three minutes later, the Warriors used a 39-yard reception from senior tight end Gavin Selk to get inside DeForest’s 10-yard line.
