Wausau Pilot & Review
CHIPPEWA FALLS – The Wausau Newman Catholic football team is back in the state championship game after a 35-0 victory over Siren on Friday night at Chippewa Falls High School.
The Cardinals (11-0) will play for its second-straight WIAA 8-player football championship when it takes on Belmont (10-1) at 1 p.m. Saturday at South Wood County Field at Wisconsin Rapids Lincoln High School.
Newman quarterback Conner Krach ran for touchdowns of 60 and 5 yards in the first half and Thomas Bates added a 27-yard TD late in the second quarter to give the Cardinals a 21-0 halftime lead.
Bates ran in from the 4 in the third and Krach connected with Ben Hardesty for a 31-yard touchdown in the fourth to send the Cardinals back to the state finals.
Krach finished with 91 yards passing, 122 yards rushing, and 15 total tackles and an interception on defense. Bates racked up 168 yards on the ground and also picked off a pass, and Matthew Hamilton had an interception on defense as well for the Cardinals.
Newman Catholic outgained Siren (10-1) 392-95 in the victory.
Cardinals 35, Dragons 0
Newman Catholic 6 15 7 7 – 35
Siren 0 0 0 0 – 0
First Quarter
NC – Conner Krach 60 run (kick missed).
Second Quarter
NC – Krach 5 run (Thomas Bates pass from Krach).
NC – Bates 27 run (Matthew Hamilton kick).
Third Quarter
NC – T. Bates 4 run (Hamilton kick).
Fourth Quarter
NC – Ben Hardesty 31 pass from Krach (Hamilton kick).
Individual Statistics
Rushing: NC, Thomas Bates 17-168, Conner Krach 16-122, Ben Hardesy 3-10, Matthew Hamilton 3-1. S, Nick Webster 14-25, Lucas D’Jock 5-13, Luke Pettis 2-8, Landyn Randt 1-minus 6.
Passing: NC, Krach 4-8-91-0. S, Webster 9-29-55-2, Randt 0-1-0-1.
Receiving: NC, Hardesty 2-63, Eli Gustafson 1-17, T. Bates 1-11. S, Wyatt Anton 4-33, D’Jock 3-7, Randt 2-15.
Interceptions (defense): NC, Krach, Hamilton, T. Bates.
Records: Newman Catholic 11-0; Siren 10-1.
