Blue Dukes Pound Pirates, 27-7
- Updated: September 10, 2016
RB Bassindale rushed for 169 yards and two touchdowns against Port Washington.
Photo: Brad Caspari | Full Photo Gallery
Box Score/Play-By-Play 
Whitefish Bay traveled to Port Washington to take on Pirates in their second conference game of the season. The Dukes began the game with a 14-play drive that started on their own 40-yard line, including a couple of key receptions by Michael Kirkendoll, both for first downs. Bay would reach Port’s 9-yard line before a Pirate defensive back made a strong play on a pass attempt to Alex Anthony, ending the drive. The Duke’s defense was ready for the Pirates, stopping them on three plays and forcing them to punt the ball from deep in their own territory. Bay would start their second possession with runs by Cade Garcia and Bo Bassindale, taking them into Pirate territory. On the next play, Garcia rolled to his right, and attempting to elude a blitzing linebacker, sustained what would be a game-ending injury. Anthony moved from his receiver slot to take over the offense, leaving the Dukes without two of their key offensive weapons.
Dukes Game Plan Changes
Bay was forced to punt and the Pirates took control of the ball at their own 32 yard line. Defensive end Brady Weas made two tackles, the second being a sack on the Pirates quarterback, forcing a third and long. Tommy Brunner had 6 points in his sights when he almost intercepted the next pass, forcing Port to punt for the second time as the first quarter ended.
The Blue Dukes came out running, twice to Bassindale and once to Kirkendoll, before Anthony completed his first pass to tight end Chris Caspari, who rumbled for 14 yards to the Port 10-yard line. Bassindale ran the ball inside the 5-yard line, but the Dukes were called for a blocking penalty moving them back to the 20. This was a scenario repeated at least five times as the night progressed, with the referees finding ways to slow down the Bay offense. Bassindale would carry the ball five times during this possession, taking the fifth carry around the left side, leveraging a crushing block by Kirkendoll, to tally the evening’s first touchdown. Kicker Zach Lichosik made good on the extra point attempt to give Bay a 7-0 lead.
Bay Takes Lead into the Half
Port Washington mounted an eight-play drive before being forced to punt the ball back to Bay who took over at their own 28-yard line. The Dukes used three plays to advance the ball to the 47 before Bassindale, following pulling guards Carson Kimple and Mark Moraski, found the alley, breaking outside for a 49-yard gain, before finally being pushed out at the Pirates 4-yard line. Another penalty would move Bay back to the 13-yard line. Quarterback Anthony lofted a perfect fade pass into the corner of the end zone, where Caspari out-jumped the defender to pull in the touchdown pass. Lichosik’s extra point gave Bay a 14-0 lead with about one minute left in the half.
The Pirates capitalized on Bay’s only defensive lapse of the night, taking their next play from scrimmage and running for 60 yards before linebacker Patrick Nau ran down the ball carrier on Bay’s 25-yard line. Port scored on a 21-yard touchdown reception with just 4 seconds in the half to close the gap to 14-7 at the break.
Dukes Defense Continues to Shine
Carson Kimple and Bay’s offensive line were critical to the team’s win over Port Washington.
Photo: Brad Caspari | Full Photo Gallery
The Blue Dukes started the second half by unsuccessfully attempting an onside kick. Bay’s defense allowed a seven-play drive before forcing yet another punt. Coach Wolter gave the ball to Bassindale on three consecutive attempts, however another penalty flag reversed a first down, forcing the Dukes to punt the ball back to Port. The Blue Dukes defense was once again ready for the test. Port’s star running back Matt Ruppel was limited to just 27 yards rushing on the evening, over 80 yards below his season average. Wisconsin recruit, 6 feet 6 inches and 280 pound tackle Tyler Beach, didn’t make a difference to the ball hawking and gang tackling Dukes defense. Led by linebacker Andy Oates, defensive tackle Jordan Riley, Kimple, Nau, and Weas, the defense would shut down the Pirates running game for most of the contest. Forced to throw the ball, the Port quarterback found Brunner, who pulled down the interception, giving the ball back to the offense at midfield.
Here Comes the Pounding
Bay’s offense seemed to sputter after yet another holding penalty pushed them back to their own 40 yard line. On a third and 20, Anthony scrambled to his left and ran 25 yards for the first down. Bassindale ran six consecutive times, mostly dives up the middle for 5 yards a piece. On the first play of the 4th quarter, Bassindale swept to the right, breaking two tackles, and taking two more would be tacklers with him into the end zone for the touchdown and a 20-7 lead. Port blocked Lichosik’s extra point attempt.
Port Washington was forced to punt after a short possession, but a mishandled snap allowed Riley to push a blocker into the line of the punt, blocking the attempt and giving the ball to the Dukes on Port’s 19 yard line. Bassindale ran the ball for 9 yards, but on the next three attempts, the Dukes runners were held short of the first down.
As the fog rolled in, the Pirates would run 15 plays, but never threatened to score against the stout Duke’s defense. Almost sensing that the offense needed some time to rest, the defense continued to hold the field for over the next eight minutes before Riley sacked the quarterback giving the ball back to Bay.
The dagger would come just two plays later as sophomore fullback Nau, following a lead block by Kirkendoll, took the ball straight up the middle and raced 41 yards for the final touchdown of the game. Lichosik added the extra point to make the final score Whitefish Bay 27 Port Washington 7.
Whitefish Bay plays neighbor Nicolet at home next Friday at 7:00 p.m. See you in the stands!
Dukes of the Game
Jordan Riley gets the nod on The D, and Bo Bassindale and the offensive line of George Beatty, Carson Kimple, Devin Dodulik, Jacob Ross, Mark Moraski, Jacob Hawig, and Chris Caspari stand out as Dukes of the Game on offense.
