Whitefish Bay Blue Dukes Football

Dukes Cage the Orioles

Photo Courtesy of Mark Stewart / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

The Whitefish Bay Blue Dukes traveled out to Hartford on Thursday night and came away with a hard-fought victory in dramatic fashion, 21-14.  Coupled with Homestead’s loss to Cedarburg the following night, the Blue Dukes now sit alone at the top of the North Shore Conference and are guaranteed at least a share of the title with one game remaining.

With wet field conditions, both teams turned to the run game for a physical four quarters.  Bay received the opening kickoff and proceeded to use up 9-minutes of clock to strike first on a 14-play, 78-yard drive that ended with a 15-yard touchdown pass from Luke Wells to Kamarion Ivory on 4th down.

The Orioles would tie the score at 7 a short while later, and both teams would remain deadlocked going into the half.

Hartford would give the Blue Dukes a taste of their own medicine, as they came out of the half with a 14-play, 68-yard touchdown drive lasting 7 and a half minutes to take a 14-7 lead going into the 4th quarter.

The 4th quarter, however, would belong to the Blue Dukes.  It started with another 14-play touchdown drive, this time for 72 yards that would tie the game at 14.  Wells hit running back Jack Nau on a shovel pass for a 12-yard pitch and catch with 9:05 remaining in the game.  The Orioles would drive down to the Whitefish Bay 20, but the Dukes D held strong to force a field goal.  Big Joe Brunner, who blocked a field goal against Cedarburg last week, got penetration and smothered the attempt, giving the ball back to the Dukes with just over 2 minutes left in the game.

Two plays later, Dom Bartolone took his 4th carry of the game 66-yards to the endzone to put the Blue Dukes up 21-14 with 1:37 left.  The Dukes D would shut down Hartford’s attempt to tie the game, and the celebration was on.

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Next Up…

The Slinger Owls come to Lubar Stadium on Friday, October 15th at 7pm for a game with huge conference implications.  Friday night will also be Homecoming and Senior Night.