G.B. Southwest cruises to win on Senior Night

Quality over quantity.

Perhaps no team in the state has exemplified that more than Green Bay Southwest.

The Trojans capped off an 8-1 regular season with a 49-0 thumping of Sheboygan North on Friday at Dahlin Family Stadium.

The game marked the first time Southwest had more players on its sideline than its opponent.

The Trojans knew they would be outmanned in a majority of their games this year. They also knew they would be capable of putting together this type of season, which included being one touchdown away from upending the Fox River Classic Conference champion and finishing in good standing to earn a home playoff game for the WIAA Division 2 playoffs.

“I knew we weren’t going to have a lot of guys going in, but I knew the guys that wanted to be here were willing to work hard,” Southwest senior Nathan Steinbrecker said.

The Trojans wasted little time in going to work against Sheboygan North, scoring 40 seconds into the contest on a 36-yard touchdown reception by senior Josh Komis from junior Nick Howard, who threw for five touchdowns in the game.

Howard connected with senior Kaleb Keener for scoring strikes of 31 and 68 yards, while junior Will Pytleski and senior Noah Schmidt also caught touchdowns.

Komis finished with 124 rushing yards and another score on the ground. Senior Allen Bunker added a touchdown run early in the second half to cap the scoring.

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“We get along well,” Bunker said about the team’s collection of playmakers. “We’re not selfish. We know what we got around us and we know who can play, and we get them in positions to do what they need to do.”

Friday was a celebration for the team’s 22 seniors, many of whom are three- and four-year varsity players.

The motivation for the Trojans’ success could be credited to senior defensive backs Hunter Vang and Cole Milton, both of whom sustained season-ending injuries before the season.

“I understand what they’re going through because that happened to me way back when,” Southwest co-head coach Tim Birr said. “That’s tough when it’s your senior year and you don’t have another chance. It’s not like you can come back and redshirt in high school. They hung out with us the whole year. They were at practice all the time. They were on our sidelines. They just stay involved. It’s a credit to them as individuals. I know that’s going to help them with whatever they do once they get out of high school.”

No matter what seed it receives, Southwest should prove to be a tough out for any team in the playoffs.

“We’re excited,” Birr said. “It’s totally different. We felt the last two weeks, the Notre Dame and the Bay Port game, that was playoff football, so I think these guys are ready to go. They understand what it’s going to take.”