Preble defense stings De Pere
GREEN BAY – The scoreboard at Gauthier Family Stadium didn’t work for Thursday’s season-opening game.
The Green Bay Preble defense didn’t need it to.
The Hornets produced six turnovers in a 28-0 shutout victory over De Pere in a Fox River Classic Conference game.
“To have a shutout first game of the season is outstanding,” Preble coach Dustin Gresen said.
“We played swarming defense. When we had one guy wrap up, we had seven or eight guys more coming. That’s tough when you have swarming defense like that. That runner is not going to get those extra yards.”
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The Hornets went up 14-0 at the end of the first half thanks to an interception return for a touchdown by junior Hunter Yang.
After the De Pere defense produced a three-and-out on the first series of the second half, the Redbirds turned the ball over, leading the first of two touchdown runs by Preble senior Jamar Howell.
“They have that swagger,” Gresen said. “They fly around. They love each other, and they play hard-hitting football. That swagger is going to, hopefully, take us long and far this year.”
The Hornets used two quarterbacks in the game, giving senior Ryan Buergi and junior Evan Holm each a half.
Buergi connected with senior Nick Renier on a 37-yard touchdown to open the scoring in the game.
“When you turn the football over six times you’re not going to beat anybody,” De Pere coach Chad Michalkiewicz said.
“Credit Preble. We thought we were going to hang our hat on being discipline, but we weren’t, which is something we preach, we practice.”
The Redbirds will look to bounce back in Week 2 at Green Bay Southwest.
Meanwhile, the Hornets will host Bay Port, which produced a shutout of its own in a 42-0 victory over Manitowoc Friday to extend its conference winning streak to 28 games.
“Bay Port is a good team,” Preble senior linebacker Alex Champine said. “We all know that, and they’re returning a lot of starters from last year, too. But we’re returning a lot of starters from last year, too, and we’re going to fight. We’re not going to give up, and it should be a great game.”
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