KIMBERLY FOOTBALL USES PASSING GAME TO PULL AWAY FROM STEVENS POINT
Zaleski Sports
KIMBERLY – Stevens Point hung with Kimberly through the first half, but the Papermakers’ passing game was too much to overcome in the end.
Kimberly quarterback Caden Pendleton connected with Owen Pawlikowski for three touchdown passes in the second half as the Papermakers downed SPASH 34-9 in a nonconference football game to open the 2021 season on Friday night at Kimberly High School.
Pendleton hit Isaac Dechant for a 21-yard touchdown pass in the first quarter and Blake Barry opened the second with a TD run to give Kimberly a 14-0 lead.
Stevens Point fought back to make it a game by halftime as Ben Raczek caught a 4-yard touchdown pass from Riley Warzynski and Cam Saeger made a 40-yard field goal, cutting the Papermakers’ lead to 14-9 at intermission.
The Panthers, however, couldn’t get anything going on offense in the second half, and couldn’t stop the Pendleton-to-Pawlikowski connection.
Pawlikowski had TD receptions of 14, 24 and 15 yards in the second half to put the game away for Kimberly.
Pendleton finished 15-for-24 for 198 yards and the four touchdown passes, with Pawlikowski catching a team-high six balls for 92 yards and the three scores.
Kimberly outgained SPASH 378-184, holding the Panthers to only 65 rushing yards on 24 attempts.
Warzynski finished 12-for-27 passing for 119 yards, which included 45 yards each from Tommy Drohner and Quinton Martin.
Stevens Point will play its home opener against Superior at 4 p.m. on Aug. 27 at Goerke Field, while Kimberly will play at Ashwaubenon.
Papermakers 34, Panthers 9
Stevens Point 0 9 0 0 - 9
Kimberly 7 7 14 6 - 34
First Quarter
K – Isaac Dechant 21 pass from Caden Pendleton (Kam Ziebell kick).
Second Quarter
K – Blake Barry run (Ziebell kick).
SP – Ben Raczek 4 pass from Riley Warzynski (kick failed).
SP – Cam Saeger 40 field goal.
Third Quarter
K – Owen Pawlikowski 14 pass from Pendleton (Ziebell kick).
K – Pawlikowski 24 pass from Pendleton (Ziebell kick).
Fourth Quarter
K – Pawlikowski 15 pass from Pendleton (run failed).
Team Statistics
First downs: Stevens Point 9; Kimberly 19.
Rushing (att-yards): SP 24-65; K 37-180.
Passing (comp-att-yards-int): SP 12-27-119-1; K 15-24-198-2.
Total yards: SP 184; K 378.
Penalties (no.-yards): SP 2-5; K 1-5.
Fumbles (total-lost): SP 0-0; K 1-1.
Punting (no.-avg.): SP 6-32.2; K 2-38.5.
Individual Statistics
Rushing: SP, Kale Roth 19-73, Jaybreal Palbrach 3-0, Braylon Smola 1-minus 1, Riley Warzynski 1-minus 7. K, Blake Barry 14-86, Colin Obermann 13-83, Seth Miron 3-9, Caden Pendleton 2-3, Matthew Lamers 5-minus 1.
Passing: SP, Warzynski 12-27-119-1. K, Pendleton 15-24-198-2.
Receiving: SP, Tommy Drohner 4-45, Quinton Martin 3-45, Smola 1-11, Danny Zdroik 1-9, Ben Raczek 1-4, Roth 1-3, Jayden Zelinski 1-2. K, Owen Pawlikowski 6-92, Cam Wnek 4-46, Isaac Dechant 2-30, Miron 1-13, Jeff Salazar 1-9, Ethan Criter 1-8.
Records: Stevens Point 0-1; Kimberly 1-0.