DAVID VS. GOLITH 1987…PART 1

In my last post on the 1926 Kewaunee vs.  West De Pere, I mentioned that I had received an email from Newspapers .com on May 28 and I was at first excited then disappointed.  The next day, May 29, I received a message from Patrick Foran, currently the Development Executive at Marquette University High School.  As he was preparing for an upcoming MUHS Athletic Hall of Fame ceremony he reminded me, based on my recent articles about the Hilltopper vs. Crusaders 1980’s games, that I may have left out a good story.

FIRST, THE LEADUP TO THE TITLE GAME

I had spent time writing about the Marquette and Waukesha Catholic Memorial matchups during the 1980's, but I didn’t evaluate some of their championship games when the two weren’t playing each other for the title.  One game was 1987 WISAA title game between the “Goliath” school Marquette vs. the “David” school, Chippewa Falls McDonell. I glossed over the game with just a mention of the final score and the fact that Marquette won.  In fact, I didn’t mention the great performance of star Marquette quarterback Jeff Jarecki.  Well, here is my story about Jeff, and his counterpart, quarterback Ben Gardow of McDonell.  

First, a bit about the buildup to the title matchup and later the game itself.

In 1986, Marquette posted an 8-2 record, losing in the first round of the Class A playoffs 10-7 in a classic matchup against rival Waukesha Catholic Memorial.  In 1987 Marquette had a very strong defensive team with six shutouts in their first 12 games. The Hilltoppers had a good rushing attack for the first two games as fullback Brian Belardi led the team with 300-yards and four touchdowns.  Belardi was named to the All-Metro first team as a junior in 1986 and was a player many thought to have a chance as being All-State as a senior.  Marquette didn’t need to pass often in the opening two games, defeating De Pere Pennings 40-7 and Brookfield East 26-0.  Still, junior Jeff Jarecki, stepping into the starting quarterback role, directed the team well.  The run game slowed a bit when Belardi was injured and sat out seven games.  Without Belardi in the lineup the ground game fell to running back T. J. Mickschl and others to carry the rushing load.

It was no surprise that the 10-0 Hilltoppers, going into the playoffs, were the top rated WISAA school and favored to win the Class A title. Marquette returned seven offensive and eight defensive starters from 1986.  The senior laden defensive squad was led by defensive end Al Kasun (Who also earned 1^st Team All-State honors as a punter).  Kasun also started on offense at the end spot.  Defensive linemen Dan Novogrodsky, Alfonso Jones and Ken Anselment along with defensive backs Vince Mc Caffrey and Bill O’Neal were big contributors.  When healthy, Brian Belardi played defensive back as well as leading the team in rushing.  On offense, key players besides running backs Belardi and T.J. Mickschl, were Alfonso Jones at the tackle spot, guard Dave Mc Nally and center Dave Weinfurter. 

McDonell on the other hand had made the playoffs in 1986 ending with a 9-3 record.  In 1987 they returned a great core of receivers, maybe the best the state of Wisconsin had seen up to this time.  Coach Gerry Uchytil had lost quarterback Dave Huffcutt to graduation and to the UW-Eau Claire.  Huffcutt played on the JV as a freshman and as a sophomore but didn’t go out for the varsity as a junior.  His one year of varsity was a great one as Huffcutt finished 1986 holding two national prep passing records (Most total offensive plays in a season with 630 and most passing attempts with 511 while he completed 268, a then state record passes). In 1987, sophomore Ben Gardow, Huffcutt's backup as a freshman, stepped into the spotlight.  Huffcutt had thrown for 3,244 yards and 33 touchdowns (With 25 interceptions) earning All-State honors.  His yardage and touchdowns thrown were state records.  The question was, could Gardow continue the school’s tradition of throwing the ball and do it well?  With returning Associated Press Second Team All-State end Randy Baier (97-1,449-14) and his twin senior brother Rick (70-566-4) along with junior Mitch Steinmetz (66-955-10), Gardow had plenty of good targets.

The team’s defensive problem was, for the most part, stopping the run.  The defensive backs held opponents in the passing department at bay in many games but often had to come up and make many tackles against the run.  While Marquette was going undefeated McDonell lost four times during the regular season.  With a non-existent run game, the offense relied on Gardow and his receivers.  Against De Pere Abbott Pennings Gardow injured his back in the third quarter after collecting 290 yards and three touchdowns (34-21-0). Taken to the hospital, he was declared fit for duty later and would play the next week.  His back-up, Mike Hayes moved from a back-up receiving position (He caught a 30-yard pass from Gardow for the final Mack score) and he was 16-4-1-44-0 to close the game.

McDonell was in the playoffs, barely.  By virtue of defeating Pacelli earlier, McDonell would host the higher seed for round team.  Marquette, the #1 seed would host St. Catherine’s.  Both teams studied the mistakes they had made in their previous encounters with their two playoff opponents and learned how to move past them.  Both teams had to rely on their defense to help move forward and they did move on.  Now it was time for the showdown.  Goliath was bigger, maybe stronger.  David was smaller but quick.

Marquette’s 14-0 round-two win over Waukesha Catholic Memorial was a nail biter.  A game recap on Wednesday, November 11, in the Milwaukee Journal, written by Bob Schwoch the story stated:

“Now Marquette faces a football anomaly: Chippewa Falls McDonell, which has the audacity, the unmitigated gall to build its offense around the pass.”

“A lot of people were saying, under their breaths, that Tuesday’s game at Hart (Park where Marquette played their home games) was for the state title.  The way Marquette’s students charged onto the field, index finger upward, after beating Memorial.  Well, it sure looked like a championship.”

Basham, predictably, will have none of that.  “That’s not the way we approach it, “he said.  “We prepare for each game the same way.”

Schwoch concluded, “For McDonell, that may be the worst news of all.”

With Marquette’s undefeated record McDonell Coach Gerry Uchytil felt the Hilltoppers had a slight advantage going into the championship game.  Uchytil told the Chippewa Falls Herald-Telegram “I know they are big; they have more seniors; they have fewer guys than we do going both ways and they have more depth. “

“But our equalizer is our offense,” he added.  “All we want is an equal chance, and our offense gives us that.” 

Marquette Coach Dick Basham told the UPI “I am sure they’ll complete some passes and gain some yards and score points.  We have to make sure the kids don’t panic.  We have to make sure we do what we do best.” 

“We have to control the football and run out the clock.  I’d like to have two, 10-minute drives.  That’s our game plan.” 

Were these good game plans?  Once the game starts only time would tell who would prevail.  The CWCC was use to defending against the McDonell Air Show and yet many teams couldn’t cope with the four or five receivers the Macks used on a single play.  Conversely, the grinding ground game Marquette and the size of the Hilltopper line was not something McDonell’s defense was used to dealing with.  On the season the Hilltoppers had four runners gain between 300 to 500 yards…Brian Belardi, T.J. Mickschl, Kevin Reilly and Rey Herrera. Each had had some injuries during the first 12-games.  They were going to have to play an error free ballgame.

The matchup was set.  Marquette’s run game and tough defense vs. McDonell’s outstanding passing game and some-times stout, when it counted, defense. 

Both teams played three games in 10-days.  Marquette had problems following the win over Catholic Memorial.  Their practice field was a disaster made unplayable due to the weather.  So, they trooped off three blocks on the Wednesday-Friday before the title game to the old, unused gym at the now closed Concordia College (The school had moved to Mequon).  Coached Basham rearraigned his team’s defensive lineup a bit.  They had scouted McDonell, and he was now priming his defense for battle.  This meant that the offense didn’t get enough pre-title game attention. 

Meanwhile, the weather was fine in Chippewa Falls as McDonell had no problems with their practices.

The game story and postgame stats will be next time.