SportsFOX 17 Blitz

Actions

Dominant defense leads Pewamo-Westphalia into regional finals

Posted at 12:04 AM, Nov 14, 2019
and last updated 2019-11-14 00:04:41-05

DELTA TOWNSHIP, Mich. -- The Pewamo-Westphalia defense has been making life difficult for opposing offenses all season.

"When you see a big zero up on the board it just makes you feel good inside" senior outside linebacker Grant Stump said. "All that hard work you've put into getting a shutout and then at the end when you see it, it just feels great."

The Pirates have been feeling great a lot.  Eight shutouts in 11 games, 21 total points allowed.

"I don't think anybody can imagine that," seventh year head coach Jeremy Miller said. "It's a crazy number, that is a credit not only to our first defense but our second defense as well because that has been in there for a lot of these games when we are fortunate enough to have a lopsided score so it has been a great team effort all around."

The second team has been on the field a lot. Nine straight games for P-W have had a running clock.

"I used to be on the second team," senior middle linebacker Ethan Arens said. "When you are able to shut them out as a second team it really shows how good your team is."

The players say the reason the defense is so good is all about team.

"The key to this success this year is everybody coming in this offseason and really working hard together," Arens added. "Just to kind of get to our goal, taking it week by week."

"Defensively we have been sticking to doing our jobs personally," Stump said. "We just want to do our jobs and then work as a unit together to have a great year on defense."

When the game is over and the opponents score matches the clock, the mission is accomplished."

"It has been a phenomenal experience," Ahren said. "Playing for P-W, it is probably the greatest thing I've ever done in my life so far."

It might be a little tougher to come by this week.  The Pirates collide with defending state champion New Lothrop.  The school that knocked them out of the playoffs in same round last season.

"They have outstanding athletes." Arens said.  "Avery Moore he is a great guy,he's a phenomenal athlete. I think defensively we just need to do what we have been doing all year and see what we can do against them."