Franchise ResourcesJunkyard dogs win showdown with Venom 24-14
The Milwaukee Venom and the West Bend Junkyard Dogs squared off in a contest that would have a serious impact on the standings in the NFC conference. The Venom were coming off of a heart-breaking non-conference loss to the Wauwatosa Spartans the previous week, while the Junkyard Dogs had defeated the Crusaders of Fond Du Lac in their first game of the year. The winner of this game would be 2-0 in the conference and on the right path to earning a playoff berth.
The Venom started with the ball, and their first play from scrimmage was a strong 5 yard gain by all-star running back Requize Rhodman. After being stopped on their next two plays, the Venom punted to West Bend’s dangerous return-man Shannon King, who had an electric 20 yard scamper that set West Bend up with fantastic field position. Mikey Bernal connected with Eric Treske for 20 yards on their first offensive play of the game. The Dogs went to the ground on the next two plays, and RB Chuckie McGuire ripped off gains of 11 and 23 yards, setting up a Mikey Bernal touchdown pass to WR Will Thomsen. The extra point was blocked, making the score 6-0, West Bend. The Venom got the ball back, and responded in spectacular fashion. Rhodman ripped off a big 15 yard gain off the left side of his line, putting the ball well into Junkyard Dog territory.
After a 12 yard first down pass from Venom QB Brent Ferdinand to TE Justin Radichel, Rhodman had another big run. This time he took the ball 10 yards and was finally brought down inside the West Bend 10 yardline. Ferdinand took the next snap and rolled to his right. When he saw all of his options covered, he tucked the ball away and high-stepped into the endzone for the Venom’s first points of the day. Their extra point try would split the uprights, making the score 7-6, Milwaukee. On the ensuing kickoff, the Venom ripped the ball out of the hands of the ball-carrier, and pounced on it right in front of the West Bend sideline. Momentum failed to carry them, however, and they ended up punting the ball away. The quarter ended with the score Milwaukee 7, West Bend 6.
The stingy Venom defense opened the second quarter forcing West Bend to punt. On the ensuing series, Junkyard Dogs DE Justin Steubs notched a big sack, but the Venom responded with a 25 yard catch by all-star WR/FS/KR Solomon Cabell. The Venom drive would eventually stall, forcing the team to punt. Chuck McGuire hammered out 10 and 14 yard gains on consecutive plays, before a holding flag and an incomplete pass threatened to cut the drive short. On third and forever Bernal found a streaking Will Thomsen for a 30 yard gain, and a first down. Feeling threatened, the Venom defense clamped down, and on fourth down stopped RB Mike Hill a half yard short of the first down. The turnover on downs lead to a short Venom possession highlighted by a 1st down sack by DE Danny Hamilton and a 3rd down sack by OLB Nathan Miner. A short punt gave the Dogs the ball in Venom territory. Mike Hicks caught a 9 yard strike from Bernal that took the clock down inside the 2 minute warning. A short run and a QB scramble for the first down later, and the Junkyard Dogs were at the venom 37 yardline with a minute on the clock. Bernal found Will Thomsen on a quick slant, and Thomsen pinballed his way down to the 15 yardline. With the clock ticking down, Mikey Bernal scrambled until he found Eric Treske all alone in the endzone. Bernal’s second touchdown pass, along with a failed 2-point conversion, made the score 12-7, West Bend with twenty seconds on the clock. The Junkyard Dogs looked to take a 5 point lead into halftime, but the Venom weren’t finished. With 3.9 seconds on the clock, speedster Solomon Cabell caught a 51 yard touchdown pass while streaking down the sideline. The stunned West Bend crowd saw the Dogs walk into the half trailing Milwaukee 14-12.
The Junkyard Dogs started the 3rd quarter with the football, and RB Mike Hill began things on the ground with runs of 12 and 10 yard runs. The vaunted Venom D once again rose to the challenge, and on a third-down pass play, LB Jonny Bridgewater caught Mikey Bernal rolling out, and registered the first Venom sack of the game. The snap on the ensuing punt went over the head of the punter, and the Venom ended up getting the ball in terrific field position at the West Bend 35 yardline.
On the first play of the series DE Dray Norwood and OLB Luis Mendoza stripped Requize Rhodman of the ball. It bounced to the turf and was recovered by Junkyard Dogs SS Mike Harrison. A 10 yard completion to Eric Treske, and a 20 yard catch and run by Will Thomsen lead to Bernal misfiring on a pass intended for Stu Johnson. The pass was picked off by the Venom’s ILB Tim Anderson. A 12 yard Venom screen pass to RB Davon Sims was for naught, as a Dray Norwood sack ended the 3rd quarter and forced a punt. The score at the end of 3 quarters of play was Venom 14, Junkyard Dogs 12.
Two 3-and-out series began the 4th quarter before the West Bend Junkyard Dogs finally got back on the board. Bernal found Eric Treske for a 17 yard gain, and then West Bend went to the ground. Chuck McGuire ran the ball for 5 yards. Chuck ran the ball for 3 yards. Chuck ran for 5 yards. Chuck for 7 yards. Chuck, 7 more yards. With the ball at the Venom 15 yardline, Mike Hicks beat his corner for a jump ball, brought it in, and pounded through another tackler for a touchdown. The first two point conversion attempt was caught in the endzone, but an illegal block penalty negated the result. The next try was snuffed out, which made the score Dogs 18, Venom 14 with under 5 minutes to go.
The Venom got the ball back at their 30 yardline. On second down, Venom QB Aaron Evans-Jackson winged the ball to WR Nick Bekeris. West Bend FS Pat Casey broke the pass up, and an alert OLB Jake Klipp saw the ball pop into the air. Klipp made a diving interception, giving West Bend the ball (and the momentum) at the 45 yardline. Mike Hill delivered a punishing 14 yard run to the Venom 31 yardline. Two short runs and an incomplete pass made it fourth and 9 at the Venom 30. West Bend went for the first down, and Bernal found Eric Treske 10 yards down the field on the near sideline. Treske hauled the pass in then broke 4 tackles on his way to his second touchdown catch of the game. The conversion failed. The score was 24-14 in favor of West Bend. The Venom’s hopes for a comeback ended when Jake Klipp broke up a screen pass intended for Davon Sims on fourth down. West Bend was able to kneel out the clock and win the game with a final score of 24-14.
