Pirates' defense contains Tosa West

Wauwatosa West couldn't have started any faster Friday night against visiting Pewaukee, and it appeared as if the Trojans' dream start to the 2012 season would continue.

Then, a key coaching decision by the Pirates brought all of that to a halt.

As a result the Trojans dropped a 27-6 game and fell into a second-place tie with Greendale. Despite the loss, the Trojans still had some positives to take away, notably hanging around with one of the area's top teams. Now 4-1, Tosa West remains just one win away from a playoff berth.

Quick, early score

On the first possession of the game, the Trojans started from their own 30-yard line. Two plays later, they were up 6-0. On the first play from scrimmage, senior running back Mickey Morgan scampered 58 yards up the sideline. Junior running back Jameson Brock followed Morgan's big play by running the ball in from 12 yards out.

In response, Pewaukee senior linebacker Doug Devoe was moved to the outside to stop the perimeter attack of the Trojans, and it worked well.

The Trojans had collected 70 yards of offense on their first possession. But they gained just another 70 the rest of the way.

"They were running rocket and they had trips, so they moved me outside so I could condense it and slow down so we can all break down and make the tackle," said Devoe.

Leading just 14-6 at the half, the Pirates knew they had to come out on the first possession of the second half and make a statement. They did, to the tune of a 17-play, 67-yard drive lasting 6 minutes, 19 seconds that senior quarterback T.J. Watt capped off with a 1-yard sneak to give the Pirates a 21-6 lead.

Putting the game away

With just under eight minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, junior running back Ryan Stepanovich ran the ball in from 28 yards out to give the Pirates a 27-6 lead. Stepanovich had a solid night, finishing the game with 150 yards rushing. As a team, the Pirates finished the game with 360 yards rushing.

"We did a lot of good things, we had some players really step up, we found a couple of ballplayers tonight but we did some poor things," said Trojans head coach Matt Good. "We just got to get better and preach to our kids to get better every game."

Pewaukee coach Justin Friske talked about his team's second-half adjustments.

"In the second half we were able to establish some things a little better and I think you saw what we hoped to be offensively in the second half a little bit more, minus the ridiculous offsides penalties and those things that are just inexcusable."

Pewaukee (5-0) had 10 penalties total, including three personal fouls.