By Rich Palzewic
Contributing Writer
PULASKI – After a tight first half, the Bay Port football team used a pair of second-half turnovers to pull
away in a 41-13 Fox River Classic Conference (FRCC) victory over Pulaski on Thursday, Sept. 7.
Leading just 20-13 at the break, the Pirates’ defense didn’t allow a point after intermission in winning
their second straight game.
Bay Port amassed 466 yards of total offense and held the Red Raiders to 243.
“We were in a ball game in the first half,” Bay Port coach Gary Westerman said. “I thought our kids
responded in the second half – especially on defense. I thought we did some good things on both sides
of the ball. Pulaski is continuing to improve – they’re always difficult to play.”
After Pulaski (1-3 overall, 1-1 FRCC) fumbled on the first play of the second half, Bay Port (2-2, 2-0)
quarterback Carter Kallies scored two plays later on a 12-yard rushing touchdown to make it 27-13 after
Owen Bellisle’s extra point.
The Pirates scored again six minutes later when Kallies hit Blake Buchinger on a four-yard TD pass to
bump the lead to 34-13 after the extra point.
On the opening play of the fourth quarter, Bay Port’s Noah Holtz picked off Pulaski quarterback Logan
Schultz to set up another score – this one a 10-yard TD toss from Kallies to Buchinger to end the scoring.
“The turnovers hurt,” Pulaski coach Jerad Marsh said. “We were able to swing with Bay Port for a half,
and we did some fun things – hopefully, we annoyed them a bit. The second half wasn’t quite as clean as
the first half.”
In a wild start to the game, the Pirates needed just six plays to go 67 yards for a quick score barely two
minutes into the contest.
Buchinger scored the first of his four TDs from three yards out.
With the big crowd barely settled back into their seats, Schultz dashed 82 yards on the Red Raiders’ first
offensive play from scrimmage to make it 7-6.
Miles Wippel’s point-after attempt sailed wide right.
Bay Port went up 13-6 four minutes later when Kallies – who threw four TDs and rushed for another –
hit Bennett Deppeler on a five-yard toss on a fourth down play.
Pulaski trailed by only a point after Schultz dropped a 35-yard TD pass into the arms of Jacob Heston a
few minutes into the second quarter.
“We gave up those two big plays in the first half,” Westerman said. “Other than the first long run of the
game and big pass play, I thought we played well.”
One minute after the Red Raiders pulled to within a point, Kallies found a wide-open Buchinger down
the middle of the field on a TD pass covering 37 yards.
“Like a lot of other teams, we lack experience,” Marsh said. “We’re at the point where these guys are
starting to learn what it takes to win and what it takes not to win.”
Marsh said he’s seeing improvement from his team.
“In the first game of the season (against Notre Dame), we’d put two or three good plays together,” he
said. “Now we’re seeing two or three good drives – it’s coming along.”
Callies was 15-of-24 passing for 210 yards and also added 93 yards on the ground.
“We don’t want to be a one-dimensional team,” Westerman said. “We want to take what the defense
gives us, and I thought we did that tonight (through the passing game).”
In addition to his 44 yards rushing, Buchinger hauled in 11 receptions for 164 yards.
Max Romenesko was credited with the fumble recovery for Bay Port.