Week Five Wonders: Players who made an impact in Rivalry Week
Week 5 was a big one for rivalries -- the battles for Brookfield, New Berlin and West Allis not to mention Mukwonago-Arrowhead, Hamilton-Falls, Waukesha West-Waukesha North and Franklin-Oak Creek. Here are some of the top performers who moved the needle on the gridiron:
Max Alba, Franklin. After missing three games with injury, Alba helped the Sabers win their biggest game of the year, the battle with Oak Creek. He completed 14 of 24 passes for 275 yards and four touchdowns. Ethan Wittenburg was one of the big recipients, catching five passes for 158 yards and two scores.
Rayvon Bartlett, Jr., Greenfield. Bartlett completed 13 of 18 passes for 243 yards and three touchdowns and also ran for 138 yards on just 9 carries (15.3 average) with another score in a blowout of Cudahy. Donnie Reasby caught four passes for 123 yards and two of those scores.
Seth Bickett, Pewaukee. The two-way player was part of a defensive effort that pitched its third straight shutout, and he also ran 18 times for 140 yards and both of his team's touchdown in a 16-0 win over Greendale.
Grant Brown, Messmer/Shorewood. In a narrow 21-19 win over Whitnall that continued the Greyhounds' thrilling Woodland East run, Brown ran 29 times for 117 yards and two scores.
Patrick Doyle, Menomonee Falls. The Indians landed a monumental overtime win over Sussex Hamilton, 23-20, and Doyle ran for two scores while racking up 134 yards on 17 carries.
Cade Garcia, Whitefish Bay. After leaving the preceding week with injury, the Bay quarterback threw for three touchdowns and completed 12 of 18 passes in a win over Nicolet.
Paris Howell, Wauwatosa West. The regular visitor to the Wonders blog post each week finished with four touchdowns and 138 yards rushing on just nine carries to lead the Trojans past Milwaukee Pius XI.
Griffin Johnson, West Allis Central. In the battle between the two West Allis schools, Johnson completed an efficient 16 of 18 passes for 173 yards and three touchdowns
Peter MacCudden, Waukesha West. The junior ran 25 times for 208 yards and four touchdowns as West won a huge battle with Waukesha North, 49-17.
Nick Mirasola, Sussex Hamilton. It came in overtime defeat, but Mirasola scored a touchdown and logged 124 yards on just eight carries, good for a 15.5-yard average.
Tanner Orten and Matt Ruppel, Port Washington. In a crucial North Shore Conference win over Cedarburg, the duo combined for eight touchdowns, with five for Orten and 127 yards and 150 yards rushing for Ruppel. Deron Spicer added two more rushing scores.
Spencer Papandrea, Arrowhead. The Warhawks won their battle with Mukwonago without an offenisve touchdown, but his 25 rushes for 155 yards helped grind out the clock in a 10-7 victory.
Jake Rams, Oconomowoc. After injury sidelined him for parts of the first five games, including most of Friday, he was a big player in overtime, scoring the game-winning touchdown against Beaver Dam and finishing with 55 yards rushing.
Jake Simuncak, South Milwaukee. Piling up one of the biggest rushing yardage counts of the season, Simuncak logged 34 rushes for 294 yards and three touchdowns. But that was just a small part of his day -- the quarterback threw for 34-yard score and also returned a kickoff for an 80-yard touchdown in a rout of Brown Deer..