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Union Grove senior running back Kacey Spranger, left, looks for room to run during the Broncos' nonconference season-opening game against Oak Creek Friday at Union Grove. The Broncos lost to the Knights 56-26.
Union Grove senior quarterback Nathan Williams (12) scrambles after being forced out of the pocket during the Broncos' nonconference season-opening game against Oak Creek Friday at Union Grove. The Broncos lost to the Knights 56-26.
Union Grove senior running back Kacey Spranger (3) is stopped by the Oak Creek defense during the Broncos' nonconference season-opening game against the Knights Friday at Union Grove. The Broncos lost 56-26.
Union Grove senior quarterback Nathan Williams (12) waits for the snap during the Broncos' nonconference season-opening game against Oak Creek Friday at Union Grove. The Broncos lost to the Knights 56-26.
Union Grove senior running back Kacey Spranger (center) looks for room to run during the Broncos' nonconference season-opening game against Oak Creek Friday at Union Grove. The Broncos lost to the Knights 56-26.
Union Grove senior quarterback Nathan Williams, center, tries to outrun Oak Creek defender Drew Brahm (34) during the Broncos' nonconference season-opening game against the Knights Friday at Union Grove. The Broncos lost 56-26.
UNION GROVE — Toward the end of a businesslike postgame huddle that had no hint of panic after a rough loss, Nathan Williams stood before his teammates, smiled, and doubled down on a promise he made.
Yes, he was going to spring for Culver's Concrete Mixers for each of his offensive linemen after the job they did Friday night.
"Before the game, I said if my offensive linemen worked their butts off, they would get Concrete Mixers and that's exactly what they did," Williams said. "I have to pay some dues now."
It was a welcome light moment for a pretty heavy night.
The Union Grove High School football team, coming off one of their most successful seasons, had just opened with a 56-26 nonconference loss to Oak Creek, a perennially successful program.
But the players realized that the Broncos don't have the depth they had last year, when they went 11-2 and advanced to the third round of the WIAA Division 2 playoffs. And they also were aware that opening against Oak Creek, a Division 1 program, is no easy task.
The Knights, coached by 1986 St. Catherine's graduate Joel Paar, lived up to their reputation. Consider the following:
• They piled up 525 yards and punted just once.
• They averaged 9.7 yards on 54 plays.
• Junior quarterback Cade Palkowski, a left-hander, completed 16 of 19 passes for 188 yards and three touchdowns and rushed for 106 yards and two TDs.
It wasn't pretty. But the Broncos also realized that better days are ahead.
"If you think about it, they have triple the guys we do," said Williams, who passed for 107 yards and three touchdowns and rushed for 70 yards. "Basically, all of our guys are going both ways and, to be down one touchdown in the third quarter, I think is amazing. It shows our work ethic and how much we battled.
"The JV guys who got in at the end, I loved to see how hard they worked."
Two-way linemen Noah Moris said it's up to the Broncos to work on their conditioning after they clearly wore down Friday.
Gavin Young broke loose for a 48-yard touchdown run that pulled Union Grove to within 35-26 with 6:31 left in the third quarter. But then the floodgates opened as Oak Creek scored three unanswered touchdowns down the stretch.
"Our defense is mostly made up of all of our offensive people," Moris said. "Whenever our offense is down, everybody takes a break on the sideline and we go right back out. Our main problem for the defense is pretty much conditioning, I think.
"We've got to work on our conditioning and we've got to work on putting our heads down and getting to work. We have the intensity. All of our starters are really good and really strong."
What can the Broncos take from this game?
Their offense was more than respectable against a strong opponent, averaging 6.2 yards on 50 plays.
Kacey Spranger, the replacement for graduated All-Racine County Player of the Year Cody Cotton had his moments and finished with 74 rushing yards and a 52-yard kickoff return.
And then there was Williams, who had one of his best days.
"I'll tell you what," Paar said. "We play Muskego next week and Union Grove has an offensive and defense line that can rival their lines. Union Grove is a very good football team.
"Those guys gave us everything we could handle offensively and more.. They just keep coming at you and coming at you. We're beat up now because of them. This was a great game for us because they're a good football team and we're lucky we played them."
Union Grove coach Craig McClelland took the loss in stride and is ready to move on to Kenosha Tremper next Friday.
"I don't think we were necessarily outmatched," he said. "We were just outmanned. They have a lot of guys and they just kept coming. Defensively, we didn't have an answer for them and, offensively, they kind of figured it on on us late in the third quarter."
At least there were those Concrete Mixers after the game, courtesy of Williams.
"When Nathan Williams told us he was going to do it, me and (fellow lineman) Noah Glazebrook got smiles on our face because we love a large Concrete Mixer with strawberry and chocolate cake," Moris said. "That's our main go-to.
"We've got tp put food in our bellies because we're going to be losing calories during games. A big old Concrete Mixer from Culver's is the the thing for you, man!"
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Union Grove senior running back Kacey Spranger, left, looks for room to run during the Broncos' nonconference season-opening game against Oak Creek Friday at Union Grove. The Broncos lost to the Knights 56-26.
Union Grove senior quarterback Nathan Williams (12) scrambles after being forced out of the pocket during the Broncos' nonconference season-opening game against Oak Creek Friday at Union Grove. The Broncos lost to the Knights 56-26.
Union Grove senior running back Kacey Spranger (3) is stopped by the Oak Creek defense during the Broncos' nonconference season-opening game against the Knights Friday at Union Grove. The Broncos lost 56-26.
Union Grove senior quarterback Nathan Williams (12) waits for the snap during the Broncos' nonconference season-opening game against Oak Creek Friday at Union Grove. The Broncos lost to the Knights 56-26.
Union Grove senior running back Kacey Spranger (center) looks for room to run during the Broncos' nonconference season-opening game against Oak Creek Friday at Union Grove. The Broncos lost to the Knights 56-26.
Union Grove senior quarterback Nathan Williams, center, tries to outrun Oak Creek defender Drew Brahm (34) during the Broncos' nonconference season-opening game against the Knights Friday at Union Grove. The Broncos lost 56-26.
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