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Sports
Sports
By Patrick Browne
IRON RIVER — The West Iron Football Program continued its rebuilding with a 54–14 loss to Crandon for the Sept. 28 game on the team’s home turf.
The Crandon Cardinals entered the contest with a 3–2 record on the season, and the Wykons a 1–3 record.
The Wykons opened the scoring and led in the first quarter 6–0 before the Cardinals took flight on their way to a 46–6 halftime lead.
Crandon’s speed proved problematic for the Wykon defense. Multiple long runs ranging from 12–59 yards were interspersed with an effective air attack which kept the Wykons off-guard. Crandon garnered over 350 rushing yards to West Iron’s 198 and nearly doubled the Wykons’ passing yards 80 to 42.
The Wykons have been forced to adjust after a number of players sustained injuries.
“Unfortunately we have been struck by a number of season-ending injuries, and we have had to ask players to fill in when an injury occurs,” Coach Mike Berutti said.
“In football there are specific skills related to each position and knowledge of those skills comes through regularly playing a set position,” he continued. “Our starting offensive line has not been able to play as a unit except in the first quarter of the first game of the season.”
Berutti said he remains hopeful for the team’s future.
“Almost our entire team will be returning next year, with only five seniors graduating,” he said. “We are going to keep plugging along, learning and getting better every week.”