Bonduel up next for Wolves
By Greg Seubert
Tanner Nienhaus didn’t score in the Manawa football team’s playoff opener, but he came up with some of the game’s biggest plays.
The sophomore defensive back picked off three Mishicot passes and the Wolves converted all three turnovers into touchdowns Nov. 13 in a 46-6 Division 5 win over the Indians.
The win sets up a showdown of teams that know each other very well. Manawa will wrap up the season at 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 19, in Bonduel.
Bonduel also opened the playoffs with a win, as the Bears handed Oconto a 43-16 defeat.
The Wolves and Bears used to face each other in the Central Wisconsin Conference-Large before Bonduel moved to the Packerland Conference this season.
Manawa trailed 6-0 against Mishicot after the Indians opened the scoring with Jonathan Butler’s 3-yard touchdown run midway through the first quarter.
The lead didn’t last long, however, as the Wolves found the end zone on their next three possessions.
Mason Wiesner scored on a 48-yard quarterback keeper and Nienhaus’ first interception set the Wolves up at the Mishicot 6-yard line. Wiesner hooked up with Riley Krenke on the next play and the Wolves took a 14-6 lead into the second quarter.
Deion Stroud capped Manawa’s next drive with a 9-yard touchdown run and Manawa soon had the ball at the Mishicot 28-yard line after another Nienhaus interception.
The Wolves turned the turnover into another touchdown, as Stroud scored from 18 yards out in the final minute of the first half.
Wiesner’s 9-yard touchdown run gave the Wolves a 34-6 lead midway through the third quarter and he added a 32-yard scoring pass to Nick Gorman.
Nienhaus set the Wolves up at the Mishicot 30-yard line after his third interception and Wiesner wrapped up the scoring with a 35-yard touchdown run in the third quarter.