A win at Ashland the week prior netted the same victory score: 28-6

TINA L. SCOTT
EDITOR

The Merrill Bluejays were on fire Saturday afternoon, Oct. 1, 2022, at their 1:30 p.m. Homecoming Football Game.
The Merrill Bluejay Varsity Football Team faced off against the Hayward Hurricanes in a heart-pounding game that brought Homecoming fans to their feet and kept them cheering loud and proud for their Bluejays. This is Merrill’s second consecutive Homecoming victory, and Merrill High School students and football players are hoping this is the start of a new Homecoming tradition.

“We again jumped out to a fast start this week against Hayward at home,” said Merrill’s Head Varsity Football Coach Jason Wadzinski. “#25 Nate Brzoznowski (211 rush yds, 3 TD, 2 2Pt) kicked off the first drive with a 59-yard touchdown run, and the Bluejays didn’t look back.” The Bluejays made the two-point conversion and then went on to score another touchdown on a two-yard run but failed to land that two-pointer. In the second quarter, they grabbed another touchdown (failed two-point conversion), bringing the score to Merrill 20-Hayward 0 at halftime.

In the third quarter, Hayward got in their single touchdown of the game (kick no good) bringing their score to 6, and then Merrill landed a touchdown on a 35-yard run and nailed the two-point conversion in the fourth quarter to bring the Bluejays to a victory: Merrill 28-Hayward 6.
“#3 Bradyn Pieper (11 rush yds, 11 rec yds) had two interceptions for the defense, and #14 D’Ondre Houghton (3 Tk, 1 Ast, 1 Int, 1 TD) also ran an interception back for a touchdown,” Wadzinski said. “It was a great full team effort on the Homecoming victory.”

“The Bluejays are now 4-3 on the year and need one more win to clinch a playoff berth,” he said.
“They travel to Rhinelander this Friday to face the Hodags at 7:00 p.m.,” Wadzinski added.
Bluejay fans with a free Friday night are invited to drive over to Rhinelander to cheer their team on.
Box Score
Hayward 6 @ Merrill 28

Week six of the 2022 football season saw the Merrill Bluejay Varsity Football Team making the trip northwest to Ashland to take on the Ashland High School Oredockers, and it was worth the long drive for the Bluejays to land a game victory.
“Our team this year is predicated on fast starts,” Coach Wadzinski said. “When we’re able to jump out to an early lead, we typically are able to stay the course and keep our confidence up.”

“We had a huge defensive score in the second quarter on a fumble recovery by #3 Bradyn Pieper (64 rec yds, 4 Tk, 4 Ast, 1 TD),” he said. “Senior #25 Nate Brzoznowski rushed for 247 yards and a pair of touchdowns on the ground. #10 Brian Ball (64 pass yds, 1 TD) also ran for a touchdown and passed for one more to help put the Bluejays over the top of the Oredockers 28-6.”

In the first quarter, the Bluejays scored first and had a failed two-point conversion and the Oredockers matched them not long after to tie up the score 6-6. Then Brian Ball made his 41-yard run for a touchdown (failed two-point conversion) to double Merrill’s score. In the second quarter, Bradyn Pieper recovered a fumble and landed another touchdown, bringing the score to Merrill 20-Ashland 6 at halftime.
The second half saw only one touchdown which happened in the third quarter. Merrill’s Bradyn Pieper took a 63-yard pass from Brian Ball to land the touchdown and this time the two-point conversion was good and Merrill won the game by 21 points.
Box Score
Merrill 28 @ Ashland 6