Merrill Bluejays wrap up their football season WIAA playoffs

TINA L. SCOTT
EDITOR

The Merrill Bluejay Varsity Football Team wrapped up their 2022 football season last Friday, Oct. 21, 2022, when they lost to the Rice Lake High School Warriors in the WIAA playoffs at Rice Lake. True to their name, the Warriors played some fierce ball on Friday on their home turf and had the Bluejays scrambling to get into the action. In the first quarter, Rice Lake racked up five touchdowns, all with two-point conversions, piling up the points. In the second quarter, Merrill made them work for it a little more, and they only managed one touch down and failed to make the extra two points, but nonetheless, halftime had Rice Lake up by 46 points and Merrill had yet to score.
In the third quarter, Rice Lake scored another touchdown and two-point conversion. Merrill’s Brayden Pieper (1 TD, 2 Tk) pulled out a single touchdown on a one-yard pass from Brian Ball (45 pass yds, 29 rush yds, 1 TD), failed two-point conversion, to land Merrill’s only score of the game. Then in the fourth quarter, Rice Lake added another six points with another touchdown to take the win.
“The Merrill Bluejays fell 6-60 to a dominant Rice Lake team last Friday in round 1 of the WIAA playoffs,” said Jason Wadzinski, Merrill High School Head Varsity Football Coach.

“Rice Lake looks like a well-oiled machine right now, and it would surprise nobody to see them playing for a State title in Madison in November,” he said.
“As Head Coach of this program, I would like to thank the Seniors on this team for getting us to the next level,” he added. “I also want to thank the community for all the support this season. We’ll get back to work for next season!”
Box Score
Merrill 6 @ Rice Lake 60