Pewaukee defeats Kettle Moraine 20-13 on senior night; Schlender boots two 48-yard field goals

Pewaukee edged Kettle Moraine 20-13 on senior night at Firestein Field after a defensive touchdown and late clock-consuming runs sealed the victory.

The win capped a game of small margins: junior kicker Tristan Schlender made a school-record 48-yard field goal at the end of the first half, then repeated the 48-yard conversion on the ensuing kickoff sequence to extend the lead, and added a 32-yarder later in the fourth. “Tristan Schlender with the back to back 48 yard field goal,” play-by-play announcer Kurt Spitzner said after the first successful 48-yarder.

The result matters for Pewaukee’s postseason positioning. Broadcasters and guests on the telecast noted that, under the season’s ranking formulas, the victory moves Pewaukee into a position that could yield a home playoff game if standings hold. Athletic director Ryan Tomczyk of Kettle Moraine, who joined the broadcast as a guest, framed the matchup as the sort of competitive test that builds programs: “It starts with your parents and, in your community,” he said, describing how local support and coaching continuity sustain successful high school teams.

Pewaukee built a lead in the second half on defense and ball control. Sophomore Colton Wall returned an interception for a touchdown in the third quarter to put Pewaukee ahead; later, the Pirates ran a series of deliberate rushing plays led by senior running back Omar Charrington to run the clock and convert key third downs. On the decisive series late in the fourth, Pewaukee used a jumbo package and direct snaps to Charrington; he gained the final yard that allowed the Pirates to run out the clock.

Kettle Moraine’s offense showed balance in stretches, quarterbacked by senior Hayden (Caden) Jersey (identified in broadcasts as the Lasers’ starter). Jersey completed several timely third-down throws, including two third-down conversions to freshman Brodie Schimpf that sustained a drive culminating in a short rushing touchdown by Nico Yitry. Kettle Moraine converted its late drive into a touchdown to narrow the margin to seven with just over nine minutes left before the Pirates’ clock control quelled the comeback.

Special teams were decisive. Pewaukee’s punt-and-kick coverage repeatedly flipped field position (a Weil/Weiss punt downed inside the 5 earlier in the second half was called out as an excellent play on the broadcast), and Pewaukee recovered a bouncing onside kick attempt late in the fourth after Kettle Moraine trimmed the score; senior Brady Sandvik secured the loose ball for the Pirates, preserving possession at a critical juncture.

Stat lines referenced on the telecast: broadcasters cited season totals and per-carry averages during pregame and midgame commentary (for example, Pewaukee’s Omar Charrington discussed as having strong season rushing figures and Kettle Moraine’s Nico Yitry identified as a reliable ground option). The broadcast did not publish final official individual rushing or passing totals for the game on air; those figures should be confirmed from the schools’ official box score for record-keeping.

Senior-night recognition included a pregame national anthem performed by senior defensive tackle Isaac Leonard and a halftime seniors’ slideshow and senior walk. The broadcast repeatedly framed the victory as a milestone for the Pirate seniors, noting the program’s run through the “Classic 8” conference and the team’s apparent momentum heading into the regular-season finale at Oconomowoc.

What happened: Pewaukee 20, Kettle Moraine 13. Game-changing plays included Colton Wall’s interception return for a touchdown, Tristan Schlender’s two 48-yard field goals and a 32-yarder, and multiple sustained rushing series by Omar Charrington that allowed Pewaukee to consume clock in the fourth quarter.

What’s next: The Pirates were reported on-air to be 4-4 with one regular-season game remaining; broadcasters and guests said a win next week at Oconomowoc would finish the regular season 5-4 and could secure postseason seeding. Final playoff placement depends on the statewide seeding computation and official final records; teams and fans should consult the official WIAA/league standings and school box scores for confirmations.