By,
Rob Reischel
Middleton Times-Tribune
Kurt Gundlach has coached some talented quarterbacks at Middleton High School.
Some who could throw the ball awfully well. Others who could beat you with their feet.
But never has he had a player like Jeremy Ziegler, who could hurt you in oh, so many ways. So while Gundlach was sad that Saturday's 42-21 loss to Waukesha West was the final one for a talented senior class, saying good-bye to Ziegler was the toughest of all.
''He's really made it easy for us the last couple of years,'' Gundlach said of Ziegler. ''He's as good as there is and as good as we've had.
''You just always trusted that Jeremy was going to make a play no matter what went on around him. Replacing him will be a real challenge.''
To say the least.
A year ago, Ziegler threw for 1,527 yards and threw for 17 touchdowns versus just six interceptions and was named second-team all-Big Eight. This year, Ziegler went 91-of-172 for 1,202 yards with nine TDs and seven interceptions.
While Ziegler's numbers were incredibly impressive, his poise and understanding of the offense were equally grand. Which will make Gundlach's job far more difficult next fall.
''He brought so many things to the table that you just don't coach,'' Gundlach said. ''For two years, he made it look awful easy.''
Nothing special about special teams: For the second time in its final three games, Middleton found itself in a 7-0 hole in the first 15 seconds. West's Eric Kettenhofen returned the opening kickoff for a touchdown, just 10 days after Madison West's Peter Weiden did the same thing.
''We can not continue to have those types of things happen in the future,'' Gundlach said. ''To be in a a hole like that so quick is ridiculous.
''Especially in the playoffs. You can't spot a team like that and expect to get away with it.''
Role reversal: Three times this season, Middleton built the necessary 35-point lead which leads to a running clock. Saturday, no one could have predicted the Cardinals would have such a thing happen to them. But indeed, that's exactly what happened when West took a 42-7 lead early in the fourth quarter.
''That's the last thing in the world I would have expected,'' Ziegler said. ''It's kind of unreal.''
• Prediction time: Waukesha West moves on to play Janesville Parker, a team that toppled Middleton, 16-14, on Oct. 6. Having seen both teams now, who does Gundlach like?
''I think maybe the best compliment I can give Waukesha is that Janesville could be in a lot of trouble,'' Gundlach said. ''They're going to have their hands full.''
• Odds and ends: Middleton was able to host the Level 2 playoff game against the West because it finished higher in its league (tied for second) than the Wolverines did (tied for third). ... Waukesha West is nicknamed the Wolverines. The game programs referred to them as the Crusaders.