Sports

Kitzman shines on Senior Night

By Matthew Semisch

10/14/2014

GLENBURN - In any game in any sport, the longer an underdog is allowed to stick around, the more dangerous it becomes.

Westhope-Newburg-Glenburn’s (W-N-G) football team needn’t have worried about Drake-Anamoose (D-A) very long on Friday.

The Sioux have Chance Kitzman to thank in part for that.

W-N-G celebrated its seven seniors on Friday in Glenburn, and one of them got the ball rolling very early on what ended up as a big Senior Night victory.

The Sioux wanted to start fast, and Kitzman made that happen. Just 43 seconds into the game, the W-N-G outside linebacker forced D-A quarterback Austin Schatz to fumble the ball in the Raiders’ backfield.

Kitzman recovered the fumble at the D-A 25 yard line. Not long later, Sioux running back Chase Conway found the Raiders end zone fron nine yards out, still only 2:32 into the game.

The proverbial ball that Kitzman put into motion never really stopped the rest of the night. After the Sioux’s 48-0 dismantling of the Raiders, Kitzman spoke about his and his team’s ability to take care of business early in the game.

“We knew we had to come out strong, and we had to get going right away,” Kitzman said. “Drake-Anamoose has some weapons that can hurt you, and we knew we couldn’t let them get a head of steam on us, and we’re fortunate we didn’t.”

Kitzman’s brilliance on Friday didn’t end with that early forced fumble. With just under seven minutes left in the first half, Kitzman intercepted a Schatz pass and returned it 34 yards for  his first pick-six of the season.

“The ball was coming right at me,” Kitzman said, “And I heard Chase Conway right behind me yelling, ‘Let’s go, buddy, let’s go’ as soon as I caught it, and I knew the chance was there.

“I had my linemen blocking downfield, and I give them a lot of the credit for that. I wouldn’t have gotten there without the blocks.”

On the season to date, Kitzman has recorded 43 tackles, 12 assists, four forced fumbles and one interception. On offense, the W-N-G wide receiver has scored five touchdowns this year.

“He’s really blossomed,” W-N-G head coach Tom Nesvold said. “He’s one of our leaders that has really stepped up, and he’s showing now what he can do.”