In a thrilling matchup on September 4, the Appleton West Terrors secured a 20-14 victory over the Green Bay Southwest Trojans, marking their first 3-0 start since the 2004 season. The game, part of the Fox River Classic Conference-North, showcased the talents of junior playmaker Isaac Ise, whose 80-yard kickoff return for a touchdown proved to be the decisive score.
With just under two minutes left in the first half, Green Bay Southwest narrowed the gap to 14-12. However, Ise's explosive return immediately shifted momentum back to the Terrors. Appleton West head coach Dominick Thompson praised Ise's contributions, stating, "Isaac, he’s been big-time for us. He’s been doing all the little things – really the whole team has overall. He’s a very explosive player offensively and he’s been buying in and doing all the little things that the team needs right now." This performance underscores Ise's growing importance to the team's offensive strategy as the season progresses.
In addition to Ise's standout play, senior running back Charlie Blevins continued his strong season, scoring on a 9-yard run in the first half. Blevins entered the game with impressive statistics, having accumulated 413 rushing yards and five touchdowns in the previous two games. Coach Thompson emphasized Blevins' hard work and the team's commitment to utilizing him more effectively this season, noting, "We’re a predominantly passing team, so we haven’t given him as many touches. But this season we knew teams would key in on the quarterback and receiving corps that we have, so we made it a big emphasis this summer to feed him the ball."
The Terrors' last 3-0 start dates back to 2004 when they finished the season with an overall record of 8-3 and a conference record of 7-2 under former coach Chris Heller. This year, Appleton West is looking to build on this momentum as they prepare for a challenging game against De Pere on September 11, followed by home games against West De Pere and Bay Port in the subsequent weeks.
Thompson expressed confidence in his team's mindset, stating, "Our kids do a phenomenal job of just staying hungry. I don’t think they’re satisfied at all. And those are things we talk about. A 1-0 mentality and winning the day. We take things day-by-day. My staff and myself express to the guys that tomorrow is not promised. We just want to make the best out of the day that is given to us and they’ve been doing that on and off the field." This mentality could be crucial as they navigate the remainder of the season.
As Appleton West continues to build on their early success, fans and analysts alike will be watching closely to see if they can maintain their winning streak and make a significant impact in the Fox River Classic Conference.
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