Southwest shoots for first conference title since 1975

GREEN BAY - Green Bay Southwest has not won a conference title since 1975, so when the Trojans take the field Friday in the GameTime Game of the Week against Bay Port, it knows what's at stake.
 
Bay Port like Southwest enters the game 7-0, so this is what it has come down to in terms of deciding the Fox River Classic Conference champ. Seven weeks done,
one to go, and it's a big one to go.
 
The Trojans know what this win would mean.
 
"It's kind of about the self-pride; about what a class of kids can do, you know?" linebacker Matt Knoepsel said. "How they can move the football, how they can defend the football and how they can come together as a team and actually bring some glory to this building over here."
 
"It'd be an awesome deal for the people that have grown up here," coach Bryce Paup said. "There are some people I know that graduated here in the early 70s and they're taking a lot of pride in what these kids are doing.
 
"There's a lot of community pride in it, so I think that's pretty awesome."
 
Southwest entered this season with a strong defense and with the likes of the coach's son, Nathan Paup, and Kahlil McKenzie, the son of Oakland Raiders general manager Reggie McKenzie, who used to work in the Green Bay Packers front office, Southwest is allowing just 8.7 points per game.
 
However, Southwest is showing it can score, too. The Trojans average 38.3 ppg., which has made this team unbeatable to this point.
 
"The last game, 33 points on, what was it, the No. 1-ranked defense in the conference?" Knoepsel said. "Thirty-three points against the No. 1-ranked defense, I'd say that's pretty darn good."
 
The offense's development and the strong special teams play has made this the perfect storm for the Trojans.
 
"It really has," Paup said. "At the beginning we weren't great, but we've worked at it and we're getting to the place where we're starting to gel and play a complete game and that's what you want at the end of the season."
 
The end of the regular season is Friday and Southwest hopes it continues its perfection. The Trojans were a favorite to win the FRCC when the season kicked off and they have backed it up so far.
 
Now, they just have to get through the toughest game of the season and they're champs.
 
"They've really bought into the concept of just trying to get better," Paup said. "They've taken care of business so far."
 
Extra Points
Like Bay Port, Southwest has played one game against a team with a winning record through seven weeks and that was last week's 33-0 win over Green Bay Preble. ... Southwest's opponents' combined record is 19-30. ... Southwest has allowed 23 points combined over the last four games, including two shutouts. ... McKenzie, a sophomore, made an unofficial visit to the University of Wisconsin recently.

Follow Doug Ritchay on Twitter @dougritchay

doug.ritchay@wluk.com