Catholic Memorial 42, Waupaca 7

MADISON, Wis. (AP) - It's one thing to win a state championship, but it's another thing to be consistently solid throughout a championship run. For a team built on defense, it was finally the right winning recipe for Waukesha Catholic Memorial and longtime coach Bill Young.
    
Holding its opponent to a season low in points, it was fitting that Crusaders senior defensive back Andre Bodden capped the scoring with a 10-yard interception return, as Waukesha Catholic Memorial rolled over Waupaca 42-7 to win the WIAA Division 3 championship Friday at Camp Randall.
    
"Down the stretch, we were able to (be) consistent," said Young, whose team won its final nine games of the season. "We played great defense ... Today, we were a better ball club."
    
It's the first WIAA title for the Crusaders (11-2), who twice finished runner-up and won four WISAA titles, and the first for Young in his 35th season at the school.
    
"It's an incredible feeling," said Young.
    
The Crusaders registered 404 total yards on just 39 offensive plays (10.4 yards per play), and got the most production out of senior tailback Matt Hubley.
    
An all-state selection and a University of Wisconsin verbal commit, Hubley had touchdown runs of 2 and 70 yards, averaging 10.5 yards per carry. He also added three tackles for loss on defense, including a sack.
    
"Coach prepared us really well offensively and we knew we needed to pound the ball," said Hubley. "We worked some passes in and got a lot of big gains off of it. Overall it worked really well."
    
Senior quarterback Pat White added 179 passing yards and three touchdowns, tying the division record for most in a championship game. His 77-yard completion to Bodden in the first quarter set a new division record for longest pass play.
    
"We picked it up and Pat gained more confidence," said Bodden. "As the season went on, he got more comfortable. As the season has gone by, we are starting to pass a little bit more because teams started packing the box so it's hard to run. Our receivers do a great job of getting open and Pat does a nice job of getting us the ball."
    
Waupaca (12-1) fell to 2-3 in state title games after managing just 205 yards of offense (3.7 yards per play) against the Crusaders' bigger, stronger defensive line.
    
"From an offensive line standpoint against our defensive line, we were, at time, probably out weighted by 100 pounds," said Comets coach John Koronkiewicz. "You have to give our little guys credit. They're tenacious in there, but that was the biggest offensive line we've seen all year. We've seen big all year, but not that big all year."