Grafton 31, Whitnall 12: Highlights from the Black Hawks’ victory
Video highlights from Grafton’s 31-12 victory over Whitnall to open Woodland Conference play in the 2025 season.
- The Grafton Black Hawks defeated the Whitnall Falcons 31-12, improving their season record to 3-0.
- Grafton’s defense dominated the game, recording approximately seven sacks and five interceptions.
- The Black Hawks’ defense has allowed only 22 points through the first three games of the season.
GREENFIELD – Grafton head football coach Jim Norris knows that having a motto that turns into a recognizable brand of football can be a blessing and a curse.
If you look on the traveling equipment trailer the Black Hawks take to away games, similarly to their 31-12 mauling of Whitnall on Sept. 5 in the Woodland Conference opener for both programs, you’ll see the words “POUND THE ROCK”. The players all have black and orange equipment bags with those words stitched on the side. You’ll even see those same words branded on the roster at the front gate and sometimes on the clothing of the Grafton coaching staff.
After its victory to move to 3-0 (1-0) against a Whitnall side that had scored 87 points in its first two contests of the season, the Black Hawks might need a new motto: Pound the Quarterback.
Grafton hounded and hammered Falcons quarterback Tanner Effertz to the tune of approximately seven first-half sacks and five interceptions — by five different defenders — in its 19-point victory that featured a scoring margin that was closer than what most of the night featured on the field.
“We definitely got a gauntlet to start the season,” Norris said after the win. “Whitnall is no joke and Wisco (Wisconsin Lutheran) is going to be a freaking test and a half this next week. We’re going to have our hands full, but our guys worked their butts off during the week. They respond well and take care of their bodies. They do the little things right. It really comes down to the details, having each other’s backs and getting after it. They did a great job.”
The Black Hawk defense has done a great job a third of the way through the season. Including the victory over Whitnall, they’ve allowed just 22 points in three contests with 12 of those points coming in the final 7:20 of their latest victory. Six different players have registered an interception on defense in three games and had it not been for a personal foul call early in the second quarter, the Grafton defense would’ve had two pick-sixes against the Falcons.
“We understand that our big plays come from doing our job to the best of our ability and then surpassing the person we’re playing against,” Grafton captain Max Glab said. “The only thing that matters to us is our place. We’re going to fill the cracks that we see within our practices and try to go win every day. We just focus on us and keep working.”
Glab was disruptive around the line of scrimmage all night and even caught a 2-yard touchdown pass from Nicholas Schiller on offense, while fellow captain Tyler Deer not only caught a touchdown pass to make it 28-0 early in the fourth quarter, he was one of the five defenders with an interception.
“We have 23 seniors and, really, 14 of them could realistically start,” Norris said. “There’s some pretty intense competitions throughout the week and they’re pushing each other for sure. It’s a luxury for us, but we definitely don’t take it for granted. They feed off each other.”
Norris noted that out of those 14 potential starters, not one has the same personality.
“It’s 14 different guys and 14 different personalities,” Norris said laughing.
For fellow captain and reigning Woodland Conference defensive player of the year Tyler Heinle, there’s never a dull day playing with guys that he’s suited up together with since middle school.
“It’s so interesting,” Heinle said. “Everybody’s played (football) since we were middle schoolers and even flag football before that. The team chemistry is there and it’s just so much fun to play with my friends.”
It’s back to the lab in Norris’ words for the Black Hawks as they look to dispatch what could be their toughest remaining regular season opponent in Wisconsin Lutheran next week at home. The defense may have its fair share of differences, but there’s one trait that brings it all together for one of the area’s most dominant units this season.
“The common denominator is that they’re all just freaking intense,” Norris said.