Ringelberg makes life miserable for Greenfield

After two weeks into the football season, the Greendale and Greenfield football programs are off to completely different starts. Greendale sophomore Josh Ringelberg showed off a variety of talents in route to a 42-3 win Friday night over the Hustlin’ Hawks at Greenfield High School.
 

In just six plays, Greendale quickly took charge of the game and made Greenfield re-evaluate its strategy. On a critical 4th-and-inches midway through the second quarter, Ringelberg took the snap out of the shotgun on a designed run up the middle to keep the drive alive. On the next play, junior running back Jake Zywicki scored from one yard out to push the lead to 21-0.

The first play from scrimmage for Greenfield on the next drive fit into the recurring theme of turnovers. Hawks junior quarterback Joey Hannah was intercepted when looking for Keagan Banks over the middle. Ringelberg scored two plays later on a quarterback sneak, pushing the lead to 27-0.
 

“When you turn the ball over six times, you don’t have to do anything defensively,” said Greenfield coach Scott Otto. “They didn’t give us any defense that we didn’t practice or haven't seen before. We moved the ball on them but then it would be a holding penalty or a fumble.”
 

Hannah gave hope to the Hawks (0-2) before halftime as he scrambled for 42 yards but was stripped from behind, and the ball was recovered by a host of Panthers. On the very next play, Ringelberg found a streaking Nate Miller up the middle and connected for a 31-yard touchdown pass, his third score of the half.
 

“Ultimately enough has to be enough,” said Otto about his teams turnovers, nine in the first two games. “They have to make a commitment to themselves. I am not going to fumble the football. I am not going to throw an interception. I am going to get my block.”

Ringelberg faced little pressure resulting in a near perfect day as he finished 12 of 15 for 239 yards and two touchdown passes. He also created havoc for the Hawks with seven carries for 26 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
 

“I don’t know how he does it,” said Otto about the play of Ringelberg. “(Greendale coach Rob) Stoltz is a miracle worker over there. He has only eight seniors on that team and from their last game, only seven started. To get those kids to play like that in these two games … I wish I could do that.”
 

Greenfield got on the board when Hannah drilled a 30-yard field goal late in the fourth quarter. He added 44 yards rushing along with 96 yards passing.

Ringelberg showed no signs of an underclassmen Friday night as he swung the game completely in Greendale’s (2-0) favor early in the second quarter when he launched a throw deep down the field to Cody Kmetz. Kmetz broke free for an 83-yard gain before getting tripped up. Two plays later, Ringelberg lofted a throw to the end zone for Mitchell Brees to push the lead to 14-0.
 

Brees finished with four catches for 37 yards while Miller added two catches for 52 yards. The Panthers outgained Greenfield 365-219 in total yards.

“Our offense is really important because of the timing involved,” said Ringelberg. “It really starts with our preparation every week.”