Game Report: Tosa West Overpowers Pius 42 – 12: Purifoy, Veit have Breakout Games

The Wauwatosa West Trojans overcame a dismal first half and won convincingly over the Pius XI Popes on a cool, fall-like Friday evening.  In the second half they displayed a blistering run game and crafty defense reminiscent of West’s 2012 team featuring Mickey Morgan and company. 

Let’s start with the juicy details. Trojan junior running back Demaris Purifoy finished the game with a jaw-dropping  288 yards and four touchdowns on 18 carries.  Greg Lewis, the Trojans gifted senior power back had 128 yards rushing and one score on ten carries. Sophomore Truman Tyson carried the ball four times for 34 yards and one score. The team had a startling total of 450 yards rushing.

Highlights can’t leave out the play of junior Zach Veit. He converted four of five kicked extra points and completed a two-point after-touchdown conversion on a busted-play pass to senior Niko Lewis who made a diving catch. Veit also recovered three Pius fumbles and intercepted a pass – ball-hawking of record-breaking proportion.  Here’s a game report:

In the 1st quarter, the Popes appeared to be more than the Trojans could handle on the ground as they went ahead 6-0 on productive runs by their sophomore tailback Shannon Nunnery. Trojan senior leader Jameson Brock’s leg injury on the first offensive series seemed to unsettle everyone in green & white.  

The Trojan offense sputtered in the first half due to three turnovers – two lost fumbles on botched handoffs, and one interception on a tipped ball. Trojan personal fouls – three in the half – continued to annoy everyone and kept the Popes’ offense moving. 

In the 2nd quarter, the Popes took a chance on fourth and seven from the 27 yard line and were rewarded with a nice catch, broken tackle and score by Stephon Anderson, for a 12-0 lead.  After the Trojans second lost fumble, the Pope’s returned the favor – and Zach Veit recovered with six minutes remaining in the half. Senior Greg Lewis had an explosive run of 50 yards to get the Trojans on the board with a 12 – 6 score. Reminiscent of last week when the Trojans gave back momentum right before the half – the Popes threatened with a series of runs down to the Trojan 3 yard line. But a penalty and solid team defense stopped Pius, which settled the stomachs of Trojan fans just in time for half-time concessions. 

After the half-time break, the Trojans came on the field with urgency and a plan executed to perfection on their first drive. Using a run-pass mix, they reached the end zone easily on Truman Tyson’s cut-back move. After Veit’s kick the Trojans were up 13-12. Tosa West’s next defensive series was a good one, as Christian Cagle, Christian Morzinski, Elliot Rogahn and Greg Lewis made great plays with stops and pressures in the Popes’ backfield.  

The Demaris Purifoy show started mid-way through the third quarter and didn’t stop until there were two minutes left in the 4th. During that span he scored four times and amassed most of his yardage. During this stretch he had a tackle-breaking run of 45 yards and a 96-yard sprint down the right sideline.

The entire Trojan O-line gets compliments for well-executed run-blocking that unraveled the Popes’ defense in the second half. Those interior players are senior Elliot Rogahn, juniors Christian Cagle, Christian Morzinski and Joe Harrington, and sophomore Norberto Pliego.  

Second half kudos also go to the coaching staff, team leaders and ball carriers: Tosa West avoided additional penalties and turnovers. The nice crowd on this special Parents Night and Junior Trojan Night went home satisfied about a very good second-half.  

Next week the Trojans travel to Pewaukee to take on the Pirates. Both teams have records of 3-1 overall and 1-1 in the Woodland Conference.