By Dave Boehler
Beacon Sports Editor

QUARTERBACK ROBBY MICHAEL (left) scored eight touchdowns Aug. 30 – one shy of tying the state record – against Manitowoc Luhteran. – Photo by Jenni Pickel

It’s been 100 years since the last high school football player set the state record with nine touchdowns in a game. Someone also had that many in 1916 and 1903.

On Aug. 30, sophomore Robby Michael scored eight times to lead Kohler/Lutheran/Christian to a 50-28 win over Manitowoc Lutheran.

“After we scored to go up double digits, I was like, ‘I can’t believe this is happening,’” he said. “I had the best game of my life.”

Michael accounted for 48 of his team’s 50 points, and only 10 players in Wisconsin have had more in a game.

The Lutheran student set program records for most touchdowns and points, and was also voted the wissports.net football player of the week.

“It was pretty incredible, pretty special,” KLC coach Ryan Eigenberger said. “He made a lot of plays. Some of them were on scrambles, some were on called runs, he’s just a really great playmaker out there. It was pretty incredible to watch, really. It was a pretty special night.”

Not only did the Blue Bombers set program records for most points, first downs (25) and plays (80), they also snapped an 11-game losing streak to win for the first time since Oct. 13, 2017.

“It was really fun,” said Lutheran sophomore Colin Girdaukas said. “There was a lot of people and the crowd was going (crazy). It was just a fun game to play.”

COLIN GIRDAUKAS of the Kohler/Lutheran/Christian football team tries to escape a tackle Aug. 30. – Photo by Jenni Pickel

His quarterback agreed.

“Being our first win in about two years was something special,” Michael said. “Most people didn’t expect us to win that game.”

Probably because KLC was 0-9 last year, scored a total of only 41 points all season and have just two seniors, no juniors and just one returning starter in each side of the ball in 2019.

And probably because Michael was not the main quarterback last season, as he also played wide receiver and finished with a whopping two touchdowns.

“One of the reasons why we were a little hesitant (last year) is he’s a freshman and maybe a little bit undersized,” Eigenberger said. “We didn’t necessarily want to get him hurt out there. But we saw the talent in him.”

Against the Lancers, Michael finished with 258 yards rushing and four touchdowns to go with 175 yards passing and four scores.

He had two rushing touchdowns in the first quarter and then threw three TDs in the second  – to Andrew Verhelst, Girdaukas and Alex Vallejo. He ran for another touchdown in the third quarter, and added one on the ground and another in the air in the fourth.

“To have eight touchdowns in a game was a blessing,” said Michael. “It’s something I’ve been working hard for. I thanked my teammates for everything they did, my line blocking and all that.”

Ask Michael his favorite play of the game, however, and he highlighted Tristan Moctezuma’s defensive stop instead of one of his touchdowns.

“Our defensive end catching this dude on a screen by the jersey and spinning him around, making an awesome play,” Michael said. “I picked that play because it was a fourth down and they had just scored and got the ball back after we didn’t score. Tristan just made an awesome play to get the ball back. We went and scored after that.”

Shortly after, it dawned on Michael what he accomplished.

“After we celebrated and started heading to the locker room, it sunk in,” Michael said. “I’m like, ‘yeah, I just had eight touchdowns. I never thought that would happen.’”

He did not know there were five team records in the game, however, until he was in bed the following morning and read a text from his coach.

“It definitely woke me up,” Michael said.

There was still excitement when the players returned to school last Tuesday, too.

Michael told Eigenberger he and his teammates felt like kings as they walked from class to class, wearing smiles from ear to ear.

“It was pretty funny to hear them talk about that,” the first-year coach said. “He said everyone was congratulating them and they put stuff on their lockers, made a big deal out of it, so I know that was great for all those guys.”