Cedar Grove-Belgium's Owen Gulke had left football behind, focusing on basketball. He's back as a senior and his first catch was a 55-yard touchdown.
CEDAR GROVE — A multi-sport athlete growing up, Cedar Grove-Belgium’s Owen Gulke knew what his path was once he hit high school.
He left the football field behind for the basketball court after the eighth grade, developing into a unanimous first team all-Big East South player as a junior.
The thing was, even though he left football in the rear view, football wasn’t done with him.
Rockets coach Dan Schreurs detailed how ever since Gulke quit, the team had been trying to get him back.
“We’ve been trying to get him for years,” Schreurs said with a smile. “I’d be at basketball games and see him around. Even sending text messages, stuff like that. It turned more comical than anything.”
During this past summer, Gulke had been practicing with quarterback Carter Schmitz and developing a connection between the future receiver and his QB.
“I was out here running routes and (Schmitz) was like you got to text (Schreurs) so I finally sent coach a text,” Gulke said.
Not a minute too soon, as Gulke made the decision a week or so before the season began. Schreurs though had faith in his players to land the dynamic 6-foot, 2-inch and 185-pound athlete.
“I think we kept applying the pressure and got him to bite,” Schreurs said with a grin. “I’m thankful he’s out here. He adds a whole dimension to our offense.”
The team was so confident in his abilities, the first two plays of the season went to Gulke. He couldn’t connect with Schmitz on the first play but his second attempt turned into a 55-yard touchdown.
“The second play of the game, we had a shot called up and we were going to try right away,” Schreurs said. “First attempt didn’t go right away, but second one did.”
His first-ever catch as a high school football player was a touchdown.
“It was something, a feeling I haven’t thought in a while,” Gulke of the touchdown.
He finished the game with 101 yards on four catches and the score. Not too bad for having been officially back to the sport for less than a month.
What convinced him to return was simple, his teammates.
“It took a lot of convincing from all the guys,” Gulke said with a laugh. “Came down to being my senior year and this is my last year. I thought, why not.
“(My teammates) are awesome and great to be around. Hanging around with them, getting to play football. Not a lot better than you can do.”
Contact Tom Dombeck at 920-686-2965 or [email protected]. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @Tom_Dombeck.
This article originally appeared on Sheboygan Press: Cedar Grove-Belgium basketball star Owen Gulke back playing football
Category: General Sports
