Oconomowoc Youth Football Releases 2016 Game Schedule

OCONOMOWOC, Wis. - July 31, 2016 - PRLog -- Oconomowoc Youth Football (OYF) has released its 2016 Wisconsin All-American Youth Football League (AAYFL) game schedule for all nine Bandits teams.  All Bandits' home games will be played at Ski Slide Park in Ixonia, WI.  This will be the final season for head coaches Joe Busateri (8 Bandits Black), Sal Sorrentino (8 Bandits Gold), Tony Baker (8 Bandits Purple) and the players on those teams.  The schedule features only six home dates for the Bandits in 2016 as all nine teams will be on the road for Week 3 (September 24) and Week 5 (October 15).

The season kicks off on Saturday September 10 with the Bandits hosting an eighth grade doubleheader.   8 Bandits Black will host the Delavan Comets.  This is Delavan's first visit to Oconomowoc since the programs faced one another in a day known as the Mud Bowl in 2012.  Prior to the opening kickoff, Oconomowoc resident Todd Mathias will perform the national anthem.  Mathias appeared in an NFL Network commercial during Super Bowl 50.  The commercial featured musical artist Seal and the Super Bowl Babies, dubbed as those who were born in the city of the Super Bowl winning team nine months after their Super Bowl victory.  Mathias was born approximately nine months after the Green Bay Packers defeated the Kansas City Chiefs 35-10 in Super Bowl I on January 15, 1967.

Following the opening game, the Burlington Demons bring all four of their teams to Oconomowoc to host the Bandits Purple teams.   The eight grade game features a Burlington team that went 8-0 in 2015 against the 8 Bandits Purple team, who after losing their opening game against Brookfield East, won seven in a row to finish 7-1.

On Saturday September 17 all four Bandits Gold teams open their 2016 home schedule and the Bandits organization will welcome back the Oconomowoc Raccoons 1996 8^th grade team which won the program's only AAYFL Grand Championship game defeating the Muskeo Warriors 20-16.  It will be a special day for Coach Ted Holsen and his team as they return to Ski Slide Park to be recognized for their achievement two decades ago.

Saturday September 24 at 7:00pm, 8 Bandits Gold will play at Arrowhead Stadium against the Lake Country Chiefs White.   The winner of this game will be the winner of the inaugural Mid-City Sports "Battle for 16" rivalry game and will hold the new traveling trophy for the next year.   The name of the game was chosen due to both programs proximity to Wisconsin Highway 16 that stretches between Oconomoc and Hartland.  This "rivalry" game is intended to be a fun addition to the annual game and imitates the rivalry games played between many NCAA Big Ten football programs.

The Bandits will be hosting their second annual "Touchdowns For a Cure" fundraiser for cancer research to the Rock River Research Foundation on October 1, 2016.  All nine Bandits teams will play at home culminating with an 8th grade tripleheader at 5:00pm (8 Bandits Purple vs. Hartford), 6:30pm (8 Bandits Black vs. Wauwatosa East), and 8 Bandits Gold and West Bend East at 8:00pm.  Prior to the 6:30pm and 8:00pm games many members of the Rock River Harley Chapter #3296 will be present with their Harley-Davidson motorcycles to provide an honor guard and tunnel for the teams to run through.

5678 Dance! Studio and Badger Athletics will be providing halftime performances for all 8^th grade home games for the 2016 season.  This marks the first time the Bandits have had on field dance or cheer performances since the dissolution of Ocomowoc Cheer following the 2014 season.

All three eighth grade teams will honor their parents with a rose at halftime of a game this season as the Bandits introduce their annual "Parents Appreciation Day".  This event was initiated by Bandits Player and Coach Development Officer, Brian Wraalstad during his time as head coach from 2011-2014.

While the regular season will come to an end on October 29, there will be a final game on November 3 as a combined 8^th grade team will travel to Grafton to play the Grafton Gladiators for the ninth and final game for all of the 8^th grade players and coaches.  This is the first of a home and away series as the Gladiators will come to Oconomowoc in 2017 to play against the Bandits combined 8^th grade teams.

"I am so proud of our leadership team and our coaches for the tremendous amount of work that has been done behind the scenes to prepare for this season."said Gary Wipperman, OYF president.    "We are excited to offer a season packed full of great events, great people, and great football."

The schedules for all nine Bandits teams are published on http://www.oconomowocyouthfootball.org  and are current as of July 31, 2016.  The schedule is determined by the AAYFL.  The schedules are subject to change based on field conditions, scheduling conflicts, and other factors as determined appropriate by the AAYFL.  All changes will be published and updated on the Oconomowoc Youth Football website.