passes for 104 yards and ….
passes for 104 yards and a score in a 26-20 overtime loss at Greenwood.
Kroeplin also averaged a CloverWoodbest 41.4 yards per kickoff on nine attempts and ranked second by averaging 14.5 yards per punt return.
Boie wasn’t far behind Kroeplin in rushing statistics. In conference play, he ranked 11th with 447 yards on 61 carries (7.3 per attempt) and scored five times. Overall, he rushed for 692 yards on 104 attempts (6.7 per carry) with nine touchdowns and he caught five passes for 35 yards. He had 114 yards on 10 carries and three rushing touchdowns in the Pirates’ win over Assumption and 83 yards on 14 carries and three touchdowns in their 35-15 Level 2 playoff win at Almond-Bancroft, who had come into the game with a 10-0 record.
Gunderson, the first-team All-Clover-Wood quarterback last year, had an improved season at the position. It was just hard to ignore the monster year Abbotsford’s Dalton Feddick had at the position, which gave him the Offensive Player of the Year award. Feddick ran for 979 yards and 15 touchdowns in league play, while throwing for 248 yards and five more touchdowns.
Gunderson ranked second in the league in passing yardage, completing 44 of 91 passes in CloverWood games for 704 yards, seven touchdowns and five interceptions. Only Thorp freshman Aiden Rosemeyer (985) threw for more yards. Greenwood’s Cooper Bredlau was a distant third with 465 yards. Gunderson also ran for 383 yards in league play on 68 attempts (5.6 per attempt) and 10 touchdowns. His 60 points ranked sixth in the conference.
Overall, Gunderson completed 67 of 133 passes (51.1%) for 1,080 yards, 10 touchdowns and seven interceptions, while rushing for 469 yards on 107 attempts and 13 touchdowns.
Keepers had a big sophomore season at tight end, catching 17 passes overall for 225 yards and four touchdowns. He ranked fourth in the conference with 13 receptions in league play. They went for 164 yards and three touchdowns. He had three catches for 44 yards in a big 20-0 week-nine win over Loyal that clinched second place in the final standings. He had three catches for 35 yards and a score in the team’s win over Thorp.
Keepers had two interceptions defensively in Gilman’s 24-6 Level 1 playoff win over Pittsville.
The Pirates and Greenwood Indians are leaving the CloverWood Conference to play in the WIAA’s eight-man football program for at least the next two seasons. Both will join what is called the Central Region. Gilman will join a six-team conference that includes New Auburn, Alma Center Lincoln, Bruce, McDonell Central and Phillips. Greenwood joins the region other conference, which features Port Edwards, 2019 state runner-up Newman Catholic, Tri-County, Bowler-Gresham and Marion-Tigerton. Those leagues will play crossover games.
Abbotsford, Athens, Owen-Withee and Thorp from the CloverWood will be blended with Colby, Auburndale, Marathon and Edgar to form a new conference, while Loyal and Assumption are being moved to the Central Wisconsin Small Conference next fall.
