Tigers still undefeated
By Casey Krautkramer
Stratford’s varsity football team beat Amherst, 48-20, in a battle of highlyranked undefeated squads in Division 5. The Tigers entered the contest ranked No. 1 and the Falcons were No. 4.
The Tigers won their 20th consecutive game dating back to early last season. Stratford also earned at least a share of its third straight Central Wisconsin Conference- Large (CWC-Large) championship. Stratford, 8-0, can win its second straight outright CWC-Large title by beating Loyal/ Greenwood, 1-7, on the road this Friday, Oct. 18.
Stratford head coach Jason Tubbs is hoping “3” is his team’s lucky number this season, meaning it would be sweet for the Tigers to win a third straight state championship on top of winning their third straight conference title.
“We have to beat Loyal/Greenwood first but we should have a share of the conference championship no matter what and that’s three in a row for us; I hope that’s a good theme,” he said.
Stratford and Amherst were engaged in a tough battle with each other, similar to a boxing match where competitors are giving one another a punch. The Tigers and Falcons traded touchdowns for the majority of Friday’s game.
The Tigers scored on senior quarterback Jack Tubbs’ seven-yard scamper and Mason Miller’s extra point to take a 7-0 lead at the end of the first quarter. The Falcons responded in the second quarter with junior quarterback Michael Glodowski’s 12yard touchdown pass to junior Sully Perkins and sophomore Tyler Loken’s extra point to tie the game at seven points apiece.
Stratford scored next on Tubbs’ fiveyard touchdown pass to senior Jett Schoenherr and Miller’s extra point. Amherst answered with Glodowski’s sixyard touchdown run and Loken’s extra point to tie the game at 14 points apiece.
Tubbs threw a perfect pass to senior Alec Chapel for a 13-yard touchdown and Miller’s extra point gave the Tigers a 2114 halftime advantage. The Falcons had the football to start the second half and they marched down the field to score six points on Glodowski’s nine-yard touchdown run. Stratford senior defensive end Walker Weis blocked Loken’s extra point attempt.
Stratford then scored two touchdowns in each of the last two quarters. Tubbs rushed for a four-yard touchdown and Miller kicked the extra point to give the Tigers a 28-20 lead. Tubbs threw a pinpoint pass in the corner of the end zone to junior receiver Coltan Breit for a 30-yard touchdown, but Miller missed the extra point. Stratford still led Amherst, 34-20, at the end of the third quarter.
Tigers junior Brooks Vanderhoof broke off a 64-yard touchdown run and Miller kicked the extra point to give the team a 41-20 advantage in the fourth quarter. Vanderhoof admitted that he didn’t need to work too hard for the rushing touchdown.
“I was running to the outside and my offensive line had it walled off perfectly for me that I didn’t get touched once during the play,” he said. “I didn’t do anything, it was our offensive line that did it.”
Schoenherr capped off Straford’s scoring with a 22-yard touchdown run and Miller’s extra point with two minutes, 45 seconds left in the game.
Tubbs had an all-around great game by completing 14 of 16 passes for 216 yards and three touchdowns while rushing nine times for 62 yards and two touchdowns. Vanderhoof led Stratford in rushing with nine carries for 112 yards and a touchdown. Senior Reid Miller contributed 10 rushes for 51 yards. Chapel led Stratford receivers with three receptions for 72 yards and a touchdown. Senior Caleb Wrensch added two receptions for 62 yards.
Chapel paced Stratford’s defense with eight tackles while Wrensch had seven tackles and an interception. Tubbs contributed six tackles and an interception. Senior Xander Curtice, Reid Miller and Vanderhoof also collected six tackles each.
Stratford won Division 6 state championships the past two seasons after not having undefeated regular seasons. That is likely to change this Friday.
“It would be huge because we haven’t been able to do it the last couple of years but now we finally get our chance and it feels good,” Vanderhoof said.
Edgar blasts Pacelli
The Edgar varsity football squad easily defeated Stevens Point Pacelli, 47-0, on Friday to win its third straight Marawood Conference championship while remaining in contention to win back-to-back outright Marawood titles.
Edgar, 7-1, can finish the conference regular season undefeated by beating Ab-
See FOOTBALL/ page 10
ICING ON THE CAKE - Stratford senior offensive tackle Matt Kolb (55) congratulates his senior teammate, Jett Schoenherr (4) on his 22-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter to seal the team’s 48-20 win against Amherst at Tiger Stadium.
STAFF PHOTO/CASEY KRAUTKRAMER Football
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botsford, 7-1, at 7 p.m. this Friday, Oct. 18, on the road. Edgar currently has a 6-0 conference record while Abbotsford and Auburndale are 5-1 in the Marawood.
Edgar erupted to score 27 points in the first quarter and 41 total points in the first half against Pacelli.
Junior Gavin Mauer returned a punt 50 yards for a touchdown and German foreign exchange student Jarvis Kofent kicked the extra point. Senior William Hackel rushed for a seven-yard touchdown and Kofent kicked the extra point. Junior quarterback Tucker Streit threw a 23-yard touchdown pass to senior Leyton Schuett and Kofent kicked the extra point. Junior Maverick Butt returned a punt 73 yards for a touchdown but Kofent’s extra point failed. Edgar still led Pacelli, 27-0, at the end of the opening quarter.
Edgar scored two touchdowns in the second quarter on Streit’s 18-yard touchdown pass to junior Lucas Stahnke and Hackel’s five-yard touchdown run. Kofent made both extra points to give the Wildcats a 41-0 halftime advantage.
Butt rushed for a 22-yard touchdown in the third quarter but the extra point failed. Neither team scored in the fourth quarter.
Streit completed a perfect four of four passes for 90 yards and two touchdowns. Butt led Edgar’s rushing attack with four carries for 57 yards and two touchdowns. Hackel contributed eight rushes for 51 yards and two touchdowns. Freshman Kennen Van Ornum added six rushes for 32 yards. Schuett paced Edgar’s receivers with two catches for 53 yards and a touchdown.
Edgar senior inside linebacker Ty Schnelle led the defense with 12 tackles. Senior defensive tackle Corey Koeppl contributed seven tackles and a sack. Senior defensive tackle Fletcher Weiland added five tackles. Senior defensive tackle Dakota Ellenbecker forced a fumble. Defensive backs Gavin Mauer and Schuett had one interception each.
Red Raiders fall to Chargers
The Marathon varsity football team lost, 52-13, to Wittenberg-Birnamwood Friday on the road. The Red Raiders scored six points in the second quarter and seven points in the fourth quarter.
Junior Javier Pintor led the Red Raiders’ rushing attack with nine carries for 60 yards. True Thurs returned from injury as Marathon’s dual-threat starting quarterback and ran the ball 15 times for 53 yards. Senior Cody Radtke paced the team’s receivers with two catches for 69 yards. Sophomore Garrett Bracewell had three receptions for 40 yards and a touchdown.
Junior defensive back Cale Quaintance led Marathon’s defense with eight tackles. Junior defensive back Blake Underwood had four tackles and an interception. Junior linebacker Karsan Huebsch and sophomore linebacker Landon Hilgart had four tackles apiece.
Marathon currently has a 1-5 record in the CWC-Large. Marathon will attempt to end its season with a win at Spencer/ Columbus Catholic, 1-5, at 7 p.m. this Friday, Oct. 18, on the road. It is Marshfield Columbus’ homecoming game.
‘Jays almost beat Redmen
The Athens varsity football squad nearly won its first game this season. The Bluejays took the lead against the Redmen two times in the first half of Friday’s game at home but were down, 32-24, at halftime. Athens ended up losing, 38-36, to Rib Lake after it couldn’t quite tie the game toward the end of the fourth quarter.
Bluejays junior Evan Passehl’s 38-yard touchdown run brought the team within two points of the Redmen with four minutes, 56 seconds left in the game, but senior Kyle Schreiner’s two-point conversion run failed.
Athens quarterback Kamden Zarnke threw a 12-yard touchdown pass to sophomore Daxton Diethelm and Zarnke ran in the two-point conversion to tie the game at eight points each in the first quarter. Zarnke then threw a five-yard touchdown pass to Schreiner and Passehl ran in the two-point conversion to give Athens a 168 lead at the end of the opening quarter.
Rib Lake tied the game at 16 points apiece early in the second quarter. Athens retook the lead, 24-16, on Schreiner’s three-yard touchdown run and Passehl’s two-point conversion run. The Redmen scored the last two touchdowns of the second quarter for a 32-24 halftime advantage.
The Redmen also scored the first touchdown in the third quarter to take a commanding 38-24 lead. Athens also scored six points in the third quarter on Schreiner’s five-yard touchdown run but Passehl’s two-point conversion run attempt failed. Athens was the only team to score points in the fourth quarter.
Zarnke completed an almost perfect six of seven passes for 99 yards and two touchdowns. Passehl led the team’s rushing attack with 13 carries for 104 yards and a touchdown. Schreiner contributed 23 rushes for 52 yards and two touchdowns. Diethelm paced the team’s receivers with four catches for 55 yards and a touchdown. Schreiner added two catches for 38 yards and a touchdown while Passehl reeled in a 54-yard reception.
Schreiner led Athens’ defense with 11 tackles and Passehl had 10. Senior Gavin Glenn contributed eight tackles and a sack. Junior Gavin Frahm and sophomore Cole Hartmann had five tackles each.
Athens will attempt to win its first game of the season in its final regular season game at 7 p.m. this Friday, Oct. 18, against Prentice at home. The Bluejays and Buccaneers are both 0-6 in the Northwoods East Conference. Prentice does have a non-conference win this season.