Krizan gets 8-man all-state nod; 3 Raiders mentioned; 2 Pirates are all-stars

ALL-STATE FOOTBALL

The most unusual football year in Wisconsin has concluded with the May 17 announcement of the 2020-21 Wisconsin Football Coaches Association All-State teams, which includes one firstteam choice from Taylor County and three honorable mentions.

Gilman junior Julian Krizan was one of two players named as inside linebackers on the WFCA Eight-Player All-State team. The award did not come as a surprise as Krizan had already been named the Defensive Player of the Year in the Central Wisconsin West Conference and the WisSports.net state Defensive Player of the Year for eight-player football.

The announcement of the All-State team was delayed until the completion of the WIAA’s alternate fall season. That seven-week season ended the weekend of May 7.

Medford’s Emett Grunwald, an outside linebacker; Peyton Kuhn, a tight end/fullback, and Aiden Gardner, a running back made the Large Schools honorable mention list.

Krizan was Gilman’s leading tackler with 96 total stops, an average of 12 per game. He hit double figures in seven games, including a season-high 19 in Gilman’s 53-0 season-opening win over Bruce on Sept. 25 when he was also involved in five sacks. He had 16 tackles in a 53-14 non-conference win at McDonell Central Nov. 5 and 14 in a 65-6 win over New Auburn Oct. 23. Krizan had seven sacks and two fumble recoveries during the season.

The Pirates went 7-1 in their debut season as an eight-player program, winning the CWWC title and only losing 24-20 to undefeated Belmont in an extra game played at the end of the season.

Grunwald, Kuhn and Gardner were All-Region 1 selections after the fall season. Kuhn was an All-Region pick both offensively and defensively, but he made the All-State honorable mention list on offense. Kuhn, a senior, caught 19 passes for 196 yards, one touchdown and two two-point conversions in the fall. He also ran the ball 42 times for 228 yards and three touchdowns.

His blocking was part of the reason the Raiders averaged 390.8 yards in six GNC games, including 308 yards rushing. Overall, in eight games, the Raiders finished at 267.9 rushing yards and 84 passing yards per game for a total average of 351.9 yards per contest. Medford put up 31.9 points per game overall and 39.2 points per game in conference outings.

Gardner, a junior, was named the Great Northern Conference Offensive Player of the Year after piling up 833 yards on 79 carries for a hefty 10.5-yard per carry average in league play. He scored 10 touchdowns in six GNC outings. Overall, he just missed a 1,000-yard season, picking up 995 yards on 114 attempts. He scored 11 touchdowns.

His season was highlighted by a fourgame stretch against Antigo, Mosinee, Merrill and Ashland where he ran for 691 yards and eight touchdowns on 51 carries. That included a first half in the 43-0 win over Antigo on Oct. 2 where he carried just six times for 222 yards and three long scores.

Grunwald, a senior, was named the Great Northern Conference Defensive Player of the Year. He had four sacks and eight tackles for losses during a season where he had more than 30 total tackles and 20 solo tackles while constantly applying pressure to opposing quarterbacks.

Medford went unbeaten in the Great Northern Conference for the second straight year and finished 6-2 overall with Rice Lake handing the Raiders both of their losses.

Fond du Lac senior quarterback Kyle Walljasper was chosen as the WFCA Large School Offensive Player of the Year. He led the state in the spring season with 1,467 yards and 21 touchdowns on just 77 carries, as he averaged an absurd 19.1 yards per attempt. He completed 63.2% of his passes for 769 yards and nine touchdowns. He finished his career with 2,456 passing yards and 26 scores to go with 2,829 rushing yards and 40 touchdowns. In the final game of his career, he ran for 306 yards and five touchdowns on 15 carries to go with 83 passing yards and a score in a 71-47 win over Kimberly.

Hunter Wohler, a senior defensive back from Muskego, was named the Large School Defensive Player of the Year for the second consecutive season. A three-year varsity player, the Warriors did not lose a game during Wohlers’ time, going a perfect 37-0 with a pair of Division 1 state championships. Considered by many as the top defensive back prospect to come out of the state in many years, the Wisconsin commit had 78 tackles this year with a pair of interceptions. Patrolling sideline-to-sideline and deep middle to in the box, Wohler has 355 tackles in his career.

Belmont senior Riley Christensen was the 8-Player Football Player of the Year after helping the Braves to their 7-0 season in the fall. Christensen ran for 1,372 yards and 26 touchdowns, plus he threw for 478 yards and nine more scores.

Lake Mills senior quarterback Adam Moen received Small School Offensive Player of the Year recognition. Small School Defensive Player of the Year honors went to Lomira senior defensive lineman Avery Johnson.

WFCA All-stars

Two more Gilman Pirates earned prestigious state honors last week as it was announced that seniors Kade Kroeplin and Brayden Boie will play in the WFCA Eight-Player All-Star game in Oshkosh on Friday, July 16.

Kroeplin is listed as a defensive back and Boie is a defensive lineman for the North team that will take on the South All-Stars at 6 p.m. that evening.

Kroeplin made the All-Region team in the fall after being credited with 41 total tackles during the season, including 11 against Belmont. He wasn’t challenged often by opposing quarterbacks and receivers, but his passes defensed included three crucial wins in a Nov. 5 win at Mc-Donell Central.

Boie, who played at an end position in Gilman’s defensive scheme, finished with 61 total tackles and six quarterback sacks. That included 13 tackles against New Auburn, 11 against Belmont and 10 in a 44-8 win over McDonell Central on Oct. 16.

The Pirates allowed just 116.2 yards and 2.8 points per game in five conference contests and 169.4 yards and 6.5 points overall in eight outings.

Matt Schoeneman of Mercer-Butternut is the North’s head coach. The team also includes McDonell Central quarterback Tanner Opsal, New Auburn defensive lineman Brady Bischel and Alma Center Lincoln quarterback/defensive back Jack Anderson from the Central Wisconsin West Conference.

All-star weekend in Oshkosh includes the two 11-player games on Saturday, July 17. The small-school game is at 2 p.m., followed by the large-school game at 6 p.m.

The games annually serve as a fundraiser for Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin.

Emett Grunwald Hon. Mention Defense

Kade Kroeplin WFCA 8-player All-starPeyton Kuhn Hon. Mention Offense

Aiden Gardner Hon. Mention OffenseBrayden Boie WFCA 8-player All-star