Tigers 5-0 in CWC-L

Kilty rushes for over 1,000 yards in 2022

By Casey Krautkramer

Pat and Keresa Kilty’s children are talented athletes. The Stratford couple’s oldest child, Macey, is a professional wrestler training hard to qualify for the summer 2024 Olympics in Paris, France. The middle child, Easton, is a starting offensive lineman on the Division 1 FCS North Dakota football team.

The youngest child, Koehler, is getting his opportunity this fall to show the family he’s a talented athlete just like his older siblings. On Friday, Koehler eclipsed 1,000 yards rushing in only the seventh game this season during Stratford’s 52-8 homecoming win against Weyauwega-Fremont at Beell Stadium in Marshfield.

“It’s cool that I got 1,000 rushing yards but the big goal for my teammates and I is to win the conference championship, make a deep run in the playoffs and ultimately go to state,” Koehler said.

His humble attitude to continue working hard and becoming a quicker and stronger football player could help him also reach his post-high school goal of playing college football just like his older brother. Koehler credits the offensive line in front of him for paving holes for him to run through this season.

The Tigers’ starting offensive lineman are senior left guard John Seitz III, senior left tackle Jackson Ormond, senior right guard Kash Daul, senior right tackle Isaiah Hadlock and sophomore center Walker Weis.

Koehler had 15 rushing attempts for 170 yards and four touchdowns on Friday. He mainly played special teams in his first varsity football season last year. He’d only see playing time at the end of games when the team had a comfortable lead against its opponents. Koehler only had five rushing attempts for 26 yards in the four varsity games he saw time as a running back last season.

“Raife Smart was a really good senior running back last season so there was no way I was taking his starting spot as a sophomore,” he admitted.

What a difference a year makes. Koehler already has 133 rushing attempts for 1,021 yards and 12 touchdowns this fall. He’s the first Stratford player to rush for over 1,000 years in a season since Kade Ehrike accomplished it in back-to-back seasons in 2017 and 2018. Ehrike had 268 rushing attempts for 2,051 yards and 30 touchdowns in Stratford’s 14-game state championship runners-up season in 2018. Kamren Bornbach also rushed for over 1,000 yards in each of the 2015 and 2016 seasons.

Koehler has increased his speed since April when he competed in the Wisconsin Football Coaches Association’s combine. He ran a 5.0 in the 40yard dash in April but he was quicker at 4.78 in the 40-yard dash at a combine last summer. He also partook in the North Dakota and North Dakota State football camps last summer.

He scored Stratford’s first of five touchdowns in the first quarter against Weyauwega-Fremont during Friday’s 52-8 homecoming victory. Koehler plunged into the end zone for a five-yard touchdown. His junior teammate, Gavin Leonhardt, outran the Warhawks for a 37-yard touchdown. Senior quarterback Braeden Schueller kept the football for a 22yard touchdown scamper. Koehler ran 54 yards for a touchdown. Senior Conner Weigel’s 45-yard touchdown and senior Evan Danielson’s extra point gave the Tigers a 31-8 first-quarter lead against the Warhawks.

Koehler also scored Stratford’s first touchdowns in the second and third quarters. He ran for a 53-yard touchdown in the second quarter and Danielson kicked the extra point. Senior Ashton Wrensch caught a 42-yard touchdown pass from Schueller in the second quarter. Danielson’s extra point gave the Tigers a 45-8 halftime advantage. Kilty’s fourth rushing touchdown on Friday night was a three-yard plunge in the third quarter. Danielson’s extra point gave Stratford a 52-8 lead. Stratford head coach Jason Tubbs allowed the younger players on the bench to receive valuable playing time for the remainder of the game.

Stratford has a road game against Spencer/Columbus at 7 p.m. this Friday, Oct. 7, before its much anticipated home matchup the following Friday against Amherst at Marshfield Senior High School. Koehler said he and his teammates can’t overlook the Rockets on Friday, even though they are winless this season. Both Stratford and Amherst have 5-0 records in the Central Wisconsin Conference-Large (CWC-L) this season.

The Tigers have not beaten the Falcons since joining the CWC-L in 2020. Stratford’s last conference championship was when it won the Marawood in 2019, in which Stratford also defeated Amherst in a WIAA Level 4 playoff game at D.C. Everest to advance to state. Koehler said winning the CWCL would be a huge accomplishment for Stratford’s football team this season.

“It would mean a lot to our team if we go undefeated in the conference and win the conference championship outright,” he said.