Tigers looking to repeat

HERE COME THE TIGERS- Introducing the 2023 Stratford varsity football squad. Team members pictured, from left to right, first row: managers Rhyan Millard and Baylee Winker; players Lucas Forest, Mason Miller, Parker Glenn, Brandon Drexler, Riley Spindler, Cody Randow, Thomas Bangart and Caleb Wrensch and managers Amanda Budke and Emilee Gebelein; second row: Player Cole Tichy; assistant coaches Ryan Bloom, Marshall Lehman and Kellen Kafka; head coach Jason Tubbs; assistant coaches Greg Belter, Curt Schmidt, Kris Berg, Blake Lehman, Scott Bauman and player Payton Glenn; third row: Athletic trainer Jon Koth; players Jaeger Ormond, Reid Miller, Jackson Dahlke, Zander Zawislan, Walker Weis, Jack Tubbs, Ashton Bushman, Brooks Vanderhoof and manager Gene Shedlow; fourth row: Jett Schoenherr, Kaleb Krummel, Jack Remus, Ryan Christopherson, Will Kraus, Masyn Bredl-Hryndej, Rlley Kroening, Cayden Leonhardt and Reese Terry; fifth row: Jamis Sweeney, Carter Lueck, Matt Kolb, Matt Folz, Alec Chapel, Mason Oertel, Coltan Breit and Landon Zawislan; sixth row: Brady Berg, Xander Curtice, Brandon Knetter, Gavin Leonhardt, Drew Gage, Koehler Kilty and Henry Zaleski.

Stratford is the defending D-6 state champions

By Casey Krautkramer

The Stratford football team enjoyed a magical 2022 season that culminated in the Tigers winning their eighth state championship in school history. Stratford now has the second most state championships of any school in state history. Only Fond du Lac St. Mary’s Springs has more with nine state titles.

Stratford has many top players returning from last season including seniors Koehler Kilty and Gavin Leonhardt who play running back and linebacker, senior Cole Tichy who is a tight end and safety, senior Payton Glenn who is a wide receiver and defensive back and junior Walker Weis who is the center and defensive tackle.

Kilty led Stratford in rushing last season with 301 attempts for 1,877 yards and 21 touchdowns while playing in all 14 games last season. He averaged 6.2 rushing yards per attempt and 134.1 yards per game in 2022. Kilty also had the most tackles of any defender returning this season. He tallied 48 solo tackles and 23 assisted tackles for a total of 71 tackles in 14 games in 2022. He gets right to the point when describing what the team’s goal is this season.

“We want to repeat as state championships this year,” Kilty said.

Gavin Leonhardt wasn’t widely known as a star football player in the area until midway through last season. He had 13 catches for 420 yards with 6 touchdowns in the last six games of the 2022 season. He averaged 32.3 yards per catch and 70 yards per game. Leonhardt was also a solid player on defense with 33 solo tackles and 28 assisted tackles for a total of 61 tackles in 13 games last season. He also had seven tackles for loss, two sacks and an interception return for a touchdown.

Jason Tubbs is now in his 11th season as Stratford head varsity football coach, after spending 10 seasons as the team’s defensive coordinator under state hall of fame former head football coach Cal Tackes. He knows who his play makers are this season.

“Koehler and Gavin are special players and we will lean on them as much as possible,” he said. “Whoever is the quarterback should look to get the ball into their hands.”

Stratford’s top newcomers to this year’s varsity squad are senior quarterback and linebacker Matt Folz, senior offensive lineman and linebacker Henry Zaleski, senior guard and defensive end Landon Zawislan, junior guard and defensive end Carter Lueck, junior quarterback and safety Jack Tubbs and junior wide receiver and defensive back Jett Schoenherr.

“We have four to five returning starters on both sides of the ball,” coach Tubbs said. Winning a state championship is very difficult because you need extremely motivated players, your team needs to stay healthy and you also need a little bit of luck. There is no team motto yet because I’m waiting for the players to develop it organi-

STAFF PHOTO/CASEY KRAUTKRAMER cally.”

Last season’s team motto was “Road Warriors” because Stratford played all their games on the road to give the new grass at Tigers Stadium time to grow healthy roots. Stratford’s home games were played in Marshfield. Coach Tubbs can’t wait to play home games in Stratford again.

“The fans, players and coaches are definitely excited about getting back to Tigers Stadium,” he said. “The new field will drain a lot faster to help with past cancellations. The new grass still needs some years to develop, but being at home is a great feeling.”

Stratford’s football team is hoping to get off to a quicker start his season after struggling out of the gate to begin last year. Last year’s season opener was a 20-20 tie with Mosinee in Marshfi eld. Stratford lost the second game of the season, 14-0, at Edgar.

“The first couple of games are going to be very important for me in my college football recruitment,” Kilty said.

He has currently only received one college football scholarship offer to Division 2 Bemidji State in Minnesota. Kilty wants to get off to a great start both individually and as a team so that he can obtain more college football scholarship offers this season.

Kilty had a great 2022 season opener against Mosinee with 21 carries for 190 yards and two touchdowns, but he was stifled by Edgar’s defense. Kilty ended last season on a high note with 35 carries for 192 yards and three touchdowns in Stratford’s 3214 win against Mondovi in the WIAA Division 6 state championship. Gavin Leonhardt also had a big state title game by catching three of five passes for 57 yards and two touchdowns.

Stratford’s football team will only have success if it has a formidable offensive line this season.

“Our offensive line has one returning starter in Walker Weis and another very good player that got a lot of reps last season in Carter Lueck,” coach Tubbs said. “Landon Zawislan is also doing great so far this season, and we are working in three more seniors and two juniors into the offensive line.”

Stratford’s football team captains this year are seniors Matt Folz, Koehler Kilty, Gavin Leonhardt and Payton Glenn.

Greg Belter returns as Stratford’s offensive coordinator this season and Marshall Lehman is back as the team’s defensive coordinator. Other Stratford football assistant coaches are Ryan Bloom, Kellen Kafka, Blake Lehman and Kris Berg.