Complete domination

Stratford starts fast in opening win at Mosinee

By Casey Krautkramer

Stratford’s varsity football team on Friday began its quest to defend the WIAA Division 6 state championship with a 33-14 statement road win against Division 3 opponent Mosinee.

The Tigers’ defense wreaked havoc on Indians senior quarterback Gavin Obremski, who is on the Dave Krieg Award preseason watch list for the best senior signal caller in the state this season. Stratford’s defense forced Obremski into losing a pair of fumbles and throwing an interception that was returned for a touchdown during the Tigers’ dominating first half. Stratford took a commanding 27-0 halftime lead against Mosinee.

Mosinee’s lone first half highlight occurred in the early moments of Friday’s game, when the Indians’ defense recovered Stratford senior running back Koehler Kilty’s fumble. Tigers senior defensive back Peyton Glenn knocked the ball away from a Mosinee receiver attempting to come down with the catch. On fourth down, Stratford’s defense defended Mosinee’s screen pass well to turn the football over on downs.

Things continued to go Stratford’s way for the remainder of the first half. Later in the first quarter, Stratford blocked Mosinee’s punt and had great starting field position on Mosinee’s 30-yard line. It only took the Tigers one play on offense to score a touchdown when junior quarterback Jack Tubbs connected with junior wide receiver Jett Schoenherr in the end zone. The speedy Schoenherr beat Mosinee’s speedster, senior Keagen Jirschle, who was defending the pass. Tigers junior kicker Mason Miller botched the snap and was tackled on the extra-point attempt.

Things only got worse for Mosinee the next time it had the football on offense. Obremski threw an interception to Stratford senior middle linebacker Matt Folz, who returned it for a touchdown. Kilty ran for the two-point conversion to give the Tigers a 14-0 advantage against the Indians.

Stratford’s defense rose to the occasion again the next time Mosnee had the football. Tigers junior defensive end Carter Lueck strip sacked Obremski and senior defensive end Riley Kroening recovered the fumble. The huge defensive play led to more offense when Kilty scored a six-yard rushing touchdown. Miller kicked the extra point to give Stratford a 21-0 lead at the end of the first quarter. In the second quarter, Stratford senior outside linebacker Gavin Leonhardt placed a heavy hit on Obremski to cause a fumble that was recovered by the Tigers. Stratford then went back to work on offense with Kilty stringing together successful runs for first downs. Kilty’s great running set up the play-action pass for Stratford, as Tubbs connected with receiver Leonhardt for a 30-yard scoring strike. Although the extra point was unsuccessful, Stratford still held a dominating 27-0 halftime advantage against Mosinee.

Kilty scored his second rushing touchdown of the game in the fourth quarter, this time from five yards out. The two-point conversion failed. Kilty finished the game with 29 carries for 153 rushing yards and a pair of touchdowns. Tubbs completed five of seven passes for 70 yards and a pair of touchdowns.

Stratford junior safety Caleb Wrensch and Kilty led the defense with nine tackles apiece. Lueck had eight tackles and Folz added seven. Senior defensive end Landon Zawislan contributed six tackles while Leonhardt had five. Junior defensive end Xander Curtice also had a sack.

The Tigers are the number one ranked team in the first wissports. com Division 6 football coaches poll this week. Things don’t get any easier for Stratford this week as it plays longtime arch-rival Edgar at 7 p.m. on Friday at Tigers Stadium.

Wildcats edged in opener

Edgar’s varsity football squad on Friday lost, 8-6, against Division 4 Ellsworth in the season opener. Both teams battled to a scoreless first quarter. Panthers junior Levi Nelson ran for an 11-yard touchdown in the second quarter. Ellsworth senior quarterback Griffin Blomberg connected with sophomore tight end George Rohl for the successful two-point conversion to give the Panthers an 8-0 halftime advantage against the Wildcats.

Edgar finally got onto the scoreboard in the third quarter when senior quarterback Teegan Streit threw a 13-yard touchdown to senior tight end Brett Baumgartner. The two-point conversion pass failed. Neither team scored in the fourth quarter.

Streit completed four of 12 passes for 29 yards and one touchdown. Edgar senior Karter Butt ran the football 24 times for 193 yards.

Wildcats senior linebacker Kolbe Weisenberger led the defense with 12 tackles. Linebacker Karter Butt had eight tackles and defensive end Brett Baumgartner added five. Sophomore defensive back Tucker Streit had an interception.