Sinz in 50th year as head coach

By Casey Krautkramer

Edgar’s football program will celebrate Jerry Sinz’s 50th year as the Wildcats varsity head coach at Alumni Night on Friday, Oct. 4. He has the second most varsity football coaching wins in state history.

Sinz was also an Edgar varsity assistant football coach for three years before becoming the head coach. He’s honored to discover that Edgar will celebrate his longevity as its varsity head football coach during this football season, but he admitted that he’s not concerned about celebrating himself or his team’s record.

“It’s a team and a community working together and it always has been,” Sinz said. “Any success I enjoyed is a testament to all the excellent coaches, players and parents who’ve helped over the past 50 years.”

Edgar’s football team beat Black Hawk/ Warren, Ill., 36-6, in the WIAA Division 7 state championship last season to win the program’s eighth state title in its state record 14th appearance.

“We many times graduate an outstanding class, but we have many excellent players returning,” Sinz said. “Several guys that could’ve started last year had all-state type players ahead of them. Now they get their chance.”

This is Greg Streit’s 19th season as Edgar’s defensive coordinator. This is Chris Trawicki’s 12th season as Edgar’s offensive coordinator, Andrew Lukasko’s 12th season as special teams coordinator and Zach Paul’s 10th season as defensive line coach. Edgar’s coaching staff also includes offensive line coach Adam Decker, wide receivers coach Troy Andreshak and assistants John Peterlik, Nathan Dahl and Ean Rau.

Edgar’s top returning players this season are senior running back and linebacker Jase Apfelbeck, senior wide receiver and defensive back Leyton Schuett, senior center and defensive end Fletcher Weiland, senior guard and linebacker Ty Schnelle, senior linebacker and slot Brock Mauer, junior quarterback and defensive back Tucker Streit, junior running back and defensive back Maverick Butt, junior defensive end and tight end Lucas Stahnke and senior nose guard and offensive tackle Corey Koeppl.

The Wildcats’ top newcomers who’ll see varsity playing time this season are senior running back and linebacker Will Hackel, senior slot and linebacker Austin Schreiber, senior linebacker and tight end Karen Ristow, senior offensive tackle Colby Schwoerer, senior guard and defensive end Dakota Ellenbecker, junior running back and defensive back Gavin Mauer, junior offensive lineman and linebacker Alex Schneider, junior center and defensive end Preston Erickson and junior offensive lineman and defensive end Wade Kohl.

Tucker Streit takes over for his older brother, Teegan Streit who graduated high school in spring, as Edgar’s starting quarterback this season.

“Tucker has an excellent mind for the game and is a good runner,” Sinz said. “He needs to continue to work on his arm strength. He is a captain and a leader. Kaden Bargender has grown and is now 175 pounds and much faster. He will be our JV starting quarterback and varsity backup quarterback.”

Sinz admitted that it’ll be difficult to replace star running back Karter Butt who graduated in spring.

“Karter started on varsity for three straight years and he played in 37 games,” Sinz said. “He also weighed 215 pounds and was shifty. Jase Apfelbeck is our biggest back this season and he has 650 rushing yards on varsity. Senior Will Hackel and juniors Maverick Butt and Gavin Mauer will be quality backup running backs who will be ready to start if needed.”

Tucker Streit has some tall wide receivers to throw the football to this season, including returning starter Leyton Schuett.

“Leyton is a two-time first team all-Marawood Conference wide receiver,” Sinz said. “He is 6 feet, four inches tall with good speed and hands. He has become more aggressive fighting for the ball this year. We also have senior Kasen Ristow who is six feet, eight inches tall and 190 pounds and junior tight end Lucas Stahnke who is six feet, two inches tall and 210 pounds.”

The WIAA classifies Edgar’s football team as being in the Central Wisconsin Conference (CWC) Small this season, although Sinz still considers his team as a member of the Marawood Conference.

“I believe our conference will still be called the Marawood as we obviously have a Marawood Conference in all the other sports, and also many of the teams are former Marawood teams. Why would they call us the CWC-Small?”

The WIAA’s CWC-Small this season includes Edgar, Abbotsford, Auburndale, Stevens Point Pacelli, Wisconsin Rapids Assumption, Rosholt, Iola-Scandinavia and Pittsville. Marathon and Colby are now in the CWC-Large with Stratford.

Edgar starts this season at 7 p.m this Friday, Aug. 23, with a road non-conference game against Ladysmith.

EDGAR WILDCATS FOOTBALL - Introducing the 2024 Edgar varsity football squad. Team members pictured, from left to right, first row are: Managers Oliver Lukasko, Eli Lukasko, Logan Dahl, Tyus Streit and Crosby Paul; second row: Brendan Imhoff, Emmitt Vanornum, Caius Higgins, Konnor Schilling and Hoyt Dahlke; third row: Assistant coach Troy Andreshak, Landon Lukasko, Brock Mauer, Dominic Contreras, Dawson Bornheimer, Wyatt Klockziem, Ethan Myszka and Andrew Lukasko; fourth row: Assistant coaches Nathan Dahl, Adam Decker and Greg Streit, head coach Jerry Sinz and assistant coaches Chris Trawicki, Ean Rau and Zach Paul; fifth row: Isaiah Kraft, Tyler Schmidt, Eli Kramer, Gavin Mauer, Ty Schnelle, Maverick Butt, Kenan Vanornum and manager Addisyn Trawicki; sixth row: Jase Apfelbeck, Tucker Streit, Sam Dahlke, Preston Dahlke, Sawyer Weiland, Kaden Bargender, Anthony Trawicki, Dakota Ellenbecker and Austin Schreiber; seventh row: Trent Murkowski, Fletcher Weiland, Lucas Stahnke, Colby Schwoerer, Kasen Ristow, Leyton Schuett, William Hackel, Corey Koeppel, Carson Nowak and Alex Schneider.

PHOTO BY JIM STEINKE