SPORTS - Tigers, Wildcats roll over Level 2 opponents

SPORTS

By Casey Krautkramer

Stratford’s varsity football team “played like men” in the second half to beat Amherst, 28-7, in Friday’s WIAA Level 2 playoff game in Marshfield. Stratford didn’t play well on both sides of the football in the first half, resulting in a 7-7 tie. Head coach Jason Tubbs’ halftime pep talk gave the Tigers the jolt of energy they needed to outscore the Falcons, 21-0, in the second half.

Tigers senior defensive end Carter Lueck said coach Tubbs gave he and his teammates the following advice at halftime: “He told us to play like men and we showed up and know how to play like men now.”

Lueck made a game-changing play on Amherst’ first possession in the second half when he stripped the football from Amherst sophomore running back Ayden Nordahl and also recovered the fumble on the Falcons’ 29-yard line. Stratford turned Amherst’ turnover into points on junior Brooke Vanderhoof’s 17-yard touchdown run. Junior Mason Miller kicked the successful extra point to give the Tigers a 147 lead.

Stratford’s defense forced Amherst to punt the football on its next offensive possession, but the Tigers muffed the punt giving the ball right back to the Falcons on the Tigers’ 35-yard line. Stratford’s defense again rose to the occasion by stuffing Nerdahl’s run on fourth down to take the football at the 26-yard line. The Tigers, however, were forced to punt. Later, Stratford’s special teams came up huge by preventing Amherst from obtaining a first down on a fake punt which gave the Tigers a short field. Stratford senior quarterback Jack Tubbs completed a 24yard pass to junior receiver Coltan Breit to set up Tubbs’ 11-yard rushing touchdown. Miller kicked the successful extra point to give the Tigers a 21-7 lead early in the fourth quarter.

Stratford sealed the win toward the end of the fourth quarter when Tubbs completed a 21-yard pass to senior Caleb Wrensch and then Wrensch rushed for a two-yard touchdown for the final score of 28-7.

This playoff game between Stratford and Amherst was in stark contrast to the team’s regular-season conference matchup on Oct. 11 in Stratford. Both teams traded scoring touchdowns with the Tigers leading 21-20 at halftime. Stratford eventually pulled away midway through the third quarter for a 48-20 victory. It was much tougher for both teams to score points in the first half of Friday’s Level 2 playoff game.

“I don’t think it’s the playoffs but that it’s hard to play a good team twice,” Lueck said. “You start to learn what each team does but in the end it doesn’t come down to offense or defense but who wants the win more. It comes down to grit.”

Amherst scored the first points in Friday’s playoff game on Nerdahl’s 25-yard touchdown run in the first quarter. Sophomore Tyler Loken kicked the successful extra point to give the Falcons a 7-0 lead. Coach Tubbs said his son, Jack, called an audible at the line of scrimmage for his quarterback keeper for a 59-yard touchdown run on the last play of the first quarter. Stratford senior defensive back Jett Schoneherr intercepted Amherst junior quarterback Michael Glodowski’s pass on the Tigers’ two-yard line just before halftime.

Tubbs completed seven of 12 passes for 111 yards and rushed nine times for 139 yards and two touchdowns. Senior safety Alec Chapel led the Tigers defense with 19 tackles. Lueck paced the Tigers with two sacks on top of his forced fumble that he recovered. Schoenerr tallied half a sack with his interception.

Stratford remains undefeated with an 11-0 record this season while Amherst ends its season at 8-3. No. 1 playoff seed Stratford has won 23 straight games going back to last season and heading into its WIAA Division 5 Level 3 home game against No. 3 playoff seed Lake Country Lutheran, 8-3, at 7 p.m. this Friday, Nov. 8 at Marshfield High School. The Lightning took second place in the Metro Classic Conference behind Racine St. Cather-

See FOOTBALL LEVEL 2 PLAYOFFS/ page 15

TEAM UNITY - Stratford varsity football players gather to hear head coach Jason Tubbs’ postgame speech after Friday’s 28-7 WIAA Level 2 playoff win against Amherst in Marshfield. Numerous Stratford players dyed their hair blonde for the playoffs.

STAFF PHOTO/CASEY KRAUTKRAMER SPORTS

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ine this season but has won eight straight games. Stratford last played Lake Country Lutheran in the WIAA Division 5 state championship in 2019, which Stratford lost 22-13.

The winner between Stratford and Lake Country Lutheran will play against the winner of No. 1 playoff seed Prairie du Chien, 10-1, and No. 3 playoff seed Milwaukee Academy of Science in next weekend’s WIAA Division 5 Level 4 playoff game.

Edgar wins Level 2 playoff The Edgar varsity football squad easily defeated Shiocton, 37-0, in Friday’s home Division 7 Level 2 playoff game. It’s the Wildcats defense’s second straight shut out to start the playoffs. Edgar also beat Pittsville, 36-0, in its Level 1 home playoff game.

No. 1 playoff seed Edgar scored 21 points in the first quarter against No. 5 playoff seed Shiocton. Wildcats junior Maverick Butt ran for a one-yard touchdown and senior Will Hackel ran for the two-point conversion. Hackel rushed for a 47-yard touchdown but the extra point kick failed. Butt ran for a 10-yard touchdown and Jarvis Kofent kicked the successful extra point.

Edgar scored 14 more points in the second quarter for a 35-0 halftime advantage. Junior Tucker Streit completed a 27-yard touchdown pass to senior receiver Leyton Schuett and Kofent kicked the successful extra point. Streit completed a 10-yard touchdown pass to junior tight end Lucas Stahnke and Kofent made the extra point.

Wildcats senior inside linebacker Ty Schnelle scored a safety in the third quarter. He led Edgar’s defense with 12 tackles. Juniors Gavin Mauer and Streit each intercepted a pass and Hackel had a quarterback sack.

Streit completed seven of 11 passes for 98 yards and two touchdowns. Hackel rushed 10 times for 154 yards and a touchdown and Butt rushed 14 times for 83 yards and two touchdowns. Schuett had four receptions for 67 yards and a touchdown.

Edgar improves its record to 10-1 this season and now plays No. 6 playoff seed Oshkosh Lourdes Academy, 7-4, at 7 p.m. this Friday, Nov. 8 in a WIAA Division 7 Level 3 home playoff game. The winner of this game will play the winner between No. 1 playoff seed Spring Valley, 11-0, and No. 2 playoff seed Boyceville, 10-1, in next weekend’s Level 4 playoff game. Spring Valley narrowly won against Boyceville, 19-18, in the battle between Dunn-St. Croix Conference teams in the regular season.