Tigers outlast Blackhawks
By Casey Krautkramer
Stratford senior quarterback Jack Tubbs threw a rare interception against Prairie du Chien with only three minutes, 50 seconds left in Friday’s WIAA Division 5 state semifinal in Wisconsin Dells. The Blackhawks took possession at Stratford’s 49yard line and ended up scoring on senior Bryce Lenzendorf’s seven-yard touchdown run. Prairie du Chien’s two-point conversion pass failed but they still led, 25-20, with just under two minutes remaining in the game. Anyone who has followed the Stratford Tigers this season knows their players never get down on themselves even if they are behind in a game. The Tigers remain confident that they’ll end up winning at the end.
Stratford senior Carter Lueck easily recovered Prairie du Chien’s onside kick at midfield, giving the Tigers a short field for a chance to win the game and advance to the state championship.
Things didn’t look good when Tubbs was sacked for an eight-yard loss during the drive with under a minute left and no timeouts remaining. Tubbs came right back and fired a bullet pass between Blackhawks defenders to senior tight end Alec Chapel for a 23-yard touchdown pass that he came down with in the back of the end zone with only 43 seconds left in the game. Senior Jett Schoenherr’s twopoint conversion run was short of the goal line yet the Tigers still led, 26-25.
Tubbs was confident that he’d connect with Chapel.
“I got sacked originally and then I told everybody to come back and run the same play again because I knew that it would be there,” Tubbs said. “I knew that Alec would come down with it and I was going to throw it to him no matter what.”
Chapel said he and Tubbs have been connecting on passes since they were eight years old.
“Jack and I have been doing this since we were little and it’s all about having perfect timing,” he said. “Jack threw an interception that was really on me because I should have knocked the ball down. I knew that I had to make a play at the end to win it and I just had the perfect opportunity to do it.”
Stratford’s defense held Prairie du Chien out of field goal range at the end and Tigers senior linebacker Caleb Wrensch knocked down a Blackhawks pass as time expired. Stratford, 13-0, plays against Wrightstown, 12-1, in the WIAA Division 5 state championship at 4 p.m. this Thursday at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison. Stratford has won back-to-back WIAA Division 6 state titles. Tigers head coach Jason Tubbs is thrilled that his team has a shot to win its third straight state title and create state history by winning the school’s 10th state championship overall.
“Let’s not forget that we are in Division 5 this year thanks to the WIAA’s competitive balance which is a big topic in the state but our guys don’t care because they just want a chance to play in Madison again and we get to do down there one more time and try for three in a row but also keep our winning streak going and the chase for 10 state titles which is a state record. Wrightstown is a good team that took second place at state last year so we need to be ready to go because it’s going to be a battle.”
See VYING FOR THREE STRAIGHT TITLES/ page 16
GAME-WINNING TOUCHDOWN CATCH - Stratford senior tight end Alec Chapel leaps up to catch a 23-yard touchdown pass from senior quarterback Jack Tubbs between Prairie du Chien defenders for what ended up being the game-winning score with 43 seconds left in Friday’s 26-25 WIAA Division 5 state semifinal win in Wisconsin Dells.
STAFF PHOTO/CASEY KRAUTKRAMER Vying for three straight titles
Continued from page 8
Stratford has won 25 consecutive games dating back to early last season.
Prairie du Chien scored on its first possession of the game in Friday’s state semifinal on Indiana recruit Blake Thiry’s 10yard touchdown run and Xander DeHart’s extra point to give the Blackhawks a 7-0 lead after the first quarter.
Strafford junior Brooks Vanderhoof took over as the team’s primary running back for senior Reid Miller, who was injured early in the game. Vanderhoof scored a five-yard rushing touchdown with seven minutes, 45 seconds left in the second quarter. Junior Mason Miller’s extra point tied the game at seven points apiece.
Thiry, who’ll play tight end for the Hoosiers in college, rumbled for an 18--yard touchdown run with five minutes, 22 seconds remaining in the second quarter. Stratford senior Zander Curtice blocked the extra point.
Schoenherr ran for a three-yard touchdown with one minute, 20 seconds left before halftime. Miller made the extra point to give Stratford a 14-13 lead at the break.
Chapel caught the first of his two touchdowns from Tubbs midway through the third quarter on a 31-yard grab. Miller missed the extra point to make the score 20-13.
Prairie du Chien’s Bryce Lenzendorf rushed for a 14-yard touchdown with 35 seconds left in the third quarter but DeHart missed the extra point to make the score 20-19.
Jack Tubbs completed 13 of 15 passes for 142 yards, an interception and two touchdown passes on the night. He added 14 runs for 57 yards. Vanderhoof led the Tigers in rushing with 16 carries for 87 yards and a touchdown. Chapel paced the team in receiving with three catches for 65 yards and two touchdowns.
Thiry led Prairie du Chien with 25 rushes for 193 yards and two touchdowns. Bryce Lenzendorf added 10 rushes for 50 yards and two touchdowns. Thiry had three punts for 139 yards which is a 46.3 average.
Junior Brady Berg replaced the injured Reid Miller at linebacker and he recorded Stratford’s only sack of Prairie du Chien senior quarterback Abe Amundsen. Chapel led the Tigers with 13 tackles while Wrensch added 11 and Vanderhoof had 10.
PIVOTAL SPECIAL TEAMS PLAY - Stratford and Prairie du Chien players’ breaths create a fog on the field in the second quarter while the Blackhawks line up for an extra point kick, which was blocked by Tigers senior Zander Curtice.
STAFF PHOTO/CASEY KRAUTKRAMER
