WFCAALL-STARS - Gilman, Medford to be represented in July All-Star football games

WFCA ALL-STARS

In late November, Gilman head football coach Robin Rosemeyer was announced as the head coach for the 2025 North 8Player All-Star football team. Now he knows who he will be coaching for a week this summer.

The Wisconsin Football Coaches Association announced the rosters for this July’s All-Star Games on Feb. 17 and, once again, there will be local representation in the 8-Player and Large School games set for Friday and Saturday, July 18-19 at Titan Stadium on the UW-Oshkosh campus.

Rosemeyer, who will have his top assistant Tom Tallier with him, will oversee a 22-man roster that will include Gilman’s Joey Syryczuk and Chad Konsella.

Syryczuk was named a Wisconsin Football Coaches Association All-Region North offensive lineman and made the first-team All-North Central East Conference lineman both offensively and defensively after the 2024 season, where the Pirates went 5-2 in conference play and 6-2 overall.

He had 58 total tackles and an interception defensively. Syryczuk helped Gilman’s offensive line lead the Pirates’ offense to 47.8 points, 275 rushing yards and 372 total yards per game.

Konsella was a first-team All-NCEC running back and kick returner as well as a second-team All-NCEC defensive back in 2024.

Konsella ran for 468 yards and eight touchdowns on just 45 carries during the season as Gilman’s top running back. He also caught 10 passes for 275 yards and two touchdowns, including a 95-yard touchdown reception at Rib Lake. His rushing totals were lower than they could have been because Gilman built big early leads in several of its wins. Konsella had 25 total tackles and an interception he returned for a touchdown at Alma Center Lincoln and one punt return for a touchdown in week two at Frederic.

For Tallier, this will be his third All-Star assistant coaching assignment for the North in four years. The North’s 2025 coaching staff also includes Todd Riehl of Flambeau and Jordan Lablanc and Richard Croes of Clayton. The North has won the last three 8-Player All-Star Games in blowout fashion.

Rosemeyer is heading an All-Star team for the first time. Since taking over the head coaching position in 2005, his teams have gone 144-71, including a 29-10 mark in playoff games with WIAA Division 7 state championships in 2006 and 2010, plus a state appearance in 2005. Gilman teams have won six conference titles under his direction, three in 11-man football and three in 8-man football.

The North roster includes four players from last fall’s All-NCEC team. That list includes Colin Fritz and Dominic Sherwood of state champion Owen-Withee, David Anderson and Daniel Fritz of McDonell Central. Representatives from the Northwoods East Conference, which Rib Lake played in, include Shay Denzine of Phillips and Gavin Moore and Jared Soltis of Hurley.

The 8-Player All-Star game will be played on Friday, July 18 at 6 p.m.

Large Schools

Medford’s record-setting running back Paxton Rothmeier is on the 45-man North roster for the Large Schools All-Star Game, which will kick off at 4 p.m. on Saturday, July 19.

Rothmeier was the Great Northern Conference’s Offensive Player of the Year in 2024 and made the WFCA All-Region and All-State teams after a tremendous season for the Raiders, who went 10-2 while making it to Level 3 of the WIAA Division 3 playoffs and winning the GNC at 7-0.

Overall, he ran for Medford singleseason records of 2,696 yards and 37 touchdowns. He ran for 1,670 yards and 22 touchdowns in GNC play and led the league in rushing for the second straight year.

Rothmeier was a finalist WSN Senior Football Elroy “Crazylegs” Hirsch Award, given annually to the state’s top senior running back. Among his many highlights, Rothmeier ran for a seasonhigh 311 yards in just 19 carries against Rhinelander, 305 yards on 42 carries and five touchdowns in a 42-22 Level 2 playoff win over Fox Valley Lutheran and 256 yards on 27 carries and four touchdowns in a 51-48 season-ending Level 3 loss to La Crosse Logan.

After the season, Rothmeier committed to join UW-Eau Claire’s football program next fall.

Rothmeier is part of an impressive group of running backs on the North team that includes Hirsch Award winner Christian Collins of Green Bay Notre Dame, Blake Bangtson of D.C. Everest and Xzaver Pittman of Waupaca. Rothmeier and Mosinee offensive lineman Jackson Lindell are the lone GNC representatives on the team.

Appleton North’s Rob Salm is the North head coach.

Players and coaches will be fundraising ahead of the games, which benefit Children’s Wisconsin. Since 2008, the games, players and coaches have raised more than $5 million to help those the hospital supports, including more than $345,000 last year.

Chad Konsella

Paxton Rothmeier