PREP FOOTBALL PREVIEW: AREA TEAMS OPEN UP SEASON THIS WEEK
Updated: Aug 19, 2021
By Paul Lecker
Zaleski Sports
The 2021 Wisconsin high school football season begins Thursday and Friday as teams across the state begin their quests for a trip to Camp Randall Stadium in Madison this November when the 45th annual WIAA State Football Championships will be held.
Following a year where no playoffs or state finals were held in football, area teams in the Central Wisconsin, Cloverbelt, Great Northern, and Marawood conference, and the Valley Football Association kick off their seasons this week with hopes of success, good health and playing a normal season again.
Zaleski Sports will offer live coverage of up to eight games each week, plus written content of all of our area teams following each game.
Spencer/Columbus, Stratford, Marshfield and Wisconsin Rapids Assumption team previews have already been published and are available on zaleskisports.com. A preview of the three area 8-man teams – Greenwood, Athens and Port Edwards - will be published Aug. 25. Here is a look at the other 14 teams playing 11-man football in our coverage area.
ABBOTSFORD FALCONS
Coach (years): Jake Knapmiller, 13th year.
2020 record: 3-3, 1-3 Marawood Conference.
Key returning players: Ty Falteisek, sr., RB/DB, leading rusher in 2019, injured in second game of 2020; Devin Thums, sr., OL/DL, all-Marawood Conference offensive lineman in 2020; Mason Wellman, sr., OL/LB; Brandon Hawkey, sr., DE/TE; Conrad Flink, sr., OL/DL; Garrett Short, sr., OL/DL; Ryan Lampi, sr., OL/DL; Adam Diedrich, jr., OL/DE; Brandon Diedrich, jr., TE/LB; Bella Aguilera, jr., C/DL; Jake Hirsch, jr., QB/DB; Gatlin Faber, jr., DB/TE; Uriel Ochoa, jr., DE/OL;
Key newcomers: Carlos Lara, so.; Evan Schunk, so.; Evan Reis, so.; Noah Schraufnagel, so.; JV Castillo, so.; Ashton Hammel, so.; Diego Tzintzun, so.; Jack Schindler, so.; Alex Sundermeyer, so.; Jesus Lopez, so.; Bennan Mireles, so.
From Coach Knapmiller: “We are a very young team which lacks much varsity experience. Our sophomores need to grow into their roles as varsity players in order for us to be successful. Our older players have been doing a nice job of teaching as well.”
Schedule: Aug. 20 home vs. Loyal, 7 p.m.; Aug. 27 at Melrose-Mindoro, 7 p.m.; Sept. 3 at Marathon, 7 p.m.; Sept. 10 at Rib Lake/Prentice (at Rib Lake), 7 p.m.; Sept. 17 home vs. Colby, 7 p.m.; Sept. 24 at Auburndale, 7 p.m.; Oct. 1 home vs. Oconto, 7 p.m.; Oct. 8 home vs. Edgar, 7 p.m.; Oct. 15 home vs. Hurley, 7 p.m.
AMHERST FALCONS
Coach: Mark Lusic.
2020 record: 9-1, 5-1 Central Wisconsin Conference Large Division.
Key returning players: Ian Hall, sr., FB/TE/LB, first-team all-Central Wisconsin Conference Large Division TE/FB in 2020. 36 catches, 664 yards, 11 TDs; Jarrett Lucht, sr., OL/DL, honorable mention all-CWC Large at both positions; Sawyer Stuczynski, sr., OL/DL, honorable mention all-CWC Large at OL; Peter Werner, sr., LB/RB, honorable mention all-CWC Large; Landon Moe, sr., DB/WR, second-team all-CWC Large at DB, 16 catches, 179 receiving yards, 157 rushing yards; Jake Hoffman, sr., LB/WR, second-team all-CWC Large at LB, 323 rushing yards, four TDs.
Schedule: Aug. 20 home vs. St. Croix Falls, 7 p.m.; Aug. 27 at Medford, 7 p.m.; Sept. 3 at Shiocton, 7 p.m.; Sept. 10 home vs. Wittenberg-Birnamwood, 7 p.m.; Sept. 17 at Spencer/Columbus Catholic (at Spencer), 7 p.m.; Sept. 24 home vs. Weyauwega-Fremont, 7 p.m.; Oct. 1 at Nekoosa, 7 p.m.; Oct. 8 home vs. Manawa, 7 p.m.; Oct. 15 home vs. Stratford, 7 p.m.
AUBURNDALE EAGLES
Coach (years, career record): Jay Anderson, 12th year (73-38)
2020 record: 3-0 (8-man football schedule)
Key returning players: Terrance Roberson, RB/DB, two-way starter, 9.4 yards per rush; Jesse Fowler, OT/DT, three-year starter at LT; Brice Thiel, OL/DL; Conner Brandl, OL/DE, second on team in tackles in 2020 at LB; Adam Dorshorst, OL/DT, starter on OL last year; Mason Rachu, C/DL, starter on OL last year; Tim Schmitt, WR/TE/LB; Trayton Weber, QB/DB; Sloan Welch, OL/LB, starter on OL last year; Alex Willfahrt, WR/DB; Lucas Yeske, TE/WE/DE.
Key newcomers: Damien Huber, sr; Evan Scholl, so., LB; Kaden Anderson, so., LB; Aden Cherney, so., WR/CB.
From Coach Anderson: “We’re expecting to be competitive. We are still young with just four seniors, but we do return a lot of players with experience. Unfortunately, it is only three games of experience, but they were preparing and working hard all year last season. We’ll need to stay healthy. Our depth isn't where I would like it to be but the kids that we have are competitive and bright.”
Schedule: Aug. 19 at Menominee Indian, 4 p.m.; Aug. 27 at Wisconsin Rapids Assumption (at Lincoln High School), 7 p.m.; Sept. 10 at Pittsville, 7 p.m.; Sept. 17 home vs. Rib Lake/Prentice, 7 p.m.; Sept. 24 home vs. Abbotsford, 7 p.m.; Oct. 1 at Edgar, 7 p.m.; Oct. 8 home vs. Marathon, 7 p.m.; Oct. 15 at Colby, 7 p.m.
COLBY HORNETS
Coach (years, career record): Jim Hagen, fifth year, 27-10.
2020 record: 5-0, 3-0 Marawood Conference.
Key returning players: Lucas Karl, sr., CB/RB/WR, returning starter at CB; Pierce Geiger, sr., special teams; Brent Jeske, sr., QB/MLB, returning starter at both positions, 639 rushing yards, 9 TDs, 346 passing yards, 3 TDs, all-region linebacker; Brody Decker, sr., WR; Mason Voss, sr., RB/LB, 247 rushing yards, 5 TDs in 2020; Derek Jeske, OL/DT; Tristen Stange G/MLB; Iggy Truss, sr.; Brayden Boyer, C; Carter Grewe, sr., G/DE; Corey Steen, sr., T/DT; Andrew Jeske, sr., DE; Brekyn Lieders, sr., special teams; Brandon Voelker, TE/S, 7 receptions for 139 yards in 2020.
Key newcomers: Caden Healy, jr., RB/S; Mateo Lopez, jr., CB/RB.
From Coach Hagen: “Expectations are fairly high this season as we have a great deal of experience back from last year’s team. Nine starters return on offense and eight on defense. We have a lot of talent in the senior class, along with some talented juniors. Depth will be a plus with 48 players on the roster as we will have players who can fill in at times and play a role in special teams without losing a beat. Offensively, the team has good size on the line of scrimmage and has excellent speed and power in the backfield, including quarterback. Defensively, the team has good size on the line of scrimmage and linebacker core is very talented, led by Brent Jeske. We’re looking to be a contender at the top of the conference with a goal of making it to the playoffs for the 15th consecutive season. The question mark going into the season is that we are going to have to improve in the pass game and give our quarterback more time to throw.”
Schedule: Aug. 20 at Neillsville, 7 p.m.; Aug. 27 home vs. Spencer/Columbus Catholic, 7 p.m.; Sept. 3 at Southern Door, 7 p.m.; Sept. 10 home vs. Edgar, 7 p.m.; Sept. 17 at Abbotsford, 7 p.m.; Oct. 1 at Marathon, 7 p.m.; Oct. 8 home vs. Ladysmith, 7 p.m.; Oct. 15 home vs. Auburndale, 7 p.m.
EDGAR WILDCATS
Coach (years, career record): Jerry Sinz, 47th year, 440-85.
2020 record: 9-0, 3-0 Marawood Conference.
Key returning players: Ayden Weisenberger, sr., DE/RB, 10 tackles for loss, four sacks in 2020; Jordan Bunkelman, sr., LB/RB, 25 tackles, one interception; Ashton Schuett, sr., DB/WR, 25 tackles, two interceptions, three passes defended; Everet Brehm, sr., DB/WR, 18 tackles, five passes defended, one interception; Karter Butt, so., LB/RB, 24 tackles, one sack, three tackles for loss; Waylon Wirkus, sr., G; Jace Kohel, sr., T; Brady Stencil, jr., G; Parker Schuette, sr., T; Mattison Butt, sr., QB/SS; Carver Higgins, jr., T/DE; Peyton Dahlke, sr., WR/DB; Owen Bauman, sr., TE.
Key newcomers: Keghan Hartway, jr., TE/LB; Brett Baumgartner, so., DE/TE; Avery Normington, jr., DB/WR; Justin Davis, LB/OL; Stetson Lemmer, sr., LB/WR; Teegan Streit, so., DB/QB.
From Coach Sinz: “We have seen great improvement during the first two weeks. If we can continue doing this and stay healthy, we feel we can have another excellent team this year. All of our coaches return from 2020 staff.”
Schedule: Aug. 20 at Lakeland, 7 p.m.; Aug. 27 at Stratford, 7 p.m.; Sept. 3 home vs. Iola-Scandinavia, 7 p.m.; Sept. 10 at Colby, 7 p.m.; Sept. 17 home vs. Marathon, 7 p.m.; Sept. 24 at Hurley, 7 p.m.; Oct. 1 home vs. Auburndale, 7 p.m.; Oct. 8 at Abbotsford, 7 p.m.
IOLA-SCANDINAVIA THUNDERBIRDS
Coach: Scott Erickson.
2020 record: 8-1, 7-0 Central Wisconsin Conference Small Division.
Key returning players: Brock Moen, sr., OL/DL, first-team all-CWC Small at both positions in 2020; Parker Prahl, sr., QB/DB, first-team all-CWC Small at both positions, 629 yards and six TDs passing, 1,283 yards and 21 TDs rushing, two interceptions on defense; Will Tappa, OL/TE/LB, first-team all-CWC Small at OL, honorable mention all-conference at LB; Carter Anderson, sr., DL/OL, second-team all-CWC Small at DL; Kaden Jueds, sr., DB/TE, honorable mention all-CWC Small.
Schedule: Aug. 20 home vs. Marathon, 7 p.m.; Aug. 27 home vs. Wittenberg-Birnamwood, 7 p.m.; Sept. 3 at Edgar, 7 p.m.; Sept. 10 home vs. Loyal, 7 p.m.; Sept. 17 at Wisconsin Rapids Assumption (at Lincoln High School), 7 p.m.; Sept. 24 at Wild Rose, 7 p.m.; Oct. 1 home vs. Stevens Point Pacelli, 7 p.m.; Oct. 8 home vs. Rosholt, 7 p.m.; Oct. 15 at Pittsville, 7 p.m.
LOYAL GREYHOUNDS
Coach: Chris Lindner.
2020 record: 2-5, 1-4 Central Wisconsin Conference Small Division.