Prep Football Preview 2015

Transcription

K i ck i n g o ff 2 0 1 5
H o w e a c h Wa u k e s h a C o u n t y h i g h s c h o o l f o o t b a l l t e a m
l o o k s e n t e r i n g t h e s e a s o n.
Back row - Paul Bucher, Paul Kntzer,
Thomas Simon, Steven Lownik
Front row - Jodie Massey,
Susan Calvanico, Deborah Mueller
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FREEMAN NEWSPAPERS
August 20, 2015
CATHOLIC MEMORIAL
2 • PREP FOOTBALL PREVIEW 2015
Previews
Where you can find your
favorite team:
Page 2
Catholic Memorial
Page 3
Waukesha West
Page 4
Waukesha North
Waukesha South
Page 5
Kettle Moraine
Page 6
Muskego
Page 7
Arrowhead
Mukwonago
Page 9
Oconomowoc
Brookfield Central
Page 10
Brookfield East
Palmyra-Eagle
Page 11
Hamilton
Menomonee Falls
Page 13
New Berlin Eisenhower
New Berlin West
Page 14
Pewaukee
Lake Country Lutheran
St. John’s Northwestern
Page 15
Brookfield Academy
The FREEMAN & ENTERPRISE
Crusaders increasing speed in 2015
By Pat Neumuth
Freeman Staff
WAUKESHA — It’s still to
be determined how successful the 2015 Catholic Memorial team will be, but coach
Bill Young believes the Crusaders could beat any team
to the football.
“We are a faster team than
I think we were a year ago,”
Young said. “Matt Bergan,
who is our special teams
coach, is our head track
coach. There’s a lot of guys
on offense that run track.”
Senior Matt Lechner (5foot-11, 183 pounds), and juniors Eric Fridl (5-7, 140) and
Mike Oechsner (6-0, 168) are
just a few speedy players
who will help CMH with
their quickness. The three
were together on the track
for a third-place finish in the
4x100-meter relay and a
fourth-place finish in the
4x200 at the Division 2 state
meet. Fridl and Oechsner
were also part of the secondplace 4x400 relay team.
Young said Fridl and Max
Cooper (5-11, 158) are the two
fastest kids on the the team,
and both will play as slot
receivers.
“Both of those guys can
really run,” Young said. “We
want to move the ball offensively and score touchdowns. Those guys can make
a play and go 80 yards on a 3yard hitch. Those guys can
run, and that will benefit
us.”
To keep with the running
theme, the backfield has talent and, of course, quickness. Juniors Josh Karfonta
(5-7, 155), Jaylen Campbell
(6-1, 185) and Lechner are all
working at tailback. Karfonta is a returning starter
and rushed 75 times for 522
yards and nine touchdowns
in receiving honorable mention All-Classic 8 Conference
honors.
The person controling the
quickness on offense is
returning quarterback Alex
Bray (6-2, 175). Bray received
honorable mention all-conference honors a year ago.
He threw for 1,667 yards and
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2015 Schedule
Catholic Memorial
(all games 7 p.m.)
Aug. 21: Milwaukee Riverside
at Waukesha North
Aug. 28: at Germantown
Sept. 4: Kettle Moraine at
Carroll
Sept. 11: at Waukesha South
Sept. 18: Muskego at Carroll
Sept. 25: at Arrowhead
Oct. 2: Waukesha West at
Carroll
Oct. 9: at Mukwonago
Oct. 16: Waukesha North at
Carroll
Coach: Bill Young, 38th season
2014: 9-3 overall, 5-2 Classic 8
Key returning players: senior
DL Zack Taylor, senior DB Ben
Bosch, senior QB Alex Bray,
junior RB Josh Karfonta, senior
RB/S Matt Lechner
Promising newcomers: senior
DB Mike Oechsner, junior OL
Pete Koscinski
Key graduation losses: DL
Sam Gromacki, LB Mikey
Wurster, DB Jett Siegenthaler,
RB Tommy Garza
20 touchdowns against six
interceptions.
“This is one of the first
times in probably in like
seven years we had a returning quarterback that started
as a junior and starting as a
senior,” Young said. “He
knows game speed. He’s got
a real strong arm and is really intelligent.
“He can play at a faster
speed now that he’s done it
now for a year. The more
experience, the faster a kid
can play.”
The offensive linemen
aren’t fast, but they aren’t
supposed to be. They are
meant to be big, and they
are: senior center Dan Harford (5-9, 235), junior guards
Bruce Mesa (6-0, 270) and
Chandler Bargielski (6-0,
270), senior tackle Gabe
Bautz (6-3, 250) and junior
tackle Pete Koscinski (6-4,
245).
Memorial’s defense looks
to be stout again despite the
graduation losses of firstteam all-conference players
in Sam Gromacki, Mikey
Wurster and Jett Siegenthaler.
Keeping the interior line
stout is senior Zack Taylor
(6-3, 292 pounds), a threeyear starter. He will anchor
the defensive line at either
nose guard or end. Taylor
was a first-team all-conference player last year. Another big body who will play
next to Taylor is junior
Tevin Smith (5-10, 272) at
defensive end.
Returning from a back
injury to add more depth to
the defensive line is senior
Nick Schulze (6-1, 205).
Schulze started as a sophomore until he missed his
entire junior season.
Lechner may rotate at running back, but he is a threeyear starter at safety and
will be the playmaker at the
back end of the defense.
“He’s an outstanding
kid,” Young said of Lechner. “He absolutely loves
football and is a threesport athlete for us at
Memorial. He is such a
great role model, as he’s
Pat Neumuth/Freeman Staff
Catholic Memorial quarterback
Alex Bray received honorable
mention All-Classic 8 Conference honors last season.
the first one in the weight
room and the last one out.”
Senior Ben Bosch (6-2, 169)
is also a returning starter in
the secondary.
“I just like the fact we have
a bunch of athletes on both
sides of the ball, which is
going to be crucial with how
good this league is,” Young
said of the Classic 8. “We’ve
had a good run of kids. We
have to work harder offensively, defensively and special teams, and it didn’t start
now. It started in the offseason.
“Because of our size playing all these bigger schools,
we really need to be dialed in
every day.”
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WAUKESHA WEST
PREP FOOTBALL PREVIEW 2015 • 3
Wolverines want to go a step further this year
Freeman Staff
WAUKESHA — Waukesha
West wants more.
The Wolverines made it to
the WIAA Division 2 title
game last year, but lost.
Nothing is guaranteed in
West getting back to the title
game, but coach Steve Rux
said his team has done everything right to make another
run at a championship.
“We have quite a few players that played a lot of football
last year, and I think we’re farther ahead than we were a
year ago at this time,” Rux
said. “The team as a whole
has worked extremely hard in
the offseason in conditioning
and in the weight room, so
we’ve come into the season
and guys were excited about
the start of practice and excited about the start of the season.
“They are experienced, so
we are able to do things in this
first week of practice in terms
of what we’ve installed.”
It’s a little easier to install
more things to the offensive
side of the ball because senior
Conor Blount (6-foot-2, 192
pounds) is in his third year
behind center. Blount — an
honorable mention all-conference player last year — threw
for 1,745 yards and 14 touchdowns against four interceptions last season.
“He’s just bigger and faster,
and he understands what we
want to do offensively more
than a year ago and certainly
more than as a sophomore,”
Rux said. “As a sophomore we
tried to protect him as much
we could and keep him in the
pocket. Last year, we expand-
ed his role to do more things
with his legs as much as his
arm. This year, he’s increased
his speed. He’s always had a
great arm. I’m expecting big
things from him as an athlete
and a leader this year.”
Blount is getting a lot of
interest from colleges. Rux
said multiple Mid-American
Conference
schools
are
recruiting him, plus the Division I schools in the Dakotas.
Protecting his blind side is
senior Sam Heckel (6-5, 270).
Rux called Heckel — a Syracuse University commit — the
most highly recruited player
to come out of West’s football
program. The returning left
tackle received honorable
mention All-Classic 8 Conference last season.
He will be helping the
offense fulltime, with a parttime job on defense. Rux
would like to stay away from
having Heckel go both ways
because it limits opportunities for injury, and Rux would
like his best offensive lineman
to be fresh the entire game.
But Heckel’s ability as a football player may get him those
snaps on the defensive side of
the ball.
“We will try and platoon as
much as we can, but we will
have some guys that will be
part-time offensive players
and part-time defensive players,” Rux said. “I think it’s
harder for guys on the line to
be two-way players.”
Getting the bulk of the
carries in the backfield will
be senior Jair Scott (5-8, 185).
He rushed for 1,057 yards
and five touchdowns and
received honorable mention
all-conference honors.
West had its most signifi-
2015 Schedule
Waukesha West
(all games 7 p.m.)
Aug. 21: at Watertown
Aug. 28: Carmel (Ill.)
Sept. 4: Muskego
Sept. 11: at Arrowhead
Sept. 18: Waukesha North
Sept. 25: Mukwonago
Oct. 2: vs. Catholic Memorial
at Carroll
Oct. 9: Kettle Moraine
Oct. 16: at Waukesha South
Coach: Steve Rux, 16th season
QB Conor Blount, senior OT
Sam Heckel, senior LB Sam
Hietpas, sophomore S Peter
MacCudden, senior RB Jair Scott
Promising newcomers: junior
RB Dain Hudson, sophomore C
Tyler Zirpoli, junior DL Sam Henrichs, senior DB Cole Spaulding,
senior WR Zach Schnepf, senior
WR Evan Reiss
Key graduation losses: Marcus Kelly, Dyson Chmura, Cody
Kujawa
cant losses from last year’s
team on the defensive side of
the ball. Ends Marcus Kelly
and Dyson Chmura are playing Division I football at
Northern Illinios and the
University of New Mexico,
respectively. Free safety
Cody Kujawa is now at Division II Augustana College.
All three players were firstteam all-conference players.
“Our defensive line won’t be
as big with Marcus Kelly and
Dyson Chmura at 6-foot-4,”
Rux said. “Whenever you
graduate two Division I athletes, we’ve never had that
and probably will never have
that again. It’s tough losing
Cody Kujawa, because he was
a great leader for our team.
“But we have a lot of good
players to fill those spots. I
know we have a lot of good
kids and good high school
athletes.”
Despite the key losses, West
has a veteran group of defensive players back. Sophomore
Peter MacCudden (5-9, 196)
started at strong safety, but he
will slide over to free safety to
replace Kujawa. Senior Zach
Zimmer (6-5, 205) has surprised Rux with his play and
will be a key contributor at
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Senior Sam Hietpas (6-0,
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season. Hietpas is a team
captain and a second-team
all-conference player from
last year. Senior Tyler Remmers (6-2, 185), who was honorable mention all-conference last year, will also be a
returning starter at cornerback.
“All those guys who started for us that are back and
the guys that came to practice with us, I don’t think
they will ever forget the
experience they had last
year,” Rux said. “But I think
everyone understands that
this is a new year and the
most important year in their
football lives is the one they
are in right now. It’s a memory and something they will
Charles Auer/Freeman Staff
never forget, but the focus is
Waukesha
West
running
back
Jair
Scott
finds
room to run
truly on this year.”
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WAUKESHA NORTH, WAUKESHA SOUTH
North looking for fix
South’s motto: ‘Why not us?’
By Pat Neumuth
By Tom Badger
Freeman Staff
Freeman Correspondent
WAUKESHA — For the past
13 years, Waukesha South has
gone to Camp Whitcomb/
Mason in Hartland for three
nights as a way to build team
camaraderie.
The Blackshirts left with
one big question.
“We came together as a
team, and this team of 2015
has defined themselves of
who they are and who they
want to be, and our mindset
as a team is, ‘Why not us?’”
coach Dave Rusch said.
“They always say who is
going to finish first, second
or third in your conference.
Well, my answer to that is,
‘Why not us?’”
Last year was frustrating
for Rusch and the Blackshirts.
South averaged 28 points per
game but gave up 35.4 per
game. Of its six losses, South
lost five by two touchdowns or
less, and the Blackshirts gave
up late fourth-quarter touchdowns that would seal the victory for the opposing team.
South has high hopes to
improve on defense. It begins
with senior linebacker Gabe
Rasmussen (6-foot-2, 225
pounds). Rasmussen is a fouryear starter and was selected
second-team All-Classic 8
Conference last year.
“He’s just super intense and
a great hitter,” Rusch said.
“He knows how to read and
diagnose a play like that. He’s
just hard to block.”
Another leader on the
South defense is junior TJ
Garrity (6-4, 230) at defensive
end. Garrity and Rasmussen
are both getting some collegiate looks.
Both may have to also play
on the offensive line, as Rusch
said the offensive and defensive lines lack experience.
“That would make us a lot
tougher, but we are trying to
give these other guys a chance
to just play guys one way,”
Rusch said. “I think the
defense will be a lot stronger
than last year because of that
linebacking crew and Garrity
up there.”
Joining Rasmussen in the
linebacking corps is senior
Aaron Baake (6-0, 180), senior
Justin Holback (6-1, 195) and
junior Austin Wilson (6-0, 160).
Junior Luke LeCaptain (5-9,
180) and senior Chris Schroeder (5-10, 185) are returning
starters in the defensive back-
WAUKESHA — Mr. Fix
It.
That’s who Matt Harris
wants to become in 2015
for the Waukesha North
football team.
And the second-year
coach believes he has the
tools to get that done.
“I had the worst losing
percentage in Classic 8
history last year, and I’m
not going to stop until we
get this thing fixed,” said
Harris, who went 0-7 in the
Classic 8 after opening
with two nonconference
victories. “I knew it wasn’t
going to happen in one
year. Last year, I wanted us
to compete. This year,
we’re going to win some
games.”
North’s first chance will
come Aug. 21 at Elkhorn
followed by the team’s
home opener against Whitnall. The Northstars open
the Classic 8 season at
home against Arrowhead
on Sept. 4.
With the addition of a
new school weight room,
the return of the entire
coaching staff, success of
other sports at North and a
JV team that went 8-1 a
year ago, Harris is encouraged about this year’s
journey.
Key players on the roster
include junior wide receiver/defensive back Kendall
Gould
(6-foot-2,
165
pounds), senior receiver/
safety Jacob Thode (5-11,
175), senior guard Alec
Barth (6-1, 250), junior
C/LB Adam Steingraber
(5-11, 220) and senior
OL/DL Justice Graf (6-2,
250).
“I have three offensive
linemen back from last
year — and they’re all
monsters,” Harris said.
“Finally, we’re going to
man up with some of these
(Classic 8) teams.”
Harris is high on freshman lineman Brady Jetto
(5-11, 220) and expects big
gains from junior running
back Malcolm Turner (5-9,
160).
A quarterback competition is taking place
between
senior
Tony
Waukesha North quarterback Tony Tromblay runs against
Waukesha West last season.
2015 Schedule
Waukesha North
(all games 7 p.m.)
Aug. 21: at Elkhorn
Aug. 28: Whitnall
Sept. 4: Arrowhead
Sept. 11: at Kettle Moraine
Sept. 18: at Waukesha West
Sept. 25: Waukesha South
Oct. 2: at Mukwonago
Oct. 9: Muskego
Oct. 16: vs. Catholic
Memorial at Carroll
Coach: Matt Harris, second
season
Key returning players: junior WR/DB Kendall Gould,
senior WR/S Jacob Thode,
senior OG Alec Barth, junior
C/LB Adam Steingraber, senior OL/DL Justice Graf, senior
QB Tony Tromblay
Promising newcomers:
freshman OL/DL Brady Jetto,
junior RB Malcolm Turner, junior QB Brennan Demark
Tromblay
(5-10,
185)
and
junior
Brennan
Demark (6-1, 175), who
led the JV team last season.
“The strength of our
offense is our athletes,”
Harris
said.
“Kendall
Gould is the best wide
receiver that I have ever
seen or ever coached. He is
going to cause a lot of
matchup problems, which
is exactly what we need for
this offense.”
Other players expected
to contribute include senior
receiver/defensive
back Jacob Pryor (5-10,
175),
junior
receiver/
defensive
back
Corey
Fuchs (5-11, 155), sophomore lineman Sean Szori
(6-2, 225), senior LB
Tommy Abts (5-11, 180),
junior linebacker/punter
Noah Neira (5-8, 185), senior running back/linebacker Anthony Neira (5-9,
185), senior Colin Schumacher (6-0, 140), senior
defensive
back
Isaiah
Leaders (6-1, 170) and
freshman kicker Brian
Belarazo (5-10, 165).
“We’re done with taking
moral
victories
—
we’re past that,” Harris
said. “There’s going to be
ups and downs, and I want
to see how we fight
through the ups and
downs.”
Waukesha South
Coach: Dave Rusch, 24th season
RB Anthony Johnson, senior
LB Gabe Rasmussen, senior
DB Justin Holback, senior WR
Ryan Lark, junior DE TJ Garrity
QB Nolan Heck, junior OL
Mason Dennert, junior DE
Israel Pitchford
Key graduation losses: QB
Cannon Cooley, LB Ulises
Reyes, RB Jordan Yatchak
2015 Schedule
(all games 7 p.m.)
Aug. 21: Nicolet
Aug. 28: at Oconomowoc
Sept. 3: at Mukwonago
Sept. 11: Catholic Memorial
Sept. 18: at Kettle Moraine
Sept. 25: at Waukesha North
Oct. 2: Muskego
Oct. 9: at Arrowhead
Oct. 16: Waukesha West
field.
The offense has a big hole to
fill as three-year starting
quarterback Cannon Cooley
graduated, but Rusch believes
he has a capable replacement
in senior Nolan Heck (5-11,
175). Heck has been the backup for the last two years,
learning from Cooley along
the way. Rusch said Heck
reads a defense like Cooley
and is quick with his feet.
“Nolan at a lot of other programs would have started, but
he had to sit behind one of the
best in the conference,” Rusch
said. “One game when Nolan
was a sophomore and Cannon
was a junior, Cooley got hurt
against Arrowhead and Nolan
played almost the entire game
and threw two touchdown
passes with no interceptions.”
But if the Blackshirts are
going to have success on
offense, it will be senior running back Anthony Johnson
(5-8, 170) who will get the
majority of the touches.
Rusch said it won’t be a secret
that Johnson will get plenty of
opportunities after rushing
150 times for 876 yards and 12
touchdowns to earn first-team
all-conference honors last
year.
“He’s the best tailback in
the conference,” Rusch said of
Johnson. “We are going to use
him as much as we can.”
Waukesha South running back
Anthony Johnson was a firstteam All-Classic 8 Conference
pick last season.
Heck has seniors Ryan
Larke (6-2, 190) and Tyler
Knigge (6-0, 180), both threeyar starters, to catch the ball.
Larke, who was second-team
all-conference, led the team
last year in receiving yards
(494) and touchdowns (five).
“We are excited about them
because they are going to take
some pressure off of Anthony,” Rusch said. “Both are
strong, athletic and never
missed a day in the weight
room.”
Another offensive weapon
is Antonio Sanchez, whom
Rusch
said
consistently
makes 40-yard field goals.
“He went to all kinds of
camps this summer,” Rusch
said. “At the Wisconsin kicking camp of over 500 kids, he
finished seventh and then he
went to a national camps in
Texas and out of 1,000 he finished 31st. So he’s looking
good.”
The previous 12 seasons at
Camp Whitcomb/Mason, the
seniors had a tradition of running through a tunnel made
by their teammates into their
cabins. But not this year.
“They told us they wanted
to run through the tunnel as a
whole team and the coaches
make the tunnel,” Rusch said.
“I thought that was cool. The
seniors didn’t want to separate themselves from the
sophomores and the juniors.
It’s their belief of one family.
That’s what they want to be
known as.”
KETTLE MORAINE
KM seeks finishing touch Hey! High School Football Fans–
By Tom Badger
WALES — Let’s finish this
thing!
After two near major
upsets in 2014, Kettle
Moraine is starting its season focused on finishing its
games in 2015.
“We made progress,”
third-year KM coach Dave
Pfeiffer said, reflecting on
last season. “It wasn’t what
we wanted, but we made
progress. We need to learn
how to finish. As a program,
that’s the next step.”
The Lasers had perennial
powerhouses
Catholic
Memorial and Arrowhead
on the ropes in their showdowns last season. However,
both CMH and Arrowhead
rallied late for the victories.
A remarkable 38-31 victory
over Mukwonago, in which
the Lasers outscored the
Indians 31-0 in the second
half, has given KM a road
map for this season.
“The Mukwonago game
last year, aberration or not,
WE HAVE YOUR TEAM COVERED!
2015 Schedule
Kettle Moraine
(all games 7 p.m.)
Aug. 21: Oconomowoc
Aug. 28: Watertown
Sept. 4: Catholic Memorial at
Carroll
Sept. 11: Waukesha North
Sept. 25: at Muskego
Oct. 2: Arrowhead
Oct. 9: at Waukesha West
Oct. 16: Mukwonago
Goach: Dave Pfeiffer, third
season
Key players: senior QB Jacob
Varick, junior RB Tanner Smith,
senior WR Edward Connell, junior WR Sam DeLany, senior DL
Matt Nowak, senior DL Dan
Graf, senior DL Collin Quinn,
senior LB Josh Lecher, sophomore LB Mike Timm, senior DB
Nathan Clark, junior DB Nate
Tyley, junior DB Colin Morgan
Key graduation losses:
Mitchell Pfeifer, Andrew Trafton,
Will Duchow
helped us learn how to finish,” Pfeiffer said. “We are
going to play until the whistle at the end of the game no
matter what the outcome is.
Whether we’re behind by a
score or ahead by a score, it
doesn’t matter. We have to
learn how to finish.”
The Lasers will also have
to learn how to replace the
offensive output of three
first-team All-Classic 8 Conference players from last
year — all whom have graduated.
“Without a doubt, we have
a lot of yardage and points
Arrowhead
Brookfield Academy
Brookfield Central
Brookfield East
Catholic Memorial
Hamilton
Kettle Moraine
Lake Country Lutheran
Menomonee Falls
Mukwonago
Muskego
New Berlin West
Oconomowoc
Palmyra-Eagle
Pewaukee
St. John’s Northwestern
Waukesha North
Waukesha South
Waukesha West
to make up between Mitchell
Pfeifer and Andrew Trafton
and Will Duchow,” Pfeiffer
said. “We lost some pieces. I
will tell you this: We like our
athletes.”
Senior Jacob Varick (6-2,
180) is expected to quarterback the team. After contributing as a wide receiver
last season, Pfeiffer said
Varick will bring a strong
See LASERS, PAGE 6
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MUSKEGO
Warriors want
to challenge again
Lasers
From Page 5
arm, elusiveness and exceptional speed to the position.
Junior Tanner Smith (6-0,
195) returns in the backfield
while senior Edward Connell (6-1, 185) and junior Sam
DeLany (6-0, 160) will be
passing targets.
Pfeiffer said one of the
strengths this season will be
the defensive front three of
seniors Matt Nowak (6-1, 225),
Dan Graf (6-1, 220) and Collin
Quinn (6-1, 230). Behind the Dline, senior Josh Lecher (6-2,
207) and sophomore Mike
Timm (6-2, 205) are expected
to contribute at linebacker
while senior Nathan Clark (57, 175), junior Nate Tyley (5-8,
155) and Colin Morgan (5-11,
185) will be counted on in the
defensive backfield.
Junior Christian Ishag (63, 285) will handle the kicking duties in addition to his
role on the offensive line.
KM’s first test is at home
against Oconomowoc Aug.
21 followed by Watertown a
week later. The Lasers start
Classic 8 action Sept. 4 on
the road against Catholic
By Mark Hutchinson
Freeman Staff
Robert F. Borkowski/Special to The Freeman
Kettle Moraine’s Collin Quinn brings down a Waukesha North
runner last season.
Memorial.
The Lasers play six of
their nine games at home
this season.
Kevin Yarbrough, the
Classic 8 Assistant Coach of
the Year in 2014, returns to
run the offense while Cheston Blenker will begin his
second year as defensive
coordinator.
“We’re a better football
program than we were last
year,” Pfeiffer said. “What
that equates to in this conference is a whole other
story, because I think the
upper echelon of the conference is better. It’s an uphill
climb in this league.”
MUSKEGO — There will no
doubt be changes on the Classic 8 Conference landscape
this season.
Don’t expect the league’s
traditional fierce level of competition to be among those
changes.
Muskego was one of four
teams that shared the Classic
8 title in 2014, and coach Ken
Krause lists his Warriors
among
five
conference
favorites for 2015.
“We are excited to compete
weekly against what is, without a doubt, the state’s toughest football conference,”
Krause said.
Krause’s 2014 Muskego
team went 5-2 in the conference to match Catholic Memorial, WIAA Division 2 state
runner-up Waukesha West
and WIAA Division 1 runnerup Arrowhead.
The Warriors’ graduation
losses include running back
Ryan Borton, a first-team Wisconsin Football Coaches Association all-state selection,
along with four fellow firstteam all-Classic 8 picks: guard
Baili Leszczynski, running
back James Schwabe, defensive lineman Alex Hauke and
kicker Leki Prpa.
Muskego, though, brings
back 17 lettermen, including
senior offensive tackle Ryan
Tobin, a first-team all-conference selection; senior running
back/wide
receiver/linebacker Brett Finke and senior
defensive end Sam White,
both second-team all-Classic 8
picks; and senior linebacker
Austin Lambrecht and junior
nose tackle Jorin McGuire,
who received honorable mention all-conference honors.
Finke rushed 74 times for
599 yards and eight touchdowns, caught 17 passes for
302 yards and two scores and
made 67 tackles including
seven for loss. White totaled 37
tackles including a team-high
four quarterback sacks, and
Lambrecht made 54 tackles
including three for loss.
Joining Finke as returnees
at running back are senior
Colin O’Neill, who carried 61
Muskego running back Brett Finke runs against Waukesha West
last season.
2015 Schedule
Muskego
(all games 7 p.m.)
Aug. 21: Racine Park
Aug. 27: vs. Milw. Bradley
Tech at South Stadium
Sept. 11: Mukwonago
Sept. 18: vs. Catholic Memorial at Carroll
Sept. 25: Kettle Moraine
Oct. 2: at Waukesha South
Oct. 9: at Waukesha North
Oct. 16: Arrowhead
Coach: Ken Krause, eighth
season
RB/WR/LB Brett Finke, senior
LT Ryan Tobin, senior DE Sam
White, junior NT Jorin McGuire,
senior LB Austin Lambrecht
Other returning lettermen:
senior QB Caleb Wagner (WR
in 2014), senior RB Ayden Malcomson, senior RB Colin
O’Neill, senior RT Ryan Albee,
senior TE Erik Henkel, senior
TE Kevin Scherer, senior OL
Jacob Larsen, junior LB/RB
Mitch Suderland, sophomore
LB AJ Spychala, senior OLB
Brady West, senior CB Derek
Wieting, senior CB Jake Vecitis
OG Jake Zvonar, junior TE/SE
Alex Kalisnig, senior OLB Caiden
Ryg, senior DB Derrick Roskopf,
senior DB Dylan Roskopf, senior
DB Sam Sadowski, junior DB
Bryce Schure
Key graduation losses: RB/LB
Ryan Borton, RB James
Schwabe, RG Baili Leszczynski,
RT Sam King, DE Alex Hauke, S
Brandon Valenza, K Leki Prpa
times for 609 yards and three
touchdowns, and senior
Ayden Malcomson, who carried 73 times for 464 yards and
four TDs.
Senior Caleb Wagner, who
played wide receiver last year,
has shifted to quarterback.
Muskego’s junior varsity
team went 9-0 last year.
“After winning a share of
our school’s first conference
championship since 1994, we
fully expect to contend again
for the Classic 8 crown,”
Krause said. “We have seven
returning starters on the
defensive side and expect our
defense to be the best it’s been
in the eight years I’ve been
coach at Muskego.
Krause was impressed with
the tone his players set during
the offseason.
“We have had a great year in
the weight room with a ton of
players, sophomores through
seniors,
making
great
strides,” the coach said.
ARROWHEAD, MUKWONAGO
Warhawks not looking
too far into the future
By Todd Hansen
Arrowhead
TOWN OF MERTON —
With three consecutive trips
to the Division 1 state championship game, you would
think it would be Camp Randall or bust for Arrowhead
this season.
That is anything but the
case, however, according to
Warhawks head coach Greg
Malling
“It’s a good group of kids,
and the fun thing was meeting with the leadership
council and they never
talked about going to state
again,” Malling said. “They
didn’t talk wins and losses.
They really are focused on
the what they call ‘The Perfect Team’ and not meaning
recordwise. It’s being about
each other and the community, being good representatives of the school and playing hard and seeing how
good we can be.
“We told the seniors that
you could go 0-9 this year and
the rest of your life you can
say, ‘In my high school career
I averaged nine wins a year
and went to state three times
and won it twice.’ There is no
pressure or shame if we don’t
get back there. We obviously
want to go, but in terms of
feeling pressure, I think that’s
ridiculous or greedy to think
we have to get back there or
everything is a waste.”
Arrowhead won state
titles in 2012 and 2013 before
falling to Kimberly 31-6 in
the championship game last
season.
In terms of talent, the
Warhawks certainly have
plenty of it to make it to the
state finals for the fourth
consecutive season.
Arrowhead has 25 players
returning who started at least
one game last season, including the entire offensive line
and a three-year starting
quarterback in senior Johnny
Duranso (6-foot-1, 195 pounds).
Despite the loss of firstteam all-state linebacker
Andy Hessler, the Warhawks
also
return
numerous
starters defensively.
Coach: Greg Malling, fifth season
QB Johnny Duranso, senior OT
Ben Bredeson, senior OG Mike
Olsen, senior DB Tedy Orlando, senior DB Antonio-Jose
Ramos, junior DL Jake Powell,
senior P Parker Redman
RB Carson Myers, sophomore
RB Zachary Hastings, sophomore OL DJ Dean, sophomore
RB Terrell Steward
Key graduation losses: linebacker Andy Hessler, defensive
Mary Langenfeld/Special to The Freeman back Michael Tanke, running
back Cody Sellhausen, defenArrowhead wide receiver sive lineman Joe Wilde, defenJustin Peret runs for a touch- sive end Jack Bredeson,
down in the WIAA Division 1 receiver Jordan Argue
state title game in November.
“Our strength overall is that
experience back and the number of games they’ve played,”
Malling said. “You’ve got a
senior class that has played 15
extra games. I don’t think we
have a position except maybe
where a sophomore or two
might push through, that
someone returning didn’t
start at least one game.”
The Warhawks averaged
28.4 points per game a year
ago, led by Duranso, who
threw for 24 touchdowns and
nearly 2,000 yards. He also
rushed for 731 yards and 11
scores.
“It’s a comfort level having
Johnny back at quarterback,”
Malling said. “He’s a winner
and the other comforting
thing is (senior backup) Jack
Risch (6-3, 184). We have two
really smart kids, and to
know you can go from one to
the other, it takes so much
pressure off everything.
“(Duranso) is such a dual
threat, and you can use him
that way.”
Senior tackle Ben Bredeson (6-5, 305), who is committed to the University of
Michigan and was a firstteam all-state pick as a junior, leads the offensive line.
Starters also back on the
line are senior guard Mike
Olsen (6-1, 240), senior center
Brenn Stapleton (6-3, 275), junior guard Andy Biwer (6-2,
265) and senior tackle Nels
Anderson (6-2, 240).
“Offensive line is all back
and it’s a quality group of
kids,” Malling said. “That’s
a lot of experience. Mike
Olsen has started every
game since his sophomore
year, and Ben has started 40
games. That’s insane.”
Senior Nick Bastien (5-8,
160), who saw plenty of time
at running back late in the
season, returns and is competing with several juniors
for carries.
Seniors Andy Miller (6-1,
175), Justin Peret (5-11, 160),
Jake Hower (6-0, 180) and
Tyler Jones (6-1, 175) are the
top candidates at wide
receiver, and all saw plenty
of playing time last season.
The defensive front seven
looks solid with the return
of junior linebackers Noah
Harvey (6-3, 205) and Collin
Thiel (5-11, 200), junior linemen Jake Powell (6-1, 220)
and Nate Schultz (6-4, 260)
and senior lineman Keiagane Mork (6-0, 275).
“As weird as it sounds, losing Andy (Hessler) and some
of the other guys we lost, we
feel the front seven for sure
2015 Schedule
(all games 7 p.m.)
Aug. 20: Homestead
Aug. 28: at Hudson
Sept. 4: at Waukesha North
Sept. 11: Waukesha West
Sept. 18: at Mukwonago
Sept. 25: Catholic Memorial
Oct. 2: at Kettle Moraine
Oct. 9: Waukesha South
Oct. 16: at Muskego
is a strength just because of
how many reps they got,”
Malling said.
Senior defensive backs Tedy
Orlando (5-11, 180) and Antonio-Jose Ramos (6-1, 185) are
returning full-time starters,
and both received honorable
mention All-Classic 8 Conference honors as juniors.
Also returning are parttime starters in senior
defensive back Will Boelter
(6-0, 175) and sophomore
defensive back Chandler
Pulvermacher (6-1, 185).
Senior Parker Redman (62, 215) is back at punter after
being selected first-team allconference last season.
Having gone 36-5 the past
three
seasons,
the
Warhawks certainly appear
to be loaded for another long
postseason run.
“They
haven’t
talked
about getting back to Camp
Randall or anything like
that,” Malling said of his
players. “Their biggest concern is making sure people
are having fun at practice.
“I know everyone cares
about winning, but it doesn’t
even come up with this group.
It’s the strangest thing. It’s
awesome. They are on each
other about technique and
things like that. I’ve never
heard anyone say anything
about winning anything.
“Every team wants to get
good, and I think they’re
doing it the right way in that
they are looking at all the
other things. We talk a lot
about what do you want people to say about you five or
10 years from now, and it
was all about working hard
and being good teammates
and selflessness.”
Indians ready
to defend a
new home turf
By Jeff Hagenau
MUKWONAGO — The
Mukwonago program has
built a long-standing reputation on playing with pride
and defending its home
turf.
With the recent installation of its new synthetic
turf, the Indians plan to
take that old adage to an
even higher level entering
the 2015 campaign.
Mukwonago
finished
with a 4-3 record in the
highly contested Classic 8
Conference race and 8-4
overall, advancing to the
WIAA Division 1 playoffs
for the third consecutive
season.
The Indians, who lost to
longtime rival Arrowhead
in the third round of the
WIAA Division 1 playoffs
last year, have qualified for
the postseason 21 times dating back to 1983.
Despite the loss of 13 allconference selections to
graduation, Mukwonago
will rely on a strong core of
veterans and a talented
group of young players to
lead the team in a quest for
its first conference championship since 2005.
The return of 12 starters
to the lineup, highlighted
by six on offense and six on
defense, should help ease
the transition.
“Both the players and
coaches are excited about
the possibilities this year,”
said Mukwonago coach
Clay Iverson, who is entering his fourth season at the
helm. “We’ve had three
solid seasons (including
trips to the state semifinals
and quarterfinals) thanks
in part to the leadership of
a lot of good players who
have now graduated. That
said, we have some new
faces on the team along
with some good experience
returning to the lineup, so
our expectations remain
high heading into the sea-
Mukwonago
Coach: Clay Iverson, fourth
season
Key players: senior QB
Tommy Hodkiewicz, junior QB
Gabe Cizauskas and senior
RB Liam Chones
Key graduation losses: QB
Jake Krueger, DB Nate Essman, OG Charlie Younger
2015 Schedule
(all games 7 p.m.)
Aug. 21: at Racine Horlick
Aug. 28: Oak Creek
Sept. 11: at Muskego
Sept. 18: Arrowhead
Oct. 2: Waukesha North
Oct. 9: Catholic Memorial
Oct. 16: at Kettle Moraine
son.
“There have been a lot of
exciting changes taking
place surrounding the program, but our primary
focus has remained the
same for the last three
years. We simply need to be
prepared and ready to play
our best each and every
time we step out on the
field. At this point, we’re
going day to day, drill to
drill and trying to be prepared for each challenge.
The most pressure stems
from trying to play up to
our potential each day and
doing our best to make the
community proud.”
Iverson noted that his
team has approached training camp with a lot of
intensity and enthusiasm.
“Camp has been very
competitive, so we’re looking forward to the season
opener,” Iverson said “We
will use a two-platoon system and plan to play a lot of
kids throughout the course
of the year.
See MUKWONAGO, PAGE 8
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“In terms of the conference race,
there will be an awful lot of parity
from top to bottom. It’s clearly the best
conference in the state, so the usual
suspects figure to be in the thick of it
as the season goes on. If we continue
to prepare and work hard each day, we
should be in the mix at the end of the
season.”
Mukwonago won its last Classic 8
title under former coach Keith
Hensler, a member of the Wisconsin
Football Coaches Association Hall of
Fame.
It will be a daunting task to replace
the graduated trio of quarterback
Jake Krueger and running backs
Andrew Strawzewski and Colton
Williams, who combined to rush for
2,231 yards last season.
Krueger, an all-conference honorable mention selection, was the team’s
leading rusher last season with 851
yards. Straszewski, who earned second-team honors, followed with 768
yards and Williams, an honorable
mention choice, added 612 yards.
The leadership of first-team all-conference and all-state guard Charlie
Younger and first-team defensive back
Nate Essman will also be missed.
Senior Tommy Hodkiewicz (5-foot-
10, 160 pounds) and junior Gabe
Cizauskas (6-1, 185) are vying for the
starting quarterback spot and opportunity to lead the Indians’ option
offense.
Senior Liam Chones (5-11, 205), an
all-conference honorable mention
running back who rushed for 739
yards last season, returns to bring stability to the backfield. Senior halfback
Collin Radowicz (6-0, 185) and junior
halfback Zach Genrich (5-10, 185) also
figure to make heavy contributions.
Seniors Tanner Belland (5-10, 225)
and Erik Hendriksen (5-11, 215) along
with juniors Joey Carlson (6-3, 275)
and Mason Krebs (6-0, 200) are slated
to lead the offensive line.
Senior Joel DePons (6-1, 170) and
senior Patrick Muehlenkamp (5-7, 145)
figure to make steady contributions at
the wide receiver position.
Senior all-conference honorable
mention end Evan Major (6-3, 230)
and senior nose tackle/end Matt
Vertz (5-11, 225) anchor the defensive
line. Seniors Jon Ryback (6-0, 195),
Trevor Wilm (5-10, 195), Zach Hinz
(5-11, 185) and junior Nick Tanguay
(6-1, 190) bring depth to the linebacking corps.
Senior safety Zach Zaborowski (6-0,
180), senior defensive back Keanu
Komar (5-10, 165), junior defensive
back Zack Siewert (5-10, 175), junior
cornerback Eric Novotny (5-10, 175)
and junior safety Dan Crawley (5-8,
165) round out the secondary.
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OCONOMOWOC, BROOKFIELD CENTRAL
Raccoons seeking rebound Central wants to protect ball
By Tony Mooren
By Mark Hutchinson
Oconomowoc
Freeman Staff
OCONOMOWOC — A disappointing experience can
be just as educational as a
rewarding one — if not
more so.
Oconomowoc hopes to
apply lessons learned from
both this season.
The Raccoons enjoyed an
11-1 campaign — their best
in 25 years — in 2013 before
plummeting to 1-8 in 2014.
Their lone victory last fall
was a 21-0 decision over
West Bend West that came
in Week 8.
Several players who were
members of Oconomowoc’s
7-0 Wisconsin Little Ten
Conference championship
team of two years ago and
last season’s squad are
back. They are intent on
“flipping the ship,” to coin
a phrase popularized by
the 2013 unit.
Sixth-year coach Ryan
McMillen considers the
Raccoons’ team continuity
and commitment level
among their strengths, but
he knows their objectives
can’t be met overnight.
“We have to be sure we
commit to the process and
not worry about the end
goal,” McMillen said. “We
have to stay focused day in
and day out and not overreact to the highs and lows
that come with the process
— ‘Play the next play.’”
The coach likes what he
has seen so far.
“Our team is working
hard and trying to improve
daily,” McMillen said.
“Any time you get a second
chance in life, there is a
good chance you'll do better. That is what this team
gets is a second chance at
varsity football.”
Oconomowoc’s nucleus
includes senior Brett Samson, who has shifted to
tight end after leading the
team in rushing as its
starting fullback with 343
yards on 83 carries last season.
Samson, the 2015 WIAA
Division 1 state wrestling
runner-up at 220 pounds, is
playing his third position
in as many seasons. He
earned first-team all-conference status at guard in
Coach: Ryan McMillen, sixth
season
2014: 1-8 overall, 1-6 Wisconsin Little Ten
TE Brett Samson, senior CB
Jarek Berg, senior DL DJ Ah
Sam, junior WR Zach Clayton,
junior QB Ben Nienhuis
Other returning lettermen: senior RB Aaron Kruschke, senior
OL/DL Max Roth, senior OL/DL
Cam Wolf, senior OL/DL Nick
Jerred, senior OL/DL Derick
Klinger, senior OL/DL Hunter Kolberg, senior LB Tyler Benz, senior DB George Kneiser, junior DB
Taishi Ikeda, junior OL/DL Jake
Ploch
2015 Schedule
(all games 7 p.m.)
Aug. 21: at Kettle Moraine
Aug. 28: Waukesha South
Sept. 4: Beaver Dam
Sept. 11: at West Bend East
Sept. 18: Hartford
Sept. 25: Wisconsin Lutheran
Oct. 2: at Slinger
Oct. 9: West Bend West
Oct. 16: at Watertown
Sue Boyer/Special to The Freeman
Oconomowoc junior Zach
Clayton, back, outjumps
a Grafton defender during a
7-on-7 passing tournament.
2013.
Senior cornerback Jarek
Berg is entering his third
season as a varsity starter.
Berg led the Raccoons in
passes defended last season
and ranks among the
fastest players in the Little
Ten. He is strongly considering a scholarship offer
from South Dakota State
University.
Junior wide receiver
Zach Clayton is beginning
his second varsity season
after leading Oconomowoc
with 48 pass receptions for
726 yards and four touchdowns as a sophomore.
Clayton snared 10 passes
for 193 yards in the team’s
lone victory and followed
up that performance with
seven catches for 108 yards
the following week against
Watertown. He received
second-team all-conference
recognition.
The Raccoons also welcome back quarterback
Ben Nienhuis, who connected on 49 of
103
attempts for 759 yards and
two scores as a sophomore.
Other Oconomowoc players who bring substantial
varsity experience to the
table include senior linemen DJ Ah Sam, Nick
Jerred and Max Roth.
“Our senior class as a
group
will
make
an
impact,” McMillen said.
Oconomowoc’s attempt to
put together a successful
sequel to its WLT championship season of 2013
was detoured by several
factors including injuries,
difficult
transitions
from reserve roles to starting roles and on-thejob training at new positions for a number of players.
McMillen hopes the Raccoons make the most of
their second chance.
“What
that
means,
nobody knows right now,
but
opportunities
are
there,” he said. “If these
kids can take advantage of
them and stick together,
they will be successful.”
BROOKFIELD — Take
care of the football!
If Brookfield Central does
that this season, secondyear coach Jed Kennedy
expects the Lancers to put
together an impressive season.
“My worry is that we have
to take care of the football,”
Kennedy said. “We put the
ball on the deck a little too
much last year, but if we do
take care of the ball we have
a chance to be a really, really good team.”
Kennedy’s high expectations are anything but
something he imagined in a
dream.
Eight
starters
return on offense, led by
senior
first-team
AllGreater Metro Conference
quarterback Dominic Labellarte (5-foot-11, 155 pounds)
and senior second-team allleague running back Malik
Turner (5-7, 185). Labellarte
threw for 851 yards and four
touchdowns, and his running produced 1,216 yards
and 17 scores. Turner added
530 yards and three TDs on
the ground.
“He’s so fast and so quick
— and he’s gotten quicker,”
Kennedy said of Labellarte.
“He averaged 25 carries a
game at 150 pounds last season, which isn’t easy.”
And that was while everyone was learning a new system.
“We’re going to be big and
physical, but the biggest
thing is we have a lot of people back who are now in the
second year of our system,”
Kennedy said. “Two days
into practice we’re about
where we were in Week 4
last season.”
Senior Mitch Meves (5-11,
160) will join Labellarte and
Turner in the backfield.
Senior Tom Mussa (5-10,
205) or junior Cody Moua (510, 205) will be at center, senior Henry Ritchie (6-4, 235)
and junior Sam Ockwood (63, 230) at the guard spots and
senior Joey Koppelman (6-3,
270) and senior Nathan
Kendall (6-1, 295) at the tackle positions.
Koppelman was a firstteam all-league pick and
Ritchie and Kendall also
started last season.
The Lancers also have a
Brookfield Central’s Joe DuBois brings down a Whitefish Bay
runner during a 2014 nonconference game.
2015 Schedule
Brookfield Central
(all games 7 p.m.)
Aug. 21: at Whitefish Bay
Aug. 27: Milw. Riverside
Sept. 4: West Allis Hale
Sept. 11: West Allis Central
Sept. 18: at Brookfield East
Sept. 25: Marquette
Oct. 2: at Hamilton
Oct. 9: at Wauwatosa East
Oct. 16: Menomonee Falls
Coach: Jed Kennedy, second
season
2014: 5-5 overall, 4-3 Greater
Metro
QB Dominic Labellarte, senior
OL Joey Koppelman, senior
RB Malik Turner, senior DB
Joe DuBois, senior DL Brandon Hughes, senior LB
Michael Dragotta
Key graduation losses: center Michael Horner-Ibler, linebacker Mitchell Ahmad, linebacker Mattias Hoehnen
trio of returning ends who
started last season: seniors
Michael Hauser (6-2, 225)
and MJ Lucas (6-1, 195) and
junior Thomas Gibson (6-2,
185).
The defense is also loaded
with experienced players
thanks to nine starters
returning.
“The exciting thing is we
have everyone returning in
the back, but we did lose our
best two defensive players
(to graduation): Mitchell
Ahmad
and
Mattias
Hoehnen,” Kennedy said.
The two graduated players were first-team all-conference choices.
But
senior
Brandon
Hughes (6-2, 250) and juniors Zach Kubinski (5-11,
175) and Sam Smith (6-0,
240) are back to anchor the
defensive line with senior
Michael Dragotta (5-9, 200)
and sophomore Reggie Jennings (6-1, 190) at the end
spots. Hughes was secondteam all-conference, and
Dragotta received honorable mention.
Senior John Schneider (60, 205) returns at linebacker
with
sophomore
Nick
Leszczynski (6-0, 210) and
junior Robert Ravanelli (510, 200) the top linebackers
and seniors Buc Nellen (6-0,
185), John Murphy (5-11,
170), Joe DuBois (6-0, 185)
and Evan Liebetrau (6-0,
175) returning as starters in
the secondary with senior
Luke Reuteman (5-10, 165)
also expected to play.
“Any time you have to
replace your two best players, two of the best in the
state, it’s a concern — but I
love the physical play and
the players are bigger. The
defense has a chance to be
really good,” Kennedy
said.
“We were picked to finish
third from last in the
league, but we finished 4-3
in league and made the playoffs last season despite having a small senior group.
We’re so much faster,
stronger and experienced
and that should pay dividends this year.”
BROOKFIELD EAST, PALMYRA-EAGLE
Spartans want to keep players on the field
By Tony Mooren
BROOKFIELD — Good
health could easily translate
into good times for Brookfield East this season.
In fact, the Spartans may
be embarking on a great
time with the return of six
seniors who attained all-conference recognition last season, led by first-team running back Mitch Mikulsky
(5-foot-9, 160 pounds).
It was Mikulsky who surfaced as the team’s main
running threat after junior
Sam Santiago-Lloyd (5-9,
230) suffered a season-ending injury in the first game.
Mikulsky ran for 787
yards, while senior quarterback T.C. Swittel ran for 635
yards and eight scores while
passing for another 469
yards.
“T.C. did everything we
asked last year, and we’re
asking him to do more this
year,” sixth-year coach Tom
Swittel said of his son. “He
was kind of a stabilizing
Brookfield East quarterback T.C. Swittel moves the ball against
Brookfield Central last season.
force with all the injuries we
had. He was our constant.
“You look at our three running backs, and we have the
potential to be a very good
running team. SantiagoLloyd is so tough and powerful and such a difference
maker. He squats a schoolrecord 535 pounds, and I’m
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Brookfield East
2015 Schedule
Coach: Tom Swittel, sixth
season
Metro
RB Mitch Mikulsky, senior OL
Mike Caliendo, senior DB Will
Schmidt, senior DL Dominic
Cartier, senior QB T.C. Swittel,
senior LB Jake Roy
Key graduation losses: OL
Jeff Bickel, P/K Connor Allen,
LB Michah Childs, WR Chad
Kluender
(all games 7 p.m.)
Aug. 21: Pius
Aug. 28: Beaver Dam
Sept. 4: West Allis Central at
West Allis Hale
Sept. 11: at West Allis Hale
Sept. 18: Brookfield Central
Sept. 25: Wauwatosa East at
Hart Park
Oct. 2: Menomonee Falls
Oct. 8: Marquette
Oct. 16: at Hamilton
just praying that he stays
healthy. He’s been on our
roster for 17 games in his
two years but has played in
only four games. We’d like to
let him loose this year.”
Despite injuries — East lost
to Menomonee Falls 14-6 last
season with nine starters out
— the Spartans finished second to Marquette in the
Greater Metro Conference
and finished 7-3 overall.
The coach would like to add
a fullback and tight end to the
offense this season, but no
matter how the offense shapes
up there will be a number of
two-way players.
“For the most part we’re
going to put quality offensive and defensive players
out there,” Swittel said.
Junior Jake Graf (6-0, 180) is
the backup quarterback with
sophomore Caleb Wright (6-2,
215) and seniors Collin
Rhoten (6-0, 210), Jake Roy (62, 220) and Frank Mistrioty (60, 190) possible fullbacks, senior Jacob Frasch (5-10, 180)
another running back and
senior Will Schmidt (5-10, 175)
as a slot man.
Wide receiver possibilities
include juniors Nick Kreul
(6-1, 180) and Nick Van Ert
(5-8, 160) and seniors Lance
Dismukes (6-1, 180) and Alex
Plavsic (6-0, 170) with senior
Ben Wellman (6-5, 230) the
top tight end.
The offensive line will
include senior Drew Rakers
(6-3, 235) at center and seniors Mike Caliendo (6-4, 235),
Dominic Cartier (6-5, 215)
and Oliver Pulsifer (6-1, 230),
juniors Max MacGillis (6-2,
300) and Max Aslin (6-2, 270)
and sophomores Tommy
O’Brien (6-3, 240), Matt Johnston (6-0, 210) and Everett
Cartier (6-3, 200). Caliendo
was a second-team all-league
choice last season and has
accepted a scholarship offer
from Western Michigan.
Several of the players could
also be playing on defense,
where Dominic Cartier (second-team all-league), Rhoten,
Caliendo and Wright are top
linemen with seniors Jack
Spaltholz (5-11, 200), Chris Staples (5-9, 230), juniors
Nicholas Williams (5-10, 280)
and Aslin and sophomore Ron
Edwards (5-11, 185) in the mix.
New coach excited
PALMYRA — Shawn Ford
has put in some work this
summer.
The new Palmyra-Eagle
coach has spent the offseason installing a lot of new
items for his team in an
effort to improve the team
in his first season.
“We will be installing a
new offense and defense,”
Ford said. “We are looking
forward to the challenge of
getting better each day.”
Ford inherits a team that
finished 3-6 overall and 2-4
Roy, Santiago-Lloyd and
Kreul are the top linebackers with seniors Anthony
Kajuch (5-7, 165) and Patrick
Zwicki (6-0, 190) and sophomore Brad Dati (5-11, 190)
vying for playing time. The
secondary will include
returning starters Mikulsky
and Schmidt (second-team
all-conference) and seniors
Drew Bullen (6-0, 165) and
Mike Mandella (5-9, 160),
Dismukes, Roth and junior
Skylar Rashid (5-11, 165).
Bullen was not out for football last season but is the
fastest player on the team
after an impressive spring
in track and field.
T.C. Swittel will handle the
punting and kicking.
“We’ll have three new
starters on the offensive
line, and if you don’t have it
up front you’re going to
struggle — but we have
weapons at the skill positions and our defense has a
chance to be really good,”
coach Swittel said.
The coach sees Marquette
and Menomonee Falls as the
top two teams in the league
with Brookfield Central,
Hamilton and the Spartans
in the next tier.
East was involved in five
games decided by a touchdown or less last season and
won four of them en route to
the WIAA playoffs for a fifth
straight season.
“Our goal last year was to
get tough again and we did.
We want to continue that
again this year and take the
next step, but we just don’t
have any depth so we can’t
lose anybody,” coach Swittel
said.
Palmyra-Eagle
Coach: Shawn Ford
2014: 3-5 overall, 2-4 Rock Valley
in the Rock Valley Confer- Key returning players: senior
ence in 2014. The Panthers QB/DB Mason Roscizewski,
beat their season-opening senior RB Zach Ostermeyer,
opponent Martin Luther to senior S/WR Will Sallis, senior
open last season, and their DE Dylan Stehno, senior C Ty
two RVC victories came Poulson, junior WR Brady
over Turner and Parkview.
Olson
The Panthers have two key Key graduation losses: Travis
returning players in seniors Poulson and Nate Carpenter
Mason Roscizewski (5-footPromising newcomers: junior
11, 172 pounds) and Zach
Calvin Butenhoff, senior Joey
Ostermeyer (5-8, 181). RosHoskins, junior Dan Jones, juncizewski, a quarterback and
defensive back, who ran for ior Bryce Gerlach, senior
Austin Katzfey, senior Brad
See PANTHERS, PAGE 11 Thiel, senior John Triola
HAMILTON, MENOMONEE FALLS
Panthers
From Page 10
two touchdowns and
threw six touchdown
passes. Ostermeyer ran
for a team-high nine
touchdowns in being
chosen first-team AllRock Valley South Division. Roscizewski was a
first-team pick at defensive back.
Senior receiver/safety Will Sallis (6-0, 187)
ran for two touchdowns
last season. Junior
re c e ive r / l i n e b a cke r
Simon Carpenter (6-2,
200) and junior receiver
Brady Olson (6-3, 202)
each caught two touchdown passes last season.
Also returning are
senior defensive end
Dylan Stehno (6-2, 221),
senior
center/nose
tackle Mitch Mehring
(6-7, 307), senior linebacker Tony Ollis (6-0,
225), senior center Ty
Poulson (5-6, 205), junior guard Ben Lovel (511, 218), junior receiver
Carson Poulson (6-1,
182) and junior receiver/safety
Corbin
Sequoia (5-9, 170).
Ford is looking for
junior Calvin Butenhoff (5-11, 152), senior
Joey Hoskins (6-2,
190), junior Dan Jones
(5-7, 151), junior Bryce
Gerlach (5-9, 171), senior Austin Katzfey (62, 192), senior Brad
Thiel (5-10, 324) and
senior John Triola (64, 172) to step in this
season and help ease
the graduate loss of
Travis Poulson and
Nate Carpenter, who
both received All-RVC
North honors.
Chargers want another lengthy season
By Jeff Hagenau
(all games 7 p.m.)
Aug. 21: Martin Luther
Aug. 27: Milwaukee Bay
View at South Stadium
Sept. 4: at BrodheadJuda
Sept. 11: Clinton
Sept. 18: Big Foot
Sept. 25: at Turner
Oct. 2: Parkview
Oct. 9: RVC Crossover
Oct. 16: RVC Crossover
Hamilton
TOWN OF LISBON — With
a long, impressive string of
playoff appearances intact,
Hamilton is approaching the
upcoming season with a hungry, hard-nosed attitude and
high hopes of maintaining
its winning tradition.
Hamilton tied for third
place in the highly competitive Greater Metro Conference with a 4-3 record and
finished 4-6 overall in qualifying for the WIAA playoffs
for the ninth consecutive
year.
The
Chargers
were
resilient at the end of last
season, demonstrating a flair
for the dramatic by winning
their final three conference
games to earn a playoff spot
before eventually losing to
Waunakee in a WIAA Division 2 game.
Hamilton was uncharacteristically plagued by nagging
turnovers throughout the
course of last season, turning the ball over 24 times
with only eight takeaways.
After nearly costing the
Chargers a playoff berth,
eliminating the amount of
turnovers has become a
major focus heading into
2015.
“It’s been a point of emphasis heading into the season,”
said veteran Hamilton coach
John Damato, a former
standout for the Chargers
entering his 12th season at
the helm. “From an offensive
Coach: John Damato, 12th
season
Metro
QB Joe Braun, junior QB Jordan Smith, senior RB/LB Sam
Herriges, senior RB/DB Mikey
Bruch, senior DL Anthony Gatzow
Key graduation losses: OG
Andrew Poenitsch, OG Mike
Fryda, RB Isaiah Webb, TE
Sam Matthiesen, DL Joey
Carrao, LB Ben Kinowski, LB
Alex Marx, P Michael
Barnes, K Matt Young, C
Jack Rieder
Hamilton’s Travis Janus, left, and Michael Bruch, right, bring down a Franklin ballcarrier last season.
aspect, we need to make sure
we’re securing the football
and keeping the momentum
on our side. With that being
the case, we also have to step
up our intensity and work to
force a greater amount of
turnovers on the defensive
side of the ball. Looking
back, the success of the program has been predicated on
our turnover margin, so its
something that’s being given
a high priority.
“Both the players and
coaching staff are cognizant
of the fact that our ultimate
success depends on it, so
everyone is working hard
during practice to correct the
issue. Of course there are a
lot of different variables that
could’ve caused it to happen,
so we’re just trying to
improve in that area, make
the necessary adjustments
and work through the situation. The bottom line is that
we just need to make better
decisions and do our best to
take advantage of the opportunities in each and every
game.”
Damato is quick to point
out the goal of playing physical, high-octane playoff-caliber football hasn’t changed
over the years.
“We’ve experienced a great
deal of success over the
years, but we’re always working hard to improve and
move forward,” said Damato,
whose squad has seized the
opportunity to train in the
school’s state-of-art indoor
facility. “I really like where
See HAMILTON, PAGE 12
First-year Falls coach inherits talented QB
By Pat Neumuth
Freeman Staff
— Freeman Staff
2015 Schedule
MENOMONEE FALLS —
Dan Lutz has been roaming
the sidelines at Menomonee
Falls the last three years
getting linebackers ready as
the co-defensive coordinator. This year, he’s back
doing what likes to do best:
running the entire team.
The first-year coach takes
over a team with a starting
quarterback returning as
well as a strong defense.
“I’m dabbling on both
sides and I love it,” Lutz
said. “I don’t coach a posi-
tion. I float on both sides.”
Senior quarterback Bryce
McMurtry (5-foot-11, 185
pounds) is back for a second
year behind center, but it’s
his third year on varsity. He
started at running back as a
senior.
Lutz will use McMurtry’s
ability to run the ball with
his shotgun, triple-option
offense.
“That’s going to utilize
his running talent a little
bit more, I think,” Lutz said.
“I was the coach at Brookfield Academy years ago,
and we ran option there. I’m
bringing in the same
offense over here, and it fits
in really well.”
McMurtry isn’t just a runner, though. Lutz beleives
the senior has gotten better
throwing the ball every
year, and he’s got another
player with a good arm who
will be a major target at the
wide receiver position.
Senior Ty Weber (6-5, 211) —
Falls’ ace pitcher on its
state championship baseball team who is committed
to the University of Illinois
— is back on the team after
sitting out last year.
“He played his freshman
and sophomore year and
loved it, but he wanted to
focus on baseball his junior
year,” Lutz said of Weber.
“He missed playing with his
classmates. He used to play
defense, but we switched to
receiver and he’s doing
well. It helps that he’s 6-5.”
Senior Matt Emmer (6-4,
192) is another guy who sat
out last year and will be a
big target for McMurtry.
Boyd Sansone (5-10, 166)
will be in the backfield.
Like Weber and Emmer,
Sansone sat out his junior
year. Senior Mason Jansen
See INDIANS, PAGE 12
Menomonee Falls
Coach: Dan Lutz, first year
Metro
QB Bryce McMurtry, senior LB
Jeff Marohl, senior LB Jacob Texeira, senior LB Mikey Conrady,
junior OL Matt Henningsen
WR Ty Weber, senior WR Matt
Emmer, senior RB Mason Jansen,
senior RB Boyd Sansone
Key graduation losses: Linebacker Tyler Simcock, linebacker
Tom Paul, running back Michael
Bowe
Indians
Hamilton
From Page 11
From Page 11
(5-11, 155) is also new to the
backfield after transfering
from Appleton East, where
he was the Lightning’s leading receiver with 30 catches.
The offensive line is an
inexperienced group, but
junior Matt Henningsen (6-5,
260) received honorable
mention all-conference honors and Lutz thinks he will
start to get some Division I
looks.
The linebacking corps of
seniors Jeff Marohl (6-2,
195), Jacob Texeira (5-11,
210) and Mikey Conrady (5-8,
160) will lead the defense.
Lutz said the team has been
successful
on
defense
recently, and nothing will
chance.
For these three linebackers, it’s up to the defensive
line to keep them from getting blocked. Lutz said the
team is inexperienced up
front, too, but senior Myles
Luckett (5-10, 250) will be a
force at nose tackle. Luckett
was first-team all-conference last year.
“It’s very important. We
we’re at as a team and the way
we’ve committed to improving
throughout the course of the
offseason and carried it over
into the start of training
camp. We feel like we’ve done
a great job of preparing in the
weight room. That said, the
weights don’t hit back so we
need to take the next step and
get the job done on the field.
“Back in 2008 we made a
strong commitment to using a
strict, two-platoon system, but
we’ll be adjusting it by potentially using several two-way
players this season. Whether
it be for a play, a series or a
quarter, we’re just looking to
put our best athletes on the
field during critical situations
in order to make the most of
every situation. It’s early in
camp but spirits are high, the
effort has been there and we
can’t ask for anything more. It
should be an exciting year so
we’re anxious to get going.”
Senior Joe Braun (5-foot-9,
170 pounds) and junior Jordan
Smith (6-1, 180) are vying for
the starting quarterback spot
and a chance to lead the wing-
Nicholas Dettmann/Conley News Service
Menomonee Falls quarterback Bryce McMurtry, right, goes to
pitch the ball during a 2014 game.
are trying to find some guys
to play next to him, too,”
Lutz said. “We like our linebackers to run, so you have
to have a good line or otherwise they are getting gabbled up by blockers.
“(Luckett) is just naturally
strong and gobbles up blockers and doesn’t get moved.
He’s kind of a short kid, but
he squats over 500 pounds.”
2015 Schedule
(all games 7 p.m.)
Aug. 21 at Oak Creek
Aug. 28: Superior
Hart Park
Sept. 11: Marquette
Sept. 18: at Hamilton
Sept. 25: West Allis Central
Oct. 2: at Brookfield East
Oct. 9: West Allis Hale
Oct. 16: Brookfield Central
2015 Schedule
(all games 7 p.m.)
Aug. 21: at Franklin
Aug. 28: Cedarburg
Sept. 4: Marquette
Hart Park
Sept. 18: Menomonee Falls
Sept. 25: at West Allis Hale
Oct. 2: Brookfield Central
Oct. 9: West Allis Central at
West Allis Hale
Oct. 16: Brookfield East
T offense for Hamilton.
Senior Cole Anderson (6-2,
180) is slated to be the team’s
top wide receiver this season.
Senior right tackle Nick
Wishart (6-1, 270) and junior
center Evan Laskowski (6-1,
242) will anchor the offensive
line and help to fill a void created by the graduation of firstteam all-conference guard
Andrew
Poenitsch,
the
Greater Metro Offensive Lineman of the Year, and firstteam all-conference guard
Mike Fryda.
Senior guard/tackle Brett
Nettesheim (6-0, 242), senior
guard Ben Sciortino (5-11, 190),
junior guard Mason Snell (511, 245), junior guard Tom
Endries (6-2, 228), junior tackle
Cal Dassow (6-6, 295) and senior tight end J.P. Pfersch (6-1,
188) also figure to make big
contributions up front.
Senior first-team all-conference fullback/linebacker Sam
Herriges (6-0, 204), senior tight
end/linebacker Ty Botsford (62, 215), senior all-conference
honorable mention running
back/cornerback
Mikey
Bruch (5-9, 175), senior running back/free safety Travis
Janus (6-2, 188), junior tight
end/defensive lineman Cole
Roepke (6-2, 220) and junior
running back/linebacker Joey
Bolda (6-0, 205) head the list of
two-way players looking to
make a heavy impact for the
Chargers this season.
Senior defensive lineman
Anthony Gatzow (6-0, 230), a
second-team all-conference
selection, and senior nose
tackle Wyatt Schmitz (5-9,
236) and senior lineman E.J.
LeDonne (6-1, 219) also
return for the Chargers.
Senior linebacker Andrew
Ruffing (5-9, 190), junior
strong safety Ryan Hubbell
(5-11, 196) and junior cornerback Nick Trawicki (5-9, 162)
round out the list of potential impact players on the
squad this season.
245558004
NEW BERLIN EISENHOWER, NEW BERLIN WEST
Lions ready to bounce back Vikings continue to build
By Mark Hutchinson
during Moroder’s tenure
Freeman Staff
NEW BERLIN — What a
difference there can be
between
reaching
the
doorstep and getting inside
— particularly in Wisconsin.
has been on the threshold of
making the WIAA playoffs
for the past three seasons.
The Lions are determined to
cross it in 2015.
Matt Kern, who guided
Eisenhower to a 2-4 Woodland Conference West Division record and a 4-5 overall
mark in his debut season as
the program’s head coach
last year, welcomes back 15
lettermen from that contingent.
“The offseason commitment from this year’s group
overall was outstanding,”
Kern said. “We have a large
group of guys that don’t just
lift weights and work out
because they have to, but
they really do enjoy it and
they like to push each other.
“In addition, this year’s
team has been very committed to learning our schemes,
and that work has showed
up in our early season practices as we have minimized
mistakes, which has allowed
us to practice at a great
tempo.”
The Lions’ veteran cast
includes senior wide receiver/running back/safety Jordan Canady (6-foot-2, 175
pounds), senior running
back/defensive end Sean
Broihier (6-0, 190), senior
quarterback/defensive back
Sam Carey (5-10, 163), senior
wide receiver/defensive back
Dakota Grzesk (6-0, 170), senior offensive tackle/defensive
end Tyler John (6-3, 240), senior outside linebacker Stefen
Kempker (6-0, 150), senior
tight end/linebacker Jake
Rastas (6-2, 190) and senior
offensive guard/defensive
end/linebacker
Drew
Spadaro (6-1, 185).
Canady, who totaled 388
rushing yards, 295 receiving
yards and scored seven
touchdowns — one on a
kickoff return — last season
to earn first-team All-Woodland honors, has accepted a
Division-IAA scholarship
offer from the University of
North Dakota.
Carey is entering his third
season as the Lions’ starting
By Jeff Hagenau
Mary Catanese/Special to The Freeman
New Berlin Eisnehower’s Jordan Canady carries the ball against
Pewaukee last season.
2015 Schedule
N.B. Eisenhower
(games 7 p.m. unless noted)
Aug. 21: at Plymouth
Aug. 28: Mauston
Sept. 4: Greendale
Sept. 11: Wauwatosa West
Sept. 19: Pius at Wisconsin
Lutheran College, 1 p.m.
Sept. 25: at Pewaukee
Oct. 2: at New Berlin West
Oct. 9: Woodland crossover
Oct. 16: Woodland crossover
Coach: Matt Kern, second
season
2014: 4-5 overall, 2-4 Woodland Conference West Division
RB/DE Sean Broihier, senior
WR/RB/S Jordan Canady, senior QB/DB Sam Carey, senior
WR/DB Dakota Grzesk, senior
OT/DE Tyler John, senior
TE/LB Jake Rastas, junior
RB/OLB Joey Scaffidi
Other returning letterwinners: senior OLB Stefen
Kempker, senior OG/DE/LB
Drew Spadaro, junior RB/LB,
Devin Colburn, junior C/DT
Zach Hansen, junior OG/DT
Michael Keller, junior OT/DT
Adam Lancaster, junior
WR/QB/K/P/DB Bryce Wesling, sophomore RB/LB Jake
Belongia
quarterback, having passed
for 713 yards in 2014. Grzesk
was a first-team All-Woodland defender, John received
honorable all-conference on
defense, and Rastas made 60
tackles last season.
Eisenhower’s
returning
junior lettermen are running
back/linebacker Devin Colburn (5-6, 178), center/defensive tackle Zach Hansen (5-10,
215), offensive guard/defensive tackle Michael Keller (6-3,
260), offensive tackle/defensive tackle Adam Lancaster
(6-0, 275), running back/linebacker Joey Scaffidi (5-9, 175)
and wide receiver/quarterback/kicker/punter/defensive back Bryce Wesling (6-0,
163).
Scaffidi led the Lions with
568 rushing yards, totaled 92
receiving yards and scored
four touchdowns and received
honorable mention all-conference recognition on offense
and defense last season.
Sophomore
running
back/linebacker Jake Belongia (5-9, 173) lettered and
made 31 tackles and a teamhigh three sacks as a fresh-
man, and Kern expects him,
Hansen and Wesling to play
expanded roles this season.
The Lions face the same
question mark as a number
of other teams.
“We need to answer some
questions about the depth of
our offensive line,” Kern
said. “We have two returning starters there in Tyler
John and Michael Keller, but
will have three new starters
who need to come together
and create an identity. These
new starters will likely be
juniors and possibly even
sophomores, so how they
come together will say a lot
about how successful we are
offensively this year.”
NEW
BERLIN
—
Progress.
That slow, steady learning process has been the
centerpiece of the New
Berlin West program over
the course of the last three
years.
After taking its share of
lumps
and
suffering
through significant growing pains, West appears to
finally be poised for a
breakthrough season.
With a good mixture of
experienced returning
players and a versatile
group of young talent, the
Vikings hope
to build off
of the tough
lessons
learned,
make significant strides
forward and
work back
Moroder
into the
upper echelon of the
Woodland Conference
West Division.
After winning back-toback Woodland crossover
games to end the season
and finishing 2-7 overall
record, West plans to use
the positive experience as
a learning tool and carry
that momentum into the
new year.
“The kids are excited
about the upcoming season,” said West coach Al
Moroder, entering his
fourth year at the helm.
“We have a good, large
group of players with varsity experience returning
so the camaraderie and
morale have been great.
“Our senior leaders have
really stepped up and
worked hard to set the
tone. Obviously, we struggled at times last season
but we ended with two victories and showed that the
hard work is beginning to
pay off.”
Maintaining a patient
approach and focus on the
fundamentals has been
New Berlin West
2015 Schedule
Coach: Al Moroder, fourth
season
2014: 2-7 overall, 0-5 Woodland
Players to Watch: senior QB
John Kozlowski, junior DE/LB
Mitch Hewitt, junior DE/LB
Bryan Boyd
(all games 7 p.m.)
Aug. 21: at Port Washington
Aug. 28: Milw. Lutheran
Sept. 3: Pius at Wisconsin
Lutheran College
Sept. 11: at Greendale
Sept. 18: Pewaukee
Sept. 25: New Berlin Eisenhower
Oct. 2: at Wauwatosa West
Oct. 9: Woodland Crossover
vital to the team’s steady
development.
“Collectively, from our
youth program right up
through the varsity, we’re
beginning to see the
rewards,” said Moroder, a
graduate of Homestead
High School. “Because of
the commitment, the kids
are coming in knowing
what is required and it’s
creating enthusiasm and
breeding high expectations. We have good numbers and will attempt to
use a two-platoon system
as much as possible. At
this point, the kids are
holding
one
another
accountable and working
hard to make the program
what they want it to be.
“Our goal remains to
work toward breaking into
the upper tier of teams in
the division and securing
a playoff spot. It’s been
awhile since we hosted a
playoff game so it’s been a
great motivator. If we continue to work on improving our skill sets and getting better each day, the
victories will follow.”
Sixteen
returning
starters, including eight
on offense and eight on
defense, will help accelerate the learning process
this season.
Senior quarterback John
Kozlowski (6-foot-2, 190
pounds), an all-conference
honorable mention selection, returns to lead the
offense for the third consecutive year.
Senior running back
Xavier Rodriguez (6-0, 205)
and junior running back
Max Meleski (6-2, 170) will
bring stability to the backfield.
Junior end/linebacker
Mitch Hewitt (6-6, 230), a
first-team all-conference
selection, is slated to bring
a heavy dose of leadership
to the defense. Junior
Bryan Boyd (5-11, 160), an
all-conference honorable
mention end/linebacker,
and senior linebacker
Felipe Marquez (5-10, 180)
return to round out the list
of top returning players.
Moroder noted that traditional
powerhouses
Greendale and Pewaukee
are the front-runners in
the conference title race
but was quick to point out
the balance of the league.
“It’s a tough, physical
conference from top to bottom,” said Moroder, highlighting his squad’s homecoming matchup with New
Berlin Eisenhower on
Sept. 25 as one to watch.
“With the even matchups,
there’s a lot of potential
for success so everyone
has to be at the top of their
game week in and week
out. A few plays can be the
difference between earning a playoff spot and
going home.
“Right now, there’s not
only a consistent understanding of the X’s and O’s
but of the effort needed to
be successful on the field.
The big thing is that we
started working with the
youth program four years
ago so i’s exciting to see
everything developing and
beginning to pay big dividends. Now we just need to
build on our experience
and use it to our advantage.”
PEWAUKEE, LAKE COUNTRY LUTHERAN, SJNMA
Line vital for Pewaukee
By Todd Hansen
PEWAUKEE
—
They
might not be the glamorous
positions to the average fan,
but playing on the offensive
and defensive lines for
Pewaukee is just the opposite.
The Pirates are also hoping those linemen pave the
way for another successful
season and stretch their
postseason
appearance
streak to 11 seasons.
“Absolutely the lines on
paper are the strengths of
our team,” Pewaukee coach
Justin Friske said. “It’s
funny. In our program, it’s
like those lineman spots are
kind of the sexy positions,
honestly. You get running
backs to run for yards and
the public sees it as those
(linemen) are the non-glamorous and not very interesting positions, but for us it’s
like that tends to be lately
where are best athletes gravitate.
“We make it a point to celebrate those guys when we
score, because without them
we know it couldn’t happen.
Some of our best kids athletically have been our linemen
the last few years, so I hope
that, at least in our program,
guys are chopping at the bit
to play line.”
Both lines are big and athletic and defensively return
three starters who garnered
some sort of all-conference
recognition.
Sophomore Seth Bickett
(5-11, 231), senior Xavier
Straub (6-2, 245) and junior
Blaze Beltran (6-2, 234) lead
the defensive returnees up
front. Bickett was first-team
all-conference as a freshman, while Straub and Beltran both received honorable mention. Senior safety
Jasper Fritz (6-1, 175) is the
fourth returning starter
defensively.
“We’ve got some guys with
experience that should be
able to step in and play right
away like Evan and Brandon
both played on the defensive
line, just not extensively,”
Friske said. “We need to find
some guys to play the back
half. Our skill set is there,
the experience again is
where we’re going to need to
see improvement. We’re also
2015 Schedule
(all games 7 p.m.)
Aug. 21: Brown Deer
Aug. 28: at Wis. Lutheran
Sept. 4: Wauwatosa West
Sept. 11: Pius
Sept. 18: at New Berlin West
Sept. 25: at Greendale
Oct. 2: N.B. Eisenhower
Pewaukee
Coach: Justin Friske, fourth
season
2014: 4-6 overall, 4-2
Woodland West
Key returning players: sophomore NT Seth Bickett, senior
RB Alec Wandler, senior DL
Xavier Straub, junior DL Blaze
Beltran, senior S Jasper Fritz,
junior C Ryan Beattie
LB/FB Brandon Berg, junior
OL/DL Austin Lyons, junior
RB/DB Michael Walters, sophomore WR/DB David Young,
senior LB/RB Sean Hass, senior OL/DL Brandon Kennedy,
senior OL/DL Evan Gard
Key graduation losses: Nick
Knoke, Jordan Jones, Jason
Berg, Jacob Becker, Brad
Wahlgren, Giovanni Guarnero,
Evan Hansen
going to be brand-new (at)
inside (linebacker)”
Senior Alec Wandler (5-8,
173), who rushed for 661
yards and nine touchdowns
last year at running back, is
the lone returning full-time
starter. Junior center Ryan
Beattie (6-1 241) is also back
after starting five games last
year.
“Offensively, we have as
big of a line as we’ve had
since I’ve been here,”
Friske said. “We have guys
that are physically prepared and are big and athletic, which is something
in our offense that certainly can’t hurt.”
Junior Carl Renz (6-3, 191)
and sophomore Josh Swanson (6-1, 145) are competing
to be the starter at quarterback.
“We are in good position
with either one of them,”
Friske said of the quarterback position. “You will
have growing pains with a
young kid, but you also
Pewaukee senior Xavier Straub
runs through a drill during the
first week of practice.
know that if you can help
them manage the game
they are only going to grow
into it and have a better
feel for it down the road.
“They are both talented
kids, and they have different skill sets but both have
them skills we can utilize.”
If all goes according to
plan, making the postseason will continue for the
Pirates.
“I think we expect to get
back there (playoffs) for
sure,” Friske said. “We
talked about goals for the
team, and the way our program is right now we feel
like we should be in the
conversation for a conference championship on a
pretty regular basis. It’s
not feasible to think that
we’re going to win the
league every single year,
but we think we should be
in a position to compete to
win the league and beat the
teams on our schedule if
we play to our standard.
“We expect to see ourselves in the playoffs again
barring anything unforeseen in terms of injuries or
something really out of the
ordinary. I think our guys
are prepared to do the work
necessary to keep ourselves in the conversation.
I fully expect our kids to
give everything they have
and compete. Right now
the mentality of this group
is they are going to find a
way and I’m encouraged by
that.”
Lightning want to travel again
By Mark Hutchinson
Freeman Staff
Lake Country Luth.
2015 Schedule
HARTLAND — November
may not be the most popular
month for Wisconsin road
trips.
But Lake Country Lutheran hopes to be making
November travel plans for a
fifth consecutive year.
The Lightning reached the
third round of the WIAA
playoffs in 2014 and 2013 after
making it to the second round
in each of the previous two
seasons. Greg Brazgel — the
only coach the program has
ever had — believes more success is imminent.
“We are young but hungry,
fast and aggressive,” Brazgel
said. “I see us maintaining
the level we have played at for
the past seven years.”
LCL went 7-0 in winning
the Midwest Classic Conference and made a successful
playoff jump from Division 7
to Division 6 last season,
downing Pecatonia-Argyle
and Cuba City before falling
41-12 to eventual state runnerup Darlington and finishing
11-1.
Among the players back
Coach: Greg Brazgel, 13th
season
2014: 11-1 overall, 7-0 Midwest Classic
RB/DB Christian Caliendo,
senior TE/LB Zach Edwards,
senior OL/DE Pete Hirt, senior
OL/DL Noah Young, senior
OL/DL Cameron Steffel, junior
QB/DB Ryan Nehls, junior
WR/DB Adam Mielke, junior
RB/LB Ben Johnson, junior
WR/DE Brady Kerwin, junior
OL/LB Ezra Heinritz
Key graduation losses: Ben
Wilkins, Adam Tovar, Grant
Johnson, Ross Gottschalk
Aug. 22: Racine St. Catherine’s at Horlick Field, 1 p.m.
Aug. 28: Catholic Central
Sept. 4: St. Francis
Sept. 11: HOPE Christian at
Wisconsin Lutheran College
Sept. 18: Living Word
Lutheran
Sept. 26: at St. John’s Northwestern, 1 p.m.
Oct. 2: at University School
of Milwaukee
Oct. 9: Brookfield Academy
Oct. 15: Christian Life at
Westosha Central
from that unit are senior
offensive lineman/defensive
end Pete Hirt (6-foot-1, 175
pounds), a first-team All-MCC
selection who ranked second
on the team with 82 tackles;
senior running back/linebacker Christian Caliendo (511, 160), who rushed 43 times
for 506 yards and six touchdowns; senior tight end/linebacker Zach Edwards (6-3,
200) and senior lineman Noah
Young (6-3, 210). Caliendo
all-conference on defense,
while Edwards and Young
on offense.
Other key returning players for LCL include senior
lineman Cameron Steffel (6-0,
245),
junior
quarterback/defensive back
Ryan Nehls (6-0, 165), junior
wide receiver/defensive back
Adam Mielke (5-9, 140), junior
running
back/linebacker
See LIGHTNING, PAGE 15
Coach excited for second season
DELAFIELD — Tim Vice
laid the foundation last fall.
The second-year St. John’s
Northwestern coach is looking to build upon last year’s 36 season in which the Lancers
finished fifth in the Midwest
Classic Conference at 3-4.
“We hope to continue to
build upon what we started
last year,” Vice said. It is a
new year with some new and
familiar faces. We are working to improve every day.”
Senior lineman Stelio
Panagiotaros is a four-year
varsity player who received
honorable mention all-MCC
honors as a junior.
The Lancers also return
senior running back/defensive back Paul Basile, senior
lineman/linebacker
Matt
Grotkiewicz, senior lineman
Henry Schreurs and senior
running back/linebacker Ray
Wiedemann, who are all
three-year varsity players.
Sophomore lineman Josh
Handy, sophomore split
end/defensive back John
McHammond and sophomore split end/defensive
St. John’s NW
2015 Schedule
Coach: Tim Vice, second season
2014: 3-6 overall, 3-4 Midwest
Classic
OL/DL Stelio Panagiotaros,
junior OL/DL/LB Matt
Grotkiewicz, senior OL/DL
Henry Schreurs, senior
RB/DB Paul Basile, senior
RB/LB Ray Wiedemann
Promising newcomers: senior RB/LB/QB Lucas Stacy,
senior QB/RB/LB Cody Goggins, senior RB/DB Nick Cummings, junior OL/DL Evan
Damaro
Aug. 21: Shoreland
Lutheran, 4:30 p.m.
Aug. 28: at Milwaukee South
Sept. 4: at Brook. Academy
Sept. 11: University School
of Milwaukee, 4 p.m.
Sept. 18: Christian Life at
Westosha Central
Sept. 26: Lake Country
Lutheran, 1 p.m.
Oct. 3: HOPE Christian at
Wisconsin Lutheran College
Oct. 10: St. Francis, 2 p.m.
Oct. 17: Living Word
Lutheran, 1 p.m.
back Tim Niles each return
for their second season on
varsity.
Vice sees seniors Lucasy
Stacy and Cody Goggins, who
both play running back, linebacker and quarterback, as
promising newcomers along
with
senior
running
back/defensive back Nick
Cummings and junior lineman Ethan Demaris.
Vice sees defending MCC
champion Lake Country
Lutheran as a front-runner
for the MCC title along with
St. Francis, University School
of Milwaukee and Brookfield
Academy.
“We hope to be competitive
in every game and be in the
mix come season’s end,” Vice
said.
— Freeman Staff
Familiar name, new face at quarterback
Lightning
From Page 14
Ben Johnson (5-10, 170), junior wide receiver/defensive
end Brady Kerwin (6-3, 170)
and junior offensive lineman/linebacker Ezra Heinritz (6-0, 215).
The Lightning’s graduation losses included Ben
Wilkins, who passed for
1,927 yards and 31 touchdowns; Adam Tovar, who
rushed for 1,214 yards and
18 scores; Grant Johnson,
who caught a team-high 46
passes for 990 yards and 16
TDs; and Ross Gottschalk,
who anchored both interior
lines.
Brazgel isn’t panicking,
though, because he likes the
talent he does have. Joining
the returning varsity players are the members of an 80 junior varsity squad.
“These players are new,
but not untested,” the coach
said. “They will be fine.
Quarterback Ryan Nehls is
versatile, running back
Christian Caliendo is fast
and very confident, Adam
Mielke and Joe Lipsky (a 63, 185 junior) will test most
BROOKFIELD ACADEMY
By Tony Mooren
Kristin Simons/Special to The Freeman
Lake Country Lutheran‘s
Christian Caliendo runs the
ball during a 2014 game.
defensive backs with speed
and agility and tight end
Zach Edwards may be the
best in the conference.
“These guys have been
waiting two to three years
for this moment and are
excited to start. They have
been very intense throughout each practice so far.
They are small on the outside, but have huge heart.”
BROOKFIELD — A familiar name will be at quarterback for Brookfield Academy
this season.
But it isn’t a familiar position for junior Ian Francis (6foot-1, 190 pounds).
Francis was a starting
guard last season when his
brother, Spencer, earned Midwest Classic Conference Player of the Year honors after
passing for 2,072 yards and
running for another 1,345. He
threw 27 TD passes and ran
for another 19 scores. He is
now playing at Carleton College.
Filling his brother’s shoes
obviously won’t be easy, but
Ian Francis will have a lot of
help as the Blue Knights
return eight starters —
including Francis — on both
offense and defense.
“It’s really a veteran group,”
fourth-year coach Jon Kahle
said. “They’ve all had a lot of
snaps. We don’t have particularly great size, but it’s good
for us and we expect to be
Brookfield Academy
2015 Schedule
Coach: Jon Kahle, fourth season
2014: 8-2 overall, 6-1 Midwest
Classic
LB Colin Guest, junior DB
Ryan Kolasinki, senior OL
Jack Halquist
Key graduation kosses:
MCC Player of Year Spencer
Francis, Patrick Novacek
Aug. 21: Dominican
Aug. 28: Milwaukee Reagan
at Milwaukee Pulaski, 6 p.m.
Sept. 4: St. John’s NW
Sept. 12: Christian Life at
Shoreland Lutheran, 2 p.m.
Sept. 18: University School
Sept. 25: at St. Francis
Oct. 2: Living Word Lutheran
Oct. 9: at Lake Country
Lutheran
Oct. 15: HOPE Christian at
Wisconsin Lutheran College,
7:30 p.m.
competitive again.”
Senior Colin Guest (6-0,
195) and senior Matt Morris
(5-11, 155) are the top running backs, and seniors Robbie Barth (5-9, 155) and
Adam Jace (6-0, 155) and junior Ryan Kolasinki (5-10, 160)
are the pass-catching corps.
The leading offensive linemen are seniors Jack
Halquist (6-2, 240), Tizoc
Zarate (5-8, 255), Thomas
Lawinger (6-4, 185), DanielEli Cevilla (5-8, 210) and
Andre Shammo (6-1, 210)
along with junior Alex
Gross (5-11, 280).
“We always try to be 50-50
running and passing, but
we’ll probably be more heavy
on the run this season and
rely on Guest, who’s a pretty
dynamic player,” Kahle said.
“This will be his third year
starting and he has speed —
4.6 in the 40. We made him run
it again after he had that time
and, sure enough, he did it
again. He’s one of our
strongest kids, too. He can definitely play anywhere.”
The Blue Knights lost only
Spencer Francis, a safety, and
Patrick Novacek, a line-
backer, to graduation on
defense.
Shammo and Lawinger are
the leading defensive ends
with Halquist, Gross, Cevilla
and Zarate on the line. Guest,
his sophomore brother, Connor Guest (5-10, 185), and junior JP Elfelt (6-2, 180) will man
the linebacker spots. Colin
Guest is a two-year first-team
all-league linebacker.
“Guest and Halquist are
probably our two hardest
workers,”
Kahle
said.
“They’re super determined,
push themselves, play multiple sports and they love the
weight room, too.”
The
secondary
will
include Kolasinski, Jace and
Barth. Kolasinski was a
first-team all-league selection.
“It appears as if we have a
little more size than in years
past, and our linebackers
will be one of the team’s
strengths for sure,” Kahle
said. “One of our concerns
is depth. That’s always a
problem here with only 30
players out for the team. But
that’s pretty standard.”
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Prep Football Preview 2015

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