This story is sponsored by Forward Bank
By Paul Lecker
MarshfieldAreaSports.com
MARSHFIELD – A missed scoring opportunity early in the second quarter proved costly for the Marshfield football team in its 2024 season opener Thursday at Heiting Community Stadium.
New Richmond held Marshfield on three-straight plays inside the 2-yard line, survived a missed field goal and made a first-quarter touchdown hold up in defeating Marshfield 7-6 in a nonconference matchup.
Marshfield’s offense crossed midfield two more times in the second half, but couldn’t cash in, and a desperation 51-yard field goal attempt just missed with a little more than 1 minute to go to seal the win for New Richmond.
“The defense is good, senior-loaded, we’re leaning on them,” Marshfield coach Denny Goettl said. “The offense has a lot of moving parts, a lot of young kids. There were a lot of improvements as we got going. The running backs got motoring in the second half, that was a good thing to see. That was a stingy defense and we missed an extra point and lose by one. Down there another time and couldn’t score, and we kind of gave them that one.
“They’re a good outfit. We schemed for a long time to try to beat that defense and they’re tenacious, and you can’t do a lot of things.”
New Richmond went 53 yards in seven plays on its second drive of the game, which ended with a 4-yard touchdown pass from Nick Stellrecht to Aiden Eckert. The all-important extra point kick by Evan Fagnan put New Richmond up 7-0.
Marshfield, which was sent backwards in its first two possessions due to penalties and a sack, got its first big play of the season when quarterback Chase Robinson eluded a sack and ran 66 yards down the left sideline before being tackled at the 1. A running play and two incomplete passes led to a 20-yard field goal attempt by Keegan Fredrick that missed to the left.
Marshfield got its second big play of the game from its defense. Cornerback Brooks Hinson picked off a Stellrecht pass midway through the second quarter and took it to the house, 34 yards for a touchdown. The extra point attempt, however, failed when holder Alex Pilsner took off running to the right and was stopped short of the goal line, leaving Marshfield trailing 7-6.
That score held the rest of the way. Marshfield’s defense was up to task. Despite New Richmond piling up nine first downs in the second half, Marshfield forced three punts and Hinson picked off another pass to keep New Richmond out of scoring range.
Marshfield reached the New Richmond 28 early in the fourth quarter, but a fourth-down pass was intercepted, ending the threat.
After forcing a punt, Marshfield drove from its own 13 to the New Richmond 34 with the help of a 23-yard run by Haiden Carlson and a pass interference penalty. The drive stalled and Fredrick ripped a 51-yard field goal attempt with 1:25 to go, but it just missed to the left.
New Richmond was able to run the clock down to five seconds after punting and a trick play ended with an interception as time ran out.
“We had chances,” Goettl said. “Our defense gave us chances and we had to capitalize, and didn’t. It’s the first game and you hate losing, everyone hates losing.”
Marshfield will travel to Menomonie for its final nonconference game next Thursday.
New Richmond 7, Marshfield 6
New Richmond 7 0 0 0 – 7
Marshfield 0 6 0 0 – 6
First Quarter
NR – Aiden Eckert 4 pass Nick Stellrecht (Evan Fagnan kick), 1:29.
Second Quarter
M – Brooks Hinson 34 interception return (run failed), 6:27.
Team Statistics
First downs: NR 14; M 10.
Rushing (att-yards): NR 40-203; M 23-139.
Passing (comp-att-yards-int): NR 10-19-70-2; M 8-20-64-2.
Total yards: NR 273; M 203.
Fumbles (total-lost): NR 1-0; M 1-0.
Penalties (no.-yards): NR 9-90; M 7-46.
Punting (no.-avg.): NR 5-30.6; M 5-38-4.
Individual Statistics
Rushing: NR, Joe Hoeppner 23-132, Austyn Wittek 10-47, Ethan Panke 1-27, Nick Stellrecht 6-minus 3. M, Chase Robinson 10-67, Grayden Rode 11-49, Haiden Carlson 2-23.
Passing: NR, Stellrecht 10-19-70-2. M, Robinson 8-19-64-1, Lukas Halan 0-1-0-1.
Receiving: NR, Aiden Eckert 5-59, Wittek 3-3, Alex Aune 1-6, Max Kretovics 1-2. M, Brooks Hinson 3-23, Carlson 3-19, Jakob Sadowska 2-22.
Interceptions (defense): NR, Cole Stephens, Trevor Solland. M, Hinson 2.
Punting: NR, Stellrecht 5-30.6. M, Caleb Dennee 5-38.4.
Records: New Richmond 1-0; Marshfield 0-1.