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By Paul Lecker
MarshfieldAreaSports.com
MARSHFIELD – For some it’s a second chance, for others, their only chance. For the entire Marshfield football team, Saturday’s WIAA Division 2 Level 4 state semifinal against Mequon Homestead means everything.
Marshfield (10-1) plays Homestead (10-1) at 1 p.m. Saturday at Titan Stadium in Oshkosh, with the winner moving on to the WIAA Division 2 state championship game at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison on Friday, Nov. 16, at 1 p.m.
Some of this year’s Tigers are looking for redemption. As sophomores, running back Riley Gebelein and middle linebacker Ross Zillman were part of the Marshfield team that lost to Cedarburg in a Division 2 state semifinal in 2010. Now, they have a second chance at playing at Camp Randall.
“Sophomore year, I got pulled up (at the end of the season), I was part of that when we lost to Cedarburg, it was devastating, when you are one step away from state,” said Gebelein, who leads the Tigers with 1,190 yards rushing and 20 touchdowns. “I want to avenge that and hopefully get there this year.”
Zillman, who leads Marshfield’s defense in tackles, echoed those same thoughts just moments after the Tigers’ 41-7 win over La Crosse Logan in a Level 3 game last Friday.
“I want it pretty bad, especially after my sophomore year losing to Cedarburg,” Zillman said. “There’s nothing more that I could ask for than going to state, and it getting another shot at state, it means a lot.”
Coach Denny Goettl is also getting a second chance at reaching state. He was part of former head coach Len Luedtke’s staff that reached the Division 1 state finals five times between 1997 and 2004, but has yet to get the Tigers back to Madison since taking over the head coaching job in 2010.
“These kids are a prime example of working hard,” Goettl said. “I know that’s a cliché, but we’ve got a lot of hours and time together and they believe in themselves and each other. We’re on a good roll, we’ve got a good kind of aura around us the past few games. (Homestead) going to be the best team we’ve played so far.”
Marshfield and Homestead have a bit of history, but it was a decade or longer ago. Homestead knocked off the Tigers 23-13 in the 1999 Division 1 state title game, while Marshfield won matchups in the Division 1 semifinals in both 2001 and 2002 on its way to two straight state championships. Tigers won those games 41-20 and 13-6, respectively.
In that 2002 game, Goettl said the Tigers forced six turnovers, and that could be a key in this year’s matchup as well. Marshfield has forced 18 turnovers in its last four games, including three interceptions in all three playoff wins.
“We just hope to get one (turnover). We’ve got to be consistent on offense and get first downs,” Goettl said. “They’re going to hold the football and have long drives if they can get them.
“We want to get them doing what they don’t want to do. They don’t want to throw the football, so if we can get them doing that by us getting ahead, that’s a benefit to us.”
Homestead brings in similar statistics to the Tigers. The Highlanders are averaging 230.7 rushing yards, 76 passing yards and 32.3 points per game. Marshfield has similar numbers averaging 218 yards rushing, 109 yards passing and 31 points per game.
Shquille Cole leads the Homestead running game with 963 yards and 11 touchdowns in 11 games. Quarterback Jake Laihinen has thrown for 622 yards and eight TDs.
“They have a great coach, great tradition,” Goettl said. “We’re going to have to play our best and give our best effort.
“We rely on speed and quickness. They are big, and aren’t slow by any means, they’re a big group of guys. Hopefully we can score fast and stay with them.”
Marshfield senior quarterback Bo Howard has thrown for 1,175 yards and nine touchdowns in his first year as the Tigers’ starter. He said it would be a dream come true to play in Madison, but knows Marshfield faces a tough test first to get there.
“All of us have been playing with each other since third or fourth grade, and we’ve been talking about this day since then,” Howard said. “It would be great to actually have it come true.”
Senior defensive tackle Eric Seehafer said the Tigers will switch up their defensive look to counter Homestead’s double-tight end attack. Slowing down the Highlanders’ running game will be the key to victory, he said.
“We’re the underdog coming into this next game, so we’re just going to give it all we’ve got,” Seehafer said. “As kids, I remember always dreaming of going down there (to state) and now for the chance to make it happen, we’re all so focused and going for it.”
Tale of the Tape
Who: Marshfield vs. Mequon Hometead
What: WIAA Division 2 Level 4 football state semifinal
When: Saturday, Nov. 10, 1 p.m.
Where: Titan Stadium, Oshkosh
What’s at stake: A berth in the WIAA Division 2 state championship game in Madison on Nov. 16.
Homestead’s offensive leaders: Shaquille Cole 963 rushing yards, 11 touchdowns; Jay Schneider 735 rushing yards, 12 touchdonws; Jake Laihinen 622 passing yards, 8 touchdowns.
Marshfield’s offensive leaders: Riley Gebelein 1,190 rushing yards, 21 total touchdowns; Keiron Howlett 660 rushing yards, 6 touchdowns; Bo Howard 1,175 passing yards, 9 touchdowns; Ryan Trierweiler 30 receptions, 418 yards, 3 touchdowns; Tanner Dennis-Brown 26 receptions, 395 yards, 3 touchdowns.