This story is sponsored by Total Electric
By Paul Lecker
MarshfieldAreaSports.com
STRATFORD – The Stratford football team’s defense may have a lot of new faces in the starting lineup this season, but the results haven’t changed.
The Tigers held Weyauwega-Fremont to 94 total yards, forced three turnovers, and most importantly no points as they cruised to a 41-0 win in a Central Wisconsin Conference Large Division matchup Friday night at Tiger Stadium.
Weyauwega-Fremont passed midfield just once and that drive ended in a 47-yard interception return for a touchdown by linebacker Colten Schillinger early in the third quarter.
“We’ve got two games in and we’re 2-0 with a group of kids that got their second start,” Stratford coach Jason Tubbs said. “We’re feeling our way with our new group of guys. They played hard and are learning on the fly. We’re kind of fixing the airplane as its flying, but that’s kind of how 2020 is.”
Stratford (2-0 overall and CWC Large) scored on its opening drive, going 67 yards on 10 plays. Quarterback Max Vanderhoof scored on a 7-yard run after fumbling the shotgun snap, but he was able to recover and roll around the left side to push into the end zone as give the Tigers a 6-0 lead.
Stratford’s next possession ended with an interception in the end zone, but after a three-and-out by the Indians, the Tigers needed just three plays to find pay dirt again.
Schillinger had a 16-yard run on the final play of the first quarter, and on the first play of the second, Raife Smart raced around the right end for a 32-yard touchdown. Kainoa Gouveia added a two-point run to give the Tigers a 14-0 lead.
The Tigers pushed it to 21-0 when Kale Weisenberger hauled in a pass and raced 34 yards for another touchdown with 1:16 to go in the half.
Schillinger’s interception return ended Weyauwega-Fremont’s opening drive of the second half, and a sack by Kaden Griesmer ended the next drive. The Tigers scored again when Weisenberger took a short pass that was nearly intercepted and used his speed to explode down the left sideline for a 64-yard score, making it 34-0.
Schillinger added a 1-yard touchdown run early in the fourth quarter to finish the scoring.
Beau Gross finished with 91 yards rushing and Schillinger added 81 for the Tigers, who racked up 232 yards on the ground.
Vanderhoof finished with 127 yards passing, 98 to Weisenberger on the two long touchdowns.
“Elijah Lucio started last week (at receiver) and broke a toe, so we shut him down this week and Kale stepped right in and played like a senior, like he’s been playing all his life,” Tubbs said. “Kale did a great job, scored twice and had him open a third time.
“Colten and Beau are two potent running backs. We’ve just got to figure out ways to get them the ball.”
Stratford plays at Spencer/Columbus Catholic (2-0) next Friday, Oct. 9, at 7 p.m. The game will be live-streamed at zaleskisports.com/live-sports and we will have full coverage here at MarshfieldAreaSports.com.
Tigers 41, Indians 0
Weyauwega-Fremont 0 0 0 0 – 0
Stratford 6 15 13 7 – 41
First Quarter
S – Max Vanderhoof 7 run (pass failed), 7:59.
Second Quarter
S – Raife Smart 32 run (Kainoa Gouveia run), 11:51.
S – Kale Weisenberger 34 pass from Vanderhoof (Colten Schillinger kick), 1:16.
Third Quarter
S – Schillinger 47 interception return (run failed), 8:31.
S – Weisenberger 64 pass from Vanderhoof (Schillinger kick), 5:20.
Fourth Quarter
S – Schillinger 1 run (Schillinger kick), 9:01.
Team Statistics
First downs: Weyauwega-Fremont 7; Stratford 11.
Rushing (att-yards): W-F 23-21; S 37-232.
Passing (comp-att-yards-int): W-F 12-20-73-1; S 5-10-127-2.
Total yards: W-F 94; S 349.
Fumbles (total-lost): W-F 4-2; S 2-0.
Penalties (no.-yards): W-F 4-30; S 4-20.
Punting (no.-avg.): W-F 6-25.7; S 1-39.0.
Individual Statistics
Rushing: W-F, Max Meyerhofer 15-54, Muluken Rucks 1-9, Quinn Dittmann 7-minus 42. S, Beau Gross 11-91, Colten Schillinger 10-81, Raife Smart 1-32, Kainoa Gouveia 6-22, Braeden Schueller 2-6, Dillon Kirsch 2-0, Max Vanderhoof 5-0.
Passing: W-F, Dittmann 12-20-73-1. S, Vanderhoof 4-9-113-2, Kirsch 1-1-14-0.
Receiving: W-F, Jacob Doede 5-47, Parker Gruskreutz 2-24, Rucks 2-9, Meyerhofer 2-minus 2, Connor Delwiche 1-minus 5. S, Weisenberger 2-98, Gross 2-28, Schillinger 1-1.
Fumble recoveries (defense): S, Schillinger, Darin Heeg.
Interceptions (defense): W-F, Doede 2. S, Schillinger.
Punting: W-F, Dittmann 6-25.7. S, Tristan Wirkus 1-39.0.
Records: Weyauwega-Fremont 0-2 overall and Central Wisconsin Conference Large Division; Stratford 2-0 overall and Central Wisconsin Conference Large Division.