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MarshfieldAreaSports.com
GRANTSBURG – The Stratford defense continued its dominance in the playoffs, allowing just one touchdown late after scoring a TD of its own and the Tigers cruised to a 27-7 win in a WIAA Division 6 Level 3 matchup Friday night at Grantsburg High School.
Stratford (9-2-1) moves on to a Division 6 Level 4 state semifinal against Fond du Lac St. Mary’s Springs (10-1) next Friday, Nov. 11, at Waupaca High School. Springs edged Coleman 21-20 on Friday. The winner will play for a state championship at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison on Nov. 17. St. Mary’s Springs has reached the state finals four years in a row, including in 2018 when it defeated Stratford in the Division 5 championship.
Following a scoreless first quarter, Braeden Schueller capped a long drive with a 1-yard touchdown plunge late in the second quarter and the Tigers took a 7-0 lead.
The score was the first of three in a span of 2½ minutes for Stratford as it took control.
After a three-and-out, Stratford was not content taking over at its own 25 with less than one minute to go before halftime. Schueller hit Ashton Wrensch and Koehler Kilty on a pair of pass plays before connecting with Gavin Leonhardt for a 44-yard touchdown with 32 seconds remaining in the half.
Leonhardt then picked off a tipped pass and returned it 58 yards for another score with eight seconds left to give the Tigers a 21-0 lead going into halftime.
Kilty capped a big night with a 4-yard touchdown run 39 seconds into the fourth quarter before Grantsburg scored on its ensuing drive, the first points the Tigers have allowed in three postseason games.
Kilty was the workhorse, carrying the ball a season-high 39 times for 236 yards for the Tigers.
Stratford was able to run off the final 8 minutes to clinch the victory and move on to Level 4 for the third time in the past five seasons.
Tigers 27, Pirates 7
Stratford 0 21 0 6 – 27
Grantsburg 0 0 0 7 – 7
Second Quarter
S – Braeden Schueller 1 run (Evan Danielson kick), 2:26.
S – Gavin Leonhardt 44 pass from Schueller (kick missed), 0:32.
S – G. Leonhardt 58 interception return (Ashton Wrensch pass from Schueller), 0:08.
Fourth Quarter
S – Koehler Kilty 4 run (kick missed), 11:11.
G – Zach Rombach 10 pass from Aaron Burkman (Alex McCormick kick).
Individual Statistics
Rushing: S, Koehler Kilty 39-236, Gavin Leonhardt 1-12, Conner Weigel 1-9, Payton Glenn 1-3, Braeden Schueller 7-minus 6. G, Trenton Johnson 5-13, Aaron Burkman 6-6, Levi Prusinski 4-5, Silas Prusinski 2-minus 1.
Passing: S, Schueller 7-11-91-0. G, Burkman 13-20-97-1, Johnson 2-4-25-0.
Receiving: S, G. Leonhardt 2-54, Ashton Wrensch 2-24, Kilty 2-minus 4, Glenn 1-17. G, Zach Rombach 5-59, Johnson 5-30, S. Prusinski 3-32, Marcus Michel 1-3, L. Prusinski 1-minus 2.
Interceptions (defense): S, G. Leonhardt.
Records: Stratford 9-2-1; Grantsburg 10-2.