Coleman Overcomes Slow Start To Clobber Crivitz; Rangers Roll Past Titans

With just one regular season game remaining on the M-O Conference calendar, the league leaders registered routs. But it wasn’t easy.

Thanks to six turnovers, talented Coleman (8-0, 6-0) overcame a slow start to roar past visiting Crivitz 62-16 and clinch a share of the league title.

The Cougars owned a 56-16 after three periods and survived a 276 yard aerial show by Crivitz southpaw quarterback Alec Garcia in the lopsided win. While the Wolverines had their way with the Coleman secondary through the air, the running game struggled and was limited Crivitz to a minus 25 yards.

“We played a ready Crivitz team as they made some plays on both sides of the ball to keep things interesting throughout. It was the best that I have seen Garcia throw the ball and his receivers made some plays for him. Defensively they changed fronts enough that when our players weren’t talking, they created stops. And they did it for four quarters. It was a game we needed to be honest,” Coleman gridiron boss Jeff Bronson explained.

While first place Coleman remained unbeaten, Wausaukee kept its hold on second place with a 36-14 win over visiting Lena-STAA. The Rangers (7-1, 5-1) got rolling early racing to a 36-6 halftime lead and never looked back.

Elsewhere in league play, Peshtigo stayed in playoff contention with a 47-7 hammering of Suring while Gillett ripped Menominee Indian in a crossover game 42-14.

Cougars Force 6

Turnovers To Whip

Wolverines 62-16

The unbeaten Cougars struggled early before regrouping and cruising to their 6th straight conference win with a 62-16 whipping of Crivitz Friday night.

The Cougars saw the upset-minded Wolverines knot the score at 8-8 in the opening quarter before taking advantage of six turnovers to turn this affair into a rout. The Cougars picked off 5 passes, including a pair by Jake Engels while recovering a fumble.

On the flipside, Coleman was penalized 7 times for 73 yards and turned the ball over twice.

“For us to get to where we want to be though, we need to clean some things up. We cannot afford to have the penalties and turnovers if we want to get out of the first round in the playoffs. We also need to execute better on both sides...had too many assignment errors upfront offensively. Defensively we need to finish plays. Simply catch the ball or knock it far enough away where the receiver cannot catch it. There were times that I felt we were back last year guarding the pass. I had hoped we had progressed past that,” Bronson said. “Offensively when we didn’t shoot ourselves in the foot, we moved the ball. It is the second game in a row where two backs were over 100 yards. So we still are doing something right.”

From the Crivitz sideline, coach Jeff Ott thought his troops played the league’s top team tough. “Our kids played pretty well, scored two touchdowns but knew we couldn’t run the ball against Coleman. We did have success throwing it, but their defensive backs are tough. After a couple of penalties, they backed off a bit and our receivers did a nice job catching the football.”

The ball hawking Cougar defense caused plenty of problems for the Wolverines, sacking quarterback Alec Garcia 4 times and coming up with 5 interceptions.

“We are lucky our quarterback is still standing...sacked 4 times and ran for his life a couple of more times,” Ott added. “ I thought our kids played pretty physical and are starting to hit their stride, but we only have one game left. I was really proud of our kids because we battled the best team in the conference for almost 48 minutes.”

The Cougars dominated the stat sheet by a 465-251 edge, including 449 yards rushing and six touchdowns on 51 rushes.

The one-two backfield punch of Mitch Champagne (16-172) and Mitch Mergener (14-169) gave the Wolverine defense all kinds of trouble combining for 4 touchdowns. Champagne busted loose on scoring runs of 60, 3 and 14 yards while Mergener scooted 21 yards to paydirt.

Quarterback Jake Engels enjoyed a huge game on both sides of the ball. The Coleman signal caller rushed 4 times for 39 yards and a teedee, connected on 1 of 4 passes and a touchdown, picked off two passes and returned one for a score while recording a safety.

The Coleman defense did bend giving up 251 total yards to Crivitz, including 276 passing but a minus 25 rushing. Crivitz quarterback Garcia found the mark on 13 of 41 passes with two touchdowns and 5 interceptions. Parker DeLoSantos hauled in 5 balls for 90 yards, Ben Fischer 3 for 102, Jon Kersten 3-30, Jed Nelson 1-43 and Cody Wolf 1-11.

Coleman needed just 46 seconds to register their first of 8 touchdowns. After kicking off to Crivitz, the Cougars got the ball back when Kollin Long fell on a fumble at the 40. Champagne went the distance on the first play from scrimmage and added the conversion run for an 8-0 lead.

Crivitz got even on its next possession as Garcia directed a spread offensive set with 4 receivers and burned the Coleman secondary with some pinpoint passing.

Garcia hit Kersten for 14 yards, DeLoSantos for 23 before hooking up with a leaping Cody Wolf for the 11 yard scoring toss. Staying in the air for the conversion, Garcia and DeLoSantos connected for the 8-8 deadlock.

The remainder of the half belonged to Coleman by a 24-0 margin. Sticking to the ground on their next possession, Coleman took the lead for good when Engels capped a 65 yard drive with a 2 yard run. Champagne added the conversion run for a 16-8 score at the end of period one.

Coleman tacked on two more scores in the second frame to open up a 32-8 halftime lead. Engels played a key role in both touchdown plays. With Crivitz backed up deep in its own territory, the Cougar linebacker picked off a Garcia pass and rambled in from 5 yards out. Mitch Mergener tallied the conversion run. Following another Crivitz turnover, Engels hurled a 16 yard scoring pass to Mergener and Champagne converted the two point run.

The third quarter provided plenty of offense as Coleman padded the cushion to 56-16.

The Cougars opened the quarter with 16 straight points as Mitch Mergener bolted 21 yards and registered the conversion, Champagne blasted his way into the end zone from 3 yards out while Engels recorded a safety for the comfortable lead.

There were still time for two more scores. Crivitz got back on the board when Garcia hooked up with Fischer from 34 yards out and Wolf snared the two point pass. With the clock ticking down, Champagne reached the end zone for the third time and Engels added the two point run.

With the mercy clock in motion, the lone touchdown in the fourth quarter came on an one yard sneak by reserve quarterback Trevor Seewald.

With no shot at the playoffs, Crivitz will close out M-O play Friday night hosting rival Wausaukee at 7pm.

“I’m excited about Friday’s game because it is a big rivalry with Wausaukee. It is also Piggly Wiggly night and the atmosphere will be loud with the hopefully big crowd. Wausaukee is a good skill team and they are going to get their yards. We have to make sure the yardage is first downs and not touchdowns,” Ott said.

Coleman will head to Laona-Wabeno in a crossover clash to close out conference play.

“Our last game, we know that Laona-Wabeno will throw everything they have in the cabinet against us. Double passes and potentially another team that will throw the ball over 40 times since they need to win to get into the tournament. We need to continue to work and have confidence that the players will be where they need to be,” Bronson said.

2nd Quarter Blitzing

Sends Wausaukee

Past Titans 36-14

Erupting for 28 points in the second quarter sparked the Rangers to a 36-14 win over Lena-STAA Friday night.

The Rangers never trailed in the conference clash, but did see the Titans close within 8-6 in the opening quarter. After that it was all Wausaukee in a big way thanks to 3 turnovers, including a pair of interceptions.

“The game was similar to many games that we have played this year. We were able in the first half to establish a good balance with our run game and passing game. We were also able to capitalize on all three of their turnovers in the first half with touchdown drives. Our offensive line continues to play well, which allows us to utilize all of our skill positions,” Wausaukee coach Pat Edlbeck said.

According to Edlbeck, the Rangers weren’t as sharp in the second half, but did manage to hang on for the win.....“we have been disappointed with our second half output in recent game. We are going to have to play more consistently as we play a vastly improved Crivitz squad this week and enter the WIAA playoff format the following week.

Forcing the Titans to punt on their first drive, the Rangers registered points with a 7 play, 65 yard scoring march.

Quarterback Brett Edlbeck hit Beau DeLaet for passes of 20 and 7 yards while Cole Lewandowski busted loose on runs of 14 and 13 yards. The teedee came with 6:59 left in the first quarter as Lewandowski reached paydirt for the first of his 3 scores on the night. Edlbeck tacked on the conversion run for an 8-0 lead.

Not to be outdone, the Titans answered on the ensuing kickoff with a 12 play, 71 yard scoring drive. It was strictly a nickel and dime affair with the two longest plays being a 9 yard run by Dom Ramirez to the Titan 47 and a 31 yard pass to Craig Seefeldt to the Wausaukee 10. Four plays later Seefeldt found the comforts of the end zone from 5 yards out (2:57). Ramirez was stopped short of the end zone on the conversion run for an 8-6 score.

The Rangers ran into trouble on the kickoff as DeLaet was separated from the ball at his own 34. Lena-STAA recovered and marched to the Ranger 8 before watching Ramirez get stopped short of a first down on a big defensive stand.

Taking over in the shadow of their own goal post, the Rangers moved the length of the field in 13 plays to extend the lead. Edlbeck connected on 4 passes, including a 32 yard scoring strike to Ryan Nystrom with 6:25 left in the half. Lewandowski was denied the end zone on the conversion run for a 14-6 edge.

Turnovers then took over as Wausaukee capitalized on three straight miscues for a comfortable 36-6 halftime cushion.

Corbin Mosher recovered a fumble on the ensuing kickoff at the Titan 25. Four plays later the Rangers were in the end zone as Lewandowski scored from 7 yards out (5:29). The key play in the drive was a 15 yard aerial connection from Edlbeck to Nystrom down to the 7. That same duo hooked up on the conversion play for a 22-6 spread.

The Titans troubles continued on the next possession as Nystrom picked off a Ramirez pass intended for Landen Maccoux at the Ranger 36. It took the Rangers 11 plays to reach the end zone with Lewandowski scooting in from 18 yards out (1:30). Aaron Schlies grabbed the conversion pass for a 30-6 Ranger cushion.

With time winding down in the half, Lewandowski picked off a Titan pass and raced 27 yards to the 30. Four plays later Nystrom hauled in his second teedee toss from 17 yards out (0:11). Edlbeck missed Schlies on the conversion pass for a 36-6 halftime lead.

After a scoreless third quarter, the Titans tacked on a consolation teedee with 2:19 remaining as Craig Huberty plowed in from a yard out. The scoring run capped a 10 play, 67 yard drive. Huberty carried the ball 7 times for 63 yards, including dashes of 21, 16 and 12 yards. Ramirez added the conversion run for that 36-16 final score.

Lewandowski enjoyed a huge night with 16 carries for 113 yards and 3 touchdowns, one reception and an interception. Edlbeck added 5 rushes for 35 yards, Hunter Nystrom 4-29 and DeLaet 5-21.

In the passing department, Edlbeck completed 14 of 27 tosses for 153 yards and two scores. DeLaet caught 7 passes for 68 yards and Ryan Nystrom 4-67.

“Lena-STAA played a hard fought game under difficult circumstances. After falling behind in the first half, I thought they outplayed us in the second half. The fact that they battled until the final gun is a testament to their character and that of their coaching staff,” coach Edlbeck concluded.

Gillett Wins Big In

Crossover Clash

Gillett (3-5, 2-4) left no doubt on the field Saturday at Menominee Indians as they cruised to a 42-14 crossover victory.

The Tigers used big plays in the running and passing attacks in the rout.

The ground game accounted for five touchdowns.... Brad Mueller scampered in from 55 and 20 yards, Kyle Ladwig on runs of 5 and 2 yard runs, while T.J. Carlson added a 45 yard touchdown run in the second quarter.

Ladwig paced the rout with 92 yards on 13 carries and Mueller tallied 73 yards.

Ben Rehn triggered the aerial attack, hitting on 2 of 3 passes for 79 yards, including a 65 yard scoring strike to Logan Christensen in the second quarter.

Gillett held a comfortable 35-zip at the halfway point.

Menominee Indian netted two fourth quarter rushing touchdowns.

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