Dogs Dominate M-O Voting In Coleman’s second of two non-conference games, a 33-16 loss to Oconto, sophomore halfback Mitch Champagne showed signs of promise with 76 yards on just seven carries.
That was enough for Cougar coach Tim Gould to shift the shifty scatback into the starting line-up, and he immediately paid dividends with 271 yards and four scores on 18 carries in a 34-12 win over Laona/Wabeno.
That was just the beginning of a remarkable season for Champagne, who was named the M & O Conference’s back of the year in a league-wide vote, edging out conference champion Peshtigo’s featured back, Mack Dura.
Champagne, who was a first-team selection on both offense and defense, finished with 23 touchdowns on the season, nine more than Dura, while racking up 1,079 yards on just 99 runs, a 10.9 yard per run average. He also had three interceptions defensively in league play.
It was Champagne’s elusiveness and big-play ability that helped the young Cougars finish second in the league behind undefeated Peshtigo.
“A quiet kid, good student,” Gould said of Champagne. “A team player (who) just wants to win.”
The Bulldogs were well represented on the first team (10 selections overall) and had the league’s lineman of the year in Michael Berth, a first-team selection on both the offensive and defensive line.
Peshtigo coach Sam Komp had plenty of praise for Berth, saying the senior “loves contact. Outstanding at pulling for our off-tackle power plays. A real natural football player.”
Berth was a unanimous choice as the lineman of the year in the league after leading the offense and defense in Peshtigo’s unbeaten conference season.
Junior D.J. Koronkiewicz was also a first-team selection on both sides of the ball, while the only two unanimous choices in first-team balloting (Jeff Gardon and Cody Nelson) were also Peshtigo players.
Gardon, the league’s first-team choice at quarterback, started for three years at Peshtigo and “was especially effective throwing the deep ball”, according to Komp, in the league’s most balanced offense.
Gardon was also a second-team choice as a defensive back.
Nelson, a junior linebacker/fullback, was a first-team pick at the linebacker position and was a second-team choice as a fullback.
“Devastating tackler,” Komp said of the 6’2”, 205-pound steamroller. “Hits with great force. Should be a tremendous player for us next year.”
Standout senior athlete James Meeks was a first-team selection again on offense as a wide receiver, while doubling up as a first-team defensive back.
Komp said Meeks has “tremendous athletic ability, great quickness and speed,” and that he “competed for the ball very well and made many outstanding plays.”
Meeks caught 13 passes for 290 yards and five scores, while teammate Collin Terry, another first-team choice, had 10 receptions for 320 yards and four scores.
Komp commented on Terry’s route-running ability and “superb hands.”
The other first-teamer from Peshtigo was Dura, who was second in the league with 825 yards rushing on 112 runs. He also scored 13 touchdowns.
Dura, a first-team choice last year, gained a good chunk of his yards after contact, according to Komp.
Dura was also a second-team linebacker for the Bulldogs.
To go along with Champagne’s honors on both sides, the Cougars also had two-way first-teamers Mitch Kuchta and Troy Stillings, who both repeated in getting first-team laurels on both sides of the football.
Kuchta was selected as the league’s top tight end and also as a linebacker, even after missing some time due to a hand injury.
Stillings was a first-team guard and defensive lineman for the league runner-up Cougars.
Gillett’s Nick Krause and Wausaukee’s Jake Wszelaki were also named to the first-team offense and defense.
Krause was the third running back selected to the team and was also a selection as a linebacker, and the big boy Wszelaki was a first team lineman both ways.
Suring standout Chad Strehlow was a first-team linebacker and second-team tight end on the Eagle team that narrowly missed the playoffs with a 3-4 league record.
Gillett’s Casey Witt was the other first-team defensive player (defensive back, tied for league lead in interceptions), while Zack Otto of Lena/STAA was the other offensive choice (line).
Titan kicker/punter/quarterback Zach Klister was the league’s top kicker and punter.
The second-team defensive line was made up of sophomore Craig Huberty of Lena/STAA, Vince Nejedlo of Crivitz, Gillett’s Jared Rhode and Suring’s Josh Steadman.
Rhode was a second-teamer on the offensive line as well for the Tigers, who finished in third place with a 5-2 league mark.
Joining Dura on the second-team linebacking corps is Dustin Ermis of Suring, Chad Heise of Lena/STAA and Drake Kaley of Coleman.
Heise was also a second-team choice as a running back for the 4-3 Titans.
Suring’s Ryan LaMarre, despite missing the second half of the season due to a broken leg, was a second-teamer as an offensive and defensive back.
LaMarre was the sixth-leading rusher in the league (513) yards, despite rushing just 55 times. He averaged 9.3 yards per carry before being injured.
Lena/STAA’s Victor Duffrin was the other choice as a second-team defensive back.
The Wausaukee passing game was honored as the second-best behind Peshtigo, as quarterback Brett Edlbeck and receivers Jason Schlies and Rudy Krueger controlled the second-team voting.
Edlbeck had the most passing yards in the league (907) and threw for nine touchdowns, five of them going to Schlies and two to Krueger.
The second-team offensive line was made up of Rhode, Coleman’s Jordan Zeitler, Suring’s Ryan Paulick, Clay Dudkiewicz of Crivitz and Paul Belongia of Lena/STAA.
Five sophomores were honorable mention choices, two each coming from Crivitz and Coleman.
Crivitz was represented by Jon Kersten and Richard Fullerton, while Jacob Engels and Kollin Long were honored for Coleman.
Gillett sophomore Logan Christensen and senior Keith Ladwig were honored, as well as Lena/STAA seniors Tom Beschta and Joey Brostowitz, Peshtigo seniors John Skuja and Shawn Oestreich, Suring senior Mitch Jensen and junior Neil Dickson, and Wausaukee juniors Cutler Lewandowski and Spencer Elias.
Komp was named the district 6 Coach of the Year, while Wszelaki was a selection to his respective all-district team.
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