August 18, 2011 at 2:28 p.m.
Glass half full for Hodags
RHS football team enters season with more optimism
Glass half full for Hodags
By Jonathan Bailey-
Despite finishing last season 3-8 and getting outscored 229-83, Moore and the rest of the Hodag football team have set their sights and goals extremely high for the upcoming season - a Great Northern Conference championship.
"In the past we've always talked about the difficulties and the struggles," Moore said. "We've decided to change our tactic and just try talking to the team about playing for a conference championship. We've talked about training like a champion, practicing like a champion and playing like a champion."
The majority of the team has bought into that attitude, putting in a lot of hard work during the offseason and in practices and scrimmages the past few weeks. Much of the credit has been directed to the leadership shown by senior team captains Kyle Comer, Nate Crabb, Mitch Ives and Joey Mixis.
But in order to be successful record-wise the team must parlay that hard work and attitude onto the gridiron, something that Moore believes is possible due to an improved defense and an offense that continues to get better and learn new things.
"I think we're going to play extremely good defense," he said, when asked what will be the biggest difference from last season. "We have a really good linebacking core with above average quickness. We've got some good people in front of them too, so I think the defense will be creating some opportunities for our offense and I also think they will do some scoring."
The optimism in part comes from the fact that Rhinelander will be entering its second season playing a 3-5-3 scheme, something implemented by defensive coordinator Blaine Obey. In its first season under the new system the team allowed an average of 322 yards per game and just over 25 points per contest, both vast improvements from 2009.
Making up the linebacking core this season figures to be juniors Kody Knapp, Dylan Wilmot and senior Tom Fredericks. Comer and Crabb will comprise the stack backers, while Mixis and senior Travis Sunnarborg are expected to start at the two corner spots.
Senior Sam McKenzie and junior Josie Shaffer are penciled in as the defensive ends with junior Terry Apfel slotted to play nose tackle. Senior Darrel Lafferty has the strong safety position, with junior Richard Klaver second on the depth chart.
Offensively, the Hodags plan to utilize more of the twins formation, which they ran successfully in 2008. Twins is a system that has two wide receivers split to one side and a tight end on the other. It is designed to spread out the opposing defense, something that last year's primary formation, the Power I, did not accomplish as the team rushed for an average of just under four yards a carry.
Moore is hopeful that the twins will open up more holes for senior quarterback Kyle Comer, who missed all but five quarters of last season with an injury, and senior running backs Joey Mixis and Nate Crabb. It will also open up the passing game, which has been a minimal part of the Hodag offense over the past several years.
Josh Shoemaker is slated to start at the flanker position, while Darrel Lafferty and Dylan Wilmot will vie for the slot. In the twins formation system, Levi Haskins and Sam McKenzie will split time at tight end.
The offensive line to start the season will be comprised of senior tackle Mitch Ives, junior tackle Josie Shaffer, senior guard Tom Fredericks, junior guard Kreig Padley and sophomore center Bryce Bilogan.
Moore said the Hodags' biggest weakness is the lack of depth at offensive line and that their success may hinge on if they can stay healthy.
Comer will assume kicking duties this year with Ben Franson also figuring to get opportunities. Punting will be done by Cody Knapp, while Mixis and Lafferty will return kicks.
If Rhinelander hopes to achieve its lofty goal of winning its first conference title since 1989 and only its seventh since 1934, it will have to improve drastically against GNC foes Lakeland, Antigo and Merrill. Last year, those three teams humiliated RHS 109-0.
Those three games come in consecutive weeks for the Hodags, with the Antigo contest being homecoming. Moore said that there would be nothing better than both teams being undefeated when they meet for Gene Shepard's Bell.
Rhinelander, which had successful scrimmages last Saturday against Wausau East, Antigo and Lakeland, opens its season tomorrow night at home against non-conference foe Hortonville.
Following that game, the Hodags will go on the road for three straight contests before coming home for three in a row.
While Moore said he doesn't pay a ton of attention to the schedule, he mentioned it was strange how it worked out and that it's quite nice considering that the locker room facilities won't be done until the second or third week of September.
Tomorrow night's game against the Polar Bears is slated to kickoff at 6 p.m., an hour earlier than usual to allow Hortonville to get home at a more reasonable time.
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