October 23, 2017 at 12:58 p.m.
Kurtz, Martin voted RHS football MVPs
Kurtz, Martin voted RHS football MVPs
Senior Alec Kurtz received the overall team and defensive MVP honors while sophomore Drake Martin was named the offensive MVP during the team's year-end banquet in the RHS commons.
Kurtz led the Hodags with 73 tackles, including 12 tackles for loss, from his defensive tackle position in 2017. Offensively, Kurtz switched from tight end to center this season and helped anchor a senior-laden offensive line.
"Playing center, it's not easy," Ferge said. "He didn't complain about it at all. He did it for the team. He's a competitor and a half. As a defensive lineman he was double-teamed more than anybody. He was the guy the other team feared. He got after it. His motor was tremendous. It looked like he had fun this year."
Ferge credited Kurtz's success to his dedication over the last four years.
"It didn't happen last year. This took a long time for this to happen for Alec and he didn't quit. He continued to believe. He continued to work hard," Ferge said.
Kurtz and the rest of the offensive line helped pave the way for Martin, who had a breakout season as the Hodags' featured back. He averaged 5.0 yards per carry as he rushed for 1,122 yards and eight touchdowns this season - becoming Rhinelander's first 1,000-yard rusher in nine years.
"Having a guy behind them that has the determination to find the hole, the vision, the persistence to continue to pound the rock every single play, no matter what a defense is giving them, that helps an offensive line," said offensive coordinator Aaron Kraemer. "That helps a quarterback. That helps me as an offensive coordinator because it makes it very, very simple for me."
The team handed out two other awards Sunday, presenting its Hodag Awards to seniors Jared Fabich and Cole Spaulding. Ferge said the award encompasses what it takes to be a symbol of, and a strong representative for, the RHS football program.
Both Fabich and Spaulding were captains and two-way starters for the Hodags. Fabich recorded 24 tackles from his defensive end position and started at offensive tackle for Rhinelander. Spaulding was fifth on the team with 44 tackles from his linebacker spot, and caught five passes for 53 yards and a touchdown at tight end.
"I wanted them to be captains," Ferge said. "This year, I felt like we had guys that I wanted them to do it their way. I wanted them to have a great season and I knew that these guys cared about it."
The Hodags finished 3-6 this year, including back-to-back wins over Ashland and Lakeland to conclude the season, which snapped a 23-game Great Northern Conference losing streak.
"Our kids finished, which means everything," Ferge said. "That's how you do it. It meant the world to our staff that our kids were playing their best football at the end of the year."
Jeremy Mayo may be reached at [email protected].
Comments:
You must login to comment.