September 6, 2017 at 1:55 p.m.
Ready for the Raiders
Hodags carry momentum into GNC opener at Medford
Ready for the Raiders
The Hodags, fresh off a 28-14 victory over Wausau East, travel to Raider Field in Medford Friday night to take on the Raiders. It will be Rhinelander's first GNC game of the season and the second for Medford, which was upset a week ago at Lakeland.
Rhinelander's win last Friday night snapped a nine-game losing streak and ended a span of 14 consecutive losses for the Hodags in the month of September.
"The kids had a great week last week," Hodag football coach Chris Ferge said. "They deserved it. It's been a good week preparing this week for Medford. Our guys have been pretty solid no matter what. I'm really have been impressed with our guys throughout the year. We really don't get too excited, too high or too low. We want to make sure we're always consistent with our effort and that we're always staying focused in practice."
Now the Hodags will try to snap a 19-game GNC losing skid that dates back to October 2013. Getting a win Friday would give Rhinelander an early leg up in terms of postseason eligibility and would knock Medford (0-3, 0-1 Great Northern) into a precarious spot of having to win three of its final four conference games to become playoff eligible.
Rhinelander will not have to deal with the two-headed rushing monster of Conrad Bolz and Josh Thiede, who tore through the Hodag defense each of the last three seasons, but the Raiders haven't ventured far away from what they like to do offensively. Medford has rushed for 594 yards through the first three weeks of the season, compared to only 95 yards passing.
"We're playing against a very physical team," Ferge said. "We need to make sure we match their physicality. We need to make sure we are taking on blocks the right way, defensively, getting to the ball. Offensively, staying on our blocks. We know we're always giving our guys a chance if we can stay on that extra second."
Ean Wilson and Garrett Hill have formed Medford's new rushing duo, and have combined for just under 500 yards rushing and five touchdowns during Medford's first three games. They run behind a good-sized offensive line that likes to outnumber opposing defenses.
"They're the master of getting in a formation to get an extra player to the hole that they needed, flooding a gap where they feel it's going to be open," Ferge said. "We've got to be very smart in how we lineup and we have to be ready for that. It's about our guys seeing the formations ahead of time, practicing communicating very quickly, determine strength, those kinds of things."
The Raiders certainly ran the ball quite often last Friday at Lakeland - 63 times to the tune of 306 yards. In all, Medford had a two-to-one margin on Lakeland in total plays and yards, held the football for nearly 37 minutes and still lost the game 22-21.
The difference: Medford fumbled five times and committed 10 penalties in the loss.
"They had some false starts that put them in bad spots at times but the fumbles came just at a terrible time - there isn't ever a good time for a fumble," Ferge said. "But they had long drives. They controlled the ball. I don't think they punted very much. On paper, stat-wise they should have won, but those turnovers will always get you. I'm sure they're going to cover up the ball and we won't have as many opportunities as Lakeland had."
Senior quarterback Ben Lindgren comes in 9 of 25 on the season through the air for 95 yards and two interceptions. Cam Wenzel (7-62) and Brady Loertscher (2-33) are the only two players who have caught a pass for the Raiders so far this season.
Medford won last year's meeting with the Hodags 35-7 under an odd set of circumstances. With starting quarterback Logan Freund inactive for the game due to a knee injury, the Hodags were going to put starting wide receiver Owen White at quarterback. That was until he injured his knee in pregame warm-ups, an injury that cost him the first month of the high school basketball season.
Cole Spaulding was pressed into emergency QB duties and then inundated by a relentless Medford blitz.
Ferge said the Hodags will be ready for Medford's pressure this time around and know they will likely face a loaded box following sophomore Drake Martin's 214-yard rushing effort in last week's win over the Lumberjacks.
"It will be a definite challenge for us and our offense," Ferge said of Medford's defense.
Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. Friday at Raider Field in Medford.
Jeremy Mayo may be reached at [email protected].
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