October 14, 2021 at 8:23 a.m.
Pigskin Preview Week 9: Rhinelander at Ashland
Plenty at stake for Hodags, Oredockers in regular season finale
Pigskin Preview Week 9: Rhinelander at Ashland
Mosinee's 41-14 win at Medford last Friday ensured that the Hodags must win, and get some help, if they want to claim their first conference title since 1989. Yet both Rhinelander and Ashland will have plenty to play for tonight.
Even if the Hodags don't win the Great Northern Conference, a win tonight gets Rhinelander to 8-1 and increases the team's chances of playing host next week when the WIAA playoffs get underway. Ashland, meanwhile, is in a must-win situation following a 60-40 loss last Friday at Lakeland. The Oredockers are trying to get to 3-4 in league play and have a shot at one of the handful of at-large spots available for the WIAA playoffs.
"It is a test for us to get rolling into the playoffs," Hodag coach Aaron Kraemer said. "We see Ashland as one of the top teams in our conference. So, it offers us a challenge before we get into the playoffs against a team we think is worthy of the playoffs and, if we have our say, we want to try to keep them out and not have to play them again."
The Oredockers likely would not be fighting for their playoff lives had they not been forced to cancel games against Antigo and Mosinee due of COVID-19 concerns. Prior to last week's loss, the Oredockers had posted back-to-back wins against Merrill and Hayward to get into postseason contention.
Because of that, Kraemer says he expects a desperate Ashland team tonight.
"You might as well throw everything in the playbook at it and if it works, it works and if it doesn't, it doesn't, but at least you've exhausted all of your options," he said. "I think it's one of those games because it's the last game of the season for them if they don't win."
Rhinelander bounced back last week following Week 7 loss at Mosinee. A 42-0 victory over Merrill was just what the doctor ordered as the Hodags look to regain their swagger entering the playoffs.
"Our guys stood up to the challenge against Merrill," Kraemer said. "Merrill, for what it's worth, they had some big guys. Looking at film, I thought they were going to be able to move the football on us. Defensively, we stood up and stood strong, another shutout for us this season."
Here are five storylines going into tonight's contest.
Fixing the flaws
Forty-two points and 397 yards of offense indicate that the Hodag offense got its groove back against Merrill after being held out of the end zone the week prior at Mosinee. However, there are still some things the Hodags need to clean up, offensively.
Rhinelander committed a season-high three turnovers in the contest, including two Jacksen Smith interceptions as the team was more liberal in the passing game than it had been in recent weeks. The Hodags were also flagged 11 times for 105 yards in the game - with two of those penalties negating what would have been long scoring touchdowns for Cayden Neri.
Over the last two games Rhinelander has been penalized 21 times for 165 yards. Against Mosinee, the infractions were generally procedural - false start, offsides, illegal formation, etc. Against Merrill the Hodags had six flags for illegal blocks.
Kraemer said he was more concerned of cutting down the mental mistakes than the physical ones.
"I think there were things we need to take care of this week as far as removing our hands from backs, repositioning our hands and driving our feet, but I was proud of the way our guys blocked on Friday," he said. "Those penalties, sometimes they happen. Different crews call them different ways. Sometimes they just happen based on proximity to the player but, looking back at film, I thought our guys blocked really, really well."
Scoring bonanza
Ashland comes in on the losing end of the most prolific offensive battle in Great Northern Conference history. The Oredockers racked up 444 yards of offense, scored six times and still lost by 20 at Lakeland in what was the highest-scoring game ever in league play.
That's mainly because Ashland's defense was torched by Brayden Wiczek and the Lakeland passing game to the tune of 429 yards and five touchdowns. The T-Birds also scored three times on the ground and returned a fumble for a score early in the fourth quarter.
"They gave up quite a few deep passes on Friday. That might be something we look to exploit," Kraemer said. "I've watched them against Medford. I've watched them against Merrill. I've watched them against Hayward and it seemed like they were good against the run and they struggled against the pass. Things for us to think about as we build our game plan this week."
A "Good" running game
Senior Parker Goodreau ran for 146 yards and two scores last week against Lakeland. Despite Ashland missing two conference games, Goodreau is currently ranked third in the GNC with 583 yards and eight scores in league play.
"Parker Goodreau is a good football player and one that deserves a lot of credit for what he's been able to do this season," Kraemer said. "On film, when you look at him run the football, he's as physical as you see in the Great Northern."
Ashland's offensive may be the most balanced in the conference in a pistol spread attack. Quarterback Kade Jolma was 10 of 22 passing for 257 yards with four touchdowns and two interceptions last week. Cody Lustig was on the receiving end of five of those completions for 157 yards and two scores. Marcus Kruzan added three catches for 88 yards and a score and is Ashland's top receiver overall on the season, averaging 26.9 yards per catch.
Welcoming Weikal
Though the jaunt up to Ashland is the longest road trip Rhinelander has faced this season, Kraemer and the Hodags have plenty of good memories at Weikal Field. Rhinelander defeated Ashland 20-12 there in 2017 in what was the first GNC victory for then-head coach Chris Ferge. Kraemer was the offensive coordinator on that staff.
Two years ago, in Kraemer's first year as head coach, Rhinelander won 16-12 at Ashland in the final week of the regular season to clinch a WIAA playoff berth. Overall, Rhinelander has won two straight and three of its last five contests in Ashland.
"It carries a special value in my heart to play there and I hope our kids enjoy it as well. I hope they enjoy the trip with each other," Kraemer said.
Playoff posturing
Rhinelander should learn who it plays in the playoffs by sometime tomorrow afternoon as the WIAA uses a computerized seeding formula for the first time to determine matchups after the playoff field is set late Friday night.
According to current unofficial projections by WisSports.net, Rhinelander could be in a Division 3 grouping with Mosinee (7-1), Rice Lake (6-2), New Richmond (6-2), Medford (4-4), Onalaska (4-4), and Waupaca (3-4).
A number of variables could change. Big Rivers champion Menomonie is currently projected to be the second smallest team in Division 2. Should a couple of larger schools sneak into the field tonight, the Mustangs may slip to D3 and would likely be in the grouping, vying for one of the top seeds. Four GNC schools - Ashland, Hayward, Lakeland and Merrill are all 2-4 in conference play, and could be among those vying for one of the final playoff spots with a win. Lakeland plays tonight at Hayward while Merrill hosts Medford.
Regardless of what happens, an 8-1 Hodag team will have a better case for a top-four seed and a home game next week.
"There's a good chance that we can get into the top four and have a home playoff game," Kraemer said. "Playing at home is a privilege and it would be amazing to have another home game. But, at the same time, being in the playoffs is a great feat too. At 8-1 if we didn't have a home playoff game would we be upset? Yeah, we would be upset but, at the same time, we get the chance to play for a state championship and we're going to go out and do everything we can to try to realize that goal."
Jeremy Mayo may be reached at [email protected].
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