July 25, 2022 at 8:51 a.m.
Crandon comes to Hodag football camp
Crandon comes to Hodag football camp
Rhinelander invited Crandon to camp at Mike Webster Stadium. The Cardinals joined in drills and served as the opposition during team sessions.
It was a reciprocal agreement as Rhinelander's varsity and JV players hopped a bus last Tuesday morning to head over to Crandon to visit the Cardinals.
It was a unique twist to the four-day camp that wrapped up Thursday - an idea hatched by RHS football coach Aaron Kraemer and Crandon head coach Dan Wittman during last spring's Wisconsin Football Coaches Association clinic.
"He said, 'You know, it would be really cool if we can serve each other, help each other out.' It was awesome," Kraemer said. "We were their scout team, so when they were on defense, we were on offense and vice versa and it worked really slick. We competed a little bit. It just upped the tempo, upped the level a little bit. There was a little tension in the air. It was really nice.
"It's not very often the second week of summer camp you get this much intensity. They came here. (We practiced) without helmets, so we went a little bit slower, made sure we didn't get anybody hurt. It's been a good camp and Crandon's been a big part of that."
The Cardinals went 5-5 last year, including a forfeit win against Northland Pines after it folded its varsity program only a couple of games into the 2021 season.
The two programs have some ties. Rhinelander and Crandon used to take part in the same preseason scrimmage. RHS alum and WFCA Hall of Famer Jim Moore served as head coach for both programs - in Rhinelander from 2004-2013 and Crandon from 2015-2017.
For it's part, Crandon said the practices were beneficial.
"Spent 2 of our contact days doing a home and away practice with a neighboring school. Kids had a blast, intensity was up, and was fun to learn from other coaches," the program's Twitter account posted Wednesday evening.
The camp served as the final part of the offseason program, which including weight training and 7-on-7 sessions on Thursday evenings. Kraemer called it a crucial week for a team in transition after graduating a strong senior class that led Rhinelander to an 8-2 record and a runner-up finish in the Great Northern Conference a season ago.
"We're a really young team. So we need to make sure we age quickly," he said. "This is just speeding everything up. Hopefully our seniors are taking note of what their jobs are and what they're supposed to do. We're going to do a lot of leadership stuff early on and a lot of base, defensively, and a lot of our first couple of sets, offensively, until Green & White's over. Then we'll start sprinkling in some of the good stuff and we should be ready for Tomahawk."
Kraemer said he's seen plenty of growth from the squad during the offseason.
"I'm pleased with what we have. I'm pleased with the guys that are here," he said. "I see guys that can step up and move. I see guys that, last year, maybe weren't vocal leaders are now vocal leaders, have better behavior, are doing things we ask them to do with the leadership portion. I think that's really important."
Early in the season, Kraemer said the team will need to lean on the few returning starters the program has - including linemen Conner Jensen, Tyler Morrison and Owen Kurtz, receiver Brenden Eckrich, defensive end Finn Tulowitzky and safety Kaleb Winter.
"I think some of the guys are getting more comfortable in their new positions," Kraemer said. "Some of the guys have already been there. They're the guys that kind of start to lead. They know what they're doing and just bringing everyone along with them."
Additionally, Kraemer said he's been impressed with the leadership of senior running back and outside linebacker Carter Krueger, who will likely see a larger role this year as after the team graduated a pair of all-conference players at the outside linebackers spots - Cayden Neri and Joe Fugle.
"He's been here every single day for 7-on-7 and now, what he's doing is he's stepping up and teaching the opposite Hodag (outside linebacker), which is all I can ask for him. He's doing what he's doing. He's helping the opposite Hodag, helping teach. That's the kind of senior stuff we need. We need more of that helping hand than the dividing hand. He's done a great job and our guys have done a great job."
Equipment handout and the first practice of the season will take place Tuesday, Aug. 2. The team's Green and White Family Day practice will be Saturday, Aug. 6. The Hodags will take part in a scrimmage at Lakeland Friday, Aug. 12 before kicking off the regular season at home against Tomahawk Aug. 19.
Jeremy Mayo may be reached at [email protected].
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