October 24, 2022 at 10:23 a.m.
Four Hodags garner All-GNC football honors
Four Hodags garner All-GNC football honors
Junior Owen Kurtz received first-team honors as an offensive lineman, and second-team recognition as a defensive lineman. Seniors Kaleb Winter, Conner Jensen and Finn Tulowitzky all received honorable mention.
The All-GNC team was voted on by the conference's eight football coaches during a meeting in Tomahawk on Wednesday.
Despite missing the final 3 1/2 games of the season with a shoulder injury, Kurtz led the Hodags with eight tackles for loss this season. His 22 total tackles ranked seventh overall on the team. He was also a key member of the offensive line over the first five games before moving to fullback in a Week 6 contest against Mosinee, where he had 65 all-purpose yards before leaving late in the first half with what proved to be a season-ending injury.
"He only played half of a conference season and did enough in those games that showed out to either coaches on film or the ones that game planned and played against him," Hodag football coach Aaron Kraemer said. "We even talked about the impact he made as a fullback when we played against Mosinee. Coaches noticed him. As his coach, I noticed that, at times, he was the best player on the field. He's just the type of kid that really does earn everything that he gets. I use the word deserve for him because he works really, really hard and when you put the time in that he does and the effort that he does, and you're the type of person that he is, he really does deserve this recognition regardless of how long he played."
Winter and Jensen also received all-conference nods despite missing multiple GNC games due to injury. Winter received honorable mention as a safety and Jensen as an offensive lineman.
Winter was initially feared lost for the season after sustaining a knee injury on the opening kickoff of a Week 2 game at Denmark, but returned in Week 5 and recorded 21 tackles on the season while seeing more snaps than expected on the offensive side of the ball once the Hodags lost tailback Payton Campbell for the season due to an upper leg injury.
"It says a lot that Kaleb was selected as a honorable mention," Kraemer said. "He'll be the first one to tell you that after his injury, he took a small step back. He's a little bit slower off the mark and he had to work super hard to work to where he was comfortable with the knee in practice and in games. He showed out defensively. He was a ball-hawking safety and he came to play all year. Really, for him, it's a body of work award, too. When you're the type of person and leader that Kaleb is, that's something he's earned throughout his career and a guy that had to step up through injury last year. He's just a consummate teammate and someone that I'm very proud got that award."
Jensen anchored the Hodag offensive line at the center position before he sustained torn ligaments in his knee in practice prior to Rhinelander's Week 7 game at Medford.
"Conner, it just stinks, because you get to the final weeks of your senior year and you can't play because of an injury," Kraemer said. "But, as far as body of work is concerned, coaches saw enough on film to mention him as one of the best in the conference and he certainly earned that as well. He's just a great kid and someone that we'll certainly miss in our program."
Kurtz, Winter and Jensen are all two-time all-conference recipients. Kurtz was a second-team recipient on the offensive and defensive lines in 2021. Jensen was a second-team offensive lineman and Winter received honorable mention at defensive back last year.
Tulowitzky earned All-GNC honors for the first time, receiving honorable mention at tight end. He finished with six catches for 72 yards from his tight end position during the season. He also caught a two-point conversion in a Week 8 loss to Merrill.
"Finn, setting the edge for us as a tight end, he earned those honors and I'm proud of what he was able to accomplish his senior year," Kraemer said.
Because Rhinelander finished tied for sixth in the league standings, Kraemer was limited in the number of players he could nominate for all-conference awards. He said he also put up Tulowitzky and senior teammate Carter Krueger for honors at outside linebacker, as well as senior Tyler Morrison on the offensive line, but they did not receive enough votes from the rest of the conference coaches to earn honorable mention. Coaches are not allowed to vote for their own players.
"To me, they're all-conference players at that level and, if I had the option, they would be there," Kraemer said.
Mosinee's Davin Stoffel was voted both the offensive and defensive player of the year in the GNC. Mosinee head coach Kyle Stoffel took home coach of the year honors.
Winter, Eckrich named WFCA All-Academic
Winter and senior wide receiver Brendon Eckrich were further honored by the Wisconsin Football Coaches Association Thursday, earning academic all-state awards. To qualify for the academic all-state awards, players must be senior varsity letter winners who have a cumulative grade point average of 3.75 or higher.
"Both of these young men have been committed to both academics and athletics as long as I've known them," Kraemer said. "From sixth grade onward, it's been clear to me that they have committed to excellence in many aspects of their school experience. Very proud of their accomplishments. They both earned and deserve this recognition."
Jeremy Mayo may be reached at [email protected].
WEATHER SPONSORED BY
E-Editions
Latest News
E-Editions
Events
August
To Submit an Event Sign in first
Today's Events
No calendar events have been scheduled for today.
Comments:
You must login to comment.