September 1, 2022 at 2:57 p.m.
Looking to right the ship
GNC opener to provide fresh start for winless Hodags, Oredockers
Looking to right the ship
"We're 0-0 (in the conference). We have the opportunity to continue to fight toward the playoffs. It's brand new beginnings for us and a fresh start," Hodag head coach Aaron Kraemer said. "We're excited about how our players responded and excited for the game tonight."
The effort to bounce back, and a potential march to a fourth straight WIAA tournament appearance, begins tonight for the Hodags as they host an Ashland Oredocker team that has found itself in a similar position.
Rhinelander comes in 0-2 with losses to Tomahawk and Denmark. The Hatchets validated their Week 1 win by beating Lakeland 36-29 on a last-minute touchdown last week. Denmark, a Level 3 playoff team from last year, rolled an injury-riddled Hodag team 42-0 in Week 2.
Similarly, Ashland comes in 0-2, with blowout losses to Northwestern and Hurley squads that made it to Level 3 of WIAA playoffs last year.
"They're a team that's played two tough teams, just like we did," Kraemer said. "I'm sure they've learned a lot of lessons from those first couple games. Now we get the opportunity to have them here."
Rhinelander has won the last three in the series against the Oredockers, including a 36-18 win to close out the regular season last year. The Hodags are looking to avoid their first four-game losing streak since 2018 which, coincidentally, is the last time Ashland defeated Rhinelander.
The Hodags are also looking to avoid their first 0-3 start since 2013.
Kraemer said the buzzword for the team this week has been "trust."
"What I'm urging all of our team to, and I would urge the community to do the same thing, is we've got to start by responding and taking a moment to pause, see where we're at and respond accordingly," he said. "This week has simply been about trust - our kids being able to trust themselves in the positions that they put themselves in, to trust that their teammates are going to do what's best for them and do their job and then trust the system that's in place and the stuff we've been working on for the last x-amount of weeks and trust the process. Everything happens for a reason and the two lessons we were given the first week and the second week from Tomahawk and Denmark, we want to use those lessons to move us forward rather than work against us."
Here are five storylines to watch entering tonight's game.
Trainer's room
Starting safety and H-back Kaleb Winter (knee) was injured during the opening kickoff last Friday night when he was tackled low by two Denmark players in the open field. He will not play tonight and was set to undergo further evaluation Thursday to determine exactly how much time he will miss.
"You can't really replace Kaleb Winter," Kraemer said. "You can't. Just as a person, he's the type of kid that's been out at practice every single day for the middle school and helping out coaching. He's a terrific kid and a great leader. Obviously, my heart breaks for him since he's already lost some games in his high school career due to a knee injury (as a sophomore). Signs are hopeful though that he may be able to come back later in the season. He said to me (Monday) night, 'There's no question whether or not I'm going to play, it's can I play.' If he's able to play and gets the go-ahead, I know he'll be there and we'll welcome him back with open arms."
Senior Trayton Brzycki stepped in once Winter went down last week. The team is looking at a number of different options to fill that role tonight.
"It's the next guy up and what makes me feel better about that situation is that Kaleb is such a good coach, and such a good mentor," Winter said. "He's going to put his arm around whoever it is that's taking that spot, he's going to put his arm around and make sure they know what they're doing and that they feel supported."
Starting inside linebacker Landon Bates (leg) is questionable for tonight after leaving in the first quarter of last week's contest. Reid Schultz (knee) and Payton Campbell (cramps) are in line to play after leaving in the second half of that game. Brenden Eckrich (groin) is probable after checking out of last Friday night's game late.
Sneaky offense
While Ashland has scored only two touchdowns during the first two weeks of the season, the offense has moved the ball decently, averaging 5.2 yards per carry and 83 passing yards per game.
The Oredockers run triple option and some variations out of a double-wing look. Wingbacks Ethan Petersen (18 carries, 117 yards), and Laken Villaverde (11 carries, 49 yards) have seen the bulk of the touches, along with fullback Hunter Chenier (13 carries, 41 yards).
Additionally, Ashland has a big-play threat on the outside in Marcus Kruzan, who earned second-team honors in the GNC last year. He's averaging 30.2 yards per catch through two games, including Ashland's only score last week, a 60-yard reception in the first quarter.
"They're a team that, offensively, they want to utilize their athletes and while they do pack you in they utilize a toss, an outside veer and a counter play that utilizes the athletes that they have," Kraemer said. "They're going to look to utilize that this week. They had some success against those teams offensive so, defensively, we have to make sure we do the little things right."
Senior quarterback Ty O'Bey has struggled through two games, going 7 for 18 for 166 yards and four interceptions.
Get on track
It stands to reason that one unit - either Rhinelander's offense or Ashland's defense - will have a bounce back game tonight.
The Hodags have struggled offensively through two games. The team has scored only one offensive touchdown, is averaging 156 total yards per game and only 3.1 yards per carry. Ashland, meanwhile, has allowed 789 yards of offense and 71 points through two games this season.
The Oredockers, who used both 4-3 and 5-3 looks against Hurley last week, have been torched on the ground so far. Ashland comes in allowing 311 rushing yards per game and 7.6 yards per carry. That's something Kraemer said the Hodags look to take advantage of tonight.
"They played two physical teams in Northwestern and Hurley that utilize misdirection, utilize the run game to beat you and pound you," he said. "When I look at what our offense can do, we're strong in the middle and we can run the football against them and have success."
Testing depth
Both sides figure to have a number of guys playing both ways tonight. Ashland has eight two-way players starting. With the exception of O'Bey, all of its skill position players and three of its offensive linemen also start on the defensive side of the ball.
Chenier and Petersen received all-conference honors on defense last year and are two of Ashland's leading tacklers through four games.
Rhinelander is still trying to two-platoon as much as possible, but injuries and other personnel decisions will likely result in more Hodags going both ways tonight. Owen Kurtz gets the call at defensive end in an effort to shore up a run defense that's allowing 6.8 yards per carry.
"You'll see some of the familiar faces from the offense coming onto the defense - the Owen Kurtzes of the world - coming to play a little more defense than he has the past couple of weeks," Kraemer said. "He can fit right in and he can play a role of helping us keep players off these young linebackers."
The road to four
Rhinelander and Ashland are predicted to finish in the middle of the conference. The Hodags were picked tied for third and the Oredockers fifth in the GNC Media Poll. Given that, and given that both teams come in 0-2, this week is likely critical for both teams to set an easier path to four conference wins, which would be enough to clinch a playoff berth at season's end.
As Hayward showed last year, a 3-4 conference record can be enough to make it as one of the final few teams in the overall field of 224, but both Rhinelander and Ashland would likely be hindered by their overall record if it came down to being on the bubble for one of the final playoff spots.
While Kraemer admitted that's in the back of his mind, step one is taking care of Ashland tonight.
"If we win three games, and that's the case where we're on the bubble, we put ourselves in a position to be on the bubble. If we win four, we're thankful to get in, Kraemer said. "We can focus on that all day, but I just want to focus on the one game we have to play against Ashland this week. They're a tough team and they've got a great coach and I consider them to be very much like Tomahawk. They have a great coach and, sometimes, the talent swings, but I think they're a tough outfit and we've got to focus on them."
Jeremy Mayo may be reached at [email protected].
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