Medford football tabbed by media to win GNC

The last time the Medford Raiders won the Great Northern Conference title was the COVID-shortened 2020 season. While the Raiders have made the playoffs in each of the three subsequent three seasons, they have been unable to shake the title of conference bridesmaid. 

That could change this year. 

In a GNC that’s experienced a lot turnover and new teams, the Raiders are the constant in the eyes of the media, which picked Medford as this year’s champions in the GNC Football Media Poll — a joint effort of the Northwoods River News (Rhinelander) and The Lakeland Times (Minocqua) that canvasses those who follow the conference on a regular basis.

Three-time defending conference champion Mosinee checks in at No. 2 followed by three other returning playoff qualifiers from the GNC last year — Antigo, Lakeland and Rhinelander. Tomahawk and Wausau East, the two newcomers to the conference this season, tied for sixth in the survey with Merrill predicted to finish eighth. 

This year’s panel consists of Northwoods River News sports editor Jeremy Mayo, Lakeland Times sports writer Brett LaBore, Scott Walbeck of WATK-AM and WACD-FM in Antigo, Star News (Medford) sports editor Matt Frey, Great Northern Conference statistician Gregg Scott, Steve Okonek of Sports OnFocus and Alex Koch of WJJQ AM/FM in Tomahawk.

Medford, which received five of the seven first-place votes, is poised to climb back to the top of the conference this year under the direction of Ted Wilson in his 19th season with the Raiders. Medford is led by last year’s top rusher in the league, Paxton Rothmeier, who is complimented by a pair of returning first-team all-conference players in the secondary in Evan Paul and Evan Wilkins. 

The Raiders do have some question marks, however, with young offensive and defensive lines. Their selection at No. 1 was not unanimous. Mosinee received a pair of first-place votes. Though the Indians bid farewell to playmaker Keagen Jirschele — who was both offensive and defensive player of the year in the GNC last season — quarterback Gavin Obremski and others, there’s still plenty of talent remaining. Mosinee returns a two-way all-conference first teamer in Jackson Lindell, along with six other all-conference recipients. 

Behind the top two, the conference seems to be wide open again, like it was last year when the league had six teams make the WIAA playoffs. The Robins bring back a road-grading lineman in Gordon Lucht and may air it out more than in years past with senior quarterback Colton Thomae landing on the preseason watchlist for the Dave Krieg Award, presented to the state’s top senior signal caller. Lakeland will look to build on the momentum it started to build last season when it won its final five regular season games to make the WIAA playoffs. The T-Birds figure to lean on last year’s runner-up for the conference rushing title, Noah Bruckner. Rhinelander brings back a number of all-conference players on the defensive end of the ball as it looks for its fifth playoff trip in the last five years. 

Tomahawk and Wausau East replace Ashland and Hayward in the GNC this season following the latest round of football conference realignment from the WIAA. While the Hatchets and Lumberjacks are the new kids on the block, don’t be surprised if they make some noise this year. Tomahawk qualified for the WIAA playoffs out of the Northwoods Conference last year and returns a number of skill position players. Wausau East returns three all-conference players as it comes in from the Valley Football Association. 

Even though Merrill went winless in the regular season last year, the Bluejays could easily take a step forward as well with nine starters returning on offense and six on defense. 

The prep football season kicks off tonight and, in the GNC, there will be several teams squaring off against old conference rivals. Rhinelander hosts Ashland and Lakeland welcomes Hayward to Minocqua to begin the year. Tomahawk will face old Northwoods conference foe Crandon and Antigo will host Northland Pines, which was briefly in the GNC for football when the conference was first created in 2008. 

Medford and Mosinee will get strong road tests at Holmen and Stratford, respectively. Merrill travels to Osceola and Wausau East will host Westby. 

If the media pundits are correct, the race for the conference title will go all the way down to the final week of the regular season as Medford travels to play Mosinee Oct. 18.

Jeremy Mayo may be reached at [email protected].