Pigskin Preview Week 6: Rhinelander at Antigo

Plenty of seasons over the last century plus of Rhinelander High School football have revolved around if the Hodags could beat their arch-rivals in maroon and gray to the south. 

This year, in the 90th playing of the Bell Game and the 103rd meeting all-time between Antigo and Rhinelander, the Hodags’ season may literally be in the balance.

Coming off a stunning last-second loss last week at Tomahawk, a victory over Antigo may be critical if Rhinelander has a shot of clinching a spot in the WIAA playoffs come season’s end. With GNC-leading Medford looming in the final four-week stretch to end the regular season, the path to get the three additional wins required to guarantee a playoff berth — or even the two needed to be eligible for one of the final remaining spots in the field of 224 — likely requires a win over the Red Robins this evening in Antigo. 

After last week’s 21-14 loss to the Hatchets, coach Aaron Kraemer said the blow knocked his team to the canvas. On Monday, he reiterated that the Hodags have to beat the 10-second count and come back fighting.

“The season doesn’t stop for us when bad things happen. There’s no choice but to respond,” he said. “That’s been the mantra this week. That’s what our plan is. That’s our goal, to fight back and there’s no other big test of your fortitude than playing against a rival away in a position where it’s a must-win game for us, if we have aspirations of going to playoffs.” 

Antigo, which knocked off Tomahawk in overtime two weeks ago, comes in off its own smarting loss —blanked at home 31-0 by Merrill last Friday night. That put the Robins in the same boat as Rhinelander, sitting at 1-2 in the GNC. 

Though Antigo has already lost to Medford, its path to postseason eligibility could also likely hinge on a victory this evening. 

That’s the backdrop as the teams fight for the right to ring the bell that once adorned the boat of hodag myth creator Eugene Shepard. The teams have been playing for it since 1935 in one of the longest-standing rivalries in Wisconsin high school football.

“Every time you get a chance to play for a prestigious trophy, one of the longest-running rivalries in the state of Wisconsin, anytime you get to be a part of that and play for that trophy, that’s always going to be a big game,” Kraemer said.  

Here are five storylines going into tonight’s game.

Avoid the swoon

If the Hodags are going win tonight, they’re going to need to do something they have struggled to do under Kraemer — win late in the season. Throwing out the COVID-shortened 2020 season, Rhinelander is 7-17 in games contested on Week 5 or later since Kraemer took the helm in 2019. Rhinelander went winless over the final five games in 2022 and was just 1-5 last year following a 4-0 start. 

Kraemer said part of what this year’s Hodags need to do this year to avoid a similar fate is block out the extra ramifications riding on each game — be it a trophy, homecoming or playoff implications — and simply go out and play football.

“We have to take it at a much more micro approach,” he said. “We’ve got to win one, we’ve got to move on. We’ve got to win one, we’ve got to move on. That’s the big thing. We have to focus on that and once that happens, and we take more of a micro approach to what we’re doing week, that’s what’s most important. 

“When we put our minds to the smaller pieces and we begin to have fun, that’s when football becomes a lot easier. I think over the last couple of years, as the season went on, it became about we’ve got to make the playoffs and it becomes less about we’ve got to start having fun as a football program.”

Ironically, losses to Antigo in Week 5 each of the last two seasons started the Hodags’ downward spiral. A win over Antigo tonight would go a long way to putting last week behind Rhinelander and setting up a strong finishing push.

“That’s what I have to instill in our players — don’t let the loss beat you twice and let’s get back to having fun, that same fun we had the first two, three, four weeks of the season. It’s not always about winning. It’s about playing the sport that you love,” Kraemer said. 

Trainer’s room

All of that could be easier said than done, given where the Hodags sit on the health front entering this week. Not only did the Hodags lose offensive and defensive lineman Caden Sieker to a shoulder injury during the second quarter of last week’s game, tight end and defensive end Bo Stott suffered what’s feared to be a potentially season-ending leg injury when he was tackled for a loss on an ill-fated screen pass during the fourth quarter of the contest. 

“The heartbreaking thing for Bo is he had such a great game, especially defensively,” Kraemer said, noting that Stott had eight tackles, including three for loss, against the Hatchets. “Then late in the game, to have that happen for you. That could possibly be a season-ender. That’s difficult to swallow. I know for him he’s going to bounce back. He’s got a lot of meaningful snaps ahead of him. I know he wants to play college football. He certainly can do those things with the abilities he has.” 

As of Monday, Kraemer had not completed ruled Sieker out of tonight’s contest.

“For Caden, we’re hoping we can get him back as soon as we possibly can,” Kraemer said. “He’s a big part of our future, moving forward and has played great defensive line the last two years and we need him back.” 

Battle up front

Rhinelander slid Leander Sprecksel from left guard to left tackle in Sieker’s absence and inserted sophomore Gage Anderson in at the guard spot. Junior Evan Shoeder is expected to see more time at tight end in Stott’s absence. 

On the defensive side, the Hodags platooned Sprecksel, Anderson, Dom Hakala, Landon Webster, Marshal Durkee among others on the line for Sieker and Stott. Kraemer said his was pleased with the way the replacements played on both side of the ball in their absence and they will likely be challenged tonight against an Antigo team that is big on both sides of the ball. 

Antigo features four players on the roster who check in at 290 pounds or larger, but the Robins’ lines are anchored — literally and figuratively — by 5-10, 260-pound senior Gordon Lucht. He was on the watchlist for the Joe Thomas Award, given to the state’s top senior offensive lineman, and is tied for the team lead with four tackles for loss.

“Gordy Lucht is a guy that I admire on their team,” Kraemer said. “He’s a really strong blocker and he’s very, very strong defensively as far as extension and the way that he plays down the line of scrimmage. He’s a guy I respect unbelievably as a player. We’re going to have to put two, three guys on him, get bodies on him so that we can neutralize his threat.” 

The Robins can be beaten on the ground, however. Antigo’s allowing 7.3 yards per carry and Merrill’s Callum Wheeler went off for 224 yards and three scores on just 12 carries against the Robins last week. Kraemer said it will be key to neutralize Antigo’s size with numbers and athleticism.

“We’ve got to do the best we can to get our guys in space,” he said. “We feel we have pretty good athletes that match up against them. Offensively, that’s kind of the goal. We’ve got to match or get numbers to the point of attack and then get our guys in space.” 

Air Antigo?

Quarterback Colton Thomae threw for 387 yards, three touchdowns and five interceptions through Antigo’s first four games. While those numbers don’t sound staggering, he came into last week’s game having already attempted 76 passes on the year — which is seemingly more than Antigo would have in a decade when Gordy Schofield’s Robins dominated the series with the Hodags during the 1960s, ‘70s and ‘80s.

This is a different Antigo offense under Tom Schofield, Gordy’s grandson. While there are plenty of elements of the Tee and Wing-T offense in the playbook, the Robins appear comfortable letting Thomae run the show. He was also the Robins’ leading rusher with 301 yards and five scores through the first four games.

“He’s impressive. Out of the offensive snaps we’ve seen, that’s the most player I think on the whole group. Not to say they don’t have other impressive players, but he really does run the show offensively,” Kraemer said. “The one thing I think is really cool for them is they utilize him as a run and pass threat. They run RPOs with him, slant and bubble, do a good job of allowing him to read the game. Then when he’s out in open space, he’s not only a threat as a runner, but he’s a threat as far as a physical player. He likes to put his shoulder down. He likes to hit. He’s not afraid of that.” 

The air-it-out nature of the offense is evidenced by the fact that 11 different players — including Lucht when lined up at tight end — caught passes over the first four games. Ayden Kaiser is Thomae’s favorite target with six catches for 147 yards and a score. 

In addition to Thomae, Michael Hagerty, Grant Praslowicz and Jayson Arrowood have been the team’s primary ball carriers. All three come in averaging more than 5 yards per carry.

Get there early

Fans coming to Schofield Stadium tonight will likely want to arrive early as there will be limited seating available for the contest. 

Tom Schofield, who is also Antigo’s activities director, confirmed to the River News this week that the old stone and concrete bleachers, — where the majority of fans sat on the stadium’s north side — were recently condemned. There are some metal bleachers for seating on the south side of the field, adjacent to Antigo Middle School. Otherwise spectating will be standing room only along the fence surrounding the field.

Jeremy Mayo may be reached at [email protected]. 

WEEK 6 AT A GLANCE

WHAT: Rhinelander at Antigo

WHEN: 7 p.m., Friday, Sept. 27

WHERE: Schofield Stadium, Antigo

WEATHER: Partly cloudy, 70 degrees, winds E at 5 mph

RECORDS: Rhinelander 3-2, 1-1 Great Northern. Antigo 3-2, 1-2 Great Northern

LAST WEEK: Rhinelander lost to Tomahawk, 21-14. Antigo lost to Merrill, 31-0.

LAST MEETING: Antigo 24, Rhinelander 0 — Sept. 15, 2023

BROADCAST: Audio — 101.3 FM/1240 AM/Thegamenorthwoods.com. Video — YouTube (search: AHS Media Productions)