Pigskin Preview Week 8: Medford at Rhinelander

If not for some self-inflicted wounds, Rhinelander’s loss last week at GNC co-leading Mosinee could have, and probably should have, been much closer than the 41-14 scoreline would indicate.

The Hodags were their own worst enemy at times — committing three turnovers while failing to convert despite getting into the red zone on each of their first two drives. Rhinelander was also penalized nine times in the contest and allowed too many explosive plays on defense — eight of 15 yards or more. 

Sitting at 3-4 on the season and just outside the Division 3 cutline with two weeks remaining in the regular season, Hodag head coach Aaron Kraemer said getting a key win and getting the team back to the playoffs for the first time since 2023 will boil down to better execution, beginning tonight as the Hodags entertain Medford on homecoming night at Mike Webster Stadium.

“Those are all were could’ves, would’ves, should’ves, and you can’t continue to look at the game that way of what could have happened. You have look at the game and say ‘This is what happened and how do we fix it?,’” Kraemer said. “That’s kind of the discussion we’ve had with our players this week.”

Kraemer said wisdom has been the keyword for his team as it tries to beat Medford for the first time since 2021. In particular, Kraemer said the Hodags addressed the penalty situation after last week’s game in which the team was assessed a pair of 15-yard personal fouls. The first was for taunting on Sam Zwaard’s long kickoff return in the first quarter and the second was an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for language on a Treve Stoffel touchdown run at the end of the third quarter. 

Kraemer called the penalties, “outside of the realm of the character of this program,” and said players and coaches alike need to do a better job of staying collected in the moment. 

“This is something that we have to continue to work on and own it. We have to own responsibility,” he said. “I think the guys that did owned it, and they believe and they understand where they went wrong. I think, what’s hard for me, is to accept the fact that maybe I was seeing a little bit of red before the game. I got a little bit hot and I take responsibility for that, too. You get excited about the football game and you try to get kids motivated. And I think that motivation turned into more about the other team and less about us, which is not characteristic of myself, so I own that too.”

Rhinelander will face a Medford team that, despite losing three of its last four contests, has been in every game its played so far in the GNC. That includes last week when it led GNC co-leading Tomahawk in the third quarter before allowing 16 unanswered points in a 24-14 loss.  

“I think this is going to be a close game this week, too, and I think that we’re going to be in a situation where we have to play a mentally-tough game,” Kraemer said. “We have to use our wisdom in situations that maybe are difficult. And so that’s what we’re focusing on this week as a team.” 

Here are five things to know about tonight’s contest.

Playoff implications

It’s no exaggeration to say that this game may be a must-win for both teams in terms of their playoff chances.

Rhinelander dropped to 33rd in the unofficial Division 3 playoff standings released Monday night by Madison Edgewood coach Andy LeVoy, who helped craft the playoff formula the WIAA is using to determine the postseason field for the first time this year. Even though Medford (2-5) has won one fewer game than Rhinelander, the Raiders are inside the cutline at 27th —riding the strength of, and Tier 2 points from, a 20-18 win at home over Lakeland (5-2) in Week 5.

Both teams face tough Week 9 matchups — Rhinelander at Merrill (5-2) and Medford at home against Mosinee (5-2), so a win tonight would buy the victor some needed insurance going into next week.

Medford — a team that won the GNC last year and made it to Level 3 of the WIAA state tournament — is trying to avoid missing the playoffs for the first time since 2014.  

“They are a team that expects to make the playoffs. Last year, they were fighting for a conference championship and so they obviously are going to want to come in here and spoil our homecoming,” Kraemer said.

Kraemer called Medford’s record deceiving, based on a number of circumstances. Following a tough non-conference schedule, the Raiders routed Antigo 51-18 before committing six turnovers in a 20-16 loss at Merrill in Week 4. Second-half woes have been Medford’s issue the last two weeks. They were outscored 24-2 against Wausau East and 24-6 against Tomahawk.  

“I’m looking at the Medford team as just as good as the teams that they’ve always had,” he said. “That record is maybe a misnomer. When you look at the teams that they’ve played and you look at the games that they’ve played, they have been in every single game that they’ve played so far this year — especially in the Great Northern Conference.”  

Injury report

    Rhinelander’s Ben Olson carries the ball into the end zone for a touchdown during the third quarter of a GNC football game at Mosinee Friday, Oct. 3. With a number of his backfield teammates battling through injury, more load may fall this week on Olson, who is second on the team with 345 rushing yards and three touchdowns. (Bob Mainhardt for the River News)
  

The Hodags have a number of question marks at key positions going into tonight — mainly at running back and defensive line where the statuses of Cyrus Leisure (knee), Sam Zwaard (groin/concussion protocol) and Myles Eagleson (wrist), Caden Sieker (shoulder) and Travis Trickey (shoulder) were all up in the air as of early this week. 

Kraemer indicated that Zwaard and Trickey would likely be on track to play this week, barring any setback. The same could be said, in a limited capacity, for Eagleson who has been out since Week 2. Things were less certain after Leisure and Sieker both appeared to reaggravate prior injuries. Leisure is the Hodags’ leading rusher on the year while Sieker has come on as of late, recording four tackles for loss, a sack and a fumble recovery in Rhinelander’s last two contests. 

“Obviously, we’re up in the air about what Caden is, and he’s an impact player for us. Of course we want him to play, but at the same time, I always say it, this is more about your life and being able to pick up your child later on in life — and for him playing at the next level is very important,” Kraemer said. “And so we want to make sure that we’re not putting him in a situation of compromise, and it’s the same thing for the rest of our players. We know that they want it, we know that they care a ton, but at the same time, we want to make sure that they’re doing so in a healthy way.” 

Medford offense

While the Raiders graduated Paxton Rothmeier, one of the leading rushers in the state a season ago, they are still a run-first outfit that his led by a trio of backs — senior Sawyer Elsner (85 carries, 405 yards, 6 TDs), sophomore Will Wojcik (75-520-3) and junior Carson Ingersoll (52-281-2). 

As has been Medford’s staple in the past, they will use multiple different formations in an effort to gain leverage and outman defenses at the point of attack.

“For us, it’s about understanding that if they want to get bodies to a space, we have to get there quickly too, and we have to be tough at the point of attack and like I said, get the ball down quickly,” Kraemer said. “Because if we don’t get the ball down quickly or we miss, and you’re putting a lot of bodies in those areas, that’s when people squirt out and they make big plays.”

Nick Krause has been Medford’s quarterback much of the season, in the traditional sense. He’s passed for 224 yards with three touchdowns and three interceptions. Junior Cash Thums has called the signals some when the Raiders have employed a wildcat look and the Raiders used sophomore Dylan Frey last week in passing situations. He completed 5 of 12 passes for 27 yards. Wojcik is Medford’s big play threat in the receiving game. He’s has all three of Medford’s touchdown receptions and is averaging 22.3 yards per catch.  

Medford defense

Medford entered last week in the middle of the road in the GNC defensively — fourth in total defense (267.0 yards per game), No. 3 against the run (130.8 ypg) and No. 6 against the pass (136.3 ypg).

Medford’s three linebackers in a 5-3 formation lead the way in tackles — Elsner (45.5 tackles, 4.5 TFLs, 0.5 sack), Luke Klapatauskas (41 tackles, 6 TFLs, sack) and Thums (25 tackles). 

Parker Hill has 3 1/2 sacks on the season from his defensive end position and is tied for the team lead with 6 TFLs. Junior Forest Hartl is another strong run-stuffer with 3 1/2 TFLs on the year. 

Kraemer said yards will have to be earned against a hard-nosed Medford defense — which comes back to the Hodags’ onus this week of not beating themselves.

“We understand that when we’re on offense, it has to be execution. That’s what’s killed us the last couple of weeks,” he said. “Medford’s a great team. And just like Mosinee, if you don’t execute against them, you’re not going to have success. That’s very simple.” 

Handling homecoming

Rhinelander’s focus has been tested this week with homecoming and all the extra-curriculars that go along with it. 

Kraemer said it is important for his players to enjoy the week of festivities, but remain focused on the task at hand — which is tonight’s main event.

“People are going to remember that Friday night football game when the community comes out for support and watches us playing against Medford,” he said. “I think that’s the most important thing. I want them to enjoy it, and I want them to have fun with their community and with their school, but at the same time, we have a job to do, and so when we’re together, we have to do everything we can.”

Rhinelander’s last homecoming win came in 2021, when it defeated Antigo 42-0 in the 88th playing of the Bell Game. 

Jeremy Mayo may be reached at [email protected].