Varsity football weekly update
By Paul Lecker
Sports Reporter
The high school football season has turned past the halfway mark and will continue with Week 6 this Friday and Saturday.
Auburndale (4-1, 3-1 Marawood Conference) has a bye this week and plays next at Pittsville on Oct. 3.
Meanwhile Stratford and Marshfield hit the road, and the Spencer/Columbus Rockets will play in Marshfield on Saturday afternoon for Columbus Catholic High School’s homecoming game.
Here is a look at the Week 6 games and a look back at last week’s results.
Marshfield Tigers at Wisconsin Rapids Raiders
Game time: 7 p.m. Friday
Site: South Wood County Field, Wisconsin Rapids Lincoln High School
Records: Marshfield 2-3, 1-2 Valley Football Association – South Division; Wisconsin Rapids 1-4, 0-3 VFA South.
Radio: WDLB-AM 1450 and wdlbwosq.com.
Last week: Marshfield ended a two-game losing streak with a 48-28 win over Oshkosh West last Friday at Beell Stadium. Quarterback Derek Coffren threw for 267 yards and a school record five touchdowns in the win. He also rushed for a team-high 95 yards. Kegan Fassler led the receivers, catching eight passes for 167 yards and three touchdowns. Marshfield allowed 422 yards passing but picked off seven passes. Wisconsin Rapids lost its third-straight game, falling 35-7 at home to Hortonville.
This week’s matchup: The run-heavy Rapids offense will be a challenge for the Tigers’ defense. Marshfield has allowed 1,100 yards rushing in its three losses. Jayson Wiernik leads the Raiders with 260 rushing yards in four conference games. Rapids gave up 446 total yards to Hortonville, 325 on the ground.
Stratford Tigers at Chequamegon Screaming Eagles
Game time: 7 p.m. Friday
Site: McDonald Field, Chequamegon High School, Park Falls
Records: Stratford 3-2, 2-1 Marawood Conference; Chequamegon 3-2, 2-2 Marawood Conference.
Last week: Stratford gave up an early touchdown and was unable to recover, losing 18-7 at Edgar in a battle of the Marawood Conference’s last unbeaten teams. Stratford was held to 131 total yards and just 41 yards on 34 rushing attempts. The Tigers’ defense was stout, giving up only 182 yards, but 62 came on a touchdown pass in the first quarter that gave Edgar a lead it would not relinquish. Chequamegon blasted Pittsville 31-6 last Friday.
This week’s matchup: Stratford faces the top running offense in the Marawood. Chequamegon averages 186 rushing yards per game but throws rarely as they have only 35 passing yards in four conference games. Stratford is just fifth in total offense this season but ranks second defensively, giving up only 158 yards a contest. Chequamegon quarterback Shane Wakefield has completed just 7 of 24 passes and thrown six interceptions.
Eau Claire Regis Ramblers at Spencer/Columbus Catholic Rockets
Game time: 1 p.m. Saturday
Site: Beell Stadium, Marshfield Middle School
Records: Eau Claire Regis 4-1, 3-1 Cloverbelt Conference; Spencer/Columbus 4-1 overall and in Cloverbelt Conference.
Radio: WDLB-AM 1450 and wdlbwosq.com.
Last week: Spencer/Columbus racked up 467 yards rushing as it rolled past Cadott 60-14. Mitch Susa ran for 181 yards on just eight carries and scored four times on runs of 48, 30, 31, and 6 yards. Tyler Voda added 118 yards on the ground, and Noah Zastrow and Austin Post each returned interceptions for scores for the Rockets. Eau Claire Regis rolled to its fourth-straight victory, 42-7 over Colby.
This week’s matchup: Regis relies heavily on a run game that has produced five different players with more than 100 yards rushing this season and a number of big plays. Eleven different Ramblers ran the ball last week for 450 yards on just 29 carries. Tommy Cicha had 107 yards rushing on only six carries and scored on runs of 30 and 65 yards. Spencer/Columbus will have to be in top form again on defense. The Rockets have allowed just 80 yards rushing per game this season. They also have been on a roll offensively, going for more than 225 yards a game on the ground.
Auburndale Apaches – Bye
Record: 4-1 overall, 3-1 Marawood Conference.
Last week: Quarterback Wyatt Weiler ran for 111 yards and scored twice, Jake Lewis had 119 yards rushing and two scores, and Matt Nikolay added two rushing touchdowns and 57 yards receiving for the Apaches, who rolled past Fall Creek 46-14 in a nonconference game.
This week: Auburndale has a bye after its originally-scheduled nonconference game against Mosinee was cancelled. The Apaches return to action Oct. 3 at Pittsville.
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