BY MIKE WARREN
CONTRIBUTING WRITER

MARSHFIELD — Jason Tubbs and his seniors are going out on top.

The Stratford Tigers on Nov. 21 wrapped up their third consecutive WIAA state high school football championship, with a 21-6 win over Wrightstown at Camp Randall Stadium. The win gave the Tigers their record-setting tenth state title, as they completed a perfect 14-0 season for Head Coach Jason Tubbs, in his 12th and final year leading the Stratford football program. Tubbs is stepping down with an overall record of 119-25.

Using a ball-control offense and a smothering defense, the Stratford Tigers dominated the Wrightstown Tigers from start to finish, in their Div. 5 title tilt in Madison.

Two-time defending Div. 6 champion Stratford, who moved up a division this season because of the WIAA’s new Competitive Balance Rule, was in the championship game for the 12th time in pursuit of its membership-leading 10th state title.  

Wrightstown, last year’s runner-up, was pursuing its fourth championship in the Tigers’ fifth state championship game appearance. They won state championships in each of its two Div. 4 appearances in 2006 and 2011. The Tigers also captured the Div. 5 championship in 1998.

The Wrightstown Tigers, who outscored their four playoff opponents by a combined average of 30 points per game, managed just a single score against Stratford.

The Stratford Tigers, coming off a dramatic, 26-25 come-from-behind win in their state semifinal game with Prairie du Chien a week earlier, had outscored their opponents by an average of 42-10 during the regular season.

On a rainy, windy and cold day when points were hard to come by, the Stratford Tigers did the next best thing – play keep-away. Stratford held the ball for over 30 minutes, versus just over 17 minutes for Wrightstown, whose high-scoring, high-powered offense was held to just 208 yards on 39 plays.

Both Tiger teams opened the game by going 3-and-out. Wrightstown did so again on its second possession. Stratford did not.

Instead, the Tigers – this season’s CWC-Large champions – used a 13-play, six-minute drive to cover 91 yards, scoring on an eight-yard touchdown run on the first play of the second quarter by senior quarterback Jack Tubbs, his 13th of the season.

On their next possession, the Tigers of Wrightstown turned the ball over on an interception by Jett Schoenherr at the Stratford 10-yard line. But the defending champs went 3-and-out and punted.

On the second play of their ensuing drive, the Wrightstown Tigers landed their only scoring punch of the game – a 61-yard touchdown run by quarterback Trevor Vande Hey. Stratford’s Xander Curtice blocked Wrightstown’s PAT attempt, giving the champs a 7-6 lead with 7:04 remaining in the second quarter.

Stratford then did what champions do – respond. The Tigers used 10 plays to cover 58 yards, scoring on a 4-yard Jack Tubbs lob pass into the end zone, which was brought down by Coltan Breit with a defender in tight coverage.

Wrightstown punted on its next possession and Stratford took a knee to end the first half. To start the second half, they put their foot on the throat.

With a heavy dose of Brooks Vanderhoof running the ball, the Tigers used nine plays to cover 73 yards, 56 by Vanderhoof, who capped off the scoring march with a 1-yard touchdown plunge into the end zone with 7:12 on the third quarter clock.

Getting the ball back at its own 36-yard line, Wrightstown started moving the ball down the field. Gains of 12, 11 and 9 helped the Tigers reach Stratford’s 21-yard line. But the drive ended abruptly after two runs which lost three yards and two incomplete passes by Vande Hey. The failed assault took 4:25 off the clock, playing right into Stratford’s hands.

And in that spirit, the Tigers used up nearly six minutes on nine plays, on a drive that ended with a punt, but now left Wrightstown still trailing by 15 with just 8:48 left on the clock.

Starting at their own 13-yard line, Wrightstown used ten plays to cover 70 yards. But on a 4th-and-8 from the Stratford 11-yard line, Vande Hey made a critical mistake. Forced from the pocket and now rolling to his right, Vande Hey seemed to forget the situation and threw the ball away before going out of bounds. The Tigers had just turned the ball over on downs.

But Stratford’s Tigers quickly went 3-and-out and Wrightstown had the ball once more, now with just 3:11 on the clock.

On the first play from his own 33-yard line, Vande Hey dropped back and uncorked a long pass which was intercepted by Stratford’s Alec Chapel, who returned it 33 yards to the Wrightstown 22-yard line.

After Schoenherr and Vanderhoof gained 11 yards on three carries while picking up a 1st down, the Tigers brought in lineman Carter Lueck, who ran the ball 7 yards and ran the remaining time off the clock.

The three-peat was complete.  

Vanderhoof had a big day, with 24 carries for 139 yards and a touchdown. Tubbs tallied 15 rushes for 95 yards and a score. He also completed all five of his pass attempts for 31 yards and a touchdown. All told, the Tigers tallied 286 yards on 55 offensive plays from scrimmage.

One of the unsung heroes of the game for Stratford was Brady Berg, who launched four punts for 161 yards – a 40.2-yard average, repeatedly pinning Wrightstown deep. His longest punt of the day traveled 53 yards.

Curtice and Chapel each had four solo tackles to lead the Stratford defense. Curtice also recorded the only two quarterback sacks of the game.

Stratford’s defense also held highly-touted Wrightstown running back Aiden Humphreys to a mere 43 yards on ten carries. Heading into the championship matchup, Humphreys had rushed for over 1,400 yards and 24 touchdowns, while averaging 101.5 yards per game.

The Stratford Tigers are now the first program in Wisconsin history to reach 10 state championships. The Edgar Wildcats and St. Mary’s Springs of Fond du Lac have won nine. Kimberly has won eight. Lancaster and Waunakee are next on the list with seven. Arrowhead, Homestead and Monroe have each won six titles. Catholic Memorial, D.C. Everest, Menomonie and Osseo-Fairchild each have won five.

Edgar leads the WIAA membership in title game appearances with 15. Arrowhead, Darlington and St. Mary’s Springs are next with 13. Stratford and Waunakee follow on the list with 12. Lancaster has 11 appearances, and Kimberly and Catholic Memorial have 10 apiece.

The Tigers have now three-peated in three-peating. They won six straight titles, all coming in Div. 6, from 2003-08. They also won the Div. 5 crown in 1986. Stratford recorded runner-up finishes in Div. 5 in 2018 and 2019.