Stratford impresses in "group of death"

CENTRAL WISCONSIN - When the World Cup soccer draw is announced every four years, there is always talk of the "group of death" for the most difficult four-team grouping.

An argument could be made that terminology applied to the WIAA Division 5 eight-team grouping that featured two-time defending state champion Amherst.

Included in that grouping were Stanley-Boyd, Spencer/Columbus Catholic, Bonduel and Stratford and their combined four losses. Four of those teams were ranking among the top eight in the latest Wisconsin Football Coaches Association poll.

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The lone exception was Stratford  which had to hit the road for an opening round matchup with Bonduel.

The perceived slight fueled the Tigers, who made an emphatic statement with a 42-19 drubbing of the Bears on Friday night.

"Absolutely, we were motivated," Stratford coach Jason Tubbs said. "We're a 2 seed anywhere else except for the (grouping) they sent us in. I don't know if the WIAA wants to get some new people to the party or what.

"Give our guys credit. They kind of played with a chip on their shoulder tonight right from the first set of downs."

The only two losses for Stratford came by a combined 17 points against a pair of unbeaten teams in Stanley-Boyd and Edgar.

The Tigers showed they're going to be a force to be reckoned with not only in the grouping, but in the entire postseason. Bonduel was physically overmatched in every facet Friday.

It began when the Tigers' defense opened the scoring with a 40-yard fumble return for a touchdown by linebacker Luke Barten.

And it continued when Stratford had possession of the ball. Kade Ehrike, Teddy Redman and Andrew Schoenfuss found the end zone on the ground thanks to monstrous holes opened by the line all night.

Quarterback Mark Handrick hurt the Bears through the air with scoring strikes to Vaughn Breit and Redman, who also had a kickoff return for a TD called back by a penalty.

Stratford's reward is a return engagement with Stanley-Boyd in the second round. The Tigers view the rematch like the grouping; it is what it is.

"(The WIAA) kind of disrespected us to give us a lower seed, and I'm not going to lie, that made us practice harder all week long," "Barten said. "(Bonduel) was a higher seed than us, so that was great.

"(Stanley-Boyd) is a really good team. We just want to practice for four more weeks. Lets go out and get to Level 3."

State title defenses continue

Amherst and Edgar showed they're not going to give up their respective Division 5 and Division 7 state championship trophies without a fight.

The Wildcats did what they do best in their 35-0 first-round win over Athens. The shutout was the ninth in 10 games this season for the reigning Division 7 champs.

Next up for the Wildcats is former Marawood Conference foe Pittsville, which outlasted Assumption 34-27 in the first round. The Panthers moved to the Central Wisconsin Conference-Small this season.

Amherst opened its bid for a three-peat in impressive fashion, dismantling Colby 53-6 in the opening round.

Life could get a little more interesting for the Falcons in the second round.

A date with familiar foe Spencer/Columbus Catholic, a 49-17 winner over Oconto, awaits Amherst. The Rockets' lone loss came to Stanley-Boyd 29-12 in Week 3.

The Falcons and Rockets have met in the playoffs each of the past two seasons, including the 2015 state championship game won by Amherst, 42-0.

A year later, the Falcons knocked Spencer/Columbus Catholic out of the playoffs in the second round with Amherst prevailing 42-14.

Second go-arounds

Round 2 of the playoffs will feature a couple interesting rematches from the regular season.

Cloverwood Conference rivals Loyal and Abbotsford run into each other again in second round Division 7 action.

The Greyhounds and Falcons won't have to look back too far for scouting reports. The rivals met for the conference championship in the final week of the regular season and Loyal came out on top 8-7.

Another rematch finds Marawood Conference rivals Marathon and Auburndale hooking up again in the second round. The Raiders gained the upper hand 35-13 in their first meeting in Week 6.

Scott A. Williams can be reached at 715-345-2282, or by email at ssswilliam@stevenspoint.gannett.com. Find him on Twitter as @SPJScottWill

WIAA second round

central Wisconsin playoff pairings

Friday, Oct. 27

Division 1

SPASH (6-4) at Bay Port (10-0)

Division 5

Stratford (7-2) at Stanley-Boyd (10-0)

Spencer/Columbus Catholic (9-1) at Amherst (9-1)

Division 6

Crivitz (7-3) at Iola-Scandinavia (8-2)

Auburndale (6-4) at Marathon (7-3)

Division 7

Abbotsford (8-2) at Loyal (8-2)

Pittsville (9-2) at Edgar (10-0)

Note: All games 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted