This story is sponsored by: The Marshfield Tiger Booster Club
By Paul Lecker
MarshfieldAreaSports.com
WISCONSIN RAPIDS – The Marshfield football team was left feeling ‘What could have been’ after a tough loss at Wisconsin Rapids High School on Friday night.
Wisconsin Rapids held Marshfield without a score on its last eight possessions and scored twice in the first 3½ minutes of the fourth quarter to pull out a 21-14 victory over the Tigers.
Rapids forced five turnovers, two coming in the decisive fourth quarter, and held the Tigers to minus-3 yards on their final five possessions of the game.
Nash Coombs ran 25 yards for a score with 10:32 to go to tie the game and Ben Olson tossed a 14-yard touchdown strike to Keegan Hewitt with 8:24 left to provide the Raiders (4-1, 3-1 Valley Football Association South Division) with the difference.
“Threw interceptions, penalties, holding, we’re running the football down to the end zone (and) holding…it’s a team effort but you sure feel bad when little things happen,” Marshfield coach Denny Goettl. “It’s high school football, any football, penalties are going to move you back.”
The game couldn’t have started any worse for the Tigers.
Olson, Rapids’ senior quarterback, ran 84 yards on an option play for touchdown on the Raiders’ first play from scrimmage.
On Marshfield’s first play following a short kickoff, Ryan Krueger was intercepted by Zachary Langemeier, setting the Raiders up at the Marshfield 30.
The Tigers defense dug in, however, forcing a three-and-out after a sack by Noah Preston on third down and Marshfield turned that momentum to offense.
Marshfield put together its two scoring drives on back-to-back possessions.
Krueger hit Nathan McGrath for a 42-yard touchdown on third-and-8 to tie the game, and the Tigers put together a 11-play, 87-yard drive to take the lead.
Despite penalties, Marshfield moved the ball into scoring position. Braden Bohman, who rushed for 139 yards on 18 carries, had a 29-yard run on third-and-24, and three plays later Krueger threw an 11-yard touchdown to Andy Goettl, putting the Tigers up 14-7 just 7 seconds into the second quarter.
It was a stalemate from there until the fourth. Marshfield had the ball inside the 40 on its next possession and to the 17 just before halftime, but both drives ended in turnovers.
The Tigers (2-3, 1-3 VFA South) took the opening possession of the second half to the Rapids’ 15 before a holding penalty and a sack stymied the drive and they gave it over on downs at the 33.
After Gage Hergert recovered a fumble for Marshfield, the Tigers brought it down to the 18 but a short pass to Braden Bohman on fourth-and-18 went for only 12 yards.
A defensive holding penalty, followed by an offsides penalty two plays later turned a third-and-23 for Rapids into a first down and on the next play Coombs scored to tie it early in the fourth.
Hewitt’s game-winner followed an interception, and Marshfield turnved the ball over on a fumble with 2:33 to go. Rapids ran out the clock from there.
The Tigers finished with 11 penalties, costing them 86 yards, and five turnovers, not a winning recipe in the torrid VFA South.
“They were moving backers around and got us just where they wanted, not looking at where they were coming from,” Denny Goettl said. “They were hitting us in the backfield. Turnovers, what are you going to do. We’re going to get better and the quarterback (Krueger) is going to get better. I think he’s been playing pretty well, aside from a couple of things.”
Raiders 21, Tigers 14
Marshfield 7 7 0 0 – 14
Wisconsin Rapids 7 0 0 14 – 21
First Quarter
WR – Ben Olson 84 run (Nathan Hepp kick), 11:40.
M – Nathan McGrath 42 pass from Ryan Krueger (Krueger kick), 7:59.
Second Quarter
M – Andy Goettl 11 pass from Krueger (Krueger kick), 11:53.
Fourth Quarter
WR – Nash Coombs 25 run (Hepp kick), 10:32.
WR – Keegan Hewitt 14 pass from Olson (Hepp kick), 8:24.
Team Statistics
First downs: Marshfield 15; Wisconsin Rapids 12.
Rushing (att-yards): M 45-236; WR 33-263.
Passing (att-comp-att-yards-int): M 7-16-87-3; WR 3-17-60-0.
Penalties (no.-yards): M 11-86; WR 10-63.
Punting (no.-avg.): M 2-41.5; WR 4-38.5.
Fumbles (total-lost): M 3-2; WR 1-1.
Individual Statistics
Rushing: M, Braden Bohman 18-139, Brant Bohman 9-57, Ryan Krueger 17-40, Andy Goettl 1-0. WR, Ben Olson 18-166, Isaac Pelot 13-73, Nash Coombs 2-24.
Passing: M, Krueger 7-16-87-3. WR, Olson 3-17-60-0.
Receiving: M, Braden Bohman 3-12, Nathan McGrath 2-61, Goettl 1-11, Brant Bohman 1-3. WR, Austin Glinski 2-52, Keegan Hewitt 1-14.
Fumble recoveries (defense): M, Gage Hergert. WR, Austin Reimer, Cameron Farris.
Interceptions (defense): WR, Cole O’Beil 2, Zachary Langemeier.
Punting: M, Mason Coffren 2-41.5. WR, Dylan Ashbeck 4-38.5.
Records: Marshfield 2-3, 1-3 Valley Football Association South Division; Wisconsin Rapids 4-1, 3-1 VFA South.