This story is sponsored by: The University of Wisconsin-Marshfield/Wood County
By Paul Lecker
MarshfieldAreaSports.com
OSHKOSH – Nine players from Central Wisconsin were among the dozens to take part in the annual Wisconsin Football Coaches Association State All-Star Games, which were held July 15 at Titan Stadium.
The event, for graduated seniors, featured three games for eight-man teams, small schools, and large schools.
The local players all played for the North team in the Small School contest, which was won by the South 25-20.
Stratford’s Kamren Bornbach, a linebacker, and Tanner Weinfurter, an offensive lineman, played alongside a number of players they competed against for years from youth football through their high school careers.
Bornbach, who will be playing collegiately at St. Cloud State, and Weinfurter, who will be playing at Winona State University, were joined on the North team by Edgar running back Alec Hafferman and offensive lineman Tyler Matysik, Abbotsford linebacker Brock Halopka, Spencer/Columbus Catholic running back/punter Noah Zastrow and offensive lineman Max Johnson, Marathon offensive lineman Bryce Seubert, and Owen-Withee defensive end Josiah Goerlitz.
Zastrow finished with seven carries for 11 yards rushing and also caught three passes for 28 yards in the loss. Hafferman had one catch for two yards.
Defensive statistics were not made available.
The South team trailed 17-6 at halftime after two touchdowns by Two Rivers quarterback Dawson Kiphart.
Poynette’s Tanner Kerr and Gale-Ettrick-Trempeleau’s Derek Haines had TD runs in third quarter, and Cedar Grove quarterback John Weiss threw a touchdown pass to River Valley’s Ryan Wickman for go-ahead score late in the fourth quarter. Weiss had 214 yards passing and two touchdown passes for the South.
The Large School game was halted midway through the third quarter due to lightning with the South leading 10-0.
Brookfield East running back Sam Santiago-Lloyd, another Winona State recruit, scored the game’s only touchdown. Monona Grove kicker Collin Larsh had a 21-yard field goal for the game’s other points.
The game featured a number of future Wisconsin Badgers, including offensive linemen Alex Fenton of Menomonie and Tyler Beach of Port Washington, Delavan-Darien’s Ethan Cesarz, and Kettle Moraine’s Sam DeLany.
The North won the eight-man game 32-20. Siren’s Brady Mangen had 170 yards rushing and three touchdowns in the win for the North.