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By Paul Lecker
MarshfieldAreaSports.com
Stratford defensive lineman Devin Ulrich and Wittenberg-Birnamwood quarterback Ben Wesolowski earned top honors on the 2021 All-Central Wisconsin Conference Large Division Football Team.
Ulrich was named Defensive Player of the Year after finishing the season with 50 total tackles, including nine for loss, as the Tigers finished 8-3 overall and 5-2 in the CWC Large. Ulrich was a first-team selection at both tight end and defensive line.
Wesolowski was voted Offensive Player of the Year after leading Wittenberg-Birnamwood to a second-place finish in the CWC Large with a 6-1 record. He has 1,758 passing yards and 27 touchdowns, and 1,748 rushing yards and 20 touchdowns going into a Division 5 Level 4 playoff game this Friday. Wesolowski was a first-team selection at both quarterback and defensive back.
Conference champion Amherst had eight first-team selections, including two-way honorees Ian Hall (wide receiver and defensive back), Sawyer Stuczynski (offensive and defensive line) and Jarrett Lucht (offensive and defensive line).
Hall caught 38 passes for 638 yards and nine touchdowns, and had three interceptions on defense this season for the Falcons. Stuczynski finished with 55 tackles, including eight for loss and four quarterback sacks.
Linebacker Peter Werner and kicker Josh Bentley were also first-team picks for the Falcons, who went undefeated in conference play this season. Werner had 59 tackles, including two for loss, and Bentley was 36-for-37 on extra point kicks for Amherst.
Joining Ulrich on the first team for Stratford were offensive linemen Zack Seitz and Jackson Ormond, running back Raife Smart, defensive back Elijah Lucio, linebacker Johnny Seitz and punter Braeden Schueller.
Johnny Seitz led Stratford with 80 total tackles, and Smart topped the Tigers in rushing with 885 yards and 12 offensive touchdowns.
Brock Bennington was a first-team selection at both running back and linebacker for Spencer/Columbus.
Bennington rushed for 1,020 yards and 14 touchdowns, added 104 receiving yards and another score, and had seven tackles for loss, four forced fumbles and three interceptions on defense for the Rockets. He was also a second-team selection at both punter and kicker, after averaging 36 yards per punt and making 11 of 18 extra point kicks and two field goals.
Wittenberg-Birnamwood had four other first-team selections – offensive lineman Johnny Stewart, wide receiver Kaden Schmidt, defensive lineman Ben Flak, and linebacker Jack Fraaza.
Amherst’s Mark Lusic was named Coach of the Year.
2021 All-Central Wisconsin Conference Large Division Football Team
First Team (*denotes unanimous selection)
Offense
Kicker: Josh Bentley, sr., Amherst.
Linemen: *Sawyer Stuczynski, sr., Amherst; Jarrett Lucht, sr., Amherst; *Zack Seitz, sr., Stratford; Jackson Ormond, jr., Stratford; Johnny Stewart, sr., Wittenberg-Birnamwood.
Quarterback: Ben Wesolowski, sr., Wittenberg-Birnamwood.
Running backs: Brock Bennington, sr., Spencer/Columbus; Raife Smart, sr., Stratford.
Tight end: Devin Ulrich, sr., Stratford.
Wide receivers: *Ian Hall, sr., Amherst; Kaden Schmidt, sr., Wittenberg-Birnamwood.
Defense
Defensive backs: Ben Wesolowski, sr., Wittenberg-Birnamwood; Elijah Lucio, sr., Stratford; Ian Hall, sr., Amherst.
Linemen: Ben Flak, sr., Wittenberg-Birnamwood; *Devin Ulrich, sr., Stratford; *Sawyer Stuczynski, sr., Amherst; Jarrett Lucht, sr., Amherst.
Linebackers: Brock Bennington, sr., Spencer/Columbus; Jack Fraaza, sr., Wittenberg-Birnamwood; Johnny Seitz III, jr., Stratford; Peter Werner, sr., Amherst.
Punter: Braeden Schueller, jr., Stratford.
Second Team
Offense
Kicker: Brock Bennington, sr., Spencer/Columbus.
Linemen: Gavin Blanton, sr., Amherst; Sullivan Melander, jr., Spencer/Columbus; Carson Schmidt, sr., Spencer/Columbus; Charlie Nowinski, so., Wittenberg-Birnamwood; Max Fraaza, jr., Wittenberg-Birnamwood.
Quarterback: Landon Moe, sr., Amherst.
Running backs: Mathew Glodowski, jr., Amherst; Cade Stingle, jr., Shiocton.
Fullback: Will Gorst, sr., Spencer/Columbus.
Wide receivers: Dawson Schmidt, jr., Shiocton; Elijah Lucio, sr., Stratford.
Defense
Defensive backs: Cole Timmler, sr., Spencer/Columbus; Kaden Schmidt, sr., Wittenberg-Birnamwood; Raife Smart, sr., Stratford.
Linemen: David Gaudeman, jr., Wittenberg-Birnamwood; Jonny Stewart, sr., Wittenberg-Birnamwood; Kaden Griesmer, sr., Stratford; Cole Marten, sr., Stratford.
Linebackers: Noah Barrett, sr., Stratford; Cade Stingle, jr., Shiocton; Mathew Glodowski, jr., Amherst; Jake Hoffman, sr., Amherst.
Punter: Brock Bennington, sr., Spencer/Columbus.
Honorable Mention
Offense
Linemen: Alex Meidl, sr., Manawa; Hudson Goodwin, sr., Nekoosa; James Schaefbauer, sr., Nekoosa.
Quarterback: Parker Moeder, sr., Shiocton.
Running back: Hunter Lochner, sr., Nekoosa.
Tight end: Dylan Herb, jr., Shiocton.
Wide receivers: Jake Derezinski, jr., Amherst; Aidan Jastrowmski, jr., Amherst; Brayden Arndt, so., Weyauwega-Fremont; Muluken Rucks, sr., Weyauwega-Fremont.
Defense
Defensive backs: Xane Adler, sr., Spencer/Columbus; Jordan Landowski, sr., Wittenberg-Birnamwood; Dillon Kirsch, sr., Stratford; Jake Derezinski, jr., Amherst; Aiden Jastrowmski, jr., Amherst; Tanner Nienhaus, jr., Manawa; Brayden Arndt, so., Weyauwega-Fremont; John Mueller, sr., Weyauwega-Fremont.
Linemen: Sullivan Melander, jr., Spencer/Columbus; Will Gorst, sr., Spencer/Columbus; Davin Piechocki, jr., Shiocton; Bradley Demerath, jr., Shiocton; Dylan Larsen, sr., Shiocton; Cole Oleson, jr., Amherst; Isaac Westphal, sr., Manawa; James Schaefbauer, sr., Nekoosa.
Linebackers: Dyan Herb, jr., Shiocton; Devin Jennerjohn, jr., Shiocton; Grant Bristol, sr., Manawa; Hunter Lochner, sr., Nekoosa; Carson Schmidt, sr., Spencer/Columbus; Parker Groskreutz, sr., Weyauwega-Fremont.
Offensive Player of the Year: Ben Wesolowski, sr., quarterback, Wittenberg-Birnamwood.
Defensive Player of the Year: Devin Ulrich, sr., defensive line, Stratford.
Coach of the Year: Mark Lusic, Amherst.