5 WiscNews-area high school football stars for Week 1 (2024)

Landon Schultz and the Sauk Prairie football team had a lofty goal entering their season-opening nonconference game against rival Baraboo.

“Our goal was to force a running clock before the second half,” the senior quarterback said.

Schultz ensured that became a reality by scoring four touchdowns in the second quarter to help Sauk Prairie cruise to a 45-0 win over the Thunderbirds on Military Appreciation Night at Sauk Prairie High School.

Schultz, who accounted for all six of the Eagles' touchdowns, blew open things in the second quarter. The right-hander threw three touchdown passes and ran for another as Sauk Prairie, which led 7-0 after the first quarter, opened a 38-0 cushion by halftime.

“We were motivated this week,” Schultz said, referencing last season’s 24-8 loss to the T-Birds in the “Mega Bowl” game, the annual clash between the Sauk County rivals inspired by the movie “Semi-Pro.”

Schultz helped spark the rout early in the second quarter when he connected with senior tight end Kade Kinney. Schultz scrambled out of a broken pocket to find Kinney in the back left corner of the end zone on a 27-yard pitch-and-catch with 10:17 left until halftime for a 21-0 lead

“It was a result of the little secret audibles we made up yesterday and our friendship since third grade,” Kinney said. “The line also did a great job blocking because I ran a seam, then came back across the field and finished his beautiful throw on the run with toe drag swag.”

Schultz threw two more touchdowns and ended the scoring in the quarter with a 1-yard quarterback sneak, capitalizing on drives that each started on the T-Birds' half of the field. He found Kinney on an 18-yard seam pass up the middle with 10:50 left for Sauk Prairie’s final touchdown and the duo’s third scoring connection on the night.

“With a program that’s struggled traditionally in the past, it’s good to have a confidence builder out the gate,” Sauk Prairie coach Randy Wallace said.

Ryker Rockhill helps spark Portage’s romp

Portage’s defense quicklywas putto the test early against neighboring rival Wisconsin Dells.

The pressure of an earlydeficit was nothing Ryker Rockhill couldn’t handle, as the junior delivered a takeaway to help turn the tide and sparkthe Warriors’ 40-7 nonconference win over the Chiefs at Wisconsin Dells High School.

Rockhill thwarted Wisconsin Dells’ opening drive of the game with an interception in the end zone after the Chiefs had driven the length of the field.

“It could’ve been a totally different ballgame,” Portage coach Chris Rice said. “They score right away and we hang our heads. He came up and made a play when we needed it.”

Portage proceeded to drive 80 yards, capped by Max Kreuziger punching in a 9-yard touchdown run for a 6-0 with 6:16 left in the quarter.

Rockhill bolstered the lead with a 7-yard touchdown run with 6:56 left in the third quarter for a 27-0 cushion before the Chiefs finally got on the board. He finished with 66 yards on just six carries, according to WisSports.net.

“He’s somebody who spells our running backs," Rice said. "We’ve got a lot of two-way players, so we’re going to be tired. He can come in and we don’t miss a beat.”

Josiah Barnes gets Beaver Dam rolling

The graduation loss of Gabe Klatt was a big one for Beaver Dam.

Josiah Barnes proved the let off will be a short one by helping fuel the Golden Beavers to a 48-21 win over Fort Atkinson in the season opener. The senior spearheaded Beaver Dam’s dynamic ground attack, which piled up 278 yards on 43 carries and five touchdowns, according to WisSports.

The 5-foot-8, 190-pounder shouldered most of that load, carrying the ball 23 times for 188 yards and a pair of scores. Barnes helped put Beaver Dam up 14-7 early in the second quarter with a 3-yard run and capped the scoring in the fourth quarter after the Golden Beavers had built a sizable lead.

Barnes was the lone ball carrier with more than four carries for Beaver Dam and averaged 8.2 yards per attempt.

Cambria-Friesland’s Carter Drews capitalizes on position change

Carter Drews took over as the Hilltoppers' leading running back this fall after playing quarterbackfor Cambria-Friesland the last three seasons.

The shift from under center into the backfield immediately paid dividends for the senior.

Drews spearheaded the Toppers’ ground game, rushing for more than 200 yards and four touchdowns in Cambria-Friesland’s 60-8 win over Fall River/Rio.

He needed just 10 carries to rack up 211 yards, averaging 21.1 yards per attempt and accounting for more than half of Cambria-Friesland’s 389 yards and seven scores on the ground, according to WisSports.

Grayson Koeppen helps Lodi lock down win

Lodi’s defense houndedopponents last season but has undergone a major facelift this fall.

Even with a completely new starting lineup, the Blue Devils defense grinded out a 7-6 nonconference win over Monroe in coach Kyle Mack’s first game.

Junior Grayson Koeppen helped Lodi bend but not break with a team-high 14 tackles, according to WisSports.

The 5-11, 190-pound linebacker tallied seven solo tackles, also a team-high, and had one of Lodi’s three sacks as the Blue Devils caged the Cheesemakers’ triple-option attack just enough despite allowing more than 300 yards rushing.

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