Stratford aims to meet high standards
STRATFORD - Maintaining a winning tradition never gets any easier.
The Stratford Tigers have won seven state championships, won or shared the Marawood Conference title 20 times, and have made it to the playoffs every year since 1992.
Last season, Stratford finished third in its conference, behind Edgar and Marathon. The two teams were also responsible for handing the Tigers their only two regular season losses.
“Our conference is loaded again with Edgar and Marathon, so it’s always a battle,” head coach Jason Tubbs said.
The Tigers then made it to the Division 5 Level 3 playoff game, ultimately losing to rival Spencer/Columbus 30-15.
“Looking at the past few seasons, we figure whoever is going to win between us and Spencer/Columbus is probably going to go to state,” Tubbs said.
With Stratford’s last state title win coming in 2008, the Tigers are ready to get back to Madison and in the championship game. The Tigers will return a substantial amount of key players, including last year’s captain, senior running back and linebacker Kam Bornbach.
“We’re going to look at him every chance we get to take the leadership role,” Tubbs said. “Whether he’s carrying the football or making tackles for us, he’s one of our leading tacklers coming back.”
“We expect a lot out of him, but he’s got big broad shoulders so he can handle it.”
One area where the Tigers don’t feel completely secure in yet is the quarterback position. Tubbs said while the team needs to gain consistency in that spot, there are four candidates battling for the starting slot.
“We have three juniors and one sophomore that are competing for the job, and every day is a competition where one looks better than the other,” Tubbs said. “Until the real balls start flying at the scrimmage, we really won’t know who we think should start Week 1.”
As for players to fill the rest of last year’s graduating class’s shoes, Tubbs said there have been a few guys who already have stood out.
“We have a couple juniors who have kind of showed me how much they’ve worked out — Aiden Hoffman, a returning second team all-conference player, and Jordan Becker and Andrew Bargender have kind of jumped out and showed us, ‘Hey these guys know how to play football as well.'”
The expectations are always high at Stratford, with Tubbs saying they expect nothing less than great football, competing for the conference title and having a deep run into the playoffs.
“They’re a hard-working team that plays every minute likes it’s the last left in play, and that’s what we expect from them,” he said.
Follow Nina N. Salazar on Twitter as@Ninansalazar.
STRATFORD
Coach: Jason Tubbs, fourth year
2015 Record: 9-3, 5-2 Marawood Conference
How far they got: Lost to Spencer/Columbus Catholic 30-15 in a Division 5 Level 3 playoff game.
Key returnees: Kam Bornbach, sr., RB/LB; Tyson Kauffman, sr., OL/DL; Ethan Fabry, sr., OL/DL; Cole Hoffman, sr., RB/SS; Tanner Weinfurtner, sr., OL/DL; Aiden Hoffmann, jr., LB/OL.
Key newcomers: AJ Schoenfuss, jr., RB/DB; Dave Marquardt, sr., TE/DB; Kyler Haupt, sr., TE/LB; Jon Aguirre, sr., OL/DL.
2016 SCHEDULE:
Aug. 19: at Stanley-Boyd
Aug. 26: v. Marathon
Sep. 2: v. Tomahawk
Sep. 9: at Edgar
Sep. 16: at Chequamegon
Sep. 23: v. Rib Lake/Prentice
Sep. 30: v. Auburndale
Oct. 7: at Pittsville
Oct. 14: v. Phillips
2015 RESULTS:
Stratford 21, Mosinee 14
Stratford 32, Colby 0
Marathon 33, Stratford 14
Stratford 14, Tomahawk 7
Edgar 15, Stratford 13
Stratford 42, Chequamegon 8
Stratford 62, Rib Lake/Prentice 6
Stratford 36, Auburndale 6
Stratford 48, Pittsville 7
Stratford 40, Colby 0
Stratford 43, Westby 12
Spencer/Columbus Catholic 30, Stratford 15