FOOTBALL

What we learned in Week 2 of prep football season

Scott A. Williams and Tim Johnson
USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin

CENTRAL WISCONSIN - There were signature performances from individuals and teams, and some trends have started to emerge now that the second week of the prep football season in central Wisconsin is officially in the books.

A number of teams continue to demonstrate they will be a force to be reckoned with throughout the season, and possibly all the way to Madison, while several individuals stepped to the forefront as potential all-state candidates.

No outcome was more significant than what took place at Thom Field on Friday night. Wausau East ended a 19-game losing streak with a 17-14 victory over Southern Door.

RELATED: Amherst clipped in battle of state powerhouses

RELATED: I-S's Huettner runs wild in victory over Marathon

RELATED: No. 3 Bangor proves too much for Loyal

The Lumberjacks last entered the win column on Oct. 23, 2014, with a 36-22 verdict over Shawano.

Wausau East quarterback Jack Kane gets some sideline instructions during the first half Friday at Thom Field.

"I think (this win) was huge," East coach Tom Tourtillott said. "Our word of the week was ‘Believe’ and I think our kids No. 1 believed in themselves and No. 2 believed in each other. I thought we had our best week of practice in the last two years and that our mental preparation was far more advanced that it has been in the past."

East unveiled a potent passing attack led by quarterback Jack Kane, who passed for 260 yards and a touchdown to build a 17-0 cushion in the fourth quarter.

Caleb Moses was on the receiving end of six of those completions for 145 yards.

"Jack did a great job throwing the ball, commanded the huddle and our receivers ran some great routes," Tourtillott said. "Jack did a nice job and is really growing into a leadership role. He has a great arm and is very accurate.

"The kids trusted the system, trusted each other and came through."

The Lumberjacks will look to build on the victory when they travel to Rhinelander on Sept. 1.

Iola-Scandinavia's Bryce Huettner(44), left, rushes with the football during Friday night's game with Marathon at Thunderbird Field.

Running wild

 A number of potent rushing attacks were on display around central Wisconsin in Week 2.

Iola-Scandinavia junior Bryce Huettner showed off his bruising style by rolling up a career-high 326 yards on 28 attempts and four touchdowns in a 54-34 win over Marathon. He scored on runs of 27, 15, 54 and 79 yards as the Thunderbirds ground out 490 yards.

"(Bryce) ran hard and that's the way he practices. He practices hard," Iola-Scandinavia coach Scott Erickson said. "He's a very physical runner and hard to tackle. You think he's down and he's not and keeps on scrambling for more yards all the time.

"Our line did a nice job for him as well. It was an awesome effort by him and I know he'll tell you that he appreciates his O-line."

Abbotsford did the T-Birds one better amassing 514 rushing yards and placed three players over the century mark led by Adam Seefluth with 187 yards on 16 carries and a pair of TDs. Joining him in the 100-yard club were Ean Rau with 142 yards and three scores, while Joseph Aquillera helped out with 130 yards on just five attempts.

Let's not forget about Spencer/Columbus' Hunter Luepke, who continued to live in the end zone in Week 2. The senior running back matched his opening week performance with four rushing touchdowns. He also was on the receiving end of a score this week.

Status update

Several local teams faced serious nonconference tests with conference play set to kick in starting next week and the results fell short of what had been hoped for.

Loyal, Wisconsin Rapids and two-time defending Division 5 state champion Amherst all discovered there is some work to be done in order to hit the heights all three programs would like to reach this season.

The Falcons paid a visit to Division 6 powerhouse Saint Mary's Springs and for the second straight season left the field on the losing end in a 14-13 setback to the Ledgers. Amherst scored in the fourth quarter to close within a point and opted to go for the win. However, the pass for the 2-point conversion was incomplete.

Conversely, Wisconsin Rapids tried to stop four-time defending Division 1 state champion Kimberly's 57-game winning streak. The Raiders put up a fight, but three interceptions proved to be too much to overcome in a 42-28 loss at the hands of the Papermakers.

Loyal took on Bangor, ranked third in the latest Associated Press Small School poll, and suffered a 38-0 loss at the hands of the Cardinals. Three turnovers helped doom the Greyhounds, who struggled to slow down Bangor.

St. Mary's Springs High School football’s Zach Austin returns an interception Friday August 25, 2017 at Fruth Field in Fond du Lac during a game against Amherst. Doug Raflik/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin

The beat(downs) continue

Edgar, Iola-Scandinavia, Abbotsford and Spencer/Columbus Catholic continue to impress after each one picked up an impressive win for the second consecutive week.

The Rockets pushed their record to 2-0 with a 44-21 blowout win over Fall Creek on Aug. 24 and Abbotsford earned a lopsided 54-22 decision against Gilman. The Thunderbirds made a statement by taking down Marawood Conference contender Marathon.

Conversely, defending Division 7 state champion Edgar continues to boast one of the top defenses not only in the area but the entire state with a second straight shutout win. The Wildcats, who have outscored their opponents 50-0 through two weeks, pitched a 35-0 shutout against Mondovi on Friday night.

Scott A. Williams can be reached at 715-345-2282, or by email at ssswilliam@stevenspoint.gannett.com. Find him on Twitter as @SPJScottWill. Tim Johnson and Morgan Rode also contributed to this report.