Chiefs ready for the ‘big stage’

“You will see some talent in this game…It will be a great one to watch. Cinderella versus Big Foot.”- Big Foot coach Rodney Wedig

 

By Dan Truttschel

Correspondent

As the 2012 season rolled along, it became abundantly clear that Big Foot senior Mason Dixon is one of the state’s best running backs.

And the numbers clearly prove that fact – Dixon has nearly 1,800 yards rushing and 35 touchdowns through 18 games.

But in the middle of the state, another star has been rising in Freedom’s Nathan Peters.

And on Friday, the two will share a huge stage, along with their teammates when Big Foot and Freedom battle in a WIAA Division 4 state semifinal contest at West Bend High School.

The 7 p.m. matchup, with the winner headed to Madison for a chance at a state title, has all the makings of a classic contest between teams who advanced this far on different paths.

Big Foot is 11-0 and was a No. 1 seed at the beginning of the postseason, while Freedom is 9-2 and made it to the semifinal as an eight seed.

“You will see some talent in this game,” Big Foot coach Rodney Wedig said. “It will be a great one to watch. Cinderella versus Big Foot.”

Preparation to face Freedom centers around Peters, who comes into the contest with 2,058 yards rushing on 251 carries and 22 touchdowns.

He will be the focal point, Wedig said.

“He reminds me of (former Big Foot star) T.J. Schaid,” Wedig said. “He is solid, runs low to the ground and is shifty and sneaky fast. We really need to keep him in check and force them to have to throw the ball.”

Freedom stayed alive with a 36-7 win over Little Chute last week and relies on speed and sound fundamentals for success under first-year head coach Clint Kriewaldt.

State football fans may remember Kriewaldt, as he was a standout linebacker at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point and later won a Super Bowl ring with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

“They are the fastest team we have seen all year,” Wedig said. “They have good speed on offense and their defense really swarms. Their linebackers are very fundamentally sound.”

Even in the face of a big game with even bigger stakes, the Chiefs’ key to success won’t change this week, Wedig said.

Freedom has been outstanding on special teams and has taken advantage of mistakes by the opposition to get this far – and that’s something Big Foot has to guard against.

“I have talked about it all season, we cannot turn the ball over, and we have to be sound in our special teams play,” Wedig said. “If we don’t give the other team extra scoring opportunities, we are going to be hard to beat.”

Other leaders for Freedom include Alex VanBoxten with 45 carries for 333 yards and four touchdowns and Robert Casper with 21 carries for 260 yards and seven touchdowns.

Four different quarterbacks have been under center this season and combined for 41 completions. Freedom’s top receiver is Mason Sturm with eight receptions for 99 yards.

All that’s left to do now is play the game, and Wedig knows his team will be ready for the challenge that lay ahead.

He doesn’t anticipate his team folding under the pressure, as many of the Chiefs have plenty of big-game experience under their belts.

“I think that helps us a lot,” Wedig said. “We are a pretty even-keeled team to begin with, so I don’t think we will be overwhelmed.”

And one thing is certain, Wedig, his staff and the team are embracing the excitement that’s building and what could be the team’s third trip to Madison in school history.

“We can’t wait,” he said. “These opportunities are so rare, and this group of kids really deserve the chance to show how good they are on the big stage at Camp Randall.”

Just one step remains.