By Dan Truttschel
Correspondent
As the 2012 football season rolled along, everyone in the Big Foot camp seemed prepared for the Chiefs to compete in Division 3 for the second straight year.
And why not?
The Chiefs were ranked as high as third in that division all the way up until the seventh week.
Of course, things rarely go as planned – and when Big Foot dropped into the Division 4 field for the playoffs by just a handful of students, the Chiefs’ focus had to change.
Suddenly, Big Foot had a whole slew of new schools to contend with in the post-season – but this week, the Chiefs will face a very familiar foe.
Big Foot hosts Lakeside Lutheran, the state’s top-ranked Division 4 squad, Friday night at 7 p.m. Ironically, the Chiefs drew the No. 1 seed in their bracket, while Lakeside was seeded No. 2.
“I told the coaches at the seeding meeting that Lakeside deserves a one seed, and they should be in a different bracket,” Big Foot coach Rodney Wedig said. “But we also deserved (the top seed).
“This is great to play three home games in the playoffs. It’s really weird how this all fell into place this year. Sometimes, people don’t understand all of the different things that have to fall into place to have a realistic shot at going to state.”
Both squads enter this week’s matchup with identical 10-0 records. Big Foot advanced with its second convincing win over Rock Valley Conference foe Brodhead-Juda last week, while Lakeside moved on with a 14-6 victory over Manitowoc Roncalli.
The overall records and playoff familiarity – the teams have met several times in recent years – are about the only similarities between the two, however.
This game features a matchup of different strengths for each team, Wedig said.
“They probably matchup size-wise with us better than any team we face,” he said. “They have a great defense that has only allowed 7.6 points per game. We are averaging 49. This could be interesting.”
In addition, Lakeside enters the game averaging 320 yards rushing per game, while Big Foot has allowed less than 100.
Lakeside’s rushing attack is led by senior Brennan Leis (5-11, 174), who comes into the game with 1,516 yards on the ground and 12 touchdowns. He is joined by senior Ryan Broedlow (5-10, 188), who has rushed for 988 yards and 15 touchdowns.
The Warriors’ top receiver is senior Jason Eternick (6-3, 180), who has 15 receptions for 174 yards and three touchdowns. Junior quarterback Luke Thiele (6-1, 166) has completed 38 passes for 430 yards.
Like most football games, this one will be decided at the line of scrimmage, Wedig said.
“We need to hold our ground and let our linebackers fill,” he said. “We can’t let them out-muscle us in the trenches, and we have to let Collin (Frederick) and Garett Cary do their thing at ends.”
Big Foot’s offense is led by senior Mason Dixon, who has rushed for 1,590 yards and 32 touchdowns so far this season. Carter Hehr is next with 600 yards rushing and 13 touchdowns.
Hehr also completed 46 passes for 835 yards and 13 touchdowns.
Big Foot’s leading receiver is senior Matt Ripkey, who has 30 receptions for 550 yards and eight touchdowns.
Lakeside’s defensive strategy appears to a simple one, Wedig said.
“They like to load the box and man up on receivers,” he said. “We will need to try to attack them with our speed on the edge and get Mason loose.”
Wedig said the excitement and anticipation is beginning to build again around the school and in town – and now he hopes his squad can do its part to keep that fire burning.
“It’s been a great fall,” he said. “The cross country girls, volleyball and football all won conference titles. Volleyball advanced to sectionals, and now we are in Level 3.
“I anticipate a big crowd, and hopefully, we can keep things rolling. Even just getting another shot at getting back to Madison by winning this game and advancing to Level 4 would be unbelievable.”
The winner Friday will face the winner of Freedom and Little Chute, ranked ninth in Division 4. The games on the other half of the bracket feature Set. Croix Central and fifth-ranked Somerset and Nekoosa and Black River Falls, ranked 10th in Division 3.
