Elk Mound football seeks improvement over last season’s 6-5 finish

By Cara L. Dempski

ELK MOUND — Elk Mound’s head football coach, Dave Lew, runs a tight ship at practice. When he asks for something, players comply immediately. 

Time is a precious commodity in the preseason, and perhaps even more so with a Mounders’ team looking to recoup the loss of a talented crop of seniors this past spring.

Lew seems pretty relaxed about the upcoming season, despite knowing he lost a lot of talent. That is, perhaps, where his desire to run smooth practices comes in.

“I’m looking to build on the past two seasons and continue to get better every day in practice,” Lew said. “I’ll let the rest take care of itself.”

The Mounders finished their 2016 season at 6-5 overall after suffering a 39-0 smackdown courtesy of the Stanley-Boyd Orioles in a level-two playoff. They went 3-3 in the conference play to land smack in the center of the Dunn-St. Croix behind conference champion Durand, and second- and third-place Spring Valley and Glenwood City respectively.

The Elk Mound Class of 2017 said farewell to D-SC first team defensive linebacker and second team running back Hunter Adleman, honorable mention defensive ends Hunter Johnson and Tyler Sahm, first team punter and second team tight end Chandler Schreiber, honorable mention defensive back and first team running back Noah Zurbuchen, and first team, all northwest, all region, all state honorable mention defensive back and second team kicker Dane Lew.

Trey Mohr and George Friberg also played some crucial minutes in 2016 before graduating this past May.

The group not only bore the team for much of the season, but also pulled its weight in the classroom, earning team academic all-state honors.

An eight-man loss might hurt some of the Dunn-St. Croix’s smaller teams, but Lew’s Mounders have a roster of 66 – 12 of whom are seniors – out for 2017, and a senior class ready to provide leadership on the field.

At the top of this year’s senior class are Conner Mavis, who was awarded first team all-conference honors in 2016 as an offensive lineman, Bryce Kasper, who was second-team offensive line, and Chris Lee, who picked up honorable mention as a defensive lineman. 

Mavis and Kasper provided time for the offense to pull off plays, with Mavis picking up 15 tackles in eight games and nabbing an interception, and Kasper four defensive tackles in four games. Lee led the group on the d-line with 25 tackles and two sacks in 10 games, but also put his legs to good use offensively with 51 yards spread over 10 carries in three games. 

Another senior, Dylan Black, will helm the Mounder offense in 2017 after serving as backup to Dane Lew last season. He played in eight games in 2016, completing 30 of his 60 pass attempts and averaging 32.8 passing yards per game. He will be backed up this season by juniors Colton Ward and Marcus Kinblom.

Lee returns for his final season as a running back, as does Will Muzynski, who last year rushed for 110 yards in four games. Muzynski also held his own at defense with 22 tackles, including tackles for losses, and a sack.

Ben Lambele was one of Lew and Black’s favorite targets in 2016, nabbing 10 receptions in three games for 139 yards total on the season. He averaged 46 yards per game. The Mounder senior also rushed 94 yards in 10 carries for an average of 13.4 rushing yards per game.

Other senior members returning for one last season are Jaylen Emberson, Aric Jensen, Andrew Benson, Brandon Gilbertson, Tyler Brantner and Blake Rosenthal.

Junior Brady Redwine was a sophomore standout in 2016, with 49 rush attempts and 231 yards in seven games. He averaged 33 yards per game rushing, completed one reception for a 14-yard gain on the season, and averaged 9.5 yards over four kick returns in three games. Defensively, Redwine was credited 30 tackles and a sack.

Other juniors looking to make contributions after some field time last season are Brett Lew, who logged nine tackles defensively, and Mason Close, who had one carry in 2016. The junior class is rounded out by Rian Flynn, Colton Ward, Isaiah Wald, Andy Lor, Jack Emberson, Ethan Kaanta, Maxwell Marquardt, Tyler Bauer, Mitchell Fox, Marquis Kasakaitas, Ryan Zurbuchen, Hunter Lemler, Marcus Kinblom and Jake Mentzel.

While the juniors and seniors will form the core of this year’s Elk Mound varsity team, there is a group of 11 sophomores hoping for a chance for varsity field time in 2017. Those players include Gaelen Young, Chase Rhude, Blaze Todd, Dominic Hall, Carter Brantner, Weston Moschkau, Jacob Miller, Will Gilbertson, Griffin Erdman, Nate Sweeney and Derek Falkner.

The Mounders welcome a large group of freshman to this year’s team, with players like Ryan Bohl, Lane Lee, Brett Rosenthal, Sam Lor, Ben Heath, Logan Schultz, Nate Lew, Blake Burlingame, Ethan Levra, Zane Clemmens, Alex Johnson, Javon Pinley, Oscar Wald, Gabe Moschkau, Kody Mavis, Jayden Wyrwicki, Major Gunderson-Morris, Colten Cassellius, Mason Hay, Reese Brunner, Aaron Heuer, Aidan Balts, Zack Miller, Antonio Meyer and Luke Hanson.

Lew, who is in his fifth year at the helm of Elk Mound’s football program, wants to see his team make 2017 memorable not just for the players, but for the school and community as well. He will be joined by assistant coaches Kevin Garnett, Brandon Powell, Eric Young, Jon Chisholm, Jake Lerum and Dan Hay.

The 15-24 coach sees Durand, Spring Valley and Glenwood City as the top Dunn-St. Croix’s top contenders this year. 

The Mounders will test their mettle this Friday, August 18 in a non-conference road game against the Chetek-Weyerhaeuser Bulldogs before opening their home schedule August 25 with another non-conference contest against St. Croix Central. 

The team will open conference play September 1 with a road trip to Glenwood City to battle the Hilltoppers.

Roster

Seniors: Dylan Black, Jaylen Emberson, Ben Lambele, Andrew Benson, Chris Lee, Will Muzynski, Bryce Kasper, Conner Mavis, Aric Jensen, Brandon Gilbertson, Blake Rosenthal any Tyler Brantner. 

Juniors: Rian Flynn, Colton Ward, Isaiah Wald, Andy Lor, Jack Emberson, Ethan Kaanta, Mason Close, Brady Redwine, Maxwell Marquardt, Tyler Bauer, Brett Lew, Mitchell Fox, Marquis Kasakaitas, Ryan Zurbuchen, Hunter Lemler, Marcus Kinblom and Jake Mentzel.

Sophomores: Gaelen Young, Chase Rhude, Blaze Todd, Dominic Hall, Carter Brantner, Weston Moschkau, Jacob Miller, Will Gilbertson, Griffin Erdman, Nate Sweeney and Derek Falkner.

Freshmen: Ryan Bohl, Lane Lee, Brett Rosenthal, Sam Lor, Ben Heath, Logan Schultz, Nate Lew, Blake Burlingame, Ethan Levra, Zane Clemmens, Alex Johnson, Javon Pinley, Oscar Wald, Gabe Moschkau, Kody Mavis, Jayden Wyrwicki, Major Gunderson-Morris, Colten Cassellius, Mason Hay, Reese Brunner, Aaron Heuer, Aidan Balts, Zack Miller, Antonio Meyer and Luke Hanson.