Highlights: Stratford, Edgar football advance to state
Stratford is looking to tie the state record with 9 state titles, while Edgar set a new mark with their program’s 14th appearance
WAUSAU, Wis. (WSAW) - Stratford and Edgar football are moving on to state after wins in their respective level four playoff games Friday night. Stratford beat Grantsburg 35-21 in Division 6, while Edgar beat Bangor 21-3 in Division 7.
Stratford returns to the state title game after winning the Division 6 crown last season. The Tigers dominated the undefeated Grantsburg Pirates, staking a 35-7 lead midway through the fourth quarter. Gavin Leonhardt scored three touchdowns, while Koehler Kilty added the first and last scores of the game. Jack Tubbs and the team gave lots of credit to the offensive line.
“I might buy them dinner tonight, or something like that. They deserve a whole lot of credit for keeping me, Koehler, and Gavin over there,” Tubbs said. “We’re all safe, they’re all dirty right now.”
“Our offensive line is doing great,” Leonhardt said. “We might not have the best size, but they’re physical and they can get the job done.”
Stratford will look to win their ninth state title in program history, which would tie St. Mary’s Springs for the most in state history.
Edgar continues their dominant run with a 21-3 win over Bangor, clinching their first trip to Camp Randall Stadium since 2019. The Wildcats were tied in a scoreless battle with the Cardinals at halftime. However, Teegan Streit and the Edgar offense eventually broke through. Streit floated a pass to Leyton Schuett for the first score of the game. A two-point conversion made it 8-0. Jase Apfelbeck and Karter Butt added two more scores as the Wildcats would race to a 21-0 lead before winning 21-3, cementing the win.
The win seals Edgar’s 14th trip to state in program history, which sets a new state record.
“Those guys, we’ve grown up together. Our whole 17-18 years of life and such a great thing—football. It brought us all together,” Butt said.
“It feels amazing. We’ve been working for this for forever. This has been our goal since we were out the womb and it just feels amazing, but we’ve got to finish it and get a Gold Ball,” Streit said.
They are looking for their eighth state title, which would move them into second all-time in WIAA history.
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