I-S ends season with 8-3 record

By Greg Seubert

Iola-Scandinavia football coach Scott Erickson hugs senior Kyle Jobke after Ozaukee eliminated the Thunderbirds from the WIAA state football playoffs. Greg Seubert Photo

A two-score deficit in a playoff game is nothing new for the Iola-Scandinavia football team.

The Thunderbirds overcame a 21-7 deficit against Racine Lutheran in the first round of the WIAA playoffs and trailed Ozaukee 10-0 at halftime in Level 2.

However, the T-Birds couldn’t get anything going offensively against the Warriors and came out on the short end of a 17-0 score Oct. 28 in a matchup of Division 6 teams in Fredonia.

Joe Lippe opened the scoring on the first play of the second quarter with a 1-yard quarterback keeper to cap a 65-yard drive that began with Brady Stadlet’s interception of a Jayden Sivertson pass.

Garrett Hoffmann added a 37-yard field goal with 36 seconds to go in the first half.

The T-Birds were in Ozaukee territory on their first two drives of the second half, but came up empty both times.

Hoffmann headed for the end zone early in the fourth quarter after hauling in a pass from Lippe, but fumbled and I-S recovered the ball in the end zone. The T-Birds weren’t able to move the ball, however, and the Warriors took over on the I-S 27-yard line. Lippe eventually found Hoffmann in the back of the end zone on fourth-and-goal for a 2-yard TD pass with 2:46 remaining in the game.

The Warriors outgained the T-Birds 320-128.

Keigan Schmit accounted for half of Ozaukee’s yards on 30 carries. Sivertson completed eight of 22 passes for 68 yards and also led the T-Birds in rushing with 76 yards, including a 43-yarder on the game’s first play from scrimmage.

I-S ended the season 8-3, while the 10-1 Warriors will play St. Mary’s Springs in Level 3.