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WSN15: Football Top Moments #4 - Stratford caps last of six straight titles with win over Marawood rival Edgar

12/08/2017, 8:23am CST
By Travis Wilson

The WSN15 series will celebrate the 15th Anniversary of WisSports.net by looking back at the top players, teams, and moments of the past 15 years (2003-2017). 

We begin our WSN15 series with the Top 15 Moments of the WSN Era.

Top 15 Moments: #4 - Stratford caps last of six straight titles with win over Marawood rival Edgar

It was a run that football fans in this state had never seen before, though could see again as early as next year. For the Stratford Tigers, an incredible run from 2003 to 2008 ended with a Division 6 state championship each season under head coach Cal Tackes.

It was the last of those title games that many people remember best. Stratford and the Edgar Wildcats ruled the Marawood Conference for years, as one of the teams claimed at least a share of the league championship every season from 1983 to 2014. They'd each seen their share of success at the state level as well, with Edgar capturing four titles prior to the 2008 season (and three since). Stratford won the Division 5 championship in 1986 in addition to its run in the mid-2000's.

Twice before during Stratford's run they had faced off against Edgar in the postseason, defeating the Wildcats in Level 2 in both 2005 and 2007. However, in 2008, the teams were placed on opposite sides of the bracket, making a state title match-up a possibility.

Edgar earned a top seed in its regional grouping, in part because of a 16-8 win over Stratford during the regular season. In that game, Justin Sinz threw a 57-yard touchdown pass to Noah Werner in the fourth quarter to lift Edgar to the victory. It was the first loss for Stratford against a Wisconsin school in 76 games.

It was the only loss for Stratford, who was relegated to a four-seed under the old criteria-based seeding system.

After a tough 12-7 win over Owen-Withee in the Level 1 playoffs, Edgar rolled to the state title game for the first time since a Division 5 runner-up finish in 2000.

Stratford was unchallenged until Level 4, when Fennimore held a 17-7 halftime advantage. Stratford rallied, and won it when Josh Franklin booted a 21-yard field goal with 30 seconds remaining.

That set up a state title game showdown between old rivals Stratford, on a five-year championship run, and Edgar. 

In typical Edgar-Stratford fashion, it was a slugfest from the beginning. After Edgar's Justin Sinz, son of head coach Jerry Sinz, recovered a fumble and returned it to the Stratford seven-yard line, the Wildcats would get on the board first on a 26-yard Sinz field goal.

After Stratford's first three drives went for a combined 22 yards, the Tigers finally mounted a threat as the running game got going. It was through the air that they would hit pay dirt however, as Mason Nesbitt found Ryan Schalow from 15 yards out to put Stratford up 7-3.

It was the first of seven straight Stratford drives that would finish in Edgar territory, but the only one that would result in points.

Edgar had one last opportunity, taking over at their own 31-yard line with 2:57 remaining in the game. A pair of passes quickly moved the ball into the red zone, but after converting a third and one down to the 12-yard line, Ryan Schalow would intercept a Justin Sinz pass in the end zone to seal the 7-3 victory. It extended Stratford's record championship streak to six years, but after moving up to Division 5 in 2009, the Tigers have not reached the state semi-finals since. Tackes would retire in 2012 

For Edgar, it was the first of three straight title game appearances, the last two ending in championships in 2009 and 2010. The Wildcats would add a state record-tying seventh WIAA title in 2016 by winning the Division 6 crown.

Stratford's six consecutive state titles remains a WIAA record, though Kimberly could tie it with another championship next year.

For the latest and most up to date football news and recruiting information, follow Travis on Twitter @travisWSN. Email story ideas, recruiting info, etc. to Travis at travis(at)wissports.net.

Tag(s): News Archive  News  Travis Wilson  WSN15