Sports Editor
WILTON — The Wilton football team reached new heights last season winning nine of the eleven football games they played and advanced to the Class 1A quarterfinal round for the first time in school history. The only two losses were to eventual class 1A runner-up Iowa City Regina. The Beavers enter this season having won 16 games in the past two seasons with a record of 16-4. Wilton started the season 5-0 before losing to Iowa City Regina. The Beavers won their next four, qualifying for the playoffs last year as the district runner-up. The Beavers season would end with a hard-fought loss at Iowa City Regina in the 2A quarterfinals.
The Beavers have 16 seniors out this season, the most in head coach Ryan Hetzler’s time at Wilton. Hetzler begins his fifth season at the helm of the Beavers program. 14 Beaver players were on the state semifinalist baseball team this past summer.
Offensively, Wilton was near the top in passing yards in district play, third in rushing yards with a 5.0-yard per carry average and fourth in receiving yards.
The Beavers return their top passer, top-3 rushers and top two receivers from an offense that averaged 32.5 points a game last season on the offensive side of the football. Wilton scored points in 10 of their 11 football games and scored in double digits in 9 of the 11 games.
Back this year to lead of offense is senior quarterback Jerome Mays. Mays was one of the few Iowa High School football players last season to throw and rush for over 1,000 yards. Mays passed for 1,474 yards on 123 completions with 13 touchdowns and 16 interceptions. He rushed for 1,140 yards and 19 touchdowns with a 5.8-yard average.
Wilton had some injuries last season at the running back position with Trey Brisker (117 yards on 25 carries, 1 TD) and Colin McCrabb (58 yards on 4 carries) hurt most of the season. In stepped Chantz Stevens and Trey Sulsberger. Stevens was the second leading rusher with 286 yards, 4 touchdowns and a 4.3-yard average. Sulzberger rushed for 249 yards and a touchdown with a 4.2-yard average. Brian Stillman (11 carries, 48 yards, 2 TD’s) also will be in the mix.
The top-2 Wilton receivers return in seniors Cory Anderson and Brock Hartley. Anderson caught 55 passes for 671 yards and 4 touchdowns. He averaged 12.2 yards a catch. Hartley caught 29 passes for 448 yards and 5 touchdowns. He averaged 15.4 yards a catch.
Also back are three others that caught touchdown passes last season and four that have a varsity reception. Back is Stevens (8 rec. 60 yards 1 TD), Ronen Santiago (4 rec. 42 yards), Brian Stillman (2 rec. 36 yards, 1 TD), and Colin McCrabb (4 rec. 30 yards, 1 TD).
Defensively, Wilton was second in district play last season in tackles with 562.5 as a team. They had a district high 37 tackles for loss to go with 10 sacks. The Beavers secondary was one of the best in the state last year and led their district with 19 interceptions as a team, or 1.7 per game last year. Of those 19 interceptions, five were returned for touchdowns.
Wilton graduated seniors Tyler Hartman and Trey Brisker from their defensive unit, but return 9 of their top 11 tackle leaders from last season. Back are Jared Townsend (84 tackles, 2 sacks, 6 tackles for loss), Cory Anderson (53 tackles), and Brock Hartley (62 tackles). The trio were the second through fourth leading tackle leaders last season. Hartman led Wilton in tackles with 119 with 10 tackles for loss and a sack. Brisker had 57 tackles a year ago.
Seven different Beavers had at least one interception last year and six return this season. Anderson led with 8 interceptions with 36 return yards and a touchdown. Stevens had four interceptions for 125 return yards and 3 touchdowns. Mays and Hartley each had two interceptions and Jared Townsend had one. Mays returned one interception 37 yards for a touchdown.
The Beavers return a lot of special teams too. Kicker Jared Townsend returns after handling kickoffs and placekicking duty. He was also 2-for-3 in field goal kicking. Townsend was 20-for-32 in point after touchdown attempts and averaged 46.9 yards per kick off and he had 12 touchbacks. Townsend punted too averaging 37 yards on 26 attempts with a long of 67 yards.
In the return game, Cory Anderson led in kick-off and punt return yardage. Anderson had 23 kick-off returns for 431 yards and a touchdown and averaged 18.7 yards a return. He also had 90 yards on 14 punt returns for a 6.4-yard average.
Wilton will play Durant, Benton Community, Northeast, and Mid-Prairie. The Beavers will host Northeast in week 2 and Benton in week 4. Wilton opens the 2018 season on the road at Durant on August 24 and will travel to Wellman to take on the Golden Hawks for week three on September 7.
Wilton will have three home district games with Sigourney-Keota coming to town on September 21. After road games at Wapello and Mediapolis, Wilton ends the regular season with home games against Columbus Junction and Van Buren.
2017 All-District Selections: District MVP’s - quarterback Jerome Mays, wide receiver Cory Anderson, placekicker Jared Townsend; 1st Team - Tyler Hartman sr. LB, Brock Hartley jr. TE, Brian Stillman jr. DL, Chantz Stevens jr. DB; 2nd Team - Brayton Wade jr. OL, Clayton Cooling jr. DL, Austin Pleggenkuhle OL; Honorable Mention - Jacob Shepherd sr., Ronen Santiago jr., Trey Brisker sr.
Graduated Seniors From 2017: Drake Hayes, Trey Brisker, Tyler Hartman, Austin Pleggenkuhle, Dylan Leinen and Jacob Sheperd.
Back From 2017 (22): Jerome Mays, Chantz Stevens, Ronen Santiago, Brock Hartley, Cory Anderson, Brian Stillman, Patrick Barszczewski, Corey Anderson, Garrett Bohnsack, Collin McCrabb, Jacob Creamer, Clayton Cooling, Brayton Wade, Trey Sulzberger, Dalton Snider, Charles Martin, Calib Lilly, Jared Townsend, Brayton Wade, Colby Sawvell, Ashton Stoelk, Brady Shook.
WILTON — The Wilton football team reached new heights last season winning nine of the eleven football games they played and advanced to the Class 1A quarterfinal round for the first time in school history. The only two losses were to eventual class 1A runner-up Iowa City Regina. The Beavers enter this season having won 16 games in the past two seasons with a record of 16-4. Wilton started the season 5-0 before losing to Iowa City Regina. The Beavers won their next four, qualifying for the playoffs last year as the district runner-up. The Beavers season would end with a hard-fought loss at Iowa City Regina in the 2A quarterfinals.
The Beavers have 16 seniors out this season, the most in head coach Ryan Hetzler’s time at Wilton. Hetzler begins his fifth season at the helm of the Beavers program. 14 Beaver players were on the state semifinalist baseball team this past summer.
Offensively, Wilton was near the top in passing yards in district play, third in rushing yards with a 5.0-yard per carry average and fourth in receiving yards.
The Beavers return their top passer, top-3 rushers and top two receivers from an offense that averaged 32.5 points a game last season on the offensive side of the football. Wilton scored points in 10 of their 11 football games and scored in double digits in 9 of the 11 games.
Back this year to lead of offense is senior quarterback Jerome Mays. Mays was one of the few Iowa High School football players last season to throw and rush for over 1,000 yards. Mays passed for 1,474 yards on 123 completions with 13 touchdowns and 16 interceptions. He rushed for 1,140 yards and 19 touchdowns with a 5.8-yard average.
Wilton had some injuries last season at the running back position with Trey Brisker (117 yards on 25 carries, 1 TD) and Colin McCrabb (58 yards on 4 carries) hurt most of the season. In stepped Chantz Stevens and Trey Sulsberger. Stevens was the second leading rusher with 286 yards, 4 touchdowns and a 4.3-yard average. Sulzberger rushed for 249 yards and a touchdown with a 4.2-yard average. Brian Stillman (11 carries, 48 yards, 2 TD’s) also will be in the mix.
The top-2 Wilton receivers return in seniors Cory Anderson and Brock Hartley. Anderson caught 55 passes for 671 yards and 4 touchdowns. He averaged 12.2 yards a catch. Hartley caught 29 passes for 448 yards and 5 touchdowns. He averaged 15.4 yards a catch.
Also back are three others that caught touchdown passes last season and four that have a varsity reception. Back is Stevens (8 rec. 60 yards 1 TD), Ronen Santiago (4 rec. 42 yards), Brian Stillman (2 rec. 36 yards, 1 TD), and Colin McCrabb (4 rec. 30 yards, 1 TD).
Defensively, Wilton was second in district play last season in tackles with 562.5 as a team. They had a district high 37 tackles for loss to go with 10 sacks. The Beavers secondary was one of the best in the state last year and led their district with 19 interceptions as a team, or 1.7 per game last year. Of those 19 interceptions, five were returned for touchdowns.
Wilton graduated seniors Tyler Hartman and Trey Brisker from their defensive unit, but return 9 of their top 11 tackle leaders from last season. Back are Jared Townsend (84 tackles, 2 sacks, 6 tackles for loss), Cory Anderson (53 tackles), and Brock Hartley (62 tackles). The trio were the second through fourth leading tackle leaders last season. Hartman led Wilton in tackles with 119 with 10 tackles for loss and a sack. Brisker had 57 tackles a year ago.
Seven different Beavers had at least one interception last year and six return this season. Anderson led with 8 interceptions with 36 return yards and a touchdown. Stevens had four interceptions for 125 return yards and 3 touchdowns. Mays and Hartley each had two interceptions and Jared Townsend had one. Mays returned one interception 37 yards for a touchdown.
The Beavers return a lot of special teams too. Kicker Jared Townsend returns after handling kickoffs and placekicking duty. He was also 2-for-3 in field goal kicking. Townsend was 20-for-32 in point after touchdown attempts and averaged 46.9 yards per kick off and he had 12 touchbacks. Townsend punted too averaging 37 yards on 26 attempts with a long of 67 yards.
In the return game, Cory Anderson led in kick-off and punt return yardage. Anderson had 23 kick-off returns for 431 yards and a touchdown and averaged 18.7 yards a return. He also had 90 yards on 14 punt returns for a 6.4-yard average.
Wilton will play Durant, Benton Community, Northeast, and Mid-Prairie. The Beavers will host Northeast in week 2 and Benton in week 4. Wilton opens the 2018 season on the road at Durant on August 24 and will travel to Wellman to take on the Golden Hawks for week three on September 7.
Wilton will have three home district games with Sigourney-Keota coming to town on September 21. After road games at Wapello and Mediapolis, Wilton ends the regular season with home games against Columbus Junction and Van Buren.
2017 All-District Selections: District MVP’s - quarterback Jerome Mays, wide receiver Cory Anderson, placekicker Jared Townsend; 1st Team - Tyler Hartman sr. LB, Brock Hartley jr. TE, Brian Stillman jr. DL, Chantz Stevens jr. DB; 2nd Team - Brayton Wade jr. OL, Clayton Cooling jr. DL, Austin Pleggenkuhle OL; Honorable Mention - Jacob Shepherd sr., Ronen Santiago jr., Trey Brisker sr.
Graduated Seniors From 2017: Drake Hayes, Trey Brisker, Tyler Hartman, Austin Pleggenkuhle, Dylan Leinen and Jacob Sheperd.
Back From 2017 (22): Jerome Mays, Chantz Stevens, Ronen Santiago, Brock Hartley, Cory Anderson, Brian Stillman, Patrick Barszczewski, Corey Anderson, Garrett Bohnsack, Collin McCrabb, Jacob Creamer, Clayton Cooling, Brayton Wade, Trey Sulzberger, Dalton Snider, Charles Martin, Calib Lilly, Jared Townsend, Brayton Wade, Colby Sawvell, Ashton Stoelk, Brady Shook.
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