2014 All-Wolf River Media Football Team

The Bonduel High School football team had a workmanlike attitude all season. It was never more evident than when Hunter VanDerLinden was on the field, which was most of the game. A senior running back/linebacker, VanDerLinden powered through defenses, played decoy when needed, played stifling defense and — except for three tough games against Central Wisconsin Conference-8 foes Amherst and Shiocton — helped put Bonduel in the win column. After every big run, after every 1-yard dive for a touchdown, after meeting an opposing running back in the hole, VanDerLinden just got up and started getting ready for the next play. It was an attitude that was shared by the whole Bears squad. The effort and results on both sides of the ball earned VanDerLinden recognition as Wolf River Media’s 2014 Football Player of the Year. “Extremely tough, physical player,” Bonduel coach James Westrich said describing VanDerLinden. “He’s consistent week in and week out. There’s some games he didn’t get the yards he wanted, but they (opponents) had a lot of guys responsible for not letting him get the ball.” Despite the extra attention, VanDerLinden rolled to 1,657 yards in 12 games. Five times he eclipsed 150 yards rushing, including 192 yards against Wittenberg-Birnamwood in Week 4, 196 in Week 6 against Weyauwega-Fremont and 212 in a WIAA Division 5 Level 2 playoff game against Iola-Scandinavia. “He’s a really smart football player,” Westrich said. “He understands the scheme on both sides of the ball.” Playing in a three-headed backfield with fellow seniors Dan Tauchen and Hunter Berry, VanDerLinden still managed to pick up 21 touchdowns, 19 on the ground and two more on passes from senior quarterback Colton Dobratz, who was also named to the All-Wolf River Media team at quarterback. In his four-year career, VanDerLinden rushed for 4,258 yards, setting the Bonduel High School career rushing record. At middle linebacker, VanDerLinden was the leading tackler for the Bears (9-3, 5-2 CWC-8) most games. His 64 total tackles led the CWC-8. “(He) never asks to come off the field, never asks to take a break, offense or defense,” Westrich said. VanDerLinden and Tauchen — also a linebacker — made most of the defensive calls. “They get everybody else on the right page,” Westrich said. “It was really nice having two senior linebackers that understood the scheme as well as they did.” That knowledge and experience allowed Bonduel to make adjustments before the snap on both sides of the ball. “It makes our jobs as coaches a little bit easier, being able to do things on the fly,” Westrich said. In the playoffs, VanDerLinden got even better. After putting up 161 yards rushing in a Level 1 playoff matchup with Colby, he dropped 212 — his highest total of the season — on Iola-Scandinavia in Level 2. Against Amherst, which held him to his lowest total rushing of the season — 58 yards — in their first meeting, VanDerLinden rushed for 109 yards and averaged 6.4 yards per carry in a quarterfinal playoff loss. “I saw another level of focus and drive from him in the playoffs,” Westrich said. “He had a great playoff run. He ran the ball extremely well and played defense extremely well in those games.” 2014 All-Wolf River Media Football Team OFFENSE QUARTERBACK • Colton Dobratz Bonduel, senior, 6-0, 160 pounds Awards: Honorable Mention All-CWC-8 Stats: 63 of 134 for 1,048 yards, 7.8 yards per attempt, 87.3 yards per game, 15 touchdowns, eight interceptions, passer rating of 86.3. Third in CWC-8 in passing. RUNNING BACKS • Hunter VanDerLinden Bonduel, senior, 5-10, 215 Awards: All-CWC-8 second team. Bonduel High School career all-time rushing record of 4,258 yards. All-Wolf River Media Player of the Year. Stats: 232 carries for 1,657 yards, 7.1 yards per attempt, 19 touchdowns, 138.1 yards per game. Best in CWC-8 in rushing. • Monte Noffke Gillett, senior, 5-8, 165 Awards: All-Marinette & Oconto Conference first team. M&O running back of the year. Wisconsin Football Coaches Association All-State honorable mention. Stats: 228 carries for 1,691 yards, 7.4 yards per rush, 31 touchdowns, 169.1 yards per game, best in the M&O Conference. • Alphonso Smith Menominee Indian, senior, 6-2, 210 Awards: All-Northern Lakes Conference first team. Menominee Indian High School single-season rushing record. Stats: 144 carries for 1,064 yards, 7.4 yards per attempt, seven touchdowns, 118.2 yards per game. Second in Northern Lakes in rushing. RECEIVERS • Skyler Lehman Clintonville, senior, 6-2, 200 Awards: All-Eastern Valley Conference first team. Stats: Had 59 catches for 1,114 yards (second in the Eastern Valley Conference), 18.9 yards per catch, nine touchdowns, 123 yards per game (best in the Eastern Valley). • Connor Rosin Bonduel, senior, 6-2, 195 Awards: All-CWC-8 second team Stats: 24 receptions for 566 yards, 23.6 yards per catch (best in the CWC-8), including nine touchdowns (best in CWC-8), 51 yards per game. OFFENSIVE LINE • Daniel Torres Gillett, senior, 6-2, 225 Awards: All-M&O first team • Isaiah Griesbach Bonduel, senior, 5-11, 190 Awards: All-CWC-8 first team • Jordan Richter Bonduel, senior, 5-9, 192 Awards: All-CWC-8 second team • Kody Pawlak Gillett, senior, 6-0, 235 Awards: All-M&O second team • Dylan Hintz Shawano, senior, 6-2, 225 All-Bay Conference honorable mention DEFENSE DEFENSIVE LINE • Isaiah Griesbach Bonduel, senior, 5-11, 190 Awards: All-CWC-8 first team Stats: 56 tackles, 48 solo, seven tackles for loss, 15.5 sacks, two forced fumbles. • Mitch Umentum Gillett, junior, 5-9, 160 Awards: All-M&O second team Stats: 50 total tackles, 31 solo tackles, 11 tackles for loss, 13.0 sacks, three forced fumbles. • Dylan Hintz Shawano, senior, 6-2, 225 Awards: All-Bay Conference second team LINEBACKERS • Hunter VanDerLinden Bonduel, senior, 5-10, 215 Awards: All-CWC-8 first team Stats: CWC-8 leading tackler with 64 total, 53 solo, one sack, three tackles for loss, two forced fumbles, one interception. • Creo VanBellinger Suring, senior, 5-11, 175 Awards: All-M&O first team, Wisconsin Football Coaches Association All-State honorable mention. Stats: 166 total tackles, 115 solo tackles (best in the M&O), 17 tackles for loss, one sack, two forced fumbles, five interceptions, one for a touchdown. • Donald Beechy Tigerton/Marion, senior, 5-5, 150 Awards: All-CWC-10 second team • Zack Sousek Shawano, senior, 5-10, 170 Awards: All-Bay second team DEFENSIVE BACKS • Akeem Bates Gillett, senior, 5-10, 165 Awards: All-M&O first team Stats: 40 total tackles, 30 solo tackles, nine passes defensed. • Michael Pecore Menominee Indian, senior, 5-10, 150 Awards: All-Northern Lakes second team Stats: 34 total tackles, 27 solo tackles, four tackles for loss, two interceptions, 11 passes defensed (best in Northern Lakes). • Hayden Harris Tigerton/Marion, junior, 5-7, 150 Awards: All-CWC-10 second team • Jacob Yatso Oconto Falls, senior, 5-9, 140 Awards: All-Bay Conference honorable mention Stats: 52 total tackles, 38 solo, one tackle for loss, two forced fumbles, nine blocked extra points, one blocked punt, one interception. SPECIALISTS KICKER • Braden Mueller Shawano, senior, 6-0, 160 Awards: All-Bay Conference honorable mention PUNTER • Alphonso Smith Menominee Indian, senior, 6-2, 210 Awards: All-Northern Lakes second team Stats: 30 punts, 38.3 average (best in the Northern Lakes Conference), five punts inside the 20-yard line. KICK/PUNT RETURNER • Zack Sousek Shawano, senior, 5-10, 170 Stats: Led the Bay Conference in kickoff returns with 27 for 630 yards. Averaged 23.3 a return. Had five punt returns for 178 yards, averaging 35.6 yards per return. COACHING STAFF • Bonduel High School Coach: James Westrich Offensive coordinator: Dave LaBerge Assistants: Chris Rank, Jeff Molkentin and Tony Stoss Managers: Jen Dowden, Lexi Reinke, Deanna Zernicke, Kailee Pedersen and Cami Harland Statisticians: Matthew LaBerge, Mitchell LaBerge, Greg Strayer, Bill Wallace, Dan Rosin and Trent Wegner Notes: Coach James Westrich and his staff have had the Bears in the playoffs four of the last five years, including this year’s Division 5 playoff quarterfinal run and 2010’s run to the semifinals. In his 10th year as coach, Westrich has a 62-41 record in one of the area’s toughest football conferences.