Last year the Gillett Tigers played the best football the high school has ever seen.
They finished in a three-way tie for second in the Marinette & Oconto Conference at 7-2, hosted their first home playoff game and advanced to the second round for the first time ever before losing to Almond-Bancroft.
Coach Rick Kamps hopes to build on the most successful season in school history. Seventeen upperclassmen return this year, including 11 seniors.
It will be an uphill battle for the Tigers, however. The team lost 13 seniors, including M&O Back of the Year, Monte Noffke, who finished 19th in the state with 1,691 rushing yards and third in touchdowns with 31. They also lost their other main ball carrier, Matt Peterson, who had 707 all-purpose yards.
“Obviously, when you have a kid like Monte (Noffke) graduate, it’s a big part of your offense,” Kamps said. “When you combine that with what Matt Peterson did, it’s a big chunk of your offense.”
The team also lost first-team and second-team all-conference offensive linemen Daniel Torres and Kody Pawlak.
“We have our work cut out for us, but the kids are working hard,” Kamps said. “I think we have a realistic shot at winning the conference; we have the athletes to do it.”
One of those athletes is quarterback Alex Zeitler. Zeitler, a four-year starter, will be in charge of leading the offense that has lost much of last year’s production.
“He’s good; he’s a smart football player,” Kamp said. “He knows what he is doing.”
The main focus will again be the running game, but it won’t look the same. Kamps has decided to throw a little wrinkle into the running package.
Instead of going from under center, Zeitler will be in the shotgun formation, often handing the ball to senior fullback Brett Milhans.
“We want to keep the other offense off the field and just grind it out,” Kamps said. “Brett doesn’t have the breakaway speed that Monte (Noffke) did, but he can just run over people.”
Milhans also will anchor the defense. Last year, he had 115 tackles at the linebacker position. Second-team all-conference defensive end Mitch Umentum will also return for his final season. He was third in the state in sacks last year with 13. Three-time varsity starter Leland Kahler will also be a keystone in the defensive backfield.
The biggest hole for the team will be its overall depth. There are 32 players on the roster; Kamps was expecting 36.
“Our kids got to be in shape because we are going to be thin,” he said.
The biggest strength for this team is its experience. Kamps hopes that last year’s success rubs off on this year’s team.
“I think they learned how to win,” Kamps said. “They learned what it takes to win, the hard work that goes in to get there in the end.”
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