As a coach, Jason Becker gets plenty of enjoyment watching his players rise to the occasion.
Stoughton had a number of guys step up during a 26-14 win over Kettle Moraine Lutheran on Friday, Sept. 5, at Kettle Moraine Lutheran High School in Jackson.
“That’s kind of the name of our game this year,” Becker said. “I think a lot of people have questioned who’s going to step forward on this team, and that’s going to happen when you graduate a lot of seniors, like we did a year ago. It’s been really fun to watch these last two weeks where just different guys are stepping up on both sides of the ball. This is guys kind of coming into their own.”
Stoughton head coach Jason Becker (right) celebrates a touchdown with senior running back Logan Hedstrom (13) during the Vikings’ 26-14 win over Kettle Moraine Lutheran on Friday, Sept. 5, at Kettle Moraine Lutheran High School.
Photo by Jack Miller
Stoughton improved to 2-1 with the win. The victory against Kettle Moraine Lutheran – who plays in the East Central Conference – counts as a conference victory for the Vikings (2-1, 1-0 Badger Small) as the two conferences play crossover games. Stoughton has another conference crossover game next week at home against Kewaskum.
“I’m not a ugly win guy, I’m a win is a win guy,” Becker said. “And at the end of the day, we moved to 2-1 and continued to earn points in the playoff system and handled the things we can handle and control.”
The Vikings trailed 6-0 after a quarter but tied the game with 11 minutes, 20 seconds left in the second quarter after senior quarterback Colyn Kotlowski connected with senior wide receiver Parker Sellnow on a 38-yard touchdown. The extra point put Stoughton ahead 7-6.
Stoughton’s Parker Sellnow (left) celebrates a touchdown catch with fellow wide receiver Jackson Keis (right) during the Vikings’ 26-14 win over Kettle Moraine Lutheran on Friday, Sept. 5, at Kettle Moraine Lutheran High School.
Photo by Jack Miller
Stoughton turned Kettle Moraine over on downs on the ensuing possession with 5:45 to play in the half. Senior running back Logan Hedstrom weaved his way for a 6-yard touchdown run to punctuate a 3:24, 72-yard scoring drive. The extra point helped the Vikings take its 14-6 lead into the break.
On Stoughton’s first offensive play of the second half, Kotlowski once again connected with Sellnow, this time for an 80-yard touchdown pass.
“Coming into this week, watching film, we knew if we had certain run plays that would work we would have pass plays open up,” Kotlowski said. “That’s kind of what we were talking about on the sideline every time we came off from a possession, what was going to open up because of that possession. We found the plays that opened up and they opened up perfectly.”
Stoughton’s Parker Sellnow get the ball in space during the Vikings’ 26-14 win over Kettle Moraine Lutheran on Friday, Sept. 5, at Kettle Moraine Lutheran High School.
Photo by Jack Miller
Sellnow finished the game with three catches for 120 yards and two touchdowns. Kotlowski said the second touchdown pass to Sellnow was the same play as the first score.
Stoughton’s Parker Sellnow (14) and Colyn Kotlowski (1) celebrate their touchdown during the Vikings’ 26-14 win over Kettle Moraine Lutheran on Friday, Sept. 5, at Kettle Moraine Lutheran High School.
Photo by Jack Miller
“Sometimes you have to loft up and you just gotta rely and trust your receivers,” Kotlowski said. “And I trust that man (Sellnow) as much as anyone.”
Momentum shifted after Kettle Moraine junior quarterback Jonah Kruse found sophomore wide receiver Braden Reik for an 86-yard touchdown with 1:49 left in the third quarter. A successful 2-point conversion cut the Vikings’ lead to 20-14.
Stoughton junior defensive back Jack Johnson had one of the game’s key plays in the fourth quarter when he broke a pass attempt from Kruse as the Chargers faced a fourth-and-6 at the Vikings’ 37-yard line with 6:38 to play. Senior running back Gatlin Empey then turned three carries into 51 yards to help set up Stoughton at Kettle Moraine’s 12-yard line with 5:15 left in the game. Hedstrom scored from seven yards out with 4:15 to play to put the Vikings ahead 26-14.
Stoughton’s Gatlin Empey runs with the ball during the Vikings’ 26-14 win over Kettle Moraine Lutheran on Friday, Sept. 5, at Kettle Moraine Lutheran High School.
Photo by Jack Miller
Empey carried the ball 14 times for 138 yards. Hedstrom added 50 yards on 12 attempts.
Stoughton’s Logan Hedstrom runs behind a blocker during the Vikings’ 26-14 win over Kettle Moraine Lutheran on Friday, Sept. 5, at Kettle Moraine Lutheran High School.
Photo by Jack Miller
“Last week we leaned on Logan heavily, and this week, Gatlin carried a lot of that load in the backfield and that’s what we envisioned this year,” Becker said. “That’s the reason we’ve got Logan and Gatlin on the field together, it’s the fact that the two of them are just talented. They feed off of each other. When we can get them rolling, it’s just amazing to watch what they do.”
Stoughton turned the Chargers over on downs again after Empey had a tackle in the backfield with just over two minutes to play as Kettle Moraine faced a fourth-and-3 from Stoughton’s 22-yard line. The Vikings punted with 1:28 to play, but Stoughton sealed the win after junior linebacker Matthew Bubon picked off a pass with 1:12 remaining in the game.
Stoughton’s Matthew Bubon makes a tackle during the Vikings’ 26-14 win over Kettle Moraine Lutheran on Friday, Sept. 5, at Kettle Moraine Lutheran High School.
Photo by Jack Miller
Bubon had a team-high 14.5 total tackles to go along with a-team best two sacks. Senior defensive end Reid Blackburn had 13 total tackles and recorded six of Stoughton’s 11 tackles for losses.
Stoughton’s Reid Blackburn forces a fumble during the Vikings’ 26-14 win over Kettle Moraine Lutheran on Friday, Sept. 5, at Kettle Moraine Lutheran High School.
Photo by Jack Miller
“Just really, really proud of the way different guys stepped up throughout the night,” Becker said.
Kotlowski finished 6 of 9 for 163 yards and two touchdowns. Kotlowski was 3 of 5 passing with 123 yards and a touchdown last week in Stoughton’s 40-13 win over Green Bay Southwest. Kotlowski played defensive back in the Vikings’ season opener against Oregon.
Stoughton’s Colyn Kotlowski gets pressured on a pass attempt during the Vikings’ 26-14 win over Kettle Moraine Lutheran on Friday, Sept. 5, at Kettle Moraine Lutheran High School.
Photo by Jack Miller
“I viewed it as just trusting my team,” Kotlowski said of the opportunity to start at quarterback. “I wanted them to know that I had all trust in them since they have all trusted me…I’m making the most out of this opportunity. I love it. This is fun.”
Stoughton’s Logan Hedstrom runs in space during the Vikings’ 26-14 win over Kettle Moraine Lutheran on Friday, Sept. 5, at Kettle Moraine Lutheran High School.
Photo by Jack Miller
Stoughton’s Reid Blackburn makes a tackle for loss during the Vikings’ 26-14 win over Kettle Moraine Lutheran on Friday, Sept. 5, at Kettle Moraine Lutheran High School.
Photo by Jack Miller
Stoughton’s Colyn Kotlowski throws a pass during the Vikings’ 26-14 win over Kettle Moraine Lutheran on Friday, Sept. 5, at Kettle Moraine Lutheran High School.
Photo by Jack Miller