Team: Wisner-Pilger
Mascot: Gators
Colors: Green and White
Class: D-1
Head Coach: A.J. Burki (6th season) (20-23 record)
2021 record: 4-5 (lost to Weeping Water in 1st round of Playoffs)
Returning Starters: 5 Offense 4 Defense
Overview:
The Wisner-Pilger Football Team looks to have a good season following a year last year in which the Gators reached the playoffs.
Back for 6th year Head Coach A.J. Burki is August Scholting (6’2, 190 Sr), Hunter Palmer (5’10, 175 Sr), Devon Schultz (5’10, 160 Sr), Reece Dimon (6’0, 210 Sr), Carson Urwiler (5’8, 185 Sr), Bowdy Bird (6’0, 175 Jr), and Ethan Buhrman (5’10, 185 Jr).
Coach Burki says Scholting is a beast. “August is an outstanding football player, with a motor that doesn’t stop. Last year he began the season at T.E. before moving in week 7 to FB where he avg. 3.4 yds a carry – we look for him to do big things for us on offense – as both a lead blocker and a consistent reliable rusher. Defense was big – August racked up 112 total tackles, 12.5 of which were tackles for loss. He was a dominant defensive force and we expect more of the same this upcoming season.”
Coach Burki adds Palmer is a big time playmaker. “Hunter will be our leading returning rusher – Avg. 7.4 yds a carry. Racking up a total of 625 and 7 TD’s. Hunter had some big games last season for us, and this year we expect every game to be a big game for him. Hunter also had 7 catches for 112 yards and 2 TDs. We fully anticipate our offense going through him.”
Others likely to play include Braxton Siebrant (5’10, 135 Jr), Walker Ott (5’10, 155 So), Keegan Poppe (6’0, 165 So), Xavier Albanese (6’0, 265 So), Brandon Stoffel (6’5, 190 So), Logan Nelson (5’9, 175 Fr), Dayton Gentrup (5’7, 140 So), and Ryan Woitaszewski (5’9, 155 Sr).
The Gators said goodbye to Anthony Palmer, Spencer Batenhorst, Tyson Schultz, and Beau Ruskamp last year.
Coach Burki says his team is ready to go.
Coach Burki says offseason weightroom attendance was pretty good, and the kids got faster.
Season Outlook:
Wisner-Pilger looks for another good season with as many guys returning as they do. Coach Burki says those guys will look to expand their game. “We return a great core group of guys off last year’s playoff team. We do however, have some big shoes to fill – replacing guys who were capable of making big plays, and 1,000 yd Rusher in Beau Ruskamp. Good news we have a nice group of underclassmen all competing for those spots and we believe are ready to step up and play. Additionally, we have a number of guys who were one way players/starters looking to become two way guys, and in turn some guys competing for positions on one side of the ball over the other. This is great for us because that means guys are going to have to compete against each other for playing time and will allow us to develop the depth that we need to have a good season.”
The Gators open up the season at Lutheran High Northeast on Friday. Coach Burki previews the matchup.
Wisner-Pilger is in District D1-4 with Stanton, Pender, Bancroft-Rosalie, Lyons-Decatur Northeast, and GACC. Coach Burki says it’s a pretty unique District.
I truly believe that Wisner-Pilger can and will have another good year this year.
The schedule is tough, but I think the Gators can and will find a way to win half their games and make the playoffs once again this season.
2022 Wisner-Pilger Gators Football Schedule:
08/26/22 @ Lutheran High Northeast
09/02/22 Laurel-Concord-Coleridge
09/09/22 Nebraska Christian
09/16/22 @ Pender
09/23/22 Bancroft-Rosalie
09/30/22 @ Stanton
10/07/22 @ Guardian Angels Central Catholic
10/14/22 Lyons-Decatur Northeast
