Prep Confidential

Tuscola headed back to Memorial Stadium

Posted by: Marcus Jackson

Saturday, November 17, 2007 8:41 PM

Despite having a target on their backs all season, the Tuscola Warriors are one step away from repeating as state champions. Playing its arch-rival Arcola for the 103rd time - the first time ever in the playoffs - Tuscola rolled to a 48-6 win at home.

Austen Schultz ran for 173 yards and three touchdowns before sitting out all of the fourth quarter and some of the third with a knee injury. Schultz is expected to play in the championship game.

Quarterback John Wienke completed 15 of 25 passes for 241 yards and two scores. And Travis Surma led the defense with 10 tackles.

- As expected, the crowd was great. Rhonda McCumber, a Tuscola secretary, estimated that approximately 3,500 fans took in the 103rd edition of the Cola War. The winner of the 50-50 raffle took home a cool $1,855. Not a bad pay day.

- I'm going to be honest. When I saw the Arcola team during double sessions this summer, I said I would be surprised to see it finish above .500, and I even told coach Jarod Kiger that. That's meant as no disrespect to them, but based on how few players they had out, and the number of seniors they lost I just didn't see it competing at a high level.

- You can't say enough about the job Kiger did with that team this year. I don't think anyone had Arcola reaching the semifinals this season. Kiger and his staff drew some praise from Tuscola coach Stan Wienke.
"The thing that stuck out instantly was their offensive and defensive line was five times better than what they had last year. There's three kids that are exactly the same so that has to be somebody teaching them stuff."

- Hats off to Arcola senior Mark Klinger. The quarterback played a whale of a game on Saturday, running for 25 times for 95 yards and throwing for 40 more. But it was his overall body of work that made him stand out. He returned kicks and racked up a game-high 12 tackles from his safety position. He's one of the best athletes in the area. Earlier this year he competed in the state golf tournament and played in a football game on the same day.

Read more about Saturday's game in Sunday's News-Gazette, and be sure to pick up the paper next week as I'll give you the scoop on Tuscola's preparation for Friday's game and Fred Kroner will provide the scoop on Westville.

MJ

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