Hodags 4-0 to start season

Star Journal staff

The Ashland Oredockers came to Mike Webster stadium hoping to continue their winning streak. Ashland lost to Merrill to open the season but then scored over 40 points in wins over Hayward and Lakeland. The Hodags, having won their first three, did not want to lose their first game of the season and knew they had their work cut out for them.

Rhinelander kicked off to start the game and forced Ashland to a three and out and a punt. The Hodags muffed the ensuing punt and the Oredockers recovered in Hodag territory. An Oredocker fumble and Hodag recovery led to the first touchdown of the game. A missed extra point attempt had the Hodags with a 6-0 lead with seven seconds left in the first quarter.

Ashland took a 7-6 lead with 10:09 left in the second quarter, but at the 5:35 mark Quinn Lamers threw a ball to the back of the end zone that Walker Hartman grabbed to make the score 14-6 after a successful 2-point conversion.

With 1:28 left in the half, the ball spurted out of the arms of an Ashland ball carrier and fell into Walker Hartman's hands and he ran it in for his second touchdown of the game. With the point after failing the Hodags led 20-7.

The last score of the game came on a 4th and 1-foot play with quarterback Quinn Lamers taking it in from 27 yards out, breaking several tackles in the process. The point after attempt was no good making the final score 26-7.

Next the Hodags take on Lakeland in Minocqua in the annual Axe game on Friday night.

Photos by Bob Mainhardt