Mike Granlund
For The Telegram
The Heart O’ North Conference football season is shaping up to be a real battle for 2016. After two weeks of non-conference play, four teams appear to have their sights set on the crown.
Defending co-champions Hayward and Northwestern return much of their defense corps and both have strong senior classes, and Bloomer seeks to reload after falling to third place last year after winning the HON in 2013 and 2014.
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Chetek was 5-5 last year after back-to-back 9-2 second-place seasons, and looks to be very good behind a potent passing attack.
The other four teams are seeking to get into the top four of the conference and qualify for the WIAA playoffs. Spooner, Ladysmith, Cumberland and Barron all have outstanding individuals who could help pull off a key upset.
Hayward
The Hurricanes (2-0), behind Superior native Brian Trettin, returns most of their defense and last year had the luxury of a separate platoon for offense and defense.
One big loss is 2,000-yard rusher Howie Leuschen, but with 88 points scored in their first two games, offense does not appear to be a problem.
David Freund is a veteran quarterback who returns and Riley Donaghue and Kenny Richards are the main ball carriers.
Xavier Cummings was a standout on defense and this year he’s Hayward’s top receiver with 201 yards in two games.
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Graham Frame, Caleb Waggoner, Tanner Kelsey, Kyle Sorenson, Diante Miller, Will Zawistkowski, Keion Johnson, and Cole Robotka all return after receiving all-conference accolades.
Chetek-Weyerhaeuser
The Bulldogs (2-0) have opened with two impressive victories and are ranked No. 2 in the Wissports poll in Division 5.
Dawson Davis has already thrown for 467 yards and five touchdowns and is one of northern Wisconsin’s premier passers. Sam Newell, Daryl Williams, and Hunter Flor are his main targets.
Tonight’s game vs. Northwestern will be the HON’s first key matchup.
Bloomer
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Most teams that lose nine all-conference players to graduation expect a down year. Not Bloomer (2-0).
The Blackhawks have reloaded behind lineman Payton Dachel and quarterback Mitch Post. They have made the playoffs for 12 straight years, and this looks like another good year for John Post’s team.
A trip north to face Northwestern next week will be their first big conference game.
Northwestern
Life without four-year starter Nate Pearson (now at UMD) will be different, but a narrow win over Ashland and a huge loss to Osceola is the same scenario that the Tigers (1-1) began with last year, when they went 8-3.
Osceola went on to become WIAA state champions in Division 4 and this year is ranked No. 1 again in the Wissports poll. The first two conference games (at Chetek-Weyerhaeuser and hosting Bloomer) will loom large for David Crail’s team’s title aspirations.
Senior Alex Tecker (6-foot-4, 270 pounds) anchors the defense, which returns seven starters. Connor Johnson, Mike and Matt Lindsey, Tyler Little, Jameson Pflug and Andrew Hanson comprise what should be a solid core.
Offensively, Jared Anttila returns at quarterback in the spread offense. Carter Spangenberg is the conference’s leading returning rusher, and receivers Tyler Little at 6-4 and Tanner Klobucher at 6-3 are tall targets.
The line of Ricky Schiff, Nate Ohman, Tyler Ronning, Kyle Curphy, and Tecker will need to meld, as all five linemen from last year were lost to graduation.
Sophomore Reagan Ruffi begins the season as the other main ball carrier.
Other players who will play a lot include Ryan Huray, Michael Lewis, Travis Lewis, Trevor Janowicz, Kade Bartelt, Hunter Wiese, Kenny Dunny, and freshman kicker Isaac Nichols.
Ladysmith
The Lumberjacks (1-1) are led by Riley Herbes and made the playoffs last year. The final game of the year at Maple may be big for this team’s playoff hopes.
Cumberland
The Beavers (0-2) have one of the HON’s premier players in Payton Rose, who accounted for 15 touchdowns as a junior. Rose needs more help for John Oconnell’s team to move up in the standings.
Spooner
The Rails (0-2) lost all six all-conference players and appear to have an uphill battle this year, being outscored 101-13 in the first two games.
Barron
Low numbers have plagued the Bears (0-2) recently, and they are currently on a 17-game losing streak.
Carter Frandson and Michael Johnston are two players who would start for any team in the conference, but it looks like another long football year in Barron.
Heart O’North Conference
Football Champions
1930 - Rice Lake
1931 - Spooner
1932 - Ladysmith-Rice Lake
1933 - Bloomer
1934 - Bloomer
1935 - Bloomer-Spooner
1936 - Rice Lake
1937 - Bloomer
1938 - Rice Lake
1939 - Rice Lake
1940 - Ladysmith
1941 - Spooner
1942 - Rice Lake
1943 - Rice Lake
1944 - Bloomer
1945 - Cumberland-Rice Lake-Spooner
1946 - Rice Lake
1947 - Rice Lake
1948 - Bloomer
1949 - Ladysmith
1950 - Bloomer
1951 - Bloomer
1952 - Bloomer
1953 - Bloomer
1954 - Bloomer
1955 - Bloomer
1956 - Bloomer
1957 - Rice Lake
1958 - Cumberland-Ladysmith
1959 - Rice Lake
1960 - Bloomer
1961 - Ladysmith
1962 - Ladysmith
1963 - Bloomer
1964 - Ladysmith
1965 - Barron
1966 - Rice Lake
1967 - Bloomer
1968 - Bloomer
1969 - Bloomer
1972 - Rice Lake
1973 - Spooner
1974 - Hayward
1975 - Rice Lake
1976 - Rice Lake
1977 - Bloomer
1978 - Cumberland
1979 - Rice Lake
1980 - Rice Lake
1981 - Rice Lake
1982 - Rice Lake
1983 - Rice Lake
1984 - Bloomer
1985 - Rice Lake
1986 - Bloomer
1987 - Bloomer-Hayward- Northwestern
1988 - Northwestern
1989 - Barron
1990 - Barron
1991 - Spooner
1992 S- pooner
1993 - Northwestern
1994 - Not Conference Sport
1995 - Not a Conference Sport
1996 - Spooner
1997 - Northwestern
1998 - Cumberland
1999 - Northwestern
2000 - Northwestern
2001 - Ladysmith
2002 - Bloomer
2003 - Ladysmith
2004 - Northwestern
2005 - Bloomer
2006 - Ladysmith
2007 - Chetek
2008 - Hayward
2009 - Northwestern
2010 - Northwestern
2011 - Bloomer
2012 - Cumberland
2013 - Bloomer
2014 - Bloomer
2015 - Hayward- Northwestern