LAST YEAR — W-G made the most of a trip south, out gaining host M-SM, 438-198, en route to a 36-20 victory. The Hawks passed for 149 yards and ran for 289 more while limiting the Blue Devils to 4-of-13 passing for 58 yards while yielding 140 yards on the ground.
Tanner Vermaas ran for 68 yards on 10 carries and Race Brant had a touchdown and 12 yards on four rushes. Brant also caught three balls for 31 yards, including a 17-yard TD.
Lane Gehringer carried once, but scored on the play from six yards out. He is the leading rusher from the game back for the Blue Devils. Brandon Langloss (1-23, 1 TD) and Jack Murphy (1-19) are the top receivers back. M-SM also scored on a two-yard fumble recovery.
ABOUT THE BLUE DEVILS — Both teams will be looking to replace almost all passing yards as two long-time senior quarterbacks have left.
Nash Weigert (11-59) is the top rusher who returns. He caught 15 passes for 174 yards and a TD, with Trevor Dooley (14-210) and Jack Murphy (12-188) also involved in the aerial attack.
Weigert led the defense with 48 tackles, with Gehringer making 42 stops and sophomore Michael Kamatz 32, including seven for a loss of yardage.
ABOUT THE HAWKS — Brant is perhaps the most dangerous weapon for W-G after snaring 22 passes for 254 yards and a TD last year. He rushed 20 times for 150 yards and three TDs while Vermaas is the top returning rusher after having carried 69 times for 468 yards and two scores.
Austin Scharlau’s 30 tackles tops the Hawk returners, with Brant having made 28 stops last year while Vermaas had 24.5 denials.
PROBABLE STARTERS:
WOODWARD-GRANGER Offense
LT — Drew Jacobson
LG — James Barger
C — Josh Groves
RG — Hunter Vermaas
RT — Brody Easter
TE — Logan Canova
QB — Brendan Bird
FB — Josh Saak
TB — Tanner Vermaas
SB — Race Brant
SE — Johnnie Morgan
WOODWARD-GRANGER Defense
DE — Logan Canova
DT — Drew Jacobson
DT — Hunter Vermaas
DE — Joe Sturgeon
LB — Nick Musick
LB — Tanner Vermaas
LB — Josh Saak
LB — Austin Scharlau
S — Johnnie Morgan
CB — Race Brant
CB — J. P. Nixon
