2023 Record: 5-4 overall, 4-3 in Flyway (4th)
Lost in overtime in Level 2 against Horicon/Hustisford (27-26)
Key Losses: QB Connor Steers, WR Koby Sacotte, OL Lucas Lax, LB Logan Menzer
Key Returners: OL Josh Polster (1st Team), RB Taylor Schaumberg (2nd), TE/DE Sam Schraufnagel (2nd), RB/LB Caden Yanke (2nd), S Jack Luedtke (2nd), P Dalton Zingsheim (2nd), QB Jackson Goebel, CB Brody Luedtke
The Lions have a fierce collection of defenders returning this fall with a lot of momentum from last season.
After a 2-2 start, Lomira figured things out on the back-half of last year and were just two points from advancing to Level 3 in the postseason.
Coach Bryan Gregory, who enters his third season in charge, said he thinks the end of last season showed his group how good they can be.
“We had a lot of momentum at the end of last season and it just showed our guys that we’re right there with the teams in this area,” Gregory said. “With what we have returning and the senior leadership and the experience we have, I think this is a group that can do some special things this year.”
During fall camp, Gregory said he and his staff have been stressing the characteristics that make teams great.
“We’ve got to make sure we pay attention to the little details,” Gregory said. “How we do anything is how we do everything. We need to take a step forward with our execution this year.”
Lomira boasts a returning cast that rivals any team in the area, especially defensively. On that side, the Lions have six of the top 12 most productive returning defenders in the Flyway.
That group is composed of Jack Luedtke, Sam Schraufnagel, Caden Yanke, Nathan Steinman, Taylor Schaumberg and Brody Luedtke. They combined for 421 tackles, 41 tackles for loss, 11 sacks, five interceptions, two fumbles and a defensive touchdown.
The defense is led by Jack Luedtke, a senior safety who made 101 total tackles and an interception last year; and Schraufnagel, who had 82 tackles, 16 tackles for loss and five sacks.
“Defense is what wins games in this conference, it’s a dogfight every week,” Gregory said. “Just the leadership that we have in that group, they like to hit people, they like to be physical and we’re going to try to play to those strengths as much as possible.”
Schraufnagel, who has several offers to play in college, said he believes the defense became successful last season because of the trust each level has in the others.
“The defense behind me plays fast and hits hard,” Schraufnagel said. “They free me up to do a lot of what I do, they should take a lot of credit for what I was able to do last year, wreaking havoc in the backfield.”
Schaumberg said he believes even beyond the returning production, that there is more depth that will play a more prominent role this season.
Lomira also returns a lot from an offense that was the second-highest scoring group in the conference last season. However, the Lions have to replace their two-year starting quarterback Connor Steers.
Around the conference, there is not much returning experience at the QB spot, which means Lomira senior Jackson Goebel comes into this fall as the most productive passer in the conference despite playing behind Steers.
He went 14-for-22 for 143 yards and two TDs in 2023. He threw for 60 more yards than the next closest returning player, Braden Bothe from Campbellsport.
Goebel said he learned from Steers that he just needs to get the ball to the plethora of playmakers that surround him.
“It’s everything to have my coaches trust to be the quarterback and run the show and it’s also exciting because I’ve sat behind [Steers] for two years now and taking notes on what he did well trying to expand on my own game,” Goebel said. “It doesn’t matter who I throw the ball to, I just have to get it out to our athletes in space and I have all the confidence that they’ll do the work and end up in the end zone.”
Schraufnagel at tight end and both Schaumberg and Yanke out of the backfield figure to be solid targets for the first-year starting senior. Goebel will also have an excellent running game to lean on that saw Schaumberg rush for 1,153 yards and 10 TDs last year. Yanke added 250 yards and three scores.
Schaumberg said he doesn’t look at stats, but just tries to do whatever it takes to win.
“Last year was a good stepping stone in showing people what I can do,” Schaumberg said. “This year I’m just trying not to focus on stats, but taking it one game at a time and making sure I’m improving myself each and every play, making myself the best player I can be.
“I think the results will just come from that.”
Goebel is also dangerous as a runner. He averaged just shy of 6 yards per carry in limited action last season.
Senior lineman Josh Polster, who has an offer to play at UW-Stevens Point, said he looks to lead the offensive line as one of three returners in that group to keep Goebel upright and open holes for the running game.
“Communication is everything,” Polster said. “We have so many calls [on the line] and if we can communicate, we can get to the linebackers and open it up.”
The final piece of the puzzle is special teams, where Jack Luedtke returns as the second-most productive returner in the Flyway to WLA’s Gannan Schwartz. Luedtke averaged 15 yards per punt return and nearly 20 as a kick returner.
Lomira looks to be a serious contender in the Flyway this season. Gregory said the leaders he has on the team make his job easy a lot of the time.
“They’re great football players and we got a lot of them out here right now, but they’re even better kids,” Gregory said. “They’re good leaders, they work hard in the weight room, they take care of business in the classroom so as a coach, they make my job enjoyable.”
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