Panthers Considered Contenders for Woodland Crown

While others seem to point to his team as the cream of the Woodland Conference, Greendale coach Rob Stoltz is trying to temper his expectations a bit.

Don’t get him wrong. He’s anticipating big things from this year’s squad;r he just doesn’t want to look too far ahead.

His Panthers went 6-4 a year ago, including 1-1 in the WIAA playoffs. And all but nine of the players from that team are back.

“Anytime you finish a season and look forward to the next season, your thoughts automatically go toward who are we losing and who’s coming back,” Stoltz said. “And those look all very favorable for us. And then it comes down to what you do between December and Aug. 1. And I thought the buy-in by the returning guys was outstanding, as it has been for many years.

“We’re well-positioned to look forward and make a run as far and as deep as we can go. Everyone’s head seems to be on straight at this point in time. The ebb and flow of the season can turn up surprises, but as of right now, on Aug. 21, we’re ready for those.”

Stoltz said his team is eyeing a Woodland Conference West Division crown and another playoff berth, and then hopes to take the team to the state finals. But he says that’s every team’s goal, every season. So, what’s the difference this year?

“Every year we say that, and every year we do get buy-in from the players, but I think the credibility and what the players actually believe this year is even more so than other years,” Stoltz said.

The Panthers are expecting big things from a number of key returning players, including lineman Jake Maxwell; Nate Miller, who moved from linebacker to free safety; two-way playmaker Mitchell Brees; last year’s leading rusher Jake Zywicki; two-way star Frankie Rutkowski; quarterback Josh Ringelberg; and receiver Cody Kmetz. 

“The list goes on,” Stoltz said. “Those are the top handful of guys that pop out in my mind but we run several players deep at a lot of positions. We’ll be ready for sure.”

2013 Varsity Schedule

• Aug. 22 - vs. Cedarburg
• Aug. 30 - vs. Franklin
• Sept. 6 - vs. Pius (at Wisconsin Lutheran College)
• Sept. 13 - vs. Pewaukee
• Sept. 20 - vs. New Berlin Eisenhower
• Sept. 27 - vs. New Berlin West
• Oct. 4 - vs. Wauwatosa West