Winneconne quarterback Schaffer scores four touchdowns to lead Wolves in comeback victory

(This story was updated to correct scoring information.)

APPLETON - For the first time since what's reckoned to be at least the 1950's, the Winneconne Wolves high school football team is undefeated through Week 8.

Winneconne (8-0, 6-0 Bay) overcame a bit of a slow start in the first half, trailing 19-14 at the break to Fox Valley Lutheran (4-4, 2-4), but the Wolves pitched a shutout in the second half while pouring on three more touchdowns - courtesy of junior quarterback Brody Schaffer, who accounted for four of the team's five touchdowns on the night - in a 35-19 victory over the Foxes.

"It's kind of a special thing," said Winneconne coach Nate Ryf. "We've had some good teams, some good years, but this is a pretty special year. A lot of luck is involved in a year like this year; we've had a lot of things go our way and it's a testament to 'the harder you work, the luckier you get,' and these kids have been working hard."

Ryf said he admired how the team never quit on each other despite facing a rare deficit at halftime - their first all season.

"What I'm most proud of is how FVL played us tough in the first half, did a really great job against us, and we weren't really ready; but the kids battled back in the second half and did a great job, showed true grit, gutted a game out and won," Ryf said.

"I thought we didn't come out right away and play the way we should, but we started getting acclimated to their passing game a little better, taking more risk and jumping some balls, so they did a great job in that second half."

The Wolves' defense came up with four interceptions, three in the fourth quarter, to completely stifle the Foxes' offense. Then their incredible playmaker, Schaffer, did what he does best - showed off the wheels on touchdown runs of 67, 7, 44, and 80 yards.

"Every time he's got the ball in his hands, anything can happen," Ryf said. "He's a special athlete and truly can make plays that are nothing into something. When you watch him, you're just kind of amazed."

Schaffer humbly denied taking full credit for his performance, instead shining the spotlight on the big boys in front of him that handle all the dirty work.

"When I get the ball, there's such big holes," Schaffer said. "Our offensive line is doing such a great job, and it really makes the game so much easier as a quarterback. When you see a great hole created by your line, and get to run through it, it's one of the best things ever."

Schaffer specifically praised the 6'3", 270-pound junior lineman, Hudson Samolinski, as one of the unsung heroes on the team, along with a couple of his buddies in the secondary that were key contributors in shutting down FVL in the second half.

"Hudson is such a great dude up front," Schaffer said. "He doesn't get much recognition, but he's such a beast. A great blocker, and just an absolute madman on defense. Also, I'd like to shoutout Karter Hawthorne and Ryan Quigley. Belts in the secondary, tonight, it was awesome. They were everywhere; they really helped our offense get going when they got stops on defense."

With at least a share of the Bay conference title locked up thanks to this victory, Winneconne is not only looking to clinch a perfect regular season, next week at home against second-place Seymour (7-1, 5-1), but their first outright championship since 2018 as members of the East Central Conference.

"What we look at is, at the end of the year you want to be playing your best football," Ryf said. "When you have competition like FVL, Seymour, that's who we want to play so we're ready for playoffs, and that'll be another true test for us, next week, against Seymour, but we're just going to keep doing what we're doing."

Added Schaffer: "We've got to have a really great week of preparation, next week. Seymour's a great team so we've got to come out, get that win, keep our foot on the gas pedal and ride into the playoffs hungry to win. We believe what we can do, and we feel like we can go as far as this momentum can take us. We're ready to go."

To contact Lance LeQue, email him at LLeQue@gannett.com , or follow him on Instagram and X, formerly known as Twitter, @LanceLeQue .

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This article originally appeared on Oshkosh Northwestern: Winneconne quarterback Schaffer scores four touchdowns to lead Wolves in comeback victory