By Jed Buelow
Co-Editor, Sports, Nature Editor
Hatchet Field will be a rocking place this Thursday, Aug. 29 as Tomahawk hosts Rhinelander for the home opener of the 2019 football season.
Tomahawk will look to make it three in a row after getting early season wins over the Hodags the past two years. This will be the first matchup for new Hatchet head coach Sam Hernandez against the upriver rivals, who will be eager to end the streak and looking to notch another in the win column after starting the season with a 21-0 win over Prescott.
Tomahawk will be looking for their first win of the season against Rhinelander after falling in a non-conference tilt to Greenwood Friday by a score 38-0.
Coach Hernandez said the shutout loss was obviously not the way the team wanted to start the season, but added they played a very good Greenwood team and need to have a short memory to get ready to play Rhinelander on Thursday night.
“We seemed to be our own worst enemy too many times. We just couldn’t string any drives together on offense, and on defense we couldn’t seem to get them off the field.
The Indians relied on a strong run game the entire evening and converted on two-point conversions after almost every touchdown to build the lead. Up 16-0 heading into the half, they would add 16 more to the scoreboard in the third and one more touchdown in the fourth to get the 38-0 win.
Greenwood carried the ball 50 times for 352 yards, while Tomahawk was held to just 78 yards on the ground on 28 carries.
“I told the team after the game we have to have a short memory and change our focus to Rhinelander on Thursday night,” the coach added. “I also told them we had a number of positives and we will continue to grow week to week.”
The non-conference tilt against the Hodags at Hatchet Field this Thursday gets underway at 7 p.m.