LA CROSSE — The Logan High School football team played its best at the right time last season.
The Rangers gave themselves part of a five-way share for the MVC championship and the Ark of Victory by beating Central during the final week of the regular season. They followed that up with three postseason victories before a loss to Green Bay Notre Dame ended their season with a 10-3 record in the WIAA Division 3 state semifinals.
It was an exciting run for Logan, which hadn’t qualified for the semifinal round in 11 years. While several aspects have to click simultaneously for that kind of success to become reality, the Rangers were pushed with impactful contribution from their offensive and defensive lines.
“We’ve got a few of those kids back from last year,” Logan coach Casey Knoble said. “(Senior Mason) Cogbburn is someone we aren’t expecting back for a little while yet, but we do expect him back after tearing his ACL during the Central game last year.”
Junior Jesse Lycke and senior Wesley McGough are experienced linemen who are ready to go and play in front of a new quarterback with the same last name as the previous one.
Tommy Check, a sophomore, steps in to follow older brother Bradley after Bradley rushed for 2,177 yards and 36 touchdowns and passed for 1,534 yards and 15 TDs during a dominant senior season.
Check was a receiver his freshman season and had 34 catches for 474 yards and 2 touchdowns. He also registered 30 carries for 220 yards, so expect him to be used multiple ways despite being under center.
“Big change in the first name of the quarterback,” Knoble said. “But Tommy is an explosive player, and he’s taken over as a good leader.
“A different type of player than Bradley, but a really good one, I think.”
Expect senior Maxim Roberts to be the primary threat in the running game. Roberts rushed for 864 yards and 8 touchdowns as a junior and saved his biggest games for late in the season.
Roberts gained 134 yards and scored twice in a 42-38 win over Waupaca in the first round of the playoffs and followed it up with 188 yards in a 42-6 win over Onalaska the next weekend. He averaged 6.4 yards per attempt during his first season as a starter.
Finding a receiver will be important after Check and the graduated Jacob Hackbarth accounted for 62 of Logan’s 88 receptions. Senior Andrew Stanton could be a downfield threat after averaging 28.5 yards on 6 catches as a junior.
Senior linebackers Jackson Bosch and Preston Elston are potential playmakers after making solid contributions as juniors.
“With our defense, we all love to hit and love the contact,” Bosch said. “We’ve worked hard on our defensive coverages and calls, so we feel good about that.”
Bosch ranked third on the team with 96 total tackles last season, and he made 10 tackles behind the line of scrimmage to go with 3 fumble recoveries, 2 sacks and a forced fumble.
Elston was in on 87 stops and had 4 tackles for loss to go with a fumble recovery. Senior Brigsen Schaeffer (43 tackles, 2 TFLs, 2 fumble recoveries) teams up with them for an experienced group at the position.
Bosch also expects to see big plays made by the likes of Stanton from the defensive backfield, junior defensive back Tait Hatlevig and Lycke up front.
Junior Sam King, who played linebacker last season, could also be a factor for the Rangers.
2025 SCHEDULE
(7 p.m. unless noted)
x-August 21: vs. Ellsworth
x-August 28: at Wausau East
September 5: vs. Sparta
September 12: at Tomah
September 19: vs. Central
September 26: at Onalaska
October 3: vs. Reedsburg
October 10: at Baraboo
October 17: vs. Holmen
x-nonconference
