First the all-time records set this season:

1) Most yards passing in a single game; Jeff Skemp, Southwestern vs. Riverdale...620 yards

2) Most pass completions in a single game; Jeff Skemp, Southwestern vs. Riverdale…….44

3) Most consecutive passes without an interception; Eric Steiniger, Racine Lutheran…..210 passes (9 in 2001 and the first 201 passes attempted in 2002.)

4) Most receptions in a single season; Kole Heckendorf, Mosinee……..……116 recept’s

5) Most yards receiving in a single season; Kole Heckendorf, Mosinee…..…...1714 yards

6) Highest average receiving yards per game; Kole Heckendorf, Mosinee….131.8 yards per game

7) Most yards rushing in a career; Mike Firkus, Hilbert………………………..6707 yards

8) Most seasons rushing for 2000 yards or more; Mike Firkus, Hilbert (2000-02)………3

9) Most interceptions returned for touchdowns in a single season; Jake Owens, Stevens Point Pacelli………4 touchdown returns

10) Longest return of an interception; Derry Backenkeller, Janesville Parker….104 yards (touchdown)

Now, some of the stories behind the stats and a mention of where players rank on the all-time charts.

The most noteworthy passing efforts in 2002 start with the arm of Southwestern High School junior quarterback, 6’9" Jeff Skemp. In a 40-39 victory versus Riverdale threw for a state single game record 620 yards on 70 attempts (2^nd best ever in Wisconsin), a state record 44 completions, 2 interceptions and 5 td’s. It should be noted that Skemps single game efforts rank nationally 7^th best ever for passing yards, 10^th best for attempts and 7^th best for completions.

That same night, September 27^th, Robert Michalkiewicz of Menasha St. Mary’s Central leveled Mishicot with his arm and his legs. St. Mary’s won 49-26 thanks to the 495 yards passing 6 touchdown passes and one td run by Michalkiewicz. On this night he went 25 of 40 with no interceptions as he put on a clinic on how to direct a team. His effort places him 3^rd all-time on the single game passing chart. Michalkiewicz finished his career ranked 6^th all-time on the passing yards chart as he completed 439 passes in 883 attempts for an even 6200 yards and 64 touchdowns.

Kewaunee’s Lee Waechter ended his brilliant career by placing 2^nd all-time in passing yardage. Waechter had 984 attempts for 519 completions with 49 interceptions and 70 touchdowns (2^nd best ever in state history) as he threw for 8238 yards. Chippewa Falls McDonell quarterback Ben Gardow threw for 9056 yards from 1986 to 1989.

While Skemp and Michalkiewicz were the only passers to break into the top 20 single game passing chart (400 yards passing or more), they were part of a record breaking 10 players who broke into the top 30 single season chart (2350 yards or more)!! Franklin’s sophomore Ben Hemple led the state in passing as he threw for 3169 yards (4^th best effort ever). Mike Schmidt of Mosinee threw for 3095 yards (6^th best) and Michalkiewicz tossed for 3055 yards (8^th best). Seven other quarterbacks threw for at least 2399 yards.

Since the ball was in the air so much this year, a lot of receivers made names for themselves. None stood out more than Mosinee receiver Kole Heckendorf. Only a junior, but a three-year starter, Heckendorf set two state records and is on the verge of another major chart topper. With Mike Schmidt throwing strikes to him, Heckendorf pulled in a record 116 passes besting the 107 catches that Rick Baier of Chippewa Falls McDonell caught during the 1987 season. Kole also set the single season yardage record beating Baiers brother Randy, who caught 96 passes, for a then record 1449 yards in 1986. With three seasons under his belt, Kole Heckendorf is sitting at 172 receptions( 3^rd all-time), 2574 yards and 17 touchdowns. He is only 11 receptions away from besting Gabe Filardo, 1988-90, of Mineral Point for career receptions (182 catches in his career) and 85 yards from taking over the #1 spot for career yards now held by Nick Simon, 1996-99, of Eau Claire Regis (2661 yards). Medford’s Tyler Russ set the career touchdown reception last year when he finished with 30.

If this was the year of the pass, it was also the year of the receiver. Besides Kole Heckendorf’s outstanding efforts seven other receivers made the single season reception chart. Not far behind Heckendorf was senior Kevin Laemmrich of Menasha St. Mary’s Central who pulled in 100 passes (3^rd best ever) for 1335 yards and 12 touchdowns. Junior Alex Nichloas will be back next year with Ben Hemple throwing to his. He caught 76 passes for 1151 yards. Besides throwing strikes to Kevin Laemmrich, Robert Michalkiewicz also had Cal Stanke as a target. Stanke pulled in 72 passes (1123 yards) as did Zac Campbell(1115 yards) of Baldwin- Woodville. Lee Waechter of Kewaunee’s main target was Dave Paplham who caught 70 passes for a total of 1464 yards ( 2^nd best ever!!) and 14 touchdowns.

Five other receivers had receiving yards of over 1000 but none had the stats that Nate Copesy of River Ridge posted. He caught only 38 passes but he made the most of them gaining 1002 yards (A 26.3 yards per catch average) and a state leading 15 touchdowns!!!

While the single game receiving yardage record and the single game pass reception record were not broken, several players came close. In a 34-7 win against Cadott, Kole Heckendorf caught 10 passes for 267 yards (6^th best for yards). Against Holmen in a Level 3 playoff loss (Which was reversed when Holmen was found to have used ineligible players) Heckendorf caught 16 passes, 4^th best effort ever for receptions in a game, for 224 yards. Cal Stanke of Menasha St. Mary’s Central, Eric Laube of Evansville, John Keyes of Belmont and Justin Deminter all had single games of between 222 and 240 yards receiving in a game. The state record for touchdown receptions is four. Until 2002, five players had tied for that record. This year no less than seven players caught four touchdowns in a game. They were: Cal Stanke, Eric Laube, Nate Copesy. Matt Holzhueter of Waterloo, Chris Sobczak of New Berlin Eisenhower, Darren Fager of Luxemburg-Casco and Andy Heller of Kenosha St. Joseph.

Besides Kole Heckendorf’s great career stats, five other players cracked the all-time reception chart. Kevin Laemmrich of Menasha St. Mary’s Central now is in 6^th place with 151 receptions. Chris Nowak of Green Bay Notre Dame is 13^th with 138, Nathan Quist is 14^th with 134, Dave Paplham of Kewaunee is 18^th with 132 and Cal Stanke is 20^th all-time with 125 receptions.

Even though this was the year of the pass, rushers didn’t fair to badly. Mike Firkus of Hilbert stood out statistically. He not only led the state in rushing (367 carries for 2577 yards and 30 touchdowns), but he broke the all-time career rushing record of 6495 yards held by Luke Hagel of Random Lake. Firkus was a model of consistency over his career as he gained 2000 plus yards each of the three seasons he played. In 2000 he gained 2058 yards and in 2001 he had 2072 yards to finish at the top of the career chart with 6707 yards. He wasn’t a one man show for Hilbert. He accomplished setting the record while sharing the work load with another 1000 yard rusher in the backfield EACH season! Firkus also ended up 4^th all-time on the career scoring list with 564 points on 94 td’s (3^rd best ever).

Luke Krug moved into 7^th place on the career chart after he gained 5541 yards in three seasons. He also finished in 11^th place on the career scoring list with 486 points with 80 touchdowns and 3 2-point conversions.

Janesville Parker’s Cas Prime, the 2002 State Player of the Year, finished at 13^th place on the career chart with 5078 yards. He scored 66 touchdowns and finished with an even 400 career points.

Andy Reese of Lodi was super productive for his two years as a runningback. After playing tightend as a sophomore, Reese took off as one of the best runners in the state. In 2001, he gained 2118 yards and scored 21 touchdowns. In 2002 he led the state in rushing until the last week of the season when Mike Firkus caught and passed him. Reese finished with 2526 yards and 29 touchdowns and landed in the 20^th spot on the all-time career rushing chart with 4644 yards, just 12 yards ahead of Valder’s high school runner, Danny Hall.

Danny Hall of Valders played against Hilbert’s Firkus in the Olympian Conference for three years and finished 21st on the all-time career rushing chart (4632 yards) and 9^th on the all-time career scoring chart with 490 points based on 78 touchdowns and 11 2-point conversions. Hall also placed 14^th on the single season scoring chart for 2002 with 224 points on 36 touchdowns and 4 2-point conversions.

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The stars must have been aligned the night of September 27, 2002. Not only did Southwestern’s Jeff Skemp and Menasha St. Mary’s Central’s Robert Michalkiewicz have great passing efforts but Oostburg’s Mike Zehel turned in the 6^th best ever single game scoring performance. Zehel rushed for 215 yards in a 51-34 win against Manitowoc Lutheran. He scored six touchdowns, kicked 5 extra points and ran for 2 2-point conversions as he racked up 45 points.

Stevens Point Pacelli’s Jake Owens set the single season record for interceptions returned for touchdowns with four. During the 2002 season the junior defensive back/ wide receiver made 13 interceptions (Tied for 2^nd place on the single season charts) and returned them 227 yards.