In a few short years, the reputation of Cashton football has shifted dramatically.
From a Scenic Bluffs Conference also-ran for the first two decades of the 21st century to becoming one of the top Division 7 programs in Wisconsin thus far in the 2020s, the Eagles have treated their fans to a cathartic run of success the likes of which the program has rarely seen in its history.
Now comes the next chapter in their revival: trying to maintain a high-quality level after bidding adieu to a prolific senior class.
Among the graduating seniors this past spring were four players who were first-team All-Scenic Bluffs selections on both sides of the ball last fall: running back/inside linebacker Brett Hemmersbach (the 2023 SBC Player of the Year), quarterback/defensive back Brady Hemmersbach, wide receiver/defensive back Connor Butzler and lineman Hank Brueggen.
Also graduating for the Eagles were Ethan Klinkner (All-SBC first team outside linebacker and second-team running back) and wide receivers/defensive backs Noah Hemmersbach and Ben Grandall.
During that group’s upperclassmen years, Cashton went 23-2 with a pair of outright conference championships and a state semifinal trip in 2022. That came on the heels of a 2021 season that saw the Eagles go 10-3 while grabbing a share of their first conference title since 1998, notching their first playoff win since 1999 and making it to the state semifinals for the first time since 1994.
Despite the loss of a prolific senior class, there are still some familiar faces coming back to provide a little continuity.
Senior Ethan Schmitz was an All-SBC first-team pick at defensive end last season and will also take on an important role in the offensive backfield. Lane Klinge and Grayson Schmitz each landed on the All-SBC second team as juniors in 2023 for their work on the offensive line, though Klinge will shift to a backfield role alongside Ethan Schmitz and junior Drew Butzler.
Junior Rory Mlsna is set to assume the role of starting QB for Cashton in 2024, while fellow junior Mitchell Simonson is back to provide some needed experience in the trenches.
“We don’t have a ton of seniors this year because we had a big group last year,” Butzler said after Cashton’s scrimmage against Melrose-Mindoro. “This junior class coming in and even the sophomores, they help a lot on the varsity level. Even the guys on the sidelines, they’re really excited for us, and they help us just feed off each other.”
Whether or not this new core can keep the Eagles right there in the mix for a fourth straight Scenic Bluffs title and another successful playoff run is a question only time can answer. For now, all they can focus on is making the day in, day out improvements that can lead to something special.
“Just get better every day,” said Cashton head coach Jered Hemmersbach. “That’s really our goal, and let the rest take care of itself.”
