Bison building bounceback season

One year after the season was cut short due to injuries and low numbers, the Random Lake/Ozaukee high school football team likely has qualified for the postseason.

A dominant win over Mishicot last Friday essentially sealed the Bison’s spot in the playoffs. They are 5-3 overall and 3-3 in the Big East Conference with the regular season finale at Hilbert (4-2 Big East), on Friday.

“We’re in,” coach Cole Large said. “The players are pumped. That was a goal of ours going into the season.”

The Bison downed winless Mishicot, 27-6, on senior night behind a huge game from Colton Dybul.

 The junior ran 17 times for 144 yards, averaging 8.5 yards per carry, and made 18 tackles at linebacker, including 13 solo. He also forced and recovered a fumble.

“He had a great game defensively. He made a ton of plays in the middle of the field,” Large said.

Junior quarterback Jeffrey Stefanich ran 14 times for 94 yards and two touchdowns, and he went 6-for-12 passing for 102 yards with a touchdown and an interception. He made nine tackles, including seven solo.

Gage Berndt ran twice for seven yards, including a touchdown.

“We ran the ball a lot better,” Large said. “And we opened it up. We had a couple of nice pass plays and were doing some spread offense with the quarterback running game. If they cover the pass, we’ll run. If they don’t respect the pass, we’ll throw.”

Linebacker Cooper Arndt had 11 tackles, including seven solo and two of the Bison’s 12 for losses.

“Cooper had a nice game on the inside as well. The line played well. That opens up the linebackers too,” Large said.

Jake Delleree and Max Tesker each had six tackles.

Arndt caught three passes for 52 yards, and Dax O’Harrow caught one for 47.

Senior tight end Luke Habeck, who had missed most of the season with an injury, came back and caught a one-yard touchdown pass on a play Large put in for him.

“That was a senior night moment,” Large said.

The Bison led, 20-0, at halftime. They only had the ball twice in the second half since the Indians mounted two long, clock-killing drives.

Large praised his seniors for their work this season.

“I think this season they’ve all been playing pretty well,” he said. “We don’t have a big group of guys, but it’s a good group of kids. They’ve been through some pretty rough football years. The way they stick it out and keep working hard and pushing, it’s good to see.”

If the Bison win on Friday, Large said, they may be in the mix for a home game.

The Bison weren’t allowed to qualify for the playoffs the past two seasons, a penalty for the co-op forming during an off-year of conference assignment cycle by the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association. The team only won one game during that stretch as the program began to build.

Injuries to key linemen last season had the Bison dropping to junior varsity games for safety reasons.

That is in the distant past. The team had 43 players come out this season and the Bison have played their way into the playoffs.

“That was definitely a goal a year ago that we set,” Large said.

The Bison are ranked 22 in Division 5 of the unofficial playoff matrix. The top 32 teams qualify. The matrix is at https://andylavoy.com/football.