Week 8 high school football: 'That kid is special': Justin Klinkner leads Two Rivers in rout
NEW HOLSTEIN — When your teammate is a human highlight reel, sometimes making the routine play can go unnoticed.
Chase Matthias did Chase Matthias things Friday, averaging almost 20 yards a run with just shy of 200 yards, but it was the play of quarterback Justin Klinkner which stole the show for the Two Rivers Raiders football team in Week 8.
Two Rivers is undefeated following a 62-6 win over the New Holstein Huskies and while Matthias is usually running around, or sometimes through people, Klinkner keeps the offense in rhythm and makes the plays when needed. If there’s a 10-yard out route to be had, Klinkner hits his guy in stride.
Or on third and 28, as was the case against New Holstein, Klinkner found receiver Zach Cortte for a 48-yard touchdown.
If you compared the Two Rivers football team to instruments, Matthias is a drum jolting you to attention while Klinkner is the bass guitar, providing the tempo.
“He had a couple great step ups in the pocket, some great runs,” said Two Rivers coach Kevin Shillcox of Klinkner, who was 13-of-19 passing for 163 yards and four touchdowns while rushing seven times for 65 yards and another two scores. “He did a lot things well tonight. But that’s what you expect, that kid is special.”
Despite a 64-yard carry to begin the game, Matthias was held relatively in check early by a Huskies defense determined to not let Matthias beat them.
“We thought about throwing it and they weren’t going to cover us up, they loaded the box, so we basically had to get out and throw it a little bit,” Shillcox said. “Once we got that it was game on.”
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New Holstein coach Matt Rupp talked about the challenges the Raiders present.
“Obviously we had a scouting report and they help pretty true to what we thought they were going to do but stopping it is a different thing,” Rupp said. “You can be ready and prepared but we didn’t make the plays we need to.”
A three-year starter for Two Rivers, Klinkner was solid as a sophomore with over 1,000 yards and 10 scores while Matthias rushed for over 2,000 yards. Shillcox preferred more balance on offense and that’s when Klinkner took a quantum leap.
Klinkner threw for over 2,600 yards and 34 touchdowns last season and now as a senior, is just shy of 1,500 yards through eight games with 18 touchdowns to just two interceptions.
By doing so, he now holds the career records for both passing yards and touchdowns over over 5,000 yards and 62 touchdowns.
“Pretty cool thing to think about because we’re just coming out here winning and it just happens along the way,” Klinkner said of his records.
The senior credits the time spent in the offseason for his rapid progression.
“I think putting a lot of work in the weight room and playbook,” Klinkner said. “Watching some film and getting confidence in the plays we’re running has really helped.”
Shillcox though knew what type of player he had in Klinkner.
“I totally knew it was possible,” Shillcox said. “I knew in junior high this was possible with Chase and the talent around him. I knew Justin would be this kind of kid.”
There’s no mistake that the Raiders fully expect to end the season in Madison and bring home the program’s fourth state championship but Klinkner thought about the legacy he hopes to leave behind in Two Rivers.
“Hopefully one of the best to ever do it but hopefully someone comes along and breaks the record and has a team just like this in the future,” Klinkner said.
Shillcox thinks his place as the greatest quarterback in school history is already solidified because the signal caller in a linebackers body, as evidenced by his nearly 1,000 yards rushing in his career, actually plays linebacker on defense and features on special teams.
This, Shillcox says, puts him over some former players who spent their time under center, or in shotgun, focused solely on offense.
“He’s probably one of the most talented kids because he plays both sides of the ball for us,” Shillcox said. “He was not a one-sided player for us while the others were one-sided players. He plays kickoff, defense, offense, run or pass. I think that gives him the edge.”
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Cedar Grove-Belgium, Oostburg, Kohler/Lutheran/Christian clinch playoff berths
No matter what happens next week to close out the regular season, three area teams now know they’ll be playing at last another game.
The Cedar Grove-Belgium Rockets, Oostburg Flying Dutchmen and Kohler/Lutheran/Christian Blue Bombers all clinched playoff berths in Week 8.
KLC did it in the most dramatic fashion, edging the Brillion Lions 16-15 while Cedar Grove-Belgium and Oostburg did so in routs.
The Rockets rolled past the Random Lake Rams 40-0 while the Flying Dutchman dominated the Manitowoc Lutheran Lancers 49-14.
Undefeated Reedsville wins Big East title with game to spare
The Reedsville Panthers took care of business on Friday, cruising past the Hilbert Wolves 42-7 to clinch the Big East championship.
Reedsville improved to a perfect 8-0 on the season and 6-0 in the conference while both Cedar Grove-Belgium and Oostburg have a pair of losses in the Big East.
That means regardless the outcome between the Flying Dutchmen and Panthers in Week 9 Reedsville is guaranteed the title.
Complete Manitowoc/Sheboygan Week 8 football results
Thursday
Sturgeon Bay 28, Mishicot 7
Friday
Menasha 55, Sheboygan North 7
Ashwaubenon 41, Sheboygan South 14
Kewaskum 31, Sheboygan Falls 14
Plymouth 35, Kettle Moraine Lutheran 0
Two Rivers 62, New Holstein 6
Kiel 35, Valders 12
Kohler/Lutheran/Christian 16, Brillion 15
Chilton 27, Roncalli 7
Reedsville 42, Hilbert 7
Oostburg 49, Manitowoc Lutheran 14
Ozaukee 7, Howards Grove 0
Cedar Grove-Belgium 40, Random Lake 0
Contact Tom Dombeck at 920-686-2965 or tdombeck@htrnews.com. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @Tom_Dombeck.
This article originally appeared on Manitowoc Herald Times Reporter: Justin Klinkner's 6 touchdowns leads Two Rivers rout of New Holstein
