Wisconsin State Football: Undersized, underestimated, undeterred — how Baldwin-Woodville not only matched its 2023 magical season, but exceeded it

Baldwin-Woodville had a program-defining year in 2023, reaching the state semifinals where it fell to eventual Division-4 champion Lodi.

A special senior class made up the entire starting offensive line that powered an explosive offense featuring dual-threat quarterback Cal Smith, who re-wrote the Warriors’ record books.

It had the look of lightning in a bottle for Baldwin-Woodville – the perfect storm of a group of kids coming together at the right time to produce a season that wouldn’t soon be replicated.

And certainly not topped the following fall. Not by a team with five new starters up front. Not with a quarterback who had barely ever played the position.

“I think a lot of people didn’t think we were going to be able to live up to the expectations that last year’s team set,” said senior Sam Aho, the lone returning offensive lineman to see significant playing time in 2023.

Let alone exceed them. Right, Coach?

“I’m always optimistic,” Baldwin-Woodville coach Dan Keefer said. “But if you held a gun to my head and said, ‘Hey, are you going to make it to a state championship with this group?’ I would’ve been surprised. I don’t know that anybody could see (this coming).”

This being a state championship game berth – Baldwin-Woodville’s first in 30 years. The Warriors take on Racine St. Catherine’s at 7 p.m. Thursday in the Division-4 final at Camp Randall in Madison, aiming for the program’s first state title since 1992.

“I think that we all knew what we were capable of very early on,” Aho said. “So I think it was just showing everyone else what we knew, and proving that to the state.”

Fellow senior Gavin Sell noted he’d always dreamed of playing at state, so he “knew” that would come to fruition this season. But he probably didn’t envision it being with him taking the snaps. Not prior to this season, anyway.

The North Dakota State commit is a supreme athlete who’s beyond gifted with the ball in his hands. But his only extensive signal calling experience came in eighth grade. He was on the receiving end of Smith’s passes a year ago, finishing with 982 yards and 11 scores as a junior.

At the next level, Sell likely prefers to profile as a pass catcher. But in the offseason, Keefer informed the dominant athlete his role had to change this fall.

“He wanted to be a receiver, and was hoping that someone else could be the quarterback,” Keefer said. “I told him, ‘Gav, this is the truth, you’re going to wind up being our quarterback this year. … That’s just going to give us the best chance to be good.’”

So he got to work developing skills, putting in ample time with Menomonie alum Neico Stokke to prep for the campaign.

And, in Week 1, it wasn’t pretty for the entire offense in a loss to Mount-Horeb. The Warriors scored 39 points, but …

“I think we ran about maybe five plays right the whole game,” Sell said.

Solid start.

But Sell called the following week – in which Baldwin-Woodville dominated all phases of the game in a 55-0 win over Gale-Ettrick-Trempealeau – the turning point. The Warriors haven’t lost since. They’ve scored fewer than 40 points just once in that span.

Sell has been at the front of the attack, though he admitted he figured when he was named quarterback he would throw more this season, given the program’s recent history of aerial attacks.

That is not this year’s team. That’s not to say the Warriors don’t throw. Sell has 1,258 yards and 15 scores through the air.

But these Warriors strike from the ground. Entering the season, the program’s single-season rushing record was set in 2010, when Riley Anderson ran for 1,503 yards.

Two players have eclipsed that mark this fall. Sell has 1,559 yards and 24 touchdowns rushing. He is not the school record holder. That distinction belongs to running back Taden Holldorf, who’s tallied 2,102 yards and 29 scores with a game to play.

“Our run game is so special, so it’s just really cool to see,” Sell said. “We have to give all that credit to the offensive line. They are some dogs, for sure.”

Underdogs.

That unit, Keefer noted, is the story of the season. Undersized, but athletic. Aho is listed at 220 pounds. Baldwin-Woodville’s offensive front uses speed and movement to generate lanes. It attacks with tempo, both during and in-between plays.

Keefer credits offensive line coach Jordan Lehman for the ways in which the linemen communicate. They are always sure of their assignments and handle them correctly. Aho said the first four defensive fronts the Warriors faced this season were not the looks they prepped for all week. It didn’t matter. They’re problem solvers, armed with a bevy of potential answers in their tool belts.

Keefer noted he walked away from the field numerous times in 2023 believing it was the best practice he’d ever been a part of. This year’s group has only built upon those habits. When that’s the case, you can’t help but improve.

“This does not happen if those kids don’t commit, and they’ve committed. There’s kids that have been doing this since junior high. That gives you a chance, right?” Keefer said. “About halfway through the year, what I thought this team was capable of, for me, personally, went right through the roof.”

That line, and this team, may face its stiffest test Thursday in Madison. Racine St. Catherine’s has surrendered more than seven points just one time all season. The Angels (13-0) have nine players listed at 250 pounds or heavier – Baldwin-Woodville has three.

That’s fine by the Warriors – underestimated, undersized – it’s been the case all season. Why would any of that change now?

They remain undeterred.

“I feel like it’s been great to kind of play with that chip on our shoulder and prove everyone wrong. With how much we lost last year, and how last year’s team made it to (the state semis) I think it’s kind of been almost like being a little brother trying to live up to the expectations left behind,’ Aho said. “I’ve loved it. It’s been an awesome experience trying to play with a chip on your shoulder every week when people don’t think you can.”

“I think there’s a lot of stuff going around of just, ‘Oh, we made it here. We’re just going here to have fun.’ I don’t think any of us think that’s true. I think we’re on a business trip. We all are confident in our ability and we’ve shown that throughout these playoffs,” Sell said. “I think we’re playing the best football that’s been here in awhile. … I think we’re at our highest level, for sure.”

THURSDAY’S DIVISION 4 TITLE GAME

Baldwin-Woodville (12-1) vs. Racine-St. Catherine’s (13-0), 7 p.m., Camp Randall Stadium in Madison

Dominant offense meets dominant defense on Thursday. The Angels are allowing five points per game. The Warriors are scoring 45.

But it’s difficult to see Racine-St. Catherine’s dialing up a solution no other quality team has come close to finding over the last three months. Baldwin-Woodville not scoring 30-plus points would be a surprise. Can the Stars – who’ve scored 19 and 12 points the last two weeks – get to that number, as well? Our pick: Baldwin-Woodville 31, Racine-St. Catherine’s 28