By Jed Buelow

Co-Editor, Sports, Nature Editor

Heading into Friday’s Marawood Conference showdown with Tomahawk, Stratford had yet to give up a single point this season. Their impressive shutout streak would continue as the Tigers got the 81-0 win to improve to 3-0 on the year.

Coming off a 55-0 blowout win over Antigo the week prior, there was no question Tomahawk would have their hands full with the perennial powerhouse of the Marawood. The Tigers put 38 points on the scoreboard in the first quarter alone before building a 66-0 lead heading into the half.

A scene that has become all too familiar ever since Tomahawk joined the Marawood back in 2011, Edgar is also off to a 3-0 start to the season after they blanked Auburndale 27-0 Friday, the second of two straight shutouts for the Wildcats to start the year.

Tomahawk will happily say goodbye to Stratford and Edgar, a team they play to finish out the regular season on Oct. 18, and the rest of the Marawood as next season the Hatchets will join the MONLPC-West. An acronym named for the three conferences involved, Marinette and Oconto, Northern Lakes and Packerland Conferences, Tomahawk will have the third largest enrollment of students at 377 behind Oconto Falls (489) and Northland Pines (389).

Other teams making up the eight-team MONLPC-West will include Crandon (247), Niagra/Goodman/Pembine (235), Coleman (214), Crivitz (202) and Menominee Indian is returning to 11-player football to round out the new conference.

While Tomahawk will look to put a tough one behind them as they go for their first win of the season, they also will be helping with a good cause, as this Friday, Sept. 13 the Hatchets will host Auburndale for Juvenile Diabetes Night. The conference tilt against the Apaches begins at Hatchet Field at 7 p.m.