Kewaunee’s stars shine in All-Star Game

Kewaunee’s trio of All-Stars helped North dominate South 41-0 in the Wisconsin Football Coaches Association small schools game July 18 at Titan Stadium in Oshkosh.

Brett Paulsen completed just one of four passes, but it wasn’t as bad as it sounds. His first, a scrambling six-yard touchdown throw, was a thing of beauty. He then threw an interception on a bomb down the left sideline, a 50/50 ball that the defender wrestled away from the receiver. There was also a drop on what should have been an easy catch.

But Paulsen, who also had a 14-yard scramble and a nine-yard touchdown run in the second half, was more interested in what his teammates did. For the first time, he wasn’t on the field at the same time as his fellow Storm players. Players took turns playing every other possession, and 6-4, 280-pound offensive tackle Mitchell Boeder was blocking for another QB.

“All week long, I got to hear about how good Mitch (Boeder) was,” Paulsen said. “Maybe I didn’t appreciate that as much all year, but now I do. And I finally got to see a Connor (Kilgore) pick-six from the sidelines. That was awesome.”

Boeder, who’ll be playing for the Bemidji State Beavers in north-central Minnesota this season, said he felt like he had a pretty strong game all around.

“It was fun to be back out on the field again to play some high school football with a couple of teammates from Kewaunee, and a couple other guys who I just met this week and made good friendships with,” he said.

Kilgore led the state in interceptions this season, and had a storybook ending to his sports career with two tackles and a 35-yard interception for a touchdown in the second half.

“It was an amazing week,” Kilgore said. “The pick-six, it was awesome, and the celebration in the end zone — one of the coolest things in the game.”

His attention now turns to NWTC for business, and he plans to do carpentry afterwards.Paulsen, an All-State baseball pitcher who’ll be playing for the University of Wisconsin-Parkside Rangers next season, said his focus was on having a great week of practice and then a great game, knowing it was last time putting the pads on.

“Play loose, have fun with the guys and put ‘em up for the North,” Paulsen said. “It was a blast.”