November 29th -  MENOMINEE — The M&M Timberjacks will hold a meeting for new players Dec. 15 at 11 a.m. at the Menominee YMCA. Anyone interested in becoming a member of the Timberjacks should attend.
     Off-season activities, preseason start dates, team dues and equipment needs will be covered at the meeting.

Octboer 22nd - OOSTBURG, Wis. — Defending champion Oostburg ended the M&M Timberjacks’ inaugural season with a 28-8 playoff win Saturday.
     “Their experience really showed and our inexperience showed,” said coach Joe Plautz. “They’re an original member of the league and a lot their guys have been together seven years.”
     The Rebels, who have three of the last four Wisconsin State Football League titles, held a precarious 7-0 edge until midway through the third period. Plautz noted that his team failed to convert from inside the 10 and had an interception returned for a touchdown.
     “We kept shooting ourselves in the foot,” he said. 
     The Timberjacks (7-4) foiled the shutout with four minutes left in their season when Dan Ries tossed a 10-yard pass to Randy Hoheneder. Aric Chaltry flipped a conversion pass to Dale Svoboda. 
     “I made a point of getting Ed (Demeuse) in the end zone last week and I wanted to do it for Dale in this game,” Plautz said of 41-year-old players.
     Chaltry rushed for 35 yards on five carries. Ries had 26 yards on 12 carries, and Alphonso Smith rushed for 26 yards on just six carries. Drew Buyarski gained 22 yards on six carries. Ries connected on four of seven passes for 41 yards. Demeuse had 10 tackles and a solo, Ryan Wortner had eight tackles and two solos, and Joel Wortner collected nine tackles with five solos. Jim Ahrndt had six tackles with four solos and recovered a fumble. 
     Plautz said the team wants to improve its passing game, toughen the offensive line and get better containment on defense in the Timberjacks’ second year.
    “It’s been an amazing experience,” he said. “I really think we have a bright future. Our attendance is something you didn’t see anywhere else. That shows that football tradition we have in this area.” 

October 15th - MENOMINEE — The Menominee Timberjacks rolled into the Wisconsin State Football League playoffs with a 26-14 win over a winless but determined Saukville Demons team Saturday night.
     The Timberjacks (7-3) will play the Oostburg Rebels (7-3) in their firstround playoff Saturday at 6 p.m. at Oostburg.
     The Demons (0-10) shut down the Timberjacks’ ground game Saturday night, but the T-Jacks went to the air for 262 yards and three touchdowns. Dan Ries completed 9 of 13 passes for 198 yards and two TDs, while Aric Chaltry connected on three of seven passes for 64 yards and a touchdown.
     “We didn’t have a lot of success running the football, but we threw the ball very effectively,” said coach Joe Plautz.
     Jim Ahrndt, who had a stellar game on both sides of the line, pulled in a 30- yard scoring pass from Ries in the first quarter. Ries found Joel Wortner for a 31-yard TD pass in the second period. 
     The Timberjacks countered the first Demons’ score with a 40-yard scoring bomb from Chaltry to Randy Hohender. Ries ran in the 2-point conversion to hike the lead to 20-8 in the third period. 
     Wortner snared a long pass to set up the Timberjacks at the 3 and Ed Demeuse bulled it in from the 1 to close the Timberjacks scoring.
     Saukville added their second TD in the last minute.
     “It was a sloppy and ugly win,” said Plautz. “I give (Saukville) a lot of credit. They came with 15 guys and played 60 minutes of hard-nosed football.” 
     Four unsportsmanlike conduct flags drew the ire of the M&M coach. “That’s something I’m very disappointed in,” he said.
     Ahrndt had 15 tackles and seven solos, catches of 33, 24 and 30 yards, and he also returned an onside kick to the Saukville 5. He entered the game with a team-high 80 tackles. 
     “Jimmy played a great game,” said Plautz. “He’s having a heck of a year for us.”
     Wortner caught six passes for 89 yards. Chaltry led the rushing game with nine carries for 48 yards. Tom Emmes collected 12 tackles, Demeuse had seven, Wortner had a sack, three tackles and he broke up a pass, and Ryan Wortner had six tackles and he broke up a pass.
     The Timberjacks split with Oostburg in the regular season, winning at Oostburg and losing at Spies Field.
     “There’s nothing fancy about them, they’re a smashmouth football team,” said Plautz. “We definitely have a tall task. Our defense has hung with every team we’ve played. We’re not on the map yet. Other teams say we’re a good first-year team. We know we’re better than that.”

October 8th - MENOMINEE — “What a game. I would pay money to see this one,” a Fox Valley Force player said during Saturday’s pad-crunching battle with the M&M Timberjacks.
     Fox Valley (8-1) clinched the North Division title with a 19-12 win, but not until the Force endured 60 minutes of focused fury from the Timberjacks. “I was very happy with the effort and the ‘never quit’ attitude we had,” said coach Joe Plautz. “After they came out strong in the second half it would’ve been easy to pack it in. We kept battling and were able to make a game of it. We had a chance to win at the end.”
     The Timberjacks and Force both left points on the field during a scoreless, defensive tug-of-war in the first half. The Timberjacks marched to a first down at the 3 on their first drive of the second quarter. A penalty and sack shoved them back to the 18, where the threat fizzled out.
     “I’d like the execution to be better,” said Plautz. “The early penalty on first and goal at the 3 hurt us. It snowballed from there. We can’t put ourselves in those situations.”
     Late in the half, the Force drove down to the Timberjacks’ 3-yard line. With seven seconds left, quarterback Gary Griffin made a move up the middle but slipped to the turf on the wet grass as time expired. 
     Two plays into the third period, the Timberjacks handed the Force another scoring opportunity when the Force recovered an M&M fumble at the Timberjacks’ 48. Former Stephenson HIgh School running back Brad Ruleau ripped through an opening off right tack and scorched the T-Jacks for a 36-yard scoring jaunt.
     After the Force defense stopped the next T-Jacks series on four plays, the Force went back to what worked on Ruleau’s run. Tyler Mickelson got the handoff this time and dashed through a hole for a 71-yard touchdown burst. The PAT gave the Force a 13-0 lead with 10:04 left in the third period.
     “We call it our ‘Special’ play,” said coach Jimmy Sampson. “We overloaded the right side and he went through the hole.”
     Trailing by two touchdowns against the division champs, the Timberjacks answered the gut-check with their first scoring drive of the night. A Force penalty on the kickoff gave M&M the ball at the Fox Valley 45. The hard running of Dan Ries and Drew Buyarski hammered the ball to the 3, where Buyarski finished off the eight-play march.
     After an errant PAT try, Fox Valley held a 13-6 lead with 5:23 left in the game. The Timberjacks’ defense chilled a nine-play drive by the Force before mounting their second scoring drive.
     “I continue to be impressed with our defense. I’ll take them over any D that I’ve seen in the league,” said Plautz. “That has been our strength all year and continues to be.  Ten straight quarters without allowing a point and to hold an offense like Fox Valley down is an accomplishment.”
     Aric Chaltry struck for a pair of crucial sideline passes to Randy Hoheneder, and a roughing-the-passer flag gave the T-Jacks a first down at the 15. Jim Ahrndt worked himself free on the left side and made a dive into the end zone to complete a 16-yard TD reception from Chaltry.
     The Timberjacks went for two points to take the lead, but Chaltry’s pass to the end zone sailed over the fingertips of Wortner with just 4:50 left in the game.
     Facing a pivotal possession, the Force responded with a championship march. They ran three minutes off the clock with a nine-play drive. With coach Sampson ready to run down the clock, the Timberjacks had no choice but to let the Force score, in order to get the ball back. Griffin bulled over from a yard out, but a fumbled snap on the conversion kept the lead at 19-12 with 1:58 left.
     A 15-yard pass from Chaltry to Wortner set the Timberjacks up at the 22. Three plays later, the Force recovered a fumble at the 20 to bury the comeback drive. “The (Timberjacks) seemed to have more focus than the last time we played,” said Sampson. “They didn’t let down tonight. They’re a good program and they’re wellcoached.
     Hopefully, we’ll see them again in the final game (of the playoffs).”  
      Ries led the Timberjacks’ ground game with 82 yards on 18 carries, and Buyarski had 44 yards on 11 carries. Chaltry completed four of six passes for 72 yards. Ahrndt led the defense with 11 tackles, including two solos, and a blocked pass. Noseguard Tom Emmes had 10 tackles, four solos; Wortner had five tackles, a solo, a sack and a blocked pass; Chuck Cobb collected five tackles, three solos, and a sack; and Chaltry had five tackles, a solo and a sack. 
     The Timberjacks (6-3) play host to the Saukville Demons Saturday at 7 p.m.

October 4th -  There’s no question that Twin City residents like their football. While the Green Bay Packers, Detroit Lions, University of Wisconsin, Michigan or Michigan State may be the favorite among most fans, other teams have their local followers, too. When it comes to the three local high schools, fan support is contagious, in good times and in bad.
     This season, one more team joined the local football club. The M&M Timberjacks, a semipro team, was admitted to the Wisconsin State Football League, a circuit that was started in 2003 by Michael Rzepkowski. The concept of the new league was to involve each team in the decision- making process, and have a voice in the day-to-day operation of the league. The league has had remarkable success and growth since it was created. 
     Brothers Shane and Jason King, Twin City natives, were playing for the Bay View Beasts while living in the Milwaukee area. They conceived the idea of organizing their own team in the summer of 2004. When Jason moved to Green Bay in 2004, the brothers made their dream a reality. They came up with a $1,000 per year franchise fee and other necessary money to start a team, and worked with local public officials for a home field and other related requirements to put a team on the field. 
     The Timberjacks opened their season the same weekend as the Menominee Waterfront Festival, and played to a large and supportive crowd, who liked what they saw. 
     The roster of the Timberjacks includes former Marinette, Menominee and Peshtigo players. A few had a shot at small college football. All of them, however, have a love for the game and were not quite ready to hang their old jerseys in a closet. The age of the players runs from the late teens to a couple of key contributors who are in their early 40s and still play a pretty good brand of ball.
     The ’Jacks play at home (Spies Field) Saturday evening against the Fox Valley Force, and close out the regular season at home Oct. 13 against the Saukville Demons. The kickoffs are at 7 p.m. The Saukville game happens to be the same date as the annual M&M Game high school outing, so local football enthusiasts will have a grand day of football entertainment. 
     The ’Jacks are doing well in their first season. The team is competitive and is giving a good account of itself on the field. And the atmosphere is good, too. A catering service handles the hotdogs, bratwurst, popcorn and other snacks and soft drinks that are a part of a home football game. And, yes, even the customary arm-chair quarterbacks show up to make the outings more interesting. 
     The Twin Cities haven’t had a semipro football team since the M&M Hornets played before sizeable crowds in the 1950s. The Timberjacks are the latest in a line of sandlot or semipro teams that have represented the twin communities for more than a century, the team members all products of area high school football. 
     The King brothers have done a good job of bringing semipro football back to the Twin Cities. The task of putting a team together, a coaching staff and all of the other numerous requirements and details to make a successful showing was nothing short of remarkable. We hope they will be able to continue next season and beyond. In the meantime, local football fans have at least two more games to see the area’s latest football team in action. We think you will like this brand of football.

October 1st, 2007 -  ONEIDA, Wis. — M&M Timberjacks’ owners Shane and Jason King had a dream of bringing semi-pro football to the area.
     The first-year team has not only realized that dream but exceeded the expectations of fans and teams throughout the Wisconsin State Football League.
     The Timberjacks clinched a playoff berth with a tough 14-0 shutout over the Bay Area (Oneida) Vipers (2-6) Saturday.  “You can see how far we’ve come since we started this team in the spring,” coach Joe Plautz said of the postseason berth. “I’m really proud of the guys. We’re very, very happy to be in the playoffs.”
     The victory sets up a home showdown against the North Division leaders Fox Valley Force this Saturday at Spies Field. Kickoff is at 7 p.m.
     The Timberjacks have a 6-2 record, while the Force is 7-1. The M&M team lost to the Force 26-7 in Appleton earlier this year.
     If the Timberjacks can beat the Force and a struggling Saukville Demons team, they would clinch a home playoff game.
     The Timberjacks and Vipers battled to scoreless draw in the first half before the TJacks’ single wing kicked into gear, led by a pair of new faces in the T-Jacks’ backfield.
     Fullback Alfonso Smith rammed over from three yards out on the Timberjacks’ first drive of the second half.
     Drew Buyarski, who joined the team two weeks ago after being cleared by the rest of the teams in the league, raced through the Vipers for a 21-yard touchdown in the T-Jacks’ second drive of the half. Randy Hohender, who saw limited playing duty on offense due to a sore shoulder, kicked both PATs.
     The M&M team added a third touchdown in the second half, but a penalty flag wiped it out and a third-and-long pass to the end zone was dropped.
     The Timberjacks’ defense posted its second straight shutout.
     Dan Ries had seven tackles, three solos, an interception and he broke up four passes, including two in the end zone.  “He really made some big plays,” Plautz said. “He played a heck of a game.”
     Jim Ahrndt also had seven tackles and three solos with an interception, and he broke up a pass. Ed Demeuse had another big game with eight tackles, two solos, an interception and he broke up a pass. Buyarski had six tackles, three solos and he broke up a pass.
     Buyarski led the Timberjacks’ rushing game in his debut with 132 yards on 18 carries. “He’s going to add a ton to our offense and defense,” Plautz said of the former Maroon allstater. “We hope he will add to our passing game. If we can get a passing game going, it would be huge.”
     Smith powered out 82 yards on 19 carries.

September 24th, 2007 - MENOMINEE -- A ferocious blitz and man-eater work by the offensive and defensive lines took the bite out of the River City Rattlers Saturday night.
     The M&M Timberjacks remained unbeaten on their home turf by crushing the Rattlers 41-0 before another large and enthusiastic crowd at Spies Field.
     After downing the Rattlers at Watertown two weeks ago, coach Joe Plautz wanted to see more fire from his offensive line.
     "I challenged them before the game," Plautz said. "Two weeks ago we played (the Rattlers) and it was a lot closer. I wasn't happy with our play up front in that game. I knew we were capable of playing better. The holes were there tonight."
     Aric Chaltry followed a block by Alfonso Smith into the end zone for a 5-yard run. Randy Hoheneder's kick gave the T-Jacks a 7-0 lead with 5:08 left in the first quarter.
     Less than four minutes later, tight end Jim Ahrndt sealed the outside with a crunching block for a 62-yard scoring scamper by Hoheneder.
     River City moved the ball on its first possession of the game, but the Rattler attack turned to a whisper when the T-Jacks unleashed their blitz package. Led by Ed Demeuse and Anthony Sims, the Timberjacks poured through the Rattler line most of the night.
     Patrick Klingbeil, a slippery quarterback when chased out of the pocket, spent most of the game trying to dodge Timberjacks behind the line of scrimmage.
     "We played it pretty simple," said Plautz. "They had some early success against our base defense, so we threw a little pressure at them up the middle."
     Sims dumped Klingbeil for a loss, and a crunching hit by Neal Weddel knocked the ball loose from the Rattler QB and Robert Peak recovered.
     Two plays later, Chaltry followed a wave of blockers before shedding two tacklers at the 5 for a 21-yard scoring run. Dan Ries tossed to Joel Wortner on the conversion to hike the Timberjack lead to 21-0.
     With the clock ticking down, the Timberjacks mounted a crisp, three-play air raid to hit paydirt for the fourth time in the half. Ries, facing a heavy rush, completed an 11-yard pass to Dale Svoboda, and Hoheneder pulled in a Ries spiral for a 39-yard completion.
     Wortner grabbed a swing pass from Ries and dashed 18 yards for a tackle-busting touchdown with 38 seconds left in the half. Hoheneder's PAT gave the Timberjacks a 28-0 halftime lead.
     The Timberjacks' buried any thoughts of a Rattler comeback when they marched 56 yards on nine plays on their first possession of the second half.
     Ries tore through the Rattlers for an 18-yard run and then floated an 11-yard touch pass to Svoboda for the former Maroons' first touchdown of the season.
     Ries and Wortner connected on a 19-yard completion, and James Poore picked up 11 yards on his first carry of the season to fuel the Timberjacks' final drive. Poore hammered the ball to within inches of the goal line and Smith powered over from there for his first TD with 2:02 left.
     Ries led the Timberjacks' ground game with 104 yards on 14 carries, and completed six of 10 passes for 98 yards and two TDs. Chaltry had 68 yards on nine carries with two touchdowns, Hoheneder rushed 80 yards on just two runs and scored a touchdown, and Smith had 55 yards on 11 carries and a TD.
     Joel Wortner had three receptions for 28 yards, a touchdown and a conversion.
     Ahrndt led the defense with seven tackles, two solos. Sims had four sacks and forced a fumble, and Demeuse had two sacks and forced a fumble.
     The Timberjacks (5-2, 3-2 division) play at the Bay Area Vipers Saturday at noon. 

September 17th, 2007 - MENOMINEE -- The Oostburg Rebels came to Spies Field with no secrets, no "Spygate" film, just a crystal-clear plan for the M&M Timberjacks.
     Here we come right at you, try and stop us.
     The Timberjacks slowed but could not stop the Rebels' brutal ground game and lost 21-6 in Wisconsin State Football League play Saturday night.
     Oostburg has won three titles in the league's four seasons by running the ball effectively. Saturday, the Rebels imposed their will on the Timberjacks by rushing for 332 yards in 62 carries.
     The four Rebel passes -- all incomplete -- were a token gesture at best.
     "We joke about our playbook," Rebels coach Andy Stopczynski said. "Everyone could take a look at it. We run straight ahead. We ran five or six plays all night."
     It was a pivotal game in the WSFL North Division. The Timberjacks -- who beat Oostburg 7-6 in Week 2 -- fell to 4-2, and Oostburg improved to 4-2.
     The Timberjacks had their opportunities, but three interceptions and a muffed punt return sealed their fate. Oostburg stuffed the M&M ground game, which netted 46 yards in 29 attempts. That forced the Timberjacks into a passing game they didn't want to play.
     "Unfortunately our passing game hasn't evolved enough," M&M coach Joe Plautz said. "They took that (ground game) away and they left that (passing) open."
     Oostburg drove 57 yards in 11 plays with the first drive of the game. Tailback Justin Zehel scored on a 10-yard run, and Josh Bardon booted the extra point.
     The Timberjacks defense stiffened for the rest of the first half. Joel Wortner recovered a Rebel fumble at the Oostburg 10-yard line to set up the team's only touch.

September 10th , 2007 - WATERTOWN, Wis. -- The M&M Timberjacks closed out a four-game road swing with a 3-1 record after knocking off the River City Rattlers 34-21 Saturday afternoon.
     The Timberjacks (4-1) had the Rattlers on the ropes with a 28-0 lead before withstanding a late surge by the home team.
     "A lot of good things and a lot of bad things," coach Joe Plautz said. "We have to learn how to close teams out if we want to be one of the teams in the upper tier of the league."
     Nine procedure penalties also didn't sit well with the Timberjacks' coach.
     "(The Rattlers) were chatting on defense, but our guys have to concentrate better," said Plautz. "We have to be more disciplined."
     The T-Jacks controlled the line for 434 total yards, including 336 rushing yards.
     "I'm very pleased about that," said Plautz.
     The Timberjacks scored on their first three possessions to take early control of the game.
     Aric Chaltry tossed a 27-yard scoring pass to Randy Hoheneder and Dan Ries added the conversion run.
     Chaltry scored from the 5 on the Timberjacks' second drive and Hoheneder finished off the third possession with a 10-yard run. Hoheneder added the kick to give the T-Jacks a 21-0 lead.
     Ries pumped the lead to 28-0 with a 5-yard run to paydirt with five minutes remaining in the first half.
     The Rattlers cracked out of their offensive doldrums with a score in the waning moments of the first half, and scored again on their first drive of the second half to cut the margin to 28-14.
     The combination of Chaltry and Hoheneder teamed up again to pour ice water on the Rattler rally. Hoheneder pulled in a 7-yard scoring pass from Chaltry to push the lead to 34-14. River City (0-5) tacked on a touchdown with three minutes left in the game.
     Chaltry rushed for 161 yards on 19 carries to lead the Timberjacks ground game, while Ries had 98 yards on 11 carries. Hoheneder added 69 yards on six carries.
     Chaltry was four of six passing for 57 yards and two touchdowns. Ries connected on two of four passes for 41 yards.
     Hoheneder caught three passes for 46 yards and two touchdowns, Joel Wortner had two catches for 39 yards, and Jim Ahrndt had one reception for 13 yards.
     Ed Demeuse had five assists and picked off two passes, while Ahrndt collected five solo tackles and two assists.
     Anthony Sims had two assists and he recovered a fumble, and Wortner had three assists and a solo stop.
     The Timberjacks return home for the first time since Aug. 4 when they play the Oostburg Rebels Saturday at 7 p.m. at Spies Field. The T-Jacks beat the defending Wisconsin State Football League champions 7-6 in the second week of the season.
     "Four games on the road is pretty taxing," said Plautz. "It will be nice to play in front of some friendly faces." 

August 27th, 2007 - SAUKVILLE, Wis. -- With the M&M Timberjacks locked in a 13-13 tie with the Saukville Demons and time ticking away, receiver Jim Ahrndt had crunch-time confidence.
     Ahrndt snared a pass from Dan Ries and rambled 24 yards for a touchdown with 1:45 left to lift the Timberjacks to a 19-13 road win Sunday afternoon.
     "Jim came up to me and said 'give me the ball, I know I can score,'" coach Joe Plautz said. "When Jim tells me he wants the ball, I know he's going to do something. He's one of those high-character kids we're going to build this team around."
     The Timberjacks controlled play in the first half for a 13-0 halftime lead.
     Randy Hoheneder got outside the Demons for a 29-yard scoring jaunt on the Timberjacks' first drive.
     Joel Wortner finished off a long march by the T-Jacks with a 2-yard plunge to give the M&M team its 13-point spread.
     Saukville snatched away the momentum on its opening drive of the second half as the Demons cut the lead to 13-7 after a long drive.
     On the ensuing kick, the Timberjacks bobbled the return. Saukville recovered inside the Timberjacks' 20 and scored to pull even.
     "I give Saukville a lot of credit," said Plautz. "They came back and took the momentum away from us. We moved the ball in the first half, but we struggled in the second half."
     The two teams stayed locked in a defensive battle until the T-Jacks mounted their winning march.
     Ries uncorked a 31-yard pass to Joel Wortner to set up the winning touchdown pass from Ries to Ahrndt.
     With running back Aric Chaltry sidelined with a hip flexor, Ries turned in a huge game. The Timberjack tailback rushed for 107 yards on 19 carries, and connected on five of 11 passes for 128 yards and a touchdown.
     "Dan Ries was a big-time player for us," said the coach. "We had to rely on him and he stepped up and played a good game."
     Hoheneder gained 51 yards on seven hauls, and Wortner rushed for 19 yards on six carries. After gaining 246 total yards in their last two games, the Timberjacks piled up 333 total yards against the Demons.
     Ahrndt, who was switched to middle linebacker, also had a huge defensive game as he collected nine tackles, including two solos, and recovered a fumble. He pulled in three passes for 57 yards.
     Wortner was all over the field on defense with nine tackles, including two solos. He had a sack, picked off a pass and also blocked a crucial extra point.
     "Joel Wortner played a great game," said Plautz. "He made a lot of big plays for us."
     Heath Berman also recovered a fumble for the T-Jacks, who forced four turnovers.
     Ries added two assists, two solo tackles and an interception to his stellar game.
     The Timberjacks (3-1) take a break over the Labor Day weekend before making their final stop of a four-game road trip against the River City Rattlers at 2 p.m. Sept. 9.

August 20th, 2007 - APPLETON, Wis. -- Penalty flags bogged down the M&M Timberjacks in a rain-soaked 26-7 loss to a strong Fox Valley Force team Saturday.
     "Penalties just killed us," coach Joe Plautz said. "It wasn't that we couldn't do anything. Our offense is geared to get four or five yards a clip. We kept putting ourselves into first-and-20 and second-and-20 situations."
     The Force (3-0) took a 17-0 lead before the Timberjacks capped a drive with a 4-yard scoring run by Dan Ries in the second quarter. Randy Hoheneder added the PAT.
     The Timberjacks held the potent Force offense to the 10-point lead until late in the game. The Force had scored 97 points in its first two wins.
     "They spread us out and had success running the football," said Plautz. "I have to give credit to (defensive coach) T.J. (Buscher). The defense has kept us in games. T. J. gave them some looks and took away what they wanted to do."
     Plautz noted that although the Timberjacks have scored just 14 points in their last two games, the coaching staff is happy with the team's offensive game plan.
     "We're close," the coach said. "The things we're doing wrong are coachable. We're just shooting ourselves in the foot."
     Opening against defending champion Oostburg and Fox Valley could be the toughest two-game stretch for the Timberjacks.
     "We went toe-to-toe with probably the front-running team in the league," the coach said."

August 13th, 2007 -  Two weeks into their first season in the Wisconsin State Football League, the M&M Timberjacks have established themselves as a legitimate power.
     Locked in a defensive tug-of-war with the defending champion Oostburg Rebels, the Timberjacks forced a huge turnover late in the game and stunned the Rebels 7-6 Saturday.
     "We've exceeded, probably, our own expectations," coach Joe Plautz said. "It was definitely a defensive battle. We made the plays that had to be made."
     The Rebels were sitting on a 6-0 lead with five minutes left and trying to run time off the clock when Joel Wortner forced a fumble with a hard hit. Ed Demeuse covered the loose ball to set up the Timberjacks at the Rebel 30.
     "The play by Wortner was huge," said Plautz.
     Dan Ries cut the corner for good yardage on a pair of sweeps to ignite the T-Jacks' scoring drive. The Timberjacks caught the Rebels going the wrong way on a third-down reverse as Randy Hoheneder raced to first down inside the 5.
     Ryan Wortner hammered the ball over from the 1 to even the score. Hoheneder, who is kicking for the first time this season, booted the crucial PAT to give the Timberjacks the lead with 1:30 left.
     The Rebels took over at their own 40 after the kick return, but the Timberjacks' defense stuffed them on four plays. Chuck Cobb took the steam out of Oostburg's hopes for a late drive with a second-down sack.
     The two teams battled to a scoreless deadlock in the first half.
     Oostburg ran off a crisp eight-minute scoring drive to start the third quarter. A 5-yard run gave the Rebels the lead, but a botched snap foiled the PAT attempt. The scoring march was the only Rebel threat of the game.
     The Timberjacks' defense had to be stout because the offense scratched out just 143 total yards.
     "The defense played well all day long," said Plautz. "It wasn't the prettiest win, but we'll take it."
     Ries led the running game with 44 yards on 13 carries. Aric Chaltry, who gained 125 yards on 25 carries in the T-Jacks win over the Green Bay Vipers, had 30 yards on 13 carries.
     Demeuse turned in another stellar effort at linebacker as he also picked off a pass, in addition to his game-turning fumble recovery. Demeuse finished with seven tackles.
     Robert Peak laid his 6-foot-3, 313-pound frame on the Rebels for a team-high nine tackles.
     The Timberjacks didn't turn the ball over and have just one turnover in their first two games.
     "That was a key," said Plautz. "We didn't set them up in good field position."
The Timberjacks (2-0) continue their four-game road swing when they play the Fox Valley Force (2-0) at 4 p.m. Saturday.
     The Force has defeated its first two opponents by a combined score of 95-0, including a 47-0 win over the Green Bay Vipers Saturday.
     The Force, who posted eight wins last year, play their games at the St. Joseph Middle School football field, which is located behind the Paper Valley Hotel (College Avenue) in Appleton.
     "It doesn't get any easier," Plautz said of the Force. "They're a perennial playoff team."

August 6th, 2007 - A crowd of more than 1,000 fans watched the M&M Timberjacks bring their football memories back to life Saturday.
     The Timberjacks opened the semi-pro football era in Menominee with an impressive 20-13 win over the Green Bay Vipers at Spies Field.
     Showing the discipline of a veteran team, the first-year Timberjacks had just three penalties and one turnover, while forcing six Green Bay turnovers.
     "It feels great," said coach Joe Plautz. "I'm very happy with the way we played."
     "The hits are lot more intense than in high school," said Aric Chaltry, who had a banner day running and passing the ball. Smiling as he walked off the field a winner, Chaltry added, "it's like re-living a dream."
     The Vipers stung the Timberjacks early with a 45-yard scoring strike from Jacob Spriggs to Matt Gauthier with 6:32 left in the first quarter.
     "We made a couple of mistakes early in the game, but we didn't feel they could sustain anything consistently," Plautz said.
     The Timberjacks shored up their pass defense and the single wing lashed back with 20 unanswered points.
     Randy Hoheneder snared a 37-yard pass from Chaltry while being sandwiched by two defenders to set up the Timberjacks at the 2. Dan Ries plowed over on the first play of the second quarter for the first TD in Timberjack history.
     Two plays later, the hard-nosed play of the Timberjacks forced the second Viper turnover. Ryan Wortner pounced on a fumble at the Green Bay 46.
     "I have to set the guys down and explain that getting extra yardage isn't worth losing the ball," Viper coach George Kone said. "Turnovers really, really hurt us."
     Chaltry ignited the Timberjacks' second scoring march with a 16-yard scamper, and a 15-yard personal foul against the Vipers gave the T-Jacks a first down at the 15.
     Chaltry threaded a pass between three defenders to connect with Hoheneder on a 13-yard completion, and Ries rammed in from the 1 to give the Timberjacks a 12-7 lead with 9:56 left in the half.
     The Vipers put together a crisp seven-play drive to the 23. Spriggs went for it all and fired a pass to the end zone, but Hoheneder picked it off to stuff the scoring threat.
     With 31 seconds in the half, the Timberjack defense continued its reign of turnover terror. Spriggs heaved a wobbling duck under a heavy rush and Adam Hubert picked off the pass.
     Mixing a short passing game with their productive running attack, the Timberjacks opened the second half with a 53-yard scoring drive.
     Hoheneder galloped 21 yards to the Viper 33 and Dale Svoboda pulled in a 12-yard pass from Chaltry. Ries shook off a shoulder tackle for an 11-yard gain.
     Ed Demeuse took another sip from the fountain of youth and blasted over from the 1 for his first touchdown in 20 years. Demeuse also played an outstanding game at middle linebacker.
     Ries got off a conversion pass to Wortner while being hit to push the Timberjacks' lead to 20-7 with 6:12 left in the third period.
     The Vipers drove to the 39 before Ries leaped in the air to get his hands on a Viper pass. The Green Bay receiver tried to wrestle the ball away, but Ries kept a death-grip on the ball.
     Chaltry burned the Vipers' corner defense for runs of 14 and 28 yards as the Timberjacks mounted a drive to the Green Bay 45. Facing a fourth-and-two, Wortner stretched out and made a sensational diving grab of a Chaltry pass to give M&M a first down at the 41.
     After running the ball on eight of nine plays, the Timberjacks went to the air and the Vipers picked off the pass for the only M&M turnover of the game.
     "We were doing a good job of running the ball," said Plautz. "I would take that pass back in a second."
     The miscue proved costly as Green Bay put together a nine-play, 85-yard scoring drive. Speed back Marjahone Twitty got to the outside for a 13-yard TD to slice the lead to 20-13 with 7:24 left.
     The Timberjacks took five minutes off the clock before a fourth-and-10 pass at the Viper 37 fell incomplete.
     Hoheneder sealed the historic win with his second interception of the game with 1:51 left.
     "(The Timberjacks) looked outstanding," said Kone. "They have a great tradition up here and I truly enjoyed playing them. They played hard and they played well."
     The Timberjacks travel to Oostburg Saturday to play the three-time defending Wisconsin State Football League champion Rebels at 7 p.m.

August 6th, 2007 - The line of fans stretched to the back of the Spies Field parking lot before the M&M Timberjacks made their historic football debut Saturday morning.
     The sets of bleachers were almost full and hundreds of fans circled the playing field to see what the M&M Timberjacks was all about.
     Saturday's strong showing by the team will certainly add to the excitement around the area's newest team.
     The first-game crowd was mostly a curious bunch. Exhortations to "get on your feet" and cheer for the Timberjacks went unheeded for the most part.
     But as the game wore on, fans began saying, "we look pretty good," instead of "I wonder how they'll do?"
     Based on the instant fan base and the number of Timberjack T-shirts in the crowd, it looks like semi-pro football has already caught on with area fans.
     The Timberjacks and Vipers both got a little too jacked up at times Saturday, so it was surprising to see what took place after the teams went through the handshake line.
     As the Timberjacks walked away for their team huddle, the Vipers called on them to "mix."
     The M&M team seemed a little confused, but after forming a huddle with the Vipers, the Green Bay team told the Timberjacks it was customary to say a group prayer after their games.
     The Timberjacks' Aaron Hubert stepped up and gave the prayer to the teams.
     Emotions weren't that soothing during the hard-hitting game. After a little pushing and shoving, a Viper player kept telling his teammates on the field to "run it at (Randy) Hoheneder. He doesn't like to hit."
     Moments later the former Marinette High School standout drilled a Viper running back with a devastating tackle that put him out of the game.
     When the Viper player continued his taunts, Hoheneder looked over and said, "What just happened to No. 33?"

August 3rd, 2007 - Years after walking off the field for the last time, players still yearn for one more chance to play football.
     The players on the M&M Timberjacks will realize that dream Saturday when they return to the gridiron to play the Green Bay Vipers in an 11 a.m. game at Spies Field.
     Twenty-five years ago, Dale Svoboda of Menominee and Ed Demeuse of Marinette played against each other in the M&M Game.
     Demeuse was a center and nose guard for the Marines, while Svoboda was a tight end and defensive end for the Maroons. Both of the 41-year-old Timberjacks will be starting against the Vipers Saturday. Demeuse played football at UW-Stout while Svoboda played for Northern Michigan University.
     "I work the sidelines at the Maroon games and I would watch the games and think, 'geez, I'd like to go out there and hit somebody again,'" Svoboda said.
     Demeuse originally considered being a coach on the team before deciding to put on the pads again.
     "I wish I was 18 again," he said with a smile. "I don't have the speed I used to have, but I'm smarter."
     When the Timberjack players were tested in spring, Svoboda and Demeuse were the two strongest players on the team.
     "I've kept myself fit through the years," said Svoboda. "We had a scrimmage Friday and I didn't get tired. It's the day after when you get out of bed, you feel it."
     During the course of 25 years, blocking techniques have changed from when Demeuse and Svoboda were in high school.
     "I haven't played tight end in 24 years," Svoboda said. "In my day you had to hold your hands in. Now you can use your hands, so it's actually easier."
     The Timberjacks range in age from 20 to 41. According to Demeuse, the age difference has not kept the players from bonding as a team.
     "We've got good guys on this team. Good character and a good blend of players," said Demeuse.
     Joe Plautz is the head coach of the Timberjacks; T.J. Buscher is the defensive coordinator; and Jimmer Anderla is the offensive coordinator. Shane and Jason King are co-owners of the team. Jason King is also a player.
     While the coaches are former Maroons, just a handful of players are from Menominee. That gave Plautz a little concern because the Timberjacks will run the Maroon single wing.
     "I'm surprised how quick the guys have picked it up," said Plautz. "Most of these guys have never played the single wing, but they've picked it up and run with it."
     Plautz was tempted to suit up as a player, but his itch to coach was just too strong.
     "I really do enjoy coaching," said Plautz. "I played for coach (Ken) Hofer and Randy Awrey at Lakeland (College). I picked things up from them and Jeff and Mark Bayerl (Menominee freshman coaches)."
     The Timberjacks' offense has looked crisp in preseason drills, although the passing game still needs a little fine-tuning.
     "We're going to be able to run the football, and I think our defense will be pretty strong," the coach said.
     As one of three first-year teams in the Wisconsin State Football League, the Timberjacks are a question mark heading into their historic first game.
     There's no question about the dedication of the Timberjack players, who have switched work shifts and sacrificed family time to make it to practices.
     The coaching staff has run brisk practices, and the players have gone about their business like players making big money.
     Plautz feels his players will match up with the veteran teams in the league.
     "I think we're going to be a good, competitive football team," Plautz said. "I want us to be in every game."
     As a former Maroon, Plautz is used to big crowds and big games, but he admits he will have more than a few jitters Saturday morning when the Timberjacks kick off a new era in football.
     "It's going to be a big day. I'm sure I'll be nervous. The butterflies will definitely be going Saturday morning. I'm glad we're playing at 11 so I don't have to sit around all day thinking about it."

July 31st, 2007 - The M&M Timberjacks semi-pro football team will open its first season Saturday when it plays host to the Bay Area Vipers in an 11 a.m. game at Spies Field.
     Tickets are $3 for adults 18 and above, $1 for students 10-17 and no charge for children nine and younger.
     The Timberjacks will play in the North Division of the Wisconsin State Football League. The WSFL was established in 2003.
     The Timberjacks will hold their final practice before their season opener Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. at Spies Field.
     Information on the Timberjacks and team merchandise is available at the team Web site: www.timberjacksfootball.com

July 17th, 2007 - Season passes for the M&M Timberjacks football team are available at area businesses.
     A $15 season pass includes a discount card, which entitles the holder to benefits at the businesses.
     Season passes are available at Scoops Sports Cafe, Ogden Club, Sports Corner, Stateline Apparel and Printers Plus, or by calling Mike Andre at (715) 923-4414, or Jason King at (414) 801-1807.
     The team will hold an intersquad scrimmage July 27 at Spies Field. There will be no charge for spectators.
     The Timberjacks are the newest member of the Wisconsin State Football League. The season will begin in early-August. The schedule is being revamped because a Green Bay team dropped out.

July 5, 2007 - The M&M Timberjacks participated in the annual Fourth of July Parade in Marinette.  The Timberjacks walked in the parade in their away jerseys and handed out Tootsie Rolls, Freezie Pops, and Pocket Schedules.  Many parade goers expressed excitment regarding the upcoming season as well as surprise that semi-pro football had come to the area.

May 3, 2007  - The M&M Timberjacks will hold two no-pads practices later this month at Spies Field.
     Practice will be held May 13 from 5 to 6:30 p.m., following a mandatory short team meeting from 4:30 to 5. The other practice will be held May 20 from 5 to 6:30.
     Full-pads practices will begin June 3, with two-a-week practices on Sunday and Wednesday evenings. Players are required to purchase their own pads and helmets, and the team currently has several vendors lined up to accommodate those needs.
     The team fees of $110 are due by Saturday, and must be paid prior to practicing. Team fees can be paid online at www.timberjacksfootball.com or mailed to M&M Timberjacks, LLC, P.O. Box 13, Menominee, MI 49858. Financial arrangements can be made for those in need.  

April 22, 2007 - The opponents for the 2007 season have been set and the Timberjacks are going to be heavily tested in their inaugural season.  In addition to playing each team in the WSFL North Division twice, the Timberjacks will host the Oostburg Rebels and Milwaukee Rattlers as well as travel to the Racine Horsemen and Saukville Demons.
     The Oostburg Rebels are the defending WSFL Champions and have earned that title 3 out of the 4 seasons that the WSFL has existed.  The Milwaukee Rattlers are the reigning 3 time champions of the now defunct Ultimate Football League.  The Racine Horsemen were a much improved team last year that went to the second round of the WSFL playoffs and the Saukville Demons have declared themselves "The Team to Beat" in the WSFL this season.
     Within the WSFL North, the Timberjacks will face the Fox Valley Force who nearly went undefeated last season and are showing an improved team this season.  The Bay Area Vipers, though appearing to be a first year team, is the combination of the core players from two of last years teams.  Only the Green Bay Bobcats appear to be a question mark as far difficult match-ups are concerned.
     If the Timberjacks are able to pull through this season with a .500 record, it will be a real accomplishment and a testament to the talent and commitment of the M&M area.  Having the most difficult schedule in the North Division as well as one of the most difficult in the league is a difficult task for an existing team, and a monumental task for a first year team.

April 22, 2007 - NEW TIMBERJACK SPONSOR!  Stateline Apparel of Menominee has joined the Timberjacks becoming the official Apparel Sponsor of the Timberjacks!  Please be sure to patronize our latest sponsor and thank them for supporting Semi-Pro Football in the M&M Area!

March 31, 2007 - First team meeting held at the Menominee YMCA.  An excellent turnout of comitted players were introduced to several different equipment vendors and our non-profit organization.  Players were told about volunteer opportunities that can bring in thousands of dollars to the community from out of the area.  The Timberjacks also introduced a several articles of apparel that are now on sale, available through the website or by contacting anyone within the Timberjacks management.  Players were also formally introduced to the M&M Timberjacks head coach, Joe Plautz.
     Coach Plautz spoke of his visions and expectations for the team.  He also laid out the preseason workout and practice schedules.  The day was finished with timing drills and the bench press.

March 22, 2007 - First team meeting set for Saturday, March 31st, 1:00pm at the Menominee YMCA.  This meeting is for all current and prospective players.  The meeting will introduce the Timberjacks' coaching staff, cover practice schedules and procedures, provide different options for obtaining equipment, and conducting pre-training camp drills.

March 11th, 2007 - Shane and Jason King proposed the M&M Timberjacks at the WSFL league meeting in Sheboygan, WI.  The Timberjacks acceptance into the WSFL was approved with a resounding 12-0 vote of confidence.  The WSFL is excited to welcome the Northernmost member of the league and look forward to many years of excellent competition.   

March 3rd, 2007 - The Timberjacks held their Meet and Greet Saturday, March 3rd with at the Menominee YMCA Gym.  As of this posting, 46 players have applied to be members of the M&M Timberjacks.  Turnout and interest were excellent and the next step is to secure a spot in the WSFL.  If our committment matches our excitement and enthusiasm, we will not only survive our first year in the league, we can be contenders.

February 22nd, 2007 - In a community steeped in football tradition, two former residents want to start a new tradition. 
     Shane and Jason King have formed the M&M Timberjacks, a semipro football team, and are seeking players and coaches to field a 2007 team.
     Open tryouts are tentatively scheduled for March 31 and April 4. A meet-and-greet event will be held March 3 at 3 p.m. at the Menominee YMCA.
     Games will be played this summer and fall, on Saturday nights at Spies Field.
     The Timberjacks will compete in the Wisconsin State Football League -- coincidentally, the namesake of the former league affiliated with the Menominee Hornets more than a half-century ago.
     Both Kings got the idea for an M&M football team while playing for the Bay View Beasts, formerly of the WSFL. Jason King also played for the Milwaukee Warriors and Saukville Demons of the league.
     "From the day we got into this league, we thought the M&M area was perfect to get into this league," Shane King said.
     Added Jason King: "You've got an untapped area of 25,000 people."
     They describe the level of play as about the same as that of the Arctic Blast of Powers, which has several Twin City players.
     "We're not trying to lure away Arctic Blast players," Jason King emphasized.
     The WSFL plays 11-man football with NFL rules.
     While the WSFL allows up to 53 players per roster, the Kings want 35 or 40 players, "because I don't want guys showing up and watching the whole game," Jason King said.
     "If you're at all our practices and at the games, you're going to play," Shane King said.
     They're planning to have one-way starters on offense and defense, with the others to play on special teams.
     The league consists largely of 20-somethings and 30-somethings who just want to play the game.
     "If you've got somebody who runs a 4.6 40, they're a speed-burner in the league," Jason King said. "I would say its entry level. If you can teach the fundamentals of just blocking, tackling and executing, you're going to do well."
     Prospective Timberjacks players don't necessarily need high school football experience.
     Their 10-game season will begin in August, and a three-round playoff format will follow. The WSFL has 12 teams and could start the season with as many as 16.
     The Kings are also searching for volunteer coaches. They want a head coach to pick a staff which includes an offensive coordinator, defensive coordinator and special teams coach, and possibly an entire position staff.
     They're also looking for volunteers to run concessions, sell tickets, post flyers and man the chain gang.
     Players will pay a $100 fee to cover home and away jerseys, pants and a belt. They must provide their own helmet, pads and cleats.
     Team colors are maroon, yellow and white, similar to Arizona State University and the Menominee Maroons.
     The Timberjacks' founders are hoping to form partnerships with local restaurants and hotels to receive discounts for players.
     "One of the things we're doing is bringing money into the area," Shane King said. "A lot of players will stay overnight."
     They want to get Timberjacks players involved in community projects, not necessarily sports-related.
     Other WSFL teams are from Green Bay, Appleton, Oostburg, Saukville, Watertown, West bend, Washington County, Racine, Janesville, Oconomowoc and South Beloit, Ill.
     One trait of the Timberjacks will be discipline.
     "It's a benefit we have from getting players in the Marinette and Menominee area -- they have discipline already," Jason King said.
     The team Web site is: timberjacksfootball.com.

February 19th, 2007 - Menominee City Council approved possible use of Spies Field by the M&M Timberjacks, a semi-professional football team.   Mary Johns - Eagle Herald

February 14th, 2007 - MENOMINEE --Semipro football may be coming to Spies Athletic Field.
     Jason and Shane King and Michael Andre, who are forming a semipro team called the M&M Timberjacks, have requested use of the newly enhanced facility.
     So far, city officials and Spies Field supporters are agreeable. But some details must be worked out.
     The Timberjacks will be part of the Wisconsin State Football League, Andre told the Spies Field Committee recently.
     The league, formed in 2003, features 11-player, tackle football using National Football League rules, said Jason King in a Jan. 17 letter to City Manager Eric Strahl.
     The team, which is expected to carry a roster of 35-40 players, will be based in Menominee, and will recruit players from the Marinette and Menominee counties.
     King said the WSFL currently has 10 football teams that play in a string of communities from Green Bay south to Beloit, Wis.
     "The M&M Timberjacks will be the northernmost team in the league," said King.
     He estimated the Timberjacks would need Spies for five to six regular-season games. The team would provide liability coverage.
     Semipro football has not been played at Spies Field for nearly half a century. In the 1950s, a team called the M&M Hornets used the 70-year-old sports facility as its home field.
     Monday, the city's parks & recreation/building & grounds committee authorized city staff members to move forward with an arrangement that would allow the new team to use Spies Field.
     "A written agreement needs to be developed," Strahl told committee members.
     Jason King said the team would plow the majority of its profits into Spies Field. Practice would begin in May, with games played in August and October.
     City officials appeared supportive.
     "The more Spies is used, the better," said Ward 3 Councilman Don Hudon.