BY TINA L. SCOTT
EDITOR

For years it’s been dubbed “the war on 64” … that age-old, good-natured football rivalry between the Merrill Bluejays and the Antigo Red Robins.
Last Friday night’s game at Jay Stadium on Sept. 8, 2023, drew a crowd ready to see some Friday-night hometown football to celebrate that rivalry, but unfortunately, Merrill lost the battle big time this go-round, with a stinging final score of 28-0.
While Merrill’s #3 Jacob Schmeltzer and #2 EJ Weix were the Bluejay’s top performers of the game, with 15 passing yards for Schmeltzer and 54 rushing yards and 18 receiving yards for Weix, they couldn’t stand up to the force of the Red Robins this game. Antigo came out playing hard, scoring 14 points in the first quarter, and finished just as hard, racking up another 14 points in the fourth quarter, with both teams battling hard and remaining scoreless in the second and third quarters.
“Antigo was a very sound football team and came to play,” said Merrill Head Varsity Football Coach Jason Wadzinski. “As a team, we didn’t execute well, and I need to do a better job of getting this group of young men Friday night ready.”
The Merrill Varsity Football Team will give it their best shot this Friday night with an away game against Lakeland Union High School.

Box Score:
Antigo 28 @ Merrill 0