Woodstock's Kremske isn't one to brag

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Woodstock's Mike Kremske (center) reaches to pull down a completion over two Crystal Lake Central defenders in a game last month. (Nick Dentamaro – ndentamaro@nwherald.com)

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Woodstock wide receiver Mike Kremske is not one to talk himself up.

When asked about his senior season, in which he has 48 receptions and
14 touchdowns, Kremske easily gets sidetracked.

“It’s completely up to the line that allows [quarterback] Logan [Kunzie] and me the time,” Kremske said. “They deserve the credit. And Logan’s having a breakout year after not getting much playing time last year behind Derek Brown.

“[Receiver] Mike Sutter is a great target and has done a lot of work over the summer. And [receiver] Scott Rausch is the fastest guy on the team and he’s real shifty.”

That covers just about all the offense, except Kremske himself, who has been Kunzie’s favorite target since seventh grade, when the two played at Olson Middle School. Chances are, Kunzie and Kremske will hook up frequently when the
No. 7-seeded Blue Streaks (7-3) meet No. 15 Lakes (6-4) in their IHSA
Class 5A second-round playoff game at 7 p.m. Saturday in Lake Villa.

“Mike is pretty much the best teammate you could ask for,” said Rausch, who has been friends with Kremske since the first grade. “He’s a great athlete, and the attitude he has all the time is that he wants to get better. You can tell that by the way he carries himself on the field.”

Kremske has caught 82 passes, with 19 touchdowns, during the past two seasons. Only Johnsburg’s C.J. Fiedorowicz (86 catches, 24 touchdowns) has more grabs during that period. Kremske was a Northwest Herald All-Area honorable mention selection last year.

“Mike has really worked on his receiving from his junior year until now,” Woodstock coach Steve Beard said. “He and Logan take a few minutes before practice and a few minutes after practice every day. Over the course of the season, that really adds up.”

Beard credits Kremske for learning from former Blue Streaks receivers such as Ryan Ortmann, Zach Tropp and Tom Wilson during the past two years.

“I trust [Kremske] a lot,” Kunzie said. “He’s like, ‘Throw me the ball and I’ll go up and get it.’ I love throwing to him. Me and Mike will work on things and watch a lot of film together. We’ll try to find a guy we can pick on and moves that will work.”

One example of Kunzie letting Kremske go get one came in the regular-season finale at Crystal Lake Central. Woodstock had the ball on Central’s 43 and trailed, 30-29, when Kunzie let a pass fly toward the left sideline.

Kremske had turned to his right, but the ball sailed behind him, so Kremske turned around in time to pick up the ball over his left shoulder. He made a highlight-worthy, one-handed catch falling out of bounds for a
33-yard gain. Two plays later, he caught an eight-yard touchdown pass. The Streaks’ two-point conversion gave them a 37-36 victory.

“I watched that film over and over,” Kunzie said. “That’s a college athlete.”

“It was a terrible pass and he made a great catch,” Beard said.

Kremske said he managed to pull the ball down by grabbing the ball by the nose as he was falling backwards.

“That [catch] got the best response from my teammates,” Kremske said.

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