Aissen has L-C rolling into the playoffs
Garrit Aissen knows business is about to pick up this time of year.
The Luxemburg-Casco senior quarterback is not only hoping to help his team extend its season by advancing in the playoffs, but Aissen also has to be at his best to help with the busiest time of year for his family’s business.
Tucked between Green Bay and the Lake Michigan shoreline on the drive down Highway 29 is the Aissen Tree Farm, which has become a local landmark in Kewaunee County.
“My parents worked really hard to start that from scratch to all the way where it is now,” Aissen said. “It feels really good when somebody says ‘Aissen, that’s the tree farm out on 29.’ That’s a great feeling.”
Aissen’s parents began the tree farm in 1998 in the Town of Pilsen.
The year-round chores that have come with helping to maintain its 70 acres have helped Aissen grow to become one of the most strong-armed quarterbacks in the area.
“There are so many small jobs I can’t describe them all,” said Aissen, who also works on his grandparents’ tree farm in Wisconsin Rapids. “We have to trim the trees. We use a foot and a half machete and have to swing all day long.”
Aissen led the North Eastern Conference this year with 1,759 passing yards and 16 touchdowns while completing 60.7 percent of his passes (111-for-183). The 6-foot-1, 185-pounder also rushed for 192 yards and two touchdowns.
“Garrit works a lot, but he’s able to balance a lot of things,” L-C coach Dillon Maney said. “He’s a great student. He’s a great person off the field, just a special kid. His parents deserve a lot of credit for raising a kid with that kind of work ethic and drive.”
While the rolling hills of his family’s tree farm keeps him busy as the holiday season approaches, Aissen feels his team is on a roll heading into the playoffs.
The Spartans have won three straight games via a shutout, including an impressive 21-0 win over previously unbeaten Wrightstown. Two of L-C’s losses came against undefeated conference champions, Little Chute and West De Pere.
L-C (6-3) drew a No. 5 seed and will play at No. 4 Grafton (5-4) in the opening round of the WIAA Division 3 playoffs.
No matter what happens in the postseason, the Spartans can take solace in knowing their passing on life lessons that go beyond the football field.
“There are probably six to eight football players that work out there as well,” Maney said about the Aissen Tree Farm. “It’s a special time because their family does such a good job.”
WIAA playoff matchups featuring local teams
Division 1
No. 8 De Pere at No. 1 Bay Port
No. 6 Green Bay Preble at No. 3 Neenah
Division 2
No. 8 Ashwaubenon at No. 1 Marshfield
No. 6 Menomonie at No. 3 Pulaski
Division 3
No. 8 Antigo at No. 1 West De Pere
No. 6 Seymour at No. 3 New London
No. 7 Fox Valley Lutheran at No. 2 Green Bay Notre Dame
No. 5 Luxemburg-Casco at No. 4 Grafton
Division 4
No. 6 Appleton Xavier at No. 3 Wrightstown
No. 5 Denmark at No. 4 Chilton
Division 5
No. 8 Rib Lake/Prentice at No. 1 Kewaunee
No. 5 Peshtigo at No. 4 Southern Door
Division 6
No. 5 Crivitz at No. 4 Coleman
8-player
No. 4 Gibraltar at No. 1 Wausau Newman
No. 3 Oakfield at No. 2 Sevastopol