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After 9 weeks of regular season action it’s time for the playoffs in high school football with plenty of area teams earning opportunities in the postseason. Here is our preview of the action that will take place on Friday night.
Division 1:
8th seeded Wausau West (5-4) @ #1 seed Waunakee (8-1). (6:35 pm airtime live on 98.9 WXCO, bullfallsradio.com, mobile devices by searching WXCO and on the Civic Media app). The Warriors enter the playoffs winners of their last two games but face a top seed in Waunakee that has a great football tradition with 7 D-2 state championships. West will need to focus on Waunakee QB Vance Johnson, who has hit on better than 71 percent of his passes for 1828 yards, 19 TD’s and just 4 interceptions. West also has plenty of offensive weapons that will need to be big in order to get the upset. WR Bennett Matteson and his big play ability and RB’s Cooper DePuydt and Miles Waldvogel have also had recent 100 yard rushing efforts.
#7 DC Everest (7-2) @ #2 Hudson (7-2). The WVC/BRC-East champion Evergreens have to feel a bit aggrieved after getting a 7 seed. However, the match-up with #2 Hudson looks to be a very even one. Everest has had one of the best offenses in the area with the ability for big running games with Blake Bangston and huge passing efforts led by QB Logan George and WR Xavier Edwards. The question for Everest will be the ability to keep the Hudson offense in check. Hudson enters after their most impressive win of the season, topping defending D-3 champions Rice Lake on the road last Friday by three touchdowns.
#6 SPASH (6-3) @ #3 Madison Memorial (8-1). The Panthers got a seed better than DC Everest but, arguably, have a more difficult road trip against a Spartans team that maybe underseeded. Memorial beat #1 seed Waunakee on the road by two TD’s back in week 2 and have a multifaceted offense that has completed nearly 70 percent of it’s passes and run the ball effectively as well. SPASH has great experience at QB in Grant Chandonais and a RB in Johnny Mathews that has gotten better and better. SPASH will need to keep the football for long periods of time to win.
D-2:
#8 Marshfield (4-5) @ #1 New Richmond (9-0). Based on the records this should be a mismatch but it’s a rematch of a game that proved to be the toughest win New Richmond has all season. In week 1 in Marshfield, the Tigers came up just short 7-6 after missing a long field goal late in the game. New Richmond has gone on to win every game and win the Big Rivers Conference by two games. Marshfield has struggled offensively for much of the season but will need to find ways to get the ball to WR Brooks Hinson to have a chance to advance.
D-3:
#5 Fox Valley Lutheran (5-4) @ #4 Wausau East (6-3)
The Lumberjacks make the playoffs for the first time since 2012 and will host their first playoff game since 2007. East has used the arm of Davis Winter with receivers Jesse Napgezek and Kayden Meverden on offense and the upfront work of Elmer Heard on defense to finish in a tie for 2nd in their first season in the Great Northern Conference. Fox Valley Lutheran is from the Bay Conference and will be a stiff test for East. FVL lost two of their games by just 1 point and another by 6 but still earned a playoff spot.
#7 Merrill (5-4) @ #2 Onalaska (6-3)
A big bounce back season for the Bluejays returns Merrill to the playoffs. A year ago Merrill went winless but this season used a good defense with better red zone offense to finish with a winning record. Onalaska has been a thorn in the side of Great Northern Conference teams in the playoffs in recent years. The last two season they have eliminated Medford and handed Medford their only loss of the season back in week 2 this year.
#8 Lakeland (5-4) @ #1 Medford (8-1)
A battle between Great Northern Conference foes and a rematch of a 40-8 Medford win in Minocqua earlier this season. Medford has been on a roll lately behind running back Paxton Rothmeier. Rothmeier has rushed for at least 200 yards in each of the last 7 games and has 2001 yards on the season. Lakeland will have to find a way to slow down Rothmeier and also find some offense. Lakeland clinched a playoff berth last week at Tomahawk but only put up one TD in a 7-6 win. Noah Bruckner has been the hub for the T-Bird offense with 762 yards on the ground this season.
D-4:
#6 Ellsworth (6-3) @ #3 Mosinee (6-3)
Another playoff berth for Mosinee and a home game to boot as they drop into Division 4 this season based on enrollment. Mosinee has gotten great production this from Treve Stoffel. The QB has thrown for 1945 yards with 17 TD’s and 7 picks and added 618 yards on the ground to be the team’s leading rusher. Brady Lokken has been the big play target averaging more than 21 yards per catch on his 37 receptions. Ellsworth was third in the Middle Border Conference and runs a balanced offense with Braydon Anderson rushing for 1003 yards and QB Jack Stotenberg throwing for 1048.
D-5:
#8 Horicon/Hustisford (4-5) @ Stratford (9-0)
After winning the D-6 state title the last two years Stratford will try to start a run to a D-5 title this season. Jack Tubbs has been incredibly efficient throwing the ball for Stratford, who hasn’t lost a game in nearly two full seasons. Horicon/Hustisford finished under .500 overall but got into the playoffs with a 3-3 Capitol Conference mark. They do much of their damage offensively through the air as QB Barrett Meyer has passed for 1283 yards and 13 TD’s with just 4 interceptions.
#5 Oostburg (5-4) @ #4 Amherst (7-2)
Amherst will try to get back on the winning track after dropping their last two games after a 7-0 start. QB Michael Glodowski has thrown for more than 1000 yards and run for a team-high 680 but held in check the last two weeks. Oostburg is a team that leans on it’s defense as they have scored more than 21 points offensively just one time this season.
#5 Barron (6-3) @ #4 Wittenberg-Birnamwood (7-2)
The Chargers come into the postseason a good roll. After losing their season-opener at Bonduel, the only blemish comes in a loss at Stratford. W-B also earned a big road win at Amherst 28-19 last week as QB Bryson Schmid continues to be a sparkplug with 126 yards and 3 TD last week. Boone Schaier continues to be one of the best defensive players in the area with 113 tackles on the season. Barron, from the Heart of the North Conference, has both passed and run effectively at times this season but will have a hard time against a W-B team that is better than the #4 seed would indicate.
#7 Colby (3-6) @ #2 Northwestern (7-2)
Another CWC-Large vs. Heart of the North matchup but this time the CWC team hits the road. It was an uncharacteristic struggle for the Hornets this season. Colby has been able to run the ball again this season but have struggled mightily to slow down opposing offenses. The defense will have to step up for Colby as Northwestern has put up at least 50 points in each of their last five games.
D-6:
#8 Weyauwega-Fremont (5-4) @ #1 Coleman (9-0)
W-F has played some of the more exciting games this season with multiple going down to the final moments. However, this is a very tough Level 1 match-up against a team expected to battle for the state title. W-F has rode their offense led by duel-threat QB Kameron Zielke. W-F tries to outscore their opponents but could see their offense standing on the sideline much of the night if they can’t stop an always-tough run game of Coleman.
#5 Nekoosa (7-2) @ #4 Abbotsford (7-2)
It’s been another good regular season for the Falcons but they will try to avoid the fate of last year when they lost at home in Level 1. Abbotsford continues to be one of the best rushing programs in the area and will try to ride that to a playoff win. It was a good bounce back season for Nekoosa, who won four more regular season games than they did in 2023. Nekoosa, like Abbotsford, features a balanced running attack.
#6 Westfield (5-4) @ #3 Auburndale (8-1)
It was a fantastic regular season for the Eagles, who only lost to CWC-Small champion Edgar. Blake Raab and Colton Weiler has led the Auburndale offense with Raab throwing for 1033 yards with an outstanding 18 to 3 TD/Interception ratio. Weiler has 895 yards and 13 touchdowns on the ground. The Auburndale defense will face a Westfield squad that likes to throw. QB Sam Berruecos has 1528 yards passing with 19 TD’s and just 4 interceptions.
D-7:
#8 Pittsville (3-6) @ #1 Edgar (8-1)
Edgar cruised to a league title after an early-season non-conference loss to Stratford. Maverick Butt looks to be peeking after rushing for 183 yards and 3 TD’s last week at Abbotsford. They get a conference opponent in Level 1 vs. Pittsville, at team they beat 35-0 in week 5. The Panthers will need their running backs Dawson Luther and Dalton Darr to get positive yardage and move the sticks to have a chance.
#7 Hilbert (4-5) @ #2 Iola-Scandinavia (6-3)
The 4th place team in the CWC-Small, Iola-Scandinavia, gets the seed just below Edgar at #2. The T-Birds had a solid regular season led by their outstanding QB Jensen Rice. Rice has1127 yards on the ground with 16 TD’s and added 581 yards passing with 9 TD’s. They face a Hilbert team that got into the postseason with a 25-21 win at Oostburg last week but have struggled offensively against top opponents this season.
8-Player:
#3 Newman Catholic (7-1) @ #2 McDonell Catholic (7-1). (6:40 pm airtime live on the Sports 2 Stream of bullfallsradio.com and Civic Media app. Also airs on delay after Wausau West game on 98.9 WXCO)
The Cardinals continue their streak of making the playoffs each year the WIAA has sponsored an 8-Player tournament. Newman survived injury after injury to put up 7 wins but are still shorthanded as they travel to McDonell, a team ranked near the top all season long. Newman has clicked offensively in recent weeks with 56 and 51 points scored the last two games. The Cards have shown the ability to run and pass effectively and will need to do that against McDonell and keep the ball from the Macks’ offense. Defensively, Newman will need to keep a close eye on Macks’ receiver David Andersen. Andersen is averaging 24.4 yards on his 34 catches with 14 TD’s.
