AREA WIAA FOOTBALL PLAYOFF TEAMS AT A GLANCE
Division 1
Arrowhead (4-5): Hopes were high for the Warhawks following a strong finish last season, but this year they were left with one of the rarest things in area prep football: an Arrowhead team with a losing record. Getting going on the ground has been trouble for the Warhawks, who average 3.9 yards per carry but have a pair of 400-yard receivers in Carter Gilmore and Robbie Symdon.
Franklin (8-1): The No. 2ranked team in the area, the Sabers challenged themselves with non-conference games against Fond du Lac and Appleton North before running roughshod over the Southeast Conference once again. Franklin outscored conference foes 298 to 38.
Kenosha Bradford (3-6): A 3-6 record was good enough for the Red Devils to go dancing, as they were among the teams with a 3-4 conference record to earn a playoff spot. The offense relies on quarterback Nate Olson, who threw 238 times for 1,070 yards and was also the team's leading rusher with 258 yards. Bradford scored only 13 offensive touchdowns on the year, relying often on the defense to provide a spark.
Kenosha Indian Trail (7-2): The Hawks made the playoffs for the sixth time in seven years and will look to advance past Level 2 for the first time after receiving a No. 3 seed. En route to a second-place finish in the Southeast, quarterback Argjent Ismaili threw for 165 yards per game and 15 touchdowns to go along with just three interceptions on the year.
Marquette (6-3): The Hilltoppers found their form after an early bump in the road. Marquette was the No. 3 team in the area rankings headed into the year but opened its season with three consecutive losses. Since then, the Hilltoppers have won six straight, including shutting out conference champion Brookfield Central, and outscored opponents 191 to 37 in that span.
Milwaukee Bradley Tech (5-4):
The Trojans are back in the playoffs after two seasons away. Dominique Dixon led the way with 774 rushing yards on 6.1 yards per attempt on offense and the defense forced 13 interceptions.
Milwaukee King (9-0): The highest seed of all City Conference schools goes to King, which won the league outright thanks to wins over Riverside and Reagan. Mike Dupree is a dangerous threat rushing the ball, picking up 1,154 yards and 15 touchdowns. Wide receiver Jerry Cross and defensive lineman Cam Done are both Division I prospects.
Milwaukee Marshall (6-3):
Marshall went 4-2 in conference play and shut out opponents four times on the season. Running back Amareon Allen is the big-time playmaker on offense and is 128 rushing yards away from 4,000 after going for 1,299 in the regular season.
Milwaukee Pulaski (4-4): A pair of forfeit wins over Milwaukee Vincent and Milwaukee Obama followed by a pair of conference wins helped propel Pulaski into the postseason for the fourth time.
Milwaukee Riverside (8-1): The Tigers were knocked off their perch atop the City Conference with a 28-21 loss to King in Week 7 but, as a No. 4 seed, still have a crack at their first playoff win since 2010. Sephontae Callier is the big-play threat on offense while Amaun Williams headlines a stout defense that allowed less than nine points per game.
Mukwonago (6-3): A thirdplace Classic 8 finish marked a solid regular season in Mike Gnewuch's second year as head coach. Mukwonago likes to make its mark rushing the ball, averaging 260 yards per game at a clip of 6.9 per attempt. Running back Ryan Genrich was the leading rusher with 1,160 yards and both Cole Kaestner and quarterback Justin Peck also ran for more
than 400.
Muskego (9-0): The defending Division 1 state champion and top-ranked team each week this season is squarely in the hunt to hoist the gold ball again. The Warriors will run out of the Wing T, going for 363.4 yards per game as both Alex Current and Josh Bulski went over 1,000 yards rushing. On defense, Muskego hasn't allowed a score in 10 quarters and gives up an average of just 7.6 points per game.
Oak Creek (5-4): The Knights' 4-3 finish was good for third in the Southeast and has them in the playoffs for the eighth consecutive year. Running back Gunnar Doyle and quarterback Ryan Hock are the go-to options on offense, combining to rush for 775 yards and nine touchdowns. The unit as a whole, however, has struggled against defenses of top teams.
Racine Case (4-5): One of the longest active playoff droughts in the state is coming to an end as Case qualified for the first time since 1997. The Eagles won three of four games during the middle of the season to enter the tiebreak discussion at 3-4 in conference play. Running back Myles Guyton rushed for 881 yards to lead the Southeast.
Division 2
Badger (6-3): This year marks the 14th in a row that the Badgers have made the playoffs and they enter on a high note after handing Waterford its first loss last week. They rely heavily on the ground game, led by Cole Gabor's 1,185 yards and 10 touchdowns, and have four players that ran for more than 290 yards all at a clip greater than 6.2 yards per carry.
Brookfield Central (7-2): The Lancers are looking to become the first team in Division 2 to reach three state finals since Waunakee from 2010-12, and they have a No. 1 seed on their side after splitting the Greater Metro Conference title with Menomonee Falls. In addition to a strong defense, there is no question about what Central will rely upon: the legs of running back Rashad Lampkin, whose 245 carries in the regular season were second-most in the state. An all-state back a year ago, the senior has picked up 1,368 yards and scored 19 touchdowns.
Brookfield East (7-2): The Spartans got off to a fast start, defeating both Marquette and Arrowhead in the first three weeks, but suffered losses to Menomonee Falls and Brookfield Central later. There aren't many No. 4 seeds in the state more dangerous than East, whose defense held opponents to single digits five times. Running back Donavan Hunt went over 1,000 yards for the second straight year, averaging 6.8 yards per carry and scoring 15 times.
Burlington (7-2): Defense was not often the Demons' calling card, as it allowed nearly 20 points per game in the first half, but an offense that scored 40 points per game made up for a lot of that. Running back Zach Wallace gashed opponents, picking up 1,402 yards rushing and 18 touchdowns on 9.3 yards per carry.
Cedarburg (4-5): The Bulldogs sneaked into the playoffs with four wins in their last five games, but none came by fewer than 17 points. Wide receiver Drew Biber, also an excellent basketball player, showed his athleticism with an all-state quality season, hauling in 60 passes for 942 yards and 12 touchdowns.
Germantown (5-4): Over a five-game stretch earlier in the season, the Warhawks defense put up four shutouts and they allowed only 12.6 points per game on the season. That makes them a tough out as a No. 6 seed, along with big-play threat Connor Leffler on offense. Leffler totaled 809 yards from scrimmage as a running back and receiver.
Hartford (9-0): The surprise team of the regular season was the Orioles. They brought an end to Homestead's 18-year streak of North Shore Conference
titles by going undefeated on the heels of one of the state's top aerial attacks. Quarterback Jacob Frantl and wide receiver Joe Kasprzak were deadly in the passing game. Frantl threw for 2,011 yards and 24 touchdowns with a 110.6 rating with Kasprzak catching 50 of those balls for 1,041 yards and a state-best 14 touchdowns.
Homestead (7-2): The conference streak may have come to an end, but there are still few coaches around the state that want to play a Dave Keelcoached team in the playoffs. The Highlanders feature 1,000yard rusher JJ Covill, multifaceted offensive threat Luke Konik and one of the state's sacks leaders in Ayo Adebogun.
Kettle Moraine (4-5): A pair of upsets over Catholic Memorial and Arrowhead vaulted the Lasers into the playoffs in head coach Matt McDonnell's first year. Their offense has undeniably been a work in progress, scoring more than 14 points only once on the year, but they kept opponents to that same total or less six times. Offensive tackle and Wisconsin recruit Trey Wedig is one of the best in the nation at his position and also plays defense.
Menomonee Falls (7-2): Falls suffered just one loss in a game in which its starters played (they sat in a nonconference loss to Waukesha West for precautionary reasons). The defense's front seven is as good as it gets, holding opponents to 3.1 yards per carry. Running back Tamir Thomas was a 1,000-yard rusher.
Milwaukee Reagan (7-2): The Huskies won the City Blackbourn division, losing in the crossover championship to King. Carter Grant and Christian Oliverria form a strong 1-2 punch in the backfield, running for a combined 1,552 yards and 22 touchdowns.
Slinger (6-3): This year marks the sixth playoff appearance in seven years for the Owls, whose season featured notable wins over Grafton and Homestead. Running back Travis Dufour had 12 touchdowns on the ground and receiver Connor Goodwin added five through the air.
South Milwaukee (6-3): The Rockets finished second in the Woodland East and, as a No. 8 seed, have their work cut out to win their first playoff game since 2013. They were outgained both on the ground and in the air but, led by running back Elijah Anderson, managed a steady 4.9 yards per rush.
Waterford (8-1): This Waterford team is lethal on the ground. Tanner Keller ran for 1,387 yards and 19 touchdowns on 12.1 yards per attempt. Dominic Miller had 899 yards and 14 scores on an average of 12.5 yards per rush.
Waukesha West (6-3): It would be a robbery if quarterback Brooks Blount isn't named to the large school all-state team next month. Blount has completed 64.3% of his passes for 2,051 yards and 23 touchdowns to just four picks. He's the only quarterback of 34 in the state to throw the ball at least 200 times and have a passer rating over 120.0.
West Bend East (4-5): Following three playoff berths in a 12-year stretch, the Suns are back for the third consecutive season. Their year featured noteworthy wins over Slinger and Whitefish Bay.
Wilmot (8-1): The Panthers earned a share of the Southern Lakes Conference title with Waterford and received a No. 2 seed to boot. Quarterback Zack Watson does it all on offense and will likely surpass 1,000 yards passing and running during the playoffs.
Division 3
Grafton (6-3): Running behind left tackle and Wisconsin recruit JP Benzschawel, running back Joey Giorgi was the state's lone 2,000-yard rusher in the regular season. Quarterback Zach Weir had a 125.7 passer rating and, outside of a rough outing against Hartford, had 17 touchdowns to two
interceptions.
Greendale (6-3): The Panthers emerged from a three-way tie in the Woodland West to play in the conference title game but lost to Whitnall. They rely heavily on the short passing game with quarterback Will Brust and a strong front both defensively and offensively.
New Berlin Eisenhower (8-1):
The Lions received a top seed despite not winning the Woodland thanks in large part to wins over Greendale and Plymouth in the regular season. The Lions were without at least a dozen players for five games due to suspension but were back at full strength last Friday. The defense has allowed just 2.7 yards per carry.
New Berlin West (8-1): A program without a playoff win since 1998 has a crack at ending that drought as a No. 5 seed against Greendale. Running back Adam Siegel shoulders a heavy workload, rushing 219 times for 1,698 yards and 25 touchdowns in the regular season.
Pewaukee (5-4): A few bounces of the ball the other way and the Pirates would be looking at a home game in Level 1 rather than a No. 6 seed. Pewaukee's four losses came to Riverside by five points, Greendale by three in overtime, New Berlin West by five and Eisenhower by three. Kris Johnson was a 1,020-yard rusher in the regular season at a clip of 6.9 per carry.
Union Grove (4-5): With three straight wins to close out the year, the Broncos eked their way in at 3-4 in Southern Lakes play. While a run-first team, they aren't afraid to air it out with quarterback Nash Wolf and wide receiver Tommy Hempel, who combined for 578 yards and four touchdowns.
Whitefish Bay (5-4): It was an interesting year for Bay, dealing with injuries and dropping four straight in the middle of the season, including a 10point loss to West Bend East. But the Blue Dukes capped off the year with a defeat of Slinger. An effort to get Jayden Jackson the ball in space on offense to go along with 1,000yard rusher Drew Garcia could bode well down the road.
Wisconsin Lutheran (4-5): The Vikings are a heavy run team, pounding the rock 382 times to just 81 passes. On the other side of the coin, that is often the opponent's strategy against them, rushing the ball 319 times for an average of 5.9 yards per carry.
Whitnall (7-2): The Woodland champion, Whitnall features a strong front led by Jason Guzniczak and Anthony Vacula as well as one of the state's top running backs, Nate Valcarcel, who ran for 1,824 yards in eight games. But Valcarcel suffered a knee injury in the conference championship win over Greendale and his absence would be a big blow.
Division 4
Catholic Memorial (7-2): To the surprise of many, and the chagrin of all Division 4 schools, the Crusaders dropped down a level after winning the D3 state title last year. Quarterback Luke Fox is a dual threat but particularly lethal with his left arm, and the defense features two future Big Ten players in linebacker Ben Kreul and defensive end Cole Dakovich.
East Troy (5-4): A year after picking up their first playoff win with a running quarterback, the Trojans now air it out. Quarterback Mac Dudkiewicz passed for 1,788 yards on 235 attempts while the team's leading rusher, Connor Paullin,
didn't even reach 200 yards.
Kewaskum (5-4): A 13-year playoff streak ended last fall for Kewaskum, which returns after an up-and-down season. They outscored opponents, 223 to 211, despite getting out-rushed by 1.6 yards per carry.
Martin Luther (7-2): Similar to Blount at Waukesha West, quarterback Brady Hoppert was incredibly efficient. Hoppert threw 26 touchdown passes to just three interceptions, racking up 1,863 yards on 186 attempts.
Milwaukee Obama (3-6): Despite a smaller enrollment size than other City schools and their overall record, the Cougars made their way into the playoffs for the third consecutive year. Three players, Amarion Hamilton, Tony McNeal and Miguel Meyers, rushed for 200 to 263 yards.
St. Francis (6-3): The first year without Doug Sarver at head coach proved to be a success as the Mariners made the playoffs for the sixth straight year. With Jeff Wallack at the helm, Carter Ellenson threw for 11 touchdowns and Ismael Bastardo tallied 806 yards from scrimmage, 16 scores and four interceptions.
University School (5-4): Connor Baumann is on the verge of a 1,000-yard rushing season for the Wildcats, who are playoffbound for the seventh straight season. When USM wins, it likes to win big; its four conference wins came by a combined 137 points.
Division 5
Brookfield Academy (5-4): The Blue Knights won four of five to close out the season and reach the playoffs with the additional help of a loss turning into a victory because of a St. John's forfeit in Week 3. Daniel Kim and Jonah Jensen rushed for just over 500 yards each.
Lake Country Lutheran (8-1):
The longest conference winning streak in the state still belongs to the Lightning, which has won 42 in a row after earning a No. 1 seed this year.
Racine St. Catherine’s (8-1):
Much like Catholic Memorial, the defending Division 4 state champion Angels dropped down to D5 in this year's field. Quarterback Keenan Carter threw just 88 times but for 1,240 yards and 19 touchdowns. He also rushed for 1,033 yards and 16 scores.
St. John’s Military Academy
(6-3): The Lancers experienced a revival in former NFL player Glenn Derby's second year as head coach.St. John's won eight games but had to forfeit two for the use of an ineligible player. The Lancers rely on twins at quarterback and running back. Philip Austin passed for 1,016 yards and 13 touchdowns while Donald Austin rushed for 1,014 yards.
Division 6
Ozaukee (4-5): Playing in the 10-team Big East came to Ozaukee's advantage as a 4-5 team seeking a playoff spot. Brent Hoffmann ran for 689 yards and Jack Genzmer was right behind with 654 on nearly even attempts.
Palmyra-Eagle (7-2): No team in the state throws the ball more than Palmyra-Eagle. Its final game this season could be the last in program history, as it was voted to dissolve the district after the 2019-20 school year.
Racine Lutheran (9-0): Last year's Division 6 runner up is in contention to make a trip back to Camp Randall next month. The Crusaders are led by standout running back Tyler Tenner. After rushing for 1,807 yards and 22 touchdowns in the regular season, Tenner needs just 447 more yards to break the all-time state rushing record.
Division 7
Catholic Central (5-4): The smallest school with a football team in the area returns to the playoffs for the first time since 2015. Reid Muellenbach led the way with 657 rushing yards.