Muskego is in championship form again
One of the most wonderful times of the prep sports year kicks off Friday with the first round of the WIAA football playoffs.
The Journal Sentinel will have you covered every step of the way, including with these five predictions for the path to crowning state champions in just over four weeks:
Muskego goes back to back
I know, I know. I’m really starting things off by going out on a limb here.
The defending Division 1 state champion Warriors went undefeated through the regular season in the Classic 8 and maintained the top ranking in the state throughout the season. They outscored opponents 170 to 40 in the first half. Only one team rushed for more yards than Muskego’s 3,271 – Bangor had 3,398 – and the Warriors averaged 9.3 yards per attempt. Alex Current and Josh Bulski both ran for more than 1,000 yards. Scoring on the Warriors defense typically requires sustained drives, as safety Hunter Wohler leads a unit that rarely allows explosive plays.
It only makes sense Muskego is among the favorites to hoist the gold ball again, but the path won’t be easy. A possible Level 3 showdown with Franklin, the Journal Sentinel’s No. 2-ranked team in the area, awaits. Undefeated Madison Memorial and Fond du Lac, whose only loss was to powerhouse Kimberly, could await if the Warriors reach Level 4. Unbeaten Kimberly and Bay Port are the top seeds on the other half of the bracket and are potential state opponents.
But ever since a shaky first half against Marquette in Week 1, Muskego has been head-and-shoulders above every other team in a difficult conference.
Tenner breaks the state rushing record in Level 2
The Racine Lutheran senior enters the playoffs needing just 447 yards to break the record for most rushing yards in a career. Tenner is sitting on 6,424 yards after running for 1,807 this season at a clip of 10.6 per attempt.
One of the few things that could keep him from getting to 447 yards in two games could be big victories for the undefeated Crusaders, who earned a top seed in Division 6. But Tenner has shown a knack for producing in the playoffs, piling up 937 yards in four games en route to the state final last year. In Level 1, Tenner faces an Ozaukee defense allowing 5.5 yards per carry.
Bonus prediction: He eclipses 7,000 career yards in Level 3.
This year’s Cinderella pick
Taking a lower seed in the prep football playoffs isn’t quite the spectacle it is in March Madness, but, still, every year at least one No. 6 seed or lower makes a run late into the fall.
For my area underdog that will win at least two games, I’m rolling with Whitefish Bay.
The Blue Dukes were seeded seventh, coming off a 5-4 year in the North Shore, but that record doesn’t tell the whole picture. After close losses to Grafton and Homestead, the Blue Dukes scuffled against West Bend East with quarterback/wide receiver Jayden Jackson out. Still, the next week without Jackson they were one of just three teams to keep the final margin against undefeated conference champion Hartford within one score. With Jackson back and catching two touchdown passes from Jack Stecker, Bay defeated a 6-2 Slinger team, 21-10, last week.
The challenge is far from easy as a No. 7 seed. The Blue Dukes travel to face 8-1 Menasha, whose only loss came to undefeated West De Pere.
Catholic Memorial will be challenged in Division 4
I have Catholic Memorial winning a state title next month, as I presume do many others.
But just because the Crusaders figure to have the upper hand in Division 4 as a team that can largely platoon on offense and defense and has multiple NCAA Division I players doesn’t mean that getting to Camp Randall is a given.
You don’t have to look further than the bottom portion of Memorial’s own group to determine that. No. 2 seed Lake Mills went 8-1 this year with its only loss to Division 3 No. 1 seed Menomonie.
Waukesha West to Level 4?
Group D in Division 2 presents some interesting possibilities.
No. 1 seed Waterford was incredibly dominant for eight weeks and has two of the state’s most efficient running backs but was stymied by Badger last week. No. 2 Wilmot tied for the Southern Lakes title with Waterford but lost head-to-head by 33 points.
Badger received a No. 5 seed and could face Waterford again, but first has to win on the road against Burlington.
There is a real chance for No. 3 seed Waukesha West to do some damage and advance to Level 4 with its prolific passing offense. I picked them to do just that, but only after coming close to taking Kettle Moraine in an upset in their matchup Friday.