Mukwonago is looking to ride wave of momentum
Prior to the 2020 prep football season, the Journal Sentinel will unveil its preseason top 10. Today we take a look at the area's third -ranked team.
The key word for the Mukwonago football program the past two years was progress.
The team won three games the year before Mike Gnewuch became head coach. In his first season that number climbed to six. Last year the win total was seven games and the team played eventual state champion Muskego well before losing in the second round of the playoffs.
The key word this season for the team is drive. It must maintain it.
“We have to keep getting better because we're so young at so many positions,” Gnewuch said. “We've got to play good, smart, disciplined football.”
Despite that youth there is plenty of respect for Mukwonago among coaches in the Classic 8 Conference. They consider the team to be one of the league's best, which given the conference's reputation means it is one of the best in the state.
The good news for Mukwonago's supporters is that the respect comes in a year when Gnewuch has a 20-man senior class, the smallest of his brief tenure.
What Mukwonago does have is potential and size on the offensive line, athleticism at the skill positions and a no-name defense that has shown it can the potential to be effective as long as it remains assignment-sound.
Besides Arizona State recruit Garrett Gillette, the a first-team all-conference tight end, and running back Cole Kaestner, who was a second-team allpurpose back, this is a team that is unheralded.
Mukwonago graduated its starting quarterback, top rusher and moved its top receiver to quarterback. Defensively all-state linebacker Will Borchert, the team's top tackler, graduated.
What this team has, however, is a signal call in junior Greyton Gannon (6foot-4, 185) who won't be afraid of the Friday night lights after starting at receiver last season and taking snaps in practice as the backup QB. It also has a tailback in Kaestner who averaged 7 yards per carry last season and will bring a physical dimension to the run game, and junior tackle Jacob Young, a returning starter on a line made up mostly of sophomores and juniors.
And then there is Gillette. When doesn't it help having a Division I talent on the field?
“They're hungry. I'm really proud of them for that,” Gnewuch said of the offense. “They accept coaching really well . ... And they practice well.”