Games Thursday November 20:
D7: Kenosha St. Joseph 35, Cochrane-Fountain City 19
Kenosha St. Joseph Catholic claimed the Division 7 state championship with a 35–19 win over Cochrane-Fountain City, using a balanced offensive attack to take control at Camp Randall. St. Joseph racked up 377 total yards, including 226 through the air on an efficient 15-of-18 passing performance with three touchdowns. C-FC battled with 280 total yards of its own, highlighted by 176 passing yards, but struggled to finish drives and never reached the red zone. The Lancers capitalized on nearly every scoring opportunity, going 4-for-5 in the red zone and adding two rushing scores to secure the victory.
D6: Darlington 42, Edgar 18
Darlington powered past Edgar 42–18 to capture the WIAA Division 6 state championship, fueled by a dominant ground attack at Camp Randall. Quarterback Zeke Zuberbuhler led the way with 133 rushing yards and three touchdowns while also tossing a 29-yard scoring pass. Darlington finished with 287 rushing yards on the night, averaging seven yards per carry. Edgar stayed in the game behind Maverick Butt’s 158 rushing yards and two touchdowns, but two turnovers and five Darlington sacks slowed the Wildcats’ momentum. Darlington scored 35 points in the first half and never looked back.
D5: Mayville 42, Northwestern 32
Mayville powered its way to the Division 5 state title with a 42-32 win over Northwestern, riding a dominant ground game at Camp Randall. The Cardinals racked up 321 rushing yards and never trailed after a big second quarter, where they outscored Northwestern 14-6 to take control. Landen Baker was a workhorse with 29 carries for 120 yards and 2 touchdowns, while explosive back Jaxon Promersberger gashed the Tigers for 134 yards and 2 scores, including a long 58-yard burst. Northwestern kept fighting, but Mayville’s ability to extend drives, convert 4-of-4 fourth downs, and drain over 31 minutes of possession allowed them to ice the game with a pair of late kneel-downs and secure the gold ball.
D4: Winneconne 28, Little Chute 22
Winneconne claimed the Division 4 state championship with a 28-22 comeback win over Little Chute, sealed by a kneel-down in the final seconds at Camp Randall. After trailing 14-7 at the end of the first quarter, the Wolves outscored the Mustangs 21-8 the rest of the way, including a 15-point fourth quarter surge. Quarterback Brody Schaffer was the difference-maker, throwing for 149 yards and 2 touchdowns while also rushing 22 times for 123 yards and a score as Winneconne finished with 311 total yards. His top target was Kaden Hawthorne, who hauled in 5 passes for 55 yards and both receiving touchdowns, while Ryan Quigley added 65 yards through the air. Little Chute leaned on its ground game with 236 rushing yards, highlighted by Reece Joten’s 113 yards and 2 touchdowns and a 63-yard scoring burst from T.J. Hietpas, but four failed fourth-down attempts and just one red-zone score proved costly as Winneconne’s late defensive stand and ball control locked up the gold ball.
Games Friday November 21:
D3: Grafton 17, Reedsburg 15
Grafton captured the WIAA Division 3 state title in dramatic fashion Thursday, edging Reedsburg 17–15 on a field goal in the final seconds. Graysen Bollech drilled a 35-yard kick with six seconds left to cap a 15-play drive and put the Black Hawks ahead for good. Reedsburg relied heavily on standout running back Will Mikonowicz, who powered the Beavers with 255 yards and two touchdowns on 38 carries, including an 80-yard score. But Grafton’s balanced attack, led by quarterback Nate Schiller’s 206 passing yards and running back Jayden Nelson’s 167 rushing yards and two touchdowns, proved just enough to overcome Reedsburg’s ground game. Despite Reedsburg out-rushing Grafton 272–187, the Black Hawks forced three turnovers and controlled the ball late to secure the championship.
D2: West De Pere 28, Notre Dame 14
West De Pere claimed the WIAA Division 2 state championship with a 28–14 win over Notre Dame, powered by a dominant passing performance and timely defense. Quarterback Patrick Greisen threw for 304 yards and two touchdowns, including a 60-yard strike to Judeah Kniskern, who finished with 164 receiving yards. Running back Ryan Lutz added 76 rushing yards and two touchdowns, helping the Phantoms build an early 21–14 halftime lead. Notre Dame leaned heavily on standout Kingston Allen, who carried the ball 43 times for 231 yards and both Tritons touchdowns, but their passing game struggled with just 63 yards and two interceptions. Despite being outgained on the ground, West De Pere forced three turnovers and made key stops in the second half to secure the state title.
D1: Arrowhead 18, Bay Port 15
Arrowhead’s defense bent but didn’t break, and that was the difference in an 18-15 win over Bay Port in the WIAA Division 1 State Championship. After a scoreless first quarter, Arrowhead struck first and took a 6-0 lead into halftime. Bay Port finally answered in the third behind dual-threat quarterback Matt Stevens, who finished with 128 rushing yards, 133 passing yards and two total touchdowns, as the Pirates grabbed a 7-6 edge. The fourth quarter turned wild, with both teams trading scores and Arrowhead punching in two touchdowns to move in front 18-15 despite being outgained 347–198 on the night. Bay Port mounted one last frantic drive, highlighted by a 31-yard strike from Stevens to Jackson Otradovec down to the Arrowhead 11-yard line with one second remaining, but a final heave to the end zone fell incomplete as time expired. Arrowhead capitalized on four Bay Port turnovers and just enough timely offense, including 62 rushing yards from Jebari Craig and 88 passing yards and a touchdown from Nolan Hanson, to bring home the Division 1 state title.
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