Friday night ushered in the first round of the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association (WIAA) Level 1 football playoffs, featuring matchups in seven divisions throughout the state. The excitement was palpable as families, alumni and community members gathered at high school fields to cheer on their teams.
Key victories and advancing teams
Verona 24, Sun Prairie East 16 – The No. 2 seeded Verona Wildcats earned a hard‑fought win over the No. 7 seeded Sun Prairie East Cardinals. After a defensive start, Verona struck first when Jax Wepking reached the end zone. The Wildcats added a second touchdown when Joe Seelen connected with Caden Jonjak, securing a 24‑16 victory and a spot in Level 2.
Waunakee 36, D.C. Everest 22 – The No. 2 seeded Waunakee Warriors executed a decisive two‑minute drill before halftime, highlighted by a pass from quarterback Aaron Trudell to Mac Johnson. Trudell capped the first half with a one‑second‑left touchdown run, and the Warriors held on in the second half after a key turnover forced by Sam Follen.
Monona Grove 35, Milton 6 – Top‑seeded Monona Grove Silver Eagles dominated No. 8 seeded Milton Red Hawks. Carson Schoenherr opened the scoring, and Jaxon Zukowski added a second touchdown as the Silver Eagles cruised to a 35‑6 victory.
Edgewood 58, Ripon 0 – No. 2 seeded Edgewood Crusaders delivered a shutout against No. 7 seeded Ripon, extending their lead to 58‑0. A punt return for a touchdown in the third quarter helped seal the win and advance Edgewood to the next round.
New Glarus 48, Bloomer 8 – The No. 1 seeded New Glarus Glarner Knights proved why they earned the top seed, beating No. 8 Bloomer 48‑8. Carson Preschel’s touchdown run further widened the gap as New Glarus moved on.
Bellville 32, St. Mary’s Springs 21 – The No. 4 seeded Bellville Wildcats rallied late, using a two‑minute drill to overcome a 21‑7 halftime deficit. Rayden Taylor’s crucial fourth‑down conversion and a long field goal by Brody Funseth helped Bellville score 22 unanswered points in the second half.
Lodi 49, Mauston 12 – The No. 4 seeded Lodi Blue Devils handled No. 5 seeded Mauston with a balanced attack. After a fumble recovery, quarterback Kale Schneider connected with Reece Schreiber for a touchdown, followed by scores from Casey Fleischman and Devyn Brown.
Notable upsets across divisions
The tournament format produced several surprising outcomes. In Division 1, No. 5 Franklin defeated No. 4 Kenosha Bradford 16‑6, and No. 6 Appleton North upset No. 3 Stevens Point 21‑7. Division 2 saw No. 6 Grafton beat No. 3 Greenfield 24‑17, and No. 7 Brookfield Central edged No. 2 Beaver Dam 42‑41.
Division 3 featured a single upset as No. 5 Catholic Memorial routed Greendale 42‑7. In Division 4, No. 6 Wrightstown overwhelmed No. 3 Fuller Collegiate Academy 41‑14, while No. 5 Evansville beat No. 4 Platteville 49‑20.
Division 5 highlighted the University School of Milwaukee’s 43‑0 victory over Milwaukee North/Lifelong Learning, and No. 5 Winnebago Lutheran’s 26‑13 win over New Holstein. In Division 6, No. 7 Fall Creek defeated No. 2 Saint Mary Catholic 34‑7, and No. 5 Potosi/Cassville edged Mineral Point 26‑24.
Division 7 delivered several upsets, including No. 7 Osseo‑Fairchild’s 28‑20 win over No. 2 Shiocton, No. 5 Melrose‑Mindoro’s 27‑8 triumph over No. 4 Webster, and No. 5 Blackhawk/Warren’s 36‑32 victory over Cashton.
Looking ahead
With the first round complete, the advancing teams will prepare for Level 2 matchups next weekend. Fans can expect more thrilling contests as higher‑seeded squads aim to solidify their paths to the state championship, while lower‑seeded teams look to continue their upset runs.
For up‑to‑date scores, schedules and playoff brackets, visit the WIAA website or follow local high school sports outlets.
Original reporting: NBC15 WMTV (Gray) – local — read the source article.
