Prep football: WIAA playoffs predictions

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Rob Hernandez and Dennis Semrau | Posted: Monday, October 26, 2009 11:45 pm | Loading…

Division 1 | Division 2 | Division 3 | Division 4 | Division 5 | Division 6 | Division 7

DIVISION 1
Big Eight teams can score - the league's six playoff teams average about 28 points per game combined - but they'll have to prove they can play consistent defense. The brackets allow for a Mequon Homestead-Hartland Arrowhead state final for the fourth year in a row, but they are not as certain to get there this time around. Big Eight Conference rivals Middleton (2008 Division 1 state semifinals) and Verona (Division 2 state finals) get a 2009 rematch in the second round. The lucky winner draws Hartland Arrowhead. Madison Memorial has one of the state's elite passing attacks but needs to be able to run the ball. Sun Prairie is a sleeper.

Projected semifinalists
Stevens Point will knock out Mequon Homestead and Milwaukee Marquette will bounce Hartland Arrowhead in state semifinal thrillers. The Big Eight gets shut out with Stevens Point vs. Mequon Homestead and Hartland Arrowhead vs. Milwaukee Marquette.

State finals forecast
Milwaukee Marquette becomes the first private school to win a WIAA Division 1 state title with a 10-0 victory over Stevens Point on a snowy Friday afternoon at Camp Randall Stadium. Mequon Homestead and Hartland Arrowhead will meet for the fourth straight year. Arrowhead will have to win on the road in four straight games to advance and prevail 21-16 over the Highlanders.

DIVISION 2
Monona Grove is the only unbeaten team in the Division 2 field, but nagging injuries could derail the Silver Eagles well short of Camp Randall if once-beaten Cedarburg - its only loss coming to defending Division 1 state champion Mequon Homestead - doesn't do it first. If that happens, I would look for Waunakee to be the last area team playing football this season. Monona Grove is the only unbeaten team in the field and what is its reward? The Silver Eagles will have to get past an 8-1 Cedarburg squad - averaging 39 points per game - in the second round and either DeForest or Waunakee in the quarterfinals. At least MG won't see two-time defending state champion Kimberly - 36-1 over the past three years - until the state finals.

Projected semifinalists
Kimberly gets past Marshfield in one semifinal while Waunakee beats Franklin in the other for its first state finals berth since 2005. Marshfield vs. Kimberly and Monona Grove vs. Milwaukee Tech and RB Michael Pirtle, who has rushed for nearly 2,000 yards.

State finals forecast
In a Hollywood ending, Waunakee pulls out a 24-21 win over Kimberly on a 35-yard field goal by Kassy McCarthy, the Warriors' female placekicker. Kimberly has lost QB Mitch Hintz (broken ankle). But the Papermakers will get to the final before Monona Grove's defense takes over for a 17-14 win.

DIVISION 3
It will take a surprise of Reedsburg-like proportions for an area team to get to the Division 3 state finals. With unbeaten Pewaukee the top seed in the only area quadrant, teams such as Reedsburg, McFarland and Jefferson will have to be in upset mode or Day 2 of the state football finals will be minus much local flavor. Last year Reedsburg finished third in the Northern Badger Conference and lost in the title game to Waupaca 21-20 on a failed two-point conversion. So what can the Beavers do as conference co-champs this year? If it can get past unbeaten Pewaukee in the second round, Reedsburg could make an encore appearance at Camp Randall.

Projected semifinalists
It's a wide-open division so when I list Waupaca, Green Bay Notre Dame, Pewaukee and Wisconsin Lutheran here, it's admittedly a guess. Waupaca vs. Plymouth and Pewaukee, the only unbeaten team in the field, vs. Wisconsin Lutheran.

State finals forecast
Waupaca's stout defense prevents Wisconsin Lutheran from winning its fourth state championship in six years with a 14-10 victory. Since losing to Division 1 powers Waukesha West and Marquette, Wisconsin Lutheran has beaten up teams its own size. Vikings 41, Waupaca 21.

DIVISION 4
There are eight teams either unbeaten or with one loss in the 32-team Division 4 bracket and Walworth Big Foot might prove to be the best of them. Granted, Big Foot graduated two-way AP All-State lineman Travis Frederick off last year's state runner-up team, but its defensive resume is as good as any team in the division. Walworth Big Foot has lost just one game in the past two years when Wautoma-Faith Christian shut out the Chiefs 20-0 in the 2008 title game. With versatile Mike Walker leading the way, Big Foot is averaging 36.6 points and allowing just 5.4 per game. But perennial power Ripon, and Northern Capitol champion Lodi are potential roadblocks.

Projected semifinalists
Appleton Xavier will hand Maple Northwestern its first loss, while Walworth Big Foot will get past Prairie du Chien 17-16. Maple Northwestern vs. Kewaunee and Brodhead-Juda vs. Walworth Big Foot, in a clash of Southern Rock Valley Conference rivals.

State finals forecast
After a pregame speech from Frederick in his University of Wisconsin letter jacket, Walworth Big Foot posts a 24-7 victory over Appleton Xavier. Walworth Big Foot takes advantage of its return trip to Camp Randall with a thrilling 35-34 shootout win over Maple Northwestern.

DIVISION 5
By far the most competitive division this postseason, there are five unbeaten teams and three of the top four are on one side of the bracket in Lancaster, Fond du Lac Springs and Cedar Grove. Lancaster would love to avenge last year's state semifinal loss to Cedar Grove, but Springs might not give the Flying Arrows the opportunity. Defending champion Colby is riding a 23-game winning streak but is in a loaded sectional and doesn't have an easy opener, hosting six-time defending Division 6 champion Stratford. Area fans could have a great third-round matchup with Lancaster (45.1 points per game) facing Darlington (38 ppg).

Projected semifinalists
Colby will beat Brillion 35-14 in one semifinal and Lancaster will outlast Fond du Lac Springs 24-17 in double overtime in another filled with deja vu. Colby vs. Brillion and Lancaster vs. Fond du Lac Springs, which has to get past 2008 state runner-up Cedar Grove-Belgium.

State finals forecast
Lancaster's wishbone offense snaps Colby's 27-game winning streak 24-14 and gives the Flying Arrows their record-tying seventh state title. Lancaster earns its record-tying seventh state championship and first since 2006 as the Flying Arrows soar to a 35-21 victory over Colby.

DIVISION 6
There are four unbeatens in Division 6, but none of them stand a chance of denying Edgar its fifth state title. The Wildcats have outscored opponents 439-6 - the points scored by Cadott in Week 2 on an 82-yard halfback option pass on which the receiver was flagged 15 yards for taunting on his way into the end zone. After winning a state record six straight titles, Stratford got bumped up to Division 5. So four unbeaten teams - top seeds Flambeau, Edgar, Bangor and Shiocton - will battle along with once-beaten Eau Claire Regis for the right to hoist the Tigers' perennial gold ball at Camp Randall.

Projected semifinalists
Edgar will slip past Flambeau and Tyler Leonhard - ex-Badger Jim's younger brother - by a 42-6 count while Eau Claire Regis takes out Shiocton. Flambeau vs. Edgar and Bangor vs. sleeper Brookfield Academy, led by one of the state's best-kept secrets in QB Daniel Ricci.

State finals forecast
Quarterback Justin Sinz throws for four touchdowns in the first half and runs for four more in the second half as Edgar sets 12 divisional records in their 56-0 win over Eau Claire Regis. Multi-sport athlete Ricci puts his basketball season on hold to lead Brookfield Academy to its first state title with a 24-21 shocker over Edgar, which finishes 13-1 for the second year in a row.

DIVISION 7
Few teams can match Potosi's depth at running back - Taylor Udelhofen (1,043 yards), Dakota Runde (1,019) and Colin Udelhofen (745) average between eight and 13 yards per carry - and the Chieftains look to ride it to their first state title. Of course, Burlington Catholic Central and Gilman will try to keep that from happening. Six Rivers champion Potosi finished unbeaten in the regular season for the first time since 1976. But the Chieftains and RB Taylor Udelhofen will potentially have to get past unbeaten De Soto and defending state champion Burlington Catholic Central to make their first appearance in the championship game.

Projected semifinalists
Gilman beats Shell Lake 35-17 in one semifinal while Potosi gets past Burlington Catholic Central 21-7 in the other semifinal showdown. Shell Lake vs. Gilman and Potosi vs. Burlington Catholic Central, which has played in the state finals twice in the last five years.

State finals forecast
Runde and the two Udelhofens each rush for more than 100 yards as Potosi turns back Gilman 41-14 in a surprisingly one-sided game. Behind QB Brian Fliess (2,000-plus yards combined passing and rushing), Burlington Catholic Central rolls to a 42-21 victory over Gilman.

Posted in Football, Dennis_semrau, Rob_hernandez on Monday, October 26, 2009 11:45 pm Updated: 12:24 am. | Tags: Prep Football, Wiaa Football Playoffs

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