Check out the video highlights from Muskego’s 38-21 win over Mukwonago
Video highlights from Muskego’s 38-21 victory over Mukwonago to win its first Classic 8 Conference title since the 2022 season.
The Wisconsin high school football postseason will feature 224 teams across seven divisions.Playoffs begin on October 24, with state championship games scheduled for November 20-21 at Camp Randall Stadium.The WIAA released the official playoff brackets, setting the matchups for the first round of games.Several first-round games will be rematches from the regular season, including matchups in Divisions 1, 2, and 5.
The high school football regular season in Wisconsin concluded Oct. 17, and it is on to the postseason for 224 programs throughout the state.
The Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association released brackets for all seven divisions of 11-player football throughout the course of a live broadcast Oct. 18, revealing the road to Camp Randall Stadium in Madison and a potential state title for teams throughout the state.
WIAA postseason play begins with first-round games Oct. 24. The five-week postseason concludes with WIAA state title games in seven divisions Nov. 20-21.
Wisconsin high school football playoffs: Division 1
Area teams: Section 1 — No. 4 Mukwonago (6-3), No. 5 Oconomowoc (5-4). Section 2 — No. 1 Arrowhead (8-1), No. 2 Sussex Hamilton (7-2), No. 4 Brookfield East (7-2), No. 7 Marquette (4-5). Section 3 — No. 1 Muskego (8-1), No. 4 Racine Case (7-2), No. 5 Kenosha Bradford (7-2), No. 6 Milwaukee Hamilton/Audubon (4-4), No. 7 Oak Creek (5-4). Section 4 — No. 1 Franklin (9-0), No. 2 Milwaukee Reagan (8-1), No. 4 Milwaukee Pulaski Co-op (6-3), No. 7 Milwaukee Bradley Tech/Arts (3-6), No. 8 Milwaukee Riverside/Golda Meir (3-6).
No. 1 seeds: Waunakee, Arrowhead, Muskego, Franklin.
Area first-round games: No. 4 Mukwonago vs. No. 5 Oconomowoc, No. 1 Arrowhead vs. No. 8 Wausau West, No. 2 Sussex Hamilton vs. No. 7 Marquette, No. 4 Brookfield East vs. No. 5 D.C. Everest, No. 1 Muskego vs. No. 8 Madison West, No. 2 Milwaukee Reagan vs. No. 7 Milwaukee Bradley Tech/Arts, No. 4 Racine Case vs. No. 5 Kenosha Bradford, No. 6 Milwaukee Hamilton/Audubon vs. No. 3 Middleton, No. 7 Oak Creek vs. No. 2 Badger, No. 1 Franklin vs. No. 8 Milwaukee Riverside/Golda Meir, No. 5 Verona vs. No. 4 Milwaukee Pulaski Co-op.
Quick analysis: Compelling rematches abound in the first round, ranging from the less competitive like Mukwonago-Oconomowoc that went 35-6 to Mukwonago in Week 4, to the instant turnaround Racine Case and Kenosha Bradford face after Case’s 31-20 win in Week 9 to make that a home game. Reagan beat Tech in a 38-8 final in Week 4, and Sussex Hamilton beat Marquette, 28-9, in Week 6. Classic 8 Conference champion Muskego and runner-up Arrowhead each get No. 1 seeds, as does Southeast champion Franklin while fellow 9-0 team Badger drops to a No. 2 seed.
Click here for the complete Division 1 bracket.
Wisconsin high school football playoffs: Division 2
Area teams: Section 2 — No. 3 Milwaukee Rufus King (6-3), No. 4 Slinger (7-2), No. 5 West Bend West (7-2), No. 6 Wauwatosa East (5-4), No. 8 Greenfield (6-4). Section 3 — No. 6 Waukesha West (4-5), No. 7 Nicolet (4-5), No. 8 Hartford Union (4-5). Section 4 — No. 1 Homestead (9-0), No. 3 Germantown (6-3), No. 5 Milwaukee Bay View (7-3), No. 6 Wauwatosa West (4-5), No. 7 Brookfield Central (3-6), No. 8 Menomonee Falls (3-6).
No. 1 seeds: River Falls, Notre Dame, West De Pere, Homestead.
Area first-round games: No. 3 Milwaukee Rufus King vs. No. 6 Wauwatosa East, No. 4 Slinger vs. No. 5 West Bend West, No. 8 Greenfield vs. No. 1 Notre Dame, No. 6 Waukesha West vs. No. 3 Union Grove, No. 7 Nicolet vs. No. 2 Holmen, No. 8 Hartford Union vs. No. 1 West De Pere, No. 1 Homestead vs. No. 8 Menomonee Falls, No. 3 Germantown vs. No. 6 Wauwatosa West, No. 7 Brookfield Central vs. No. 2 Monona Grove, No. 5 Milwaukee Bay View vs. No. 4 Elkhorn.
Quick analysis: One of the first-round games to watch will most certainly be a North Shore Conference rematch between Slinger and West Bend West that went to Slinger in a 28-14 final in Week 4. The winner there likely heads to reigning Division 3 champion Notre Dame in the second round. Homestead could be challenged if chalk finishes in the first round lead to a matchup with Elkhorn, which was right there in a competitive Southern Lakes Conference race with Union Grove and Badger this year. Germantown and Tosa West have been up and down this season, but I am intrigued to see if either can get hot starting with their first-round matchup.
Click here for the complete Division 2 bracket.
Wisconsin high school football playoffs: Division 3
Area teams: Section 1 — No. 1 Grafton (9-0). Section 2 — No. 1 Catholic Memorial (8-1), No. 3 New Berlin Eisenhower (5-4), No. 5 Wisconsin Lutheran (6-3). Section 3 — No. 6 Pewaukee (4-5). Section 4 — No. 1 New Berlin West (7-2), No. 2 Whitnall (8-1), No. 3 Martin Luther (6-3), No. 4 Milwaukee Washington/Fuller (6-3), No. 5 Port Washington (6-3), No. 6 Pius XI Catholic (6-4), No. 8 Whitefish Bay (3-6).
No. 1 seeds: Grafton, Catholic Memorial, Edgewood, New Berlin West.
Area first-round games: No. 1 Grafton vs. No. 8 Medford, No. 1 Catholic Memorial vs. No. 8 Jefferson, No. 3 New Berlin Eisenhower vs. No. 6 Burlington, No. 5 Wisconsin Lutheran vs. No. 4 La Crosse Logan, No. 6 Pewaukee vs. No. 3 Sauk Prairie, No. 1 New Berlin West vs. No. 8 Whitefish Bay, No. 2 Whitnall vs. No. 7 McFarland, No. 3 Martin Luther vs. No. 6 Pius XI Catholic, No. 4 Milwaukee Washington/Fuller vs. No. 5 Port Washington.
Quick analysis: The Milwaukee area takes three No. 1 seeds in D3, including the overall Playoff Qualifying Score leader in D3 from Grafton, as well as Parkland Conference-winning Catholic Memorial and runner-up New Berlin West. Speaking of New Berlin, Eisenhower may have bought itself a home game in the first round with its quality win over New Berlin West in Week 9. A long cross-state road trip in the 4-5 matchup for Wisconsin Lutheran to La Crosse Logan poses a significant logistical challenge for the Vikings.
Click here for the complete Division 3 bracket.
Wisconsin high school football playoffs: Division 4
Area teams: Section 2 — No. 8 Milwaukee North/Lifelong Learning (3-5). Section 3 — No. 8 Brown Deer (2-7). Section 4 — No. 8 Saint Francis (4-5).
No. 1 seeds: Aquinas, Winneconne, Columbus, Racine St. Catherine’s.
Area first-round games: No. 8 Milwaukee North vs. No. 1 Winneconne, No. 8 Brown Deer vs. No. 1 Columbus, No. 8 Saint Francis vs. Racine St. Catherine’s.
Quick analysis: A hard road ahead for a trio of area teams who all face top seeds in Division 4. Brown Deer gets into the postseason despite just two wins on the season, one of which was over a suspension-depleted Racine St. Catherine’s squad in Week 3. Milwaukee North had just one victory on the season, earning forfeit wins over Milwaukee Madison and Milwaukee Vincent/Destiny for its other two wins aside from a Week 8 22-18 win over Milwaukee South.
Click here for the complete Division 4 bracket.
Wisconsin high school football playoffs: Division 5
Area teams: Section 4 — No. 1 Lake Country Lutheran (8-1), No. 4 Brookfield Academy (7-4), No. 7 Milwaukee Academy of Science (4-5).
No. 1 seeds: Grantsburg, Tomahawk, Mayville, Lake Country Lutheran.
Area first-round games: No. 1 Lake Country Lutheran vs. No. 8 Kiel, No. 4 Brookfield Academy vs. No. 5 Wittenberg-Birnamwood; No. 7 Milwaukee Academy of Science vs. No. 2 Racine Lutheran.
Quick analysis: Lake Country Lutheran gets a No. 1 seed over undefeated Northwestern thanks to a strength of schedule bonus under the new playoff matrix. Brookfield Academy gets a home game after a strong finish to its season, while Milwaukee Academy of Science’s road to another deep playoff run must start with a road upset over No. 2 Racine Lutheran. The Crusaders of Racine Lutheran defeated MAS, 35-12, in Week 3.
Click here for the complete Division 5 bracket.
Wisconsin high school football playoffs: Division 6
Area teams: None.
No. 1 seeds: Regis, Edgar, Darlington, Manitowoc Lutheran.
Click here for the complete Division 6 bracket.
Wisconsin high school football playoffs: Division 7
Area teams: None.
No. 1 seeds: Cochrane-Fountain City, Lourdes Academy, Black Hawk/Warren (IL), Kenosha St. Joseph Catholic.
Click here for the complete Division 7 bracket.