My best matchups of the WIAA Football season week-by-week:
Week 1: Kenosha Bradford at Arrowhead (August 23)- The season opens with the last two Division 1 champs facing off in Arrowhead, the defending champs.
Week 2: Arrowhead at Homestead (August 30)- These former D1 powerhouses met annually in the state championship from 2006-2008. They now face off as defending state champions, as Homestead has moved to D2.
Week 3: Pulaski at Bay Port (September 6)- Gary Westerman, second year head coach of Bay Port, faces off against his former team for the second time. He was the head coach of Pulaski before he took the coaching position at Bay Port. Westerman got the better of his former team with a 56-35 trouncing last year on the road.
Week 4: Kewaunee at Wrightstown (September 13)- Two former Division 4 state champions meet in a critical Olympian-Packerland contest, with Kewaunee now in Division 5. The Tigers trounced the Storm 30-7 last year in Week 1; Wrightstown hosts this game for the second year in a row.
Week 5: Brookfield East at Brookfield Central (September 20)- Bragging rights in Brookfield will be on the line as these teams always produce an entertaining contest. East beat Central 37-14 on the road last year and will try to do it again this season.
Week 6: Sun Prairie at Madison Memorial (September 27)- Athletes will be all over the field in this Big 8 matchup. Sun Prairie shut out the Spartans 35-0 in the regular season last year, then the Cardinals bounced Memorial in Level 1 of the playoffs 45-20. Memorial looking for the upset this season.
Week 7: West De Pere at Seymour (October 4)- One of the favorites to dethrone WDP from the top of the Bay Conference, offensive lineman and Wisconsin recruit Jon Dietzen leads a powerful Thunder offense looking for a signature win.
Week 8: Regis at Fall Creek (October 11)- A critical matchup in the race for a Cloverbelt championship, Regis advanced to the Division 6 State Championship Game last season before falling to two-time champ Saint Mary's Springs.
Week 9: Owen-Withee at Athens (October 18)- Almost a guarantee this game will decide the Cloverwood champion. The Blackhawks handed the Bluejays their only regular season loss in the finale last year; Owen-Withee came out with a 22-7 win. Athens advanced to Level 2 last year, while Owen-Withee quietly had a terrific season. They were eliminated in Level 3.
Week 5: Brookfield East at Brookfield Central (September 20)- Bragging rights in Brookfield will be on the line as these teams always produce an entertaining contest. East beat Central 37-14 on the road last year and will try to do it again this season.
Week 6: Sun Prairie at Madison Memorial (September 27)- Athletes will be all over the field in this Big 8 matchup. Sun Prairie shut out the Spartans 35-0 in the regular season last year, then the Cardinals bounced Memorial in Level 1 of the playoffs 45-20. Memorial looking for the upset this season.
Week 7: West De Pere at Seymour (October 4)- One of the favorites to dethrone WDP from the top of the Bay Conference, offensive lineman and Wisconsin recruit Jon Dietzen leads a powerful Thunder offense looking for a signature win.
Week 8: Regis at Fall Creek (October 11)- A critical matchup in the race for a Cloverbelt championship, Regis advanced to the Division 6 State Championship Game last season before falling to two-time champ Saint Mary's Springs.
Week 9: Owen-Withee at Athens (October 18)- Almost a guarantee this game will decide the Cloverwood champion. The Blackhawks handed the Bluejays their only regular season loss in the finale last year; Owen-Withee came out with a 22-7 win. Athens advanced to Level 2 last year, while Owen-Withee quietly had a terrific season. They were eliminated in Level 3.
