Appleton-area high school football quarterfinal playoff matchups, what the coaches say and predictions
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Just like that, only four teams from the Appleton area are still standing in the WIAA football playoffs.
And three of those teams are in the same division.
Little Chute, Freedom and Winneconne highlight the state quarterfinal qualifiers in Division 4, while Hilbert is among the final eight teams alive in Division 7.
Here’s a look at this week’s area quarterfinal matchups, with comments from the coaches and our predicted winners. All games are 7 p.m. Nov. 7.
Last week’s prediction record: 6-1.
Season prediction record: 41-16.
Little Chute (10-1) at Racine St. Catherine’s (10-1)
The teams: The Mustangs won their 10th game in a row with a 49-20 second-round victory over West Salem. The Mustangs were unstoppable on the ground with 548 rushing yards, led by Jaden Hermsen (187 yards, 2 TDs), Reece Joten (131 yards, 3 TDs) and Tyler Hietpas (114 yards, 2 TDs). August Hawthorne, Will Jansen and Trenton Lyon each had six tackles on defense for the Mustangs, who are in the quarterfinals for the first time since 2022. Racine St. Catherine’s, the defending state champion in Division 4, won its eighth game in a row with a narrow 12-6 second-round win over Lake Mills. Eddie Vinson passed for 156 yards and a touchdown and added 177 yards on the ground on 16 carries. Vincent Poplawski had eight tackles on defense for the Angels, who allow an average of 8 points per game.
Little Chute coach Mark Krommenacker: “This game is about as different of styles as two teams can have. Their offensive linemen play in two-point stances and our receivers are asking to line up in three-point stances. We are excited for the opportunity to play the reigning defending state champs at their field. We won’t be able to match their speed or athleticism on the outside. We will play disciplined, unselfish football and represent the brotherhood. Every player must play until the echo of the whistle, embrace physicality, celebrate with each other and come back to do it again on the next play. If we do that, we will have an opportunity for success.”
Racine St. Catherine’s coach Dan Miller: “Little Chute will be a very tough opponent. Their running game is very explosive and physical. They also have a strong defensive unit. This will be a very tough Level 3 sectional championship game.”
Prediction: Little Chute 28, Racine St. Catherine’s 27.
Freedom (10-1) at Winneconne (11-0)
The teams: The Irish advanced with a 27-13 victory over Wrightstown in the second round. Owen Henkel passed for 219 yards and two touchdowns, and Axzil Eggert ran for 188 yards and two touchdowns to lead the Irish. Charlie Micke added four catches for 112 yards, including an 80-yard TD reception. Nixon Heinke led the Irish defense with 12 tackles. Winneconne advanced with a 28-6 victory over Altoona. Brody Schaffer ran for 124 yards and three touchdowns. Bryce Jones added 123 yards on the ground. Hudson Samolinski led the Wolves defense with 12 tackles. Freedom lost to Baldwin-Woodville in the Division 4 quarterfinals last season after making it to the D4 semifinals in 2022 and the D5 semifinals in 2021. Baldwin-Woodville beat Winneconne 40-16 in the semifinals last year to end the Wolves’ season.
Freedom coach Charlie Jadin: “Winneconne’s a great team. They return a lot of players and they’re undefeated. They have one of the best players in the state, and we’ll have to figure out a way to slow him down because you know you’re not going to stop him. But, yeah, very exciting and just excited to have the opportunity.”
Prediction: Freedom 21, Winneconne 20.
Hilbert (9-2) at Lourdes Academy (11-0)
The teams: The Wolves and Knights have met several times in the playoffs in recent seasons, including a 35-27 win for Lourdes in the second round last season. The Knights also beat Hilbert 14-7 in the D7 quarterfinals in 2019. Hilbert advanced with a 22-20 victory over Wauzeka-Steuben/Seneca. Jack Pakala ran for 114 yards and two touchdowns on 15 carries for Hilbert. Pakala also led the Wolves on defense with seven tackles. Lourdes, which lost to Edgar in the quarterfinals last season, advanced with a 28-8 victory over Eleva-Strum. Brady Bauer ran for 165 yards and a touchdown and also passed for 100 yards for the Knights. Maximus Behnke led the Knights on defense with 10 tackles.
Lourdes Academy coach Kevin Wopat: “We’re excited about the opportunity to play football in November. That is an honor not many teams get in Wisconsin, so we don’t take it lightly. Hilbert is a tough, physical, run-first football team that plays a brand of football that is good for November. They have a couple of really nice backs. We will need to tackle well defensively, take care of the football on offense and continue to play team-first football to come out with a win. It should be a great football game.”
Prediction: Lourdes Academy 17, Hilbert 14.
WIAA football playoff schedule for Friday, Nov. 7
Division 1
No. 7 De Pere (7-4) at No. 1 Waunakee (11-0), No. 2 Hamilton (9-2) at No. 1 Arrowhead (10-1), No. 2 Badger (11-0) at No. 1 Muskego (10-1), No. 3 Bay Port (9-2) at No. 1 Franklin (11-0).
Division 2
No. 3 Oshkosh North (10-1) at No. 1 River Falls (10-1), No. 2 Rice Lake (10-1) at No. 1 Green Bay Notre Dame (11-0), No. 3 Union Grove (10-1) at No. 1 West De Pere (11-0), No. 2 Monona Grove (10-1) at No. 1 Homestead (11-0).
Division 3
No. 2 Plymouth (11-0) at No. 1 Grafton (11-0), No. 2 Mount Horeb/Barneveld (9-2) at No. 1 Catholic Memorial (10-1), No. 6 Pewaukee (6-5) at No. 4 Reedsburg (8-3), No. 8 Whitefish Bay (5-6) at No. 3 Martin Luther (8-3).
Division 4
No. 2 Baldwin-Woodville (11-0) vs. No. 1 Aquinas (11-0) at UW-La Crosse, No. 2 Freedom (10-1) at No. 1 Winneconne (11-0), No. 2 Mosinee (9-2) at No. 1 Columbus (10-1), No. 2 Little Chute (10-1) at No. 1 Racine St. Catherine’s (10-1).
Division 5
No. 2 Northwestern (11-0) at No. 1 Grantsburg (11-0), No. 2 Stratford (9-2) at No. 1 Tomahawk (10-1), No. 2 Amherst (10-1) at No. 1 Mayville (11-0), No. 3 New Glarus (10-1) at No. 1 Lake Country Lutheran (10-1).
Division 6
No. 2 Mondovi (10-1) at No. 1 Regis (11-0), No. 3 Bonduel (9-2) at No. 1 Edgar (11-0), No. 7 Belleville (7-4) at No. 1 Darlington (11-0), No. 2 Cedar Grove-Belgium (8-3) at No. 1 Manitowoc Lutheran (11-0).
Division 7
No. 2 Boyceville (10-0) at No. 1 Cochrane-Fountain City (11-0), No. 2 Hilbert (9-2) at No. 1 Lourdes Academy (11-0), No. 5 Cashton (8-3) at No. 3 Potosi/Cassville (10-1), No. 3 Coleman (9-2) at No. 1 Kenosha St. Joseph (11-0).
8-player
No. 2 McDonell Central Catholic (10-1) vs. No. 1 Lena/St. Thomas Aquinas (11-0) at Schofield D.C. Everest, No. 1 Oakfield (11-0) vs. No. 1 Gilman (11-0) at Waupaca.
This article originally appeared on Appleton Post-Crescent: High school football quarterfinal playoff matchups, predictions, schedule
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