The first football games of the year are just over a week away, and we’re excited to kickoff a new season!

Over the next several weeks, Bound Wisconsin will be producing Preseason Football Team Rankings, featuring a Top 15 for each division as well as Others to Watch.

Previously Released Rankings:

Division 1

1. Slinger - The Owls had a season for the ages, going unbeaten during the regular season to capture the title in the tough North Shore Conference. The team wouldn’t stop there, getting through a grueling playoff stretch capped by a Division 2 state championship victory over Rice Lake, scoring with less than four minutes remaining to take its first lead of the game. There are six returning starters up front on offense as well as standout running back Kobe Hendricks. The defense has just three starters returning, but a lot of guys who played considerable minutes last year.

2. Notre Dame - The Tritons were one of the most dominating teams in the state last year behind a powerful running game that chewed up the opposition. Christian Collins was the WFCA Large School Offensive Player of the Year, rushing for 3,084 yards, including 408 in a Division 3 state championship win over Catholic Memorial. Notre Dame gets elevated to Division 2 this year based on the WIAA’s Tournament Performance Factor points.

3. West De Pere - The Phantoms were champions of the FRCC-North last season, including a win over eventual Division 1 state champ Bay Port. They dropped a non-conference game to Kaukauna, but avenged that with a playoff victory over the Ghosts before falling to Rice Lake in a state semi-final. West De Pere returns a solid core group, including the state’s top quarterback, Patrick Greisen, who threw for more than 3800 yards with 49 touchdowns a year ago.

4. Homestead - The Highlanders finished second in the North Shore Conference last year, as they struggled to get past eventual D2 champion Slinger, dropping a one-point game to the Owls in the regular season before a 17-14 loss in the sectional championship. Head coach Drake Zortman has an experience offense back with seven returning starters, while the defense welcomes four regulars from a year ago.

5. New Richmond - The Tigers not only won an outright Big Rivers title but also went undefeated during the regular season. New Richmond would advance to Level 3 for a second straight year, going out against Rice Lake, a team they’d narrowly defeated during the regular season. Quarterback Nick Stellrecht is back after earning First Team All-Conference recognition.

6. Kaukauna - The Ghosts dropped a close game to eventual D3 state champion Notre Dame to open the season, then rattled off six consecutive victories before going down to Kimberly. The Ghosts would win a couple D2 playoff games before exiting against West De Pere, a team they beat earlier in the year, in the sectional championship. First Team All-Conference running back Aiden Reardon returns, though standout quarterback Bron Schaefer is not back this season.

7. Monona Grove - Monona Grove could be ready to push towards the top of the Badger-Large this season, coming off an 8-3 season, as the Silver Eagles dropped a one-point heartbreaker to Rice Lake in the playoffs. Offensively, they’ll have to break in a new quarterback, but do have an outstanding senior running back in returning First Team All-Conference pick Tremayne Habeck. Like the offense, the defense returns five starters, with some really dynamic players returning on that side of the ball. DeAngelo Clay was the Defensive Player of the Year as just a sophomore last season, and is joined up front by emerging strong man Nick Gallagher.

8. Germantown - The Warhawks finished 8-3 last year and lose WFCA Defensive Player of the Year Cooper Catalano, who is now pushing for time at Wisconsin, but the team could be better overall this season. Vinny Inga returns at quarterback with a strong receiving group, while a huge offensive line is anchored by junior Division 1 prospect Cole Reiter. The defense was stout last year and should be strong again, even with the loss of Catalano.

9. Hartford - The Orioles were a distant fourth in the North Shore standings a year ago, as the team struggled to get past the better teams on the schedule. They exited in Level 1 against old rival Homestead. It was a young group last season, as the team returns 17 starters along with others that contributed, and will buoyed by players from successful JV1 and JV2 programs.

10. Rice Lake - The Warriors had a good record against larger competition in the Big Rivers, setting the stage for a strong playoff push. The team won a Division 3 state title in 2023 and bumped up in the playoffs to Division 2 last year, but it didn’t bother them. They’d down a strong contingent of opponents in the postseason, going through DeForest, Monona Grove, New Richmond, and West De Pere to make the D2 championship game. They’d come up agonizingly close, falling to Slinger 31-30. The team loses a large number of players who were key contributors to two state finalist rosters.

11. Holmen - The Vikings were part of a five-way tie for the Mississippi Valley Conference title last year, as the team took down one of those co-champs, La Crosse Central, in the first playoff game before going out against New Richmond. The largest school in the conference, the team should have plenty of options this season, including six starters back on both sides of the ball.

12. Cedarburg - The Warhawks were third in the North Shore last season but went out in Level 1 home playoff game against Germantown, 13-12. Longtime coach Brian Leair retired in the off-season, and Matt McDonnell, who led Kettle Moraine to a state title a few years ago, was hired to take over. Alex Evanoff returns at quarterback after throwing for more than 1800 yards last season.

13. Wauwatosa East - The Red Raiders not only qualified for the playoffs for the first time in 17 years, the team won an outright Parkland Conference title. They’d defeat rival Tosa West in Level 1 of the playoffs before falling to eventual champion Slinger. Veteran head coach Tom Swittel, in his second stint at Tosa East, returns four starters on both sides of the ball.

14. Union Grove - The Broncos dropped three, one-score games during the regular season, but still found a way to sneak into the playoffs despite a 3-4 conference record. The Broncos would go down to Badger in Level 1, finishing 4-6 overall. It will be a big group returning for head coach Craig McClelland, who welcomes 50 juniors and seniors, as well as talented transfer lineman J.J. Fletcher from Racine Horlick.

15. Oshkosh North - Oshkosh North - The Spartans made it back to the playoffs last year for the first time since 2016, finishing third in the FRCC-South before exiting in Level 1 of the playoffs against West De Pere. North will have one of the top quarterback-receiver duos in the state in seniors Bryce Ott and Dalton Clark.