River Ridge quarterback Blake Reynolds
Bound Wisconsin Football Playoff Coverage presented by the Culver’s Isthmus Bowl
The Culver’s Isthmus Bowl is an annual Division 3 college football bowl game featuring one team from the CCIW and one team from the WIAC. This year’s game day is Saturday, November 21st, 2026 at the Bank of Sun Prairie Stadium at Ashley Field. Kickoff is at 2 PM CST. Buy tickets, get merchandise, read up on the history of the Ishtmus Bowl, and find additional game information at isthmusbowl.com.
DIVISION 7 | BRACKET
(Times, dates, & locations subject to change)
The Placements
Last year’s Division 7 state champions, Kenosha St. Joseph, are elevated to D6 this year, meaning we’ll get a new champ in 2026. Defending runner-up Cochrane-Fountain City is the top seed in the top left group, as the Pirates are unbeaten and have been ranked number one in the Coaches Poll all year. One of the Six Rivers Conference tri-champs, River Ridge, is the two-seed, while Dunn-St. Croix co-champ Spring Valley earned the four-seed. The other Dunn-St. Croix co-champ, Glenwood City, is the top seed in the lower left bracket. Shiocton is the two-seed, while last year’s 8-player state champs, McDonell Central, makes the playoffs in their return to 11-player, receiving a six-seed. Unbeaten Ithaca/Weston is having a great season and is the top seed in the top right, while Iowa-Grant is the two-seed. Coleman earned the top seed in the lower right bracket, with Lourdes Academy the second-seeded team.
Six to Watch
Here are six of the most electric offensive players that will be lining it up beginning this weekend:
Brady Bauer, Lourdes Academy - Bauer is outstanding on offense and defense for the Knights, and is a dual-threat at the quarterback spot. He’s throw for 843 yards and 14 touchdowns, also leading the team with 1,304 yards and 23 scores on the ground.
Ronald Hatch, Webster - Hatch led Division 7 and was third overall in the state during the regular season with 1,938 yards on 193 carries. He scored 21 touchdowns, averaging 10 yards per attempt. He also threw for four touchdowns to lead the Tigers.
Brock Hinderman, Iowa-Grant - Hinderman leads the division with 1,837 passing yards, completing 66% of his passes for 21 touchdowns. He’s added 471 yards and 18 touchdowns on the ground for the Panthers.
Aidan Lisowski, Cochrane-Fountain City - Lisowski was a key part of the runner-up Pirates’ offense a year ago, and his role has increased even more this season. The senior battering ram has carried it 127 times for 1,426 yards and 25 touchdowns this year, averaging 11.2 yards per carry.
Jack Pakala, Hilbert - Pikala is part of an outstanding two-headed monster in the backfield for the Wolves, and leads the team with 1,160 rushing yards and 17 touchdowns.
Blake Reynolds, River Ridge - Reynolds has completed 66% of his passes for 1,065 yards with 15 touchdowns and no interceptions. He also has 457 yards on the ground with a team-high 16 touchdowns.
Upset Alert
Bangor has usually been a high seed with a home game in the playoffs, but the Cardinals are just 4-5 this year and the sixth-seeded group will go on the road to third-seeded Pepin/Alma. While Bangor was just 4-3 in Scenic Bluffs Conference play, their three losses came by a combined 13 points. They have the tradition and pedigree to create challenges for Pepin/Alma potentially.
Best Level 1 Game
Like Bangor, Black Hawk/Warren (IL) is generally a higher seed in the playoffs, but the Warriors will go on the road as a five-seed to take on fourth-seeded Cashton. The teams met up in last year’s Level 2 playoffs, with Cashton handing Black Hawk/Warren (IL) their first loss of the year, 34-28.
Potential intriguing match-ups the rest of the way
Please note the emphasis on potential.
Cochrane-Fountain City vs. River Ridge, Sectional Final - River Ridge has just one loss this year and was a co-champion of the Six Rivers, while Cochrane-Fountain City is undefeated and looking to get back to Madison after last year’s state runner-up finish.
Ithaca/Weston vs. Cashton, Level 2 - Cashton will have its hands full with Black Hawk/Warren (IL) in Level 1, but if they can get past the Warriors, the Eagles would get a rematch with Ithaca/Weston, who defeated Cashton 20-14 in Week 6.
Iowa-Grant vs. Pepin/Alma, Level 2 - This would be quite the contrast in styles, as Iowa-Grant’s prolific passing attack would go up against the ground-and-pound Wing-T of Pepin/Alma, who actually has a better record.
My Picks
Cochrane-Fountain City over Hillsboro
Cadott over Royall
Spring Valley over Whitehall
River Ridge over Elmwood/Plum City
Glenwood City over Brookwood
Melrose-Mindoro over Webster
Boyceville over McDonell Central
Shiocton over Osseo-Fairchild
Ithaca/Weston over Waterloo
Black Hawk/Warren over Cashton
Pepin/Alma over Bangor
Iowa-Grant over Riverdale
Coleman over Manawa
Crivitz over Pacelli
Hilbert over Abbotsford
Lourdes Academy over Pecatonica/Argyle
Travis Wilson serves as the Bound Wisconsin Manager. Wilson was selected as part of the Sports 40 Under 40 list by Coach & AD Magazine and the National High School Athletic Coaches Association for 2019. The Wisconsin Football Coaches Association (WFCA) named Travis the 2015 recipient of the Dave McClain Distinguished Service Award. He currently serves on the WFCA Executive Board and is a member of the Executive Board of the Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association. A graduate of Richland Center High School and Mount Mercy College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Travis was a three-sport athlete in high school (football, baseball, basketball), inducted to the Richland Center High School Hall of Fame in 2023, and currently resides in Reedsburg. You can follow him on Twitter at @travisBound or reach him at [email protected].
