Grantsburg and senior Caden Matheny are looking to get back to the state semi-finals for a third consecutive season
DIVISION 5 | BRACKET
Toughest Road So Far
Top-seeded Mayville had no trouble with Chilton to open the playoffs, winning 41-0. However, the Cardinals had a tough matchup in Level 2, facing a rematch with a Winnebago Lutheran team that gave them their toughest test in the regular season. Sure enough, it was a dogfight once again, as Mayville found its way to a 28-21 victory.
Cinderella
New Glarus is the only team not seeded first or second that has advanced in Division 5, as the third-seeded Glarner Knights first knocked off sixth-seeded Clinton before going on the road to score a 39-13 win over second-seeded Racine Lutheran last week.
Most Impressive
Northwestern has a pair of running clock victories in the playoffs, first pounding Prescott 67-20 before a 47-20 victory against Heart O’North rival Saint Croix Falls last week. The Tigers have 725 rushing yards in two games.
The Match-Ups
#2 Northwestern (11-0) at #1 Grantsburg (11-0)
Northwestern is the only unbeaten team in Division 5 not to receive a number one seed, meaning they’re on the road in this sectional final at Grantsburg, who also went undefeated this season. Grantsburg finished as the runner-up in D6 last year, while Northwestern has been on the doorstep to Madison many times over the last 30+ seasons, but despite 35 playoff wins since 1993, has not qualified for state since a D4 runner-up finish that season.
My Pick: Northwestern
These teams have something in common this season: both lost to Mosinee. Stratford fell to the Indians in a Week 1 non-conference game while Tomahawk’s only loss this year came against Mosinee during Great Northern Conference play. This is an interesting dynamic between these teams, with Tomahawk playing in a largely D3 and D4 conference, while Stratford competes in a league with mostly D5 and D6 teams.
My Pick: Stratford
Mayville got past league foe Winnebago Lutheran last week, as the Cardinals are looking to advance to the state semi-finals for the third time in the last five seasons. After a run of 32 playoff wins from 2012 to 2019, including three titles and a runner-up finish, Amherst hasn’t been back to the state semi-finals since the 2019 season.
My Pick: Mayville
#3 New Glarus (10-1) at #1 Lake Country Lutheran (10-1)
New Glarus is in unprecedented territory, as the school has never advanced to Level 3 as a standalone or in its various co-op arrangements. The Glarner Knights shared the title in the SWC, going 10-1 overall this year. Lake Country Lutheran was also a co-conference champion this season, finishing tied with Racine St. Catherine’s despite a loss to the Angels in the head-to-head matchup.
My Pick: Lake Country Lutheran
My Picks:
(7-1 last week; 22-2, 91.67% overall in Division 5)
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].