Lakeland 2026 Football Preview

Over the next several weeks, we’ll be previewing every conference in the state as part of our preseason preparations.

Check out all of our Football Conference Previews for every league in the state, here.

2025 Recap: Grantsburg captured an outright Lakeland Conference title last season, advancing to the sectional finals in Division 5. Chetek-Weyerhaeuser was a clear number two, with Unity and Webster also making the postseason, though none were able to secure a playoff win.

Note: The Lakeland is a seven-team league and each team will play one crossover game against a member of the Dunn-St. Croix.

2025 Season Information:
Standings
Stats
All-Conference

2026 PREVIEW:

Predicted Order of Finish:

1) Grantsburg
2) Cadott
3) Unity
4) Webster
5) Ladysmith
6) Chetek-Weyerhaeuser
7) Cameron

Players to Watch:

Owen Fassbender, RB/LB, Cadott: Fassbender was a First Team All-Conference choice on defense last season and is the top returning rusher for the Hornets.

Ronald Hatch, RB, Webster: Hatch ran for 1,401 yards and 10 touchdowns to earn First Team All-Conference recognition at running back. He also caught 11 passes for 247 yards and three scores.

Cash Labrie, QB, Ladysmith: As a sophomore last season, Labrie threw for 1,037 yards and 13 touchdowns, and with a year of experience under his belt, is poised for a nice season.

Josh Pouliot, RB, Unity: Pouliot was just under 1000 yards of offense despite missing some time with injury last year, earning Honorable Mention All-Conference.

Daxter Schultz, RB/LB, Grantsburg: Schultz is the top player in the Lakeland Conference, earning First Team all-league recognition on both sides of the ball last season. He rushed for 1,284 yards and 17 touchdowns and also recorded over 100 tackles on the season.

2026 Team Previews

1) Grantsburg went unbeaten in the regular season to claim the Lakeland Conference title, and didn’t fall until the sectional finals against Northwestern. “We have a strong class of 15 seniors,” said head coach Adam Hale, who welcomes five starters on each side of the ball. “Our offensive line has good size and experience, and we return one of the better running backs in the area in Daxter Schultz.” Last season, Schultz rushed for 1,284 yards and 17 touchdowns. Multi-year starting quarterback Brock Matheny and the top three receivers from last year do need to be replaced, however. Co-Defensive Player of the Year in the Lakeland, Henry Quintana is among the players that will need to be replaced on defense.

2) Cadott went 5-4 last year, but due to a relative low strength of schedule, the Hornets did not make the playoffs in the new qualification system. Head coach Todd Rykal likes the speed and experience of his returning squad, which features 25 letterwinners back. Eight starters are returning on offense, including quarterback Jake Weeks, receiver Brenton Faber, and second-leading rusher Owen Fasbender.

3) Unity had a very up-and-down season, losing six games, including a Level 1 playoff contest, in non-competitive fashion. But they did win four games to get back into the postseason after a one-year hiatus. It will be an experienced group in 2026, with 18 returning letterwinners, including eight starters back on offense and nine on defense. The entire offensive line unit is back, with some good depth options coming in as well. “We’re expecting around 50 guys out for football this season, which will create a lot of competition and opportunities for players to focus on one side of the ball and continue developing their roles,” said head coach Trent Nyhus.

4) Webster finished just 3-7 overall, tied for fifth in the Lakeland Conference, and dropped four straight to close the year with a Level 1 playoff exit. So why the ranking in the preseason? There are 21 letterwinners back and 10 returning starters on both sides of the ball for head coach Scott Haskins. There are ten players who will be four-year varsity starters. “This veteran presence is complemented by the team’s deep dedication to one another and their collective goals. The squad is focused on a deep postseason run this year.” Ronald Hatch is one of the best playmakers in the Lakeland Conference, rushing for more than 1400 yards last year with another 247 as a receiver.

5) Ladysmith went 3-6 last season, ending a three-year run of postseason appearances. It was a nice season for a young squad that featured a number of sophomore contributors. A total of 27 letterwinners are returning, including eight starters on both sides of the ball. Head coach Doug Moore is looking for a big junior class to help lead the way this season. That includes quarterback Cash Labrie, who threw for more than 1000 yards with 13 touchdowns as a sophomore last season.

6) Chetek-Weyerhaeuser finished second in the Lakeland a year ago, when the only regular season loss was against Grantsburg. Given a home game in the postseason, the team unfortunately ran up against a buzzsaw in the form of Fall Creek, dropping a 40-0 shutout. It was a senior-dominated team, with most of the top players from a year ago moving on to graduation. While it would not be a surprise to see them finish higher in the standings, the rest of the league will be much more experienced than the Bulldogs. Tanner Wood is a returning First Team All-Conference defender.

7) Cameron had its share of struggles last season, with a 12-6 crossover victory against Colfax the only win on the year for the Comets. “Cameron will be very competitive this year in the Lakeland.,” said head coach Charles Roherty. “We are returning some real tough players that can compete at a very high level. Our weaknesses for the year will be depth. We are going to need some of our younger guys to step up, but they are excited to get their shot.” There are seven starters back in the flexbone offense, with six starters returning on the defensive side of the ball.