Middle Border 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: Baldwin-Woodville won the Middle Border Conference title, advancing to the state semifinals before going out to Winneconne. Osceola and Altoona tied for second, each winning a playoff game. Ellsworth, Prescott, and Amery also made the postseason.

2025 Season Information:
Standings
Stats
All-Conference

2026 PREVIEW:

Predicted Order of Finish:

1) Baldwin-Woodville
2) Osceola
3) Amery
4) Altoona
5) Saint Croix Central
6) Ellsworth
7) Somerset
8) Prescott

Players to Watch:

Owen Gunderson, WR, Altoona: Gunderson was a First Team All-Conference receiver last season, catching 17 passes for 479 yards and five touchdowns.

Elliot Havlish, RB, Osceola: Havlish led the Chieftains in rushing a year ago with 682 yards and 11 touchdowns.

Luke Janke, RB, Baldwin-Woodville: Janke had an outstanding freshman season, finishing second on the team in rushing yards with 511 and second in receiving with 252 yards, scoring nine touchdowns.

Joe Jensen, QB, Baldwin-Woodville: Jensen is a returning First Team All-Conference pick, throwing for 1,795 yards and 22 touchdowns last year, adding 467 yards and 13 scores on the ground.

Charlie Rohl, OL/DL, Prescott: Rohl was a First Team All-Conference pick as an offensive lineman and also a standout on the defensive front.

Keaton Wollan, RB/LB, Amery: A Wisconsin commit at linebacker, Wollan was an All-State selection last season. He also led the Warriors in rushing with more than 900 yards.

2026 Team Previews

1) Baldwin-Woodville made it to the state semifinals for a third straight year, where they’d fall to Winneconne after defeating the Wolves there in 2024. That success has bumped Baldwin-Woodville up to D3 this season via the WIAA’s Tournament Performance Factor. They’ll definitely be a factor in the Middle Border Conference race again, with 29 letterwinners back. “We hope to have a larger number of one-way players this year,” said head coach Dan Keefer. “Our kids have had one of the best off-seasons I have seen which gives us a shot at having a great year.” Five starters return on offense, led by standout quarterback Joe Jensen. Luke Janke is just a sophomore but ran for more than 500 yards and had over 250 receiving yards last season. Landon Peavey is an outstanding two-way lineman.

2) Osceola took a nice step forward last year, qualifying for the playoffs for the first time since 2021. They’d finish tied for second in the Middle Border Conference, but dropped three of the last four games, including a Level 2 contest against Aquinas. “For any team, our team identity will come with time, but we are excited for the versatility some of our players will bring to the table,” said veteran coach Scott Newton. “We have multiple guys that will be able to play multiple positions based on the skills they provide.” Five starters are back on offense and six on defense, including leading rusher Elliot Havlish.

3) Amery had a rough stretch in the middle of the season, losing four games in a row at one points. While they’d make the playoffs, the Warriors would fall to Aquinas in the first round of the playoffs 39-0. They’ll be one of the more experienced teams in the league this fall, with seven starters back on offense and eight on defense. “With another year of growth and maturity it will be interesting to see what these boys can do on the field,” said head coach Ryan Humpal. “Overall team speed and football IQ are going to be key components for us this fall, along with the competition that will be created in practice with many juniors and seniors on the roster. The big question mark will be if some players are ready to make the jump to not just being a rotational guy on Friday's to being the main starter every Friday and competing at a high level.” One player that will undoubtedly play at a high level is senior Keaton Wollan, who led the team in rushing last year and was an All-State linebacker, committing to Wisconsin in the off-season.

4) Altoona put together one of the best seasons in school history, as the Railroaders finished in a tie for second in the tough Middle Border Conference and not only qualified for the postseason, but won the first playoff game in program history, a 54-34 decision over Seymour. They’d go out to Winneconne the next week, but it was an excellent step forward for Altoona. “We are replacing a lot of starters, but replacing them with kids that are eager to play on the varsity level,” head coach Kellen Lager said. “We will be bigger along the offensive and defensive lines, but have to fill a lot of skill positions.” Receiver Owen Gunderson is a two-way standout, but the team brings back just three starters on offense and two on defense this fall.

5) Saint Croix Central saw a 17-year playoff streak come to an end last year, as the Panthers won the opening two non-conference games but then came up short in all seven conference contests. “We return a lot of experience form our 2025 team,” said head coach John Tackmann. “We were very young in 2025, with eight of the 22 starting spots last year being filled in by sophomores or freshman. We have been able to learn and grow from our experiences on the field in 2025 and many of those players have been great in their off-season commitment to the weight room as we prepare for the 2026 season.” Saint Croix Central returns seven starters on offense and eight on defense, with 30 letterwinners back. Sophomore Owen Matzek is back at quarterback, while junior Cohen Wester was the leading rusher a year ago.

6) Ellsworth made it to the postseason again, but after beating Osceola in Week 9, the Panthers would fall to the Chieftains a week later in the Level 1 playoffs. “Ellsworth will be looking to bounce back from a tough 5-5 season in 2025,” said head coach Rob Heller. “We have an eager bunch of incoming players eager to make their mark on the program. The kids are extremely hard working and willing to do what it takes to win on Friday nights. Ellsworth does lose a lot of experience from their strong senior class in 2025.” The Panthers return 24 letterwinners, but just four starters on offense and four on defense. Sawyer Van Horn is a standout on both sides of the ball.

7) Somerset opened the season with a 41-6 win over Bloomer, but there would be just one more victory the rest of the way, as they’d drop a few close games over the course of the year. Head coach Joe Hutter brings back four starters on offense and four on defense, along with 26 letterwinners. 1100-yard rusher Cal Skramstad graduates, but quarterback Kellen Donnelly is back at the quarterback position.

8) Prescott went 3-6 during the regular season, but it was enough to get the Cardinals into the playoffs. The stay was short, falling to Northwestern 67-20. Head coach Jordan Hansen brings back six starters on the both side of the ball this fall. “This should be the most depth we've had up front and this will be our biggest offensive/defensive line as a group that we've had since I've been here,” said Hansen. “We will still have speed at the skill positions but we lose most of our varsity offensive production from a year ago.” That includes dynamic athlete Kobe Russell, who led them in passing and rushing with more than 2000 total yards, as he’s off to North Dakota State.