It is time to take a look at this week’s Bound Wisconsin Football Coaches Poll. Division assignment this year is based on official WIAA assignments released prior to the start of the season. For more information on the changes to division assignments and the new playoff system for this year, please visit here.
Division 1
Defending state champion Arrowhead begins the year as the top-ranked team in a very interesting Division 1 group. Bay Port is second, with Muskego, Hamilton, and West De Pere rounding out the top five. It is a bit wild to see Kenosha Bradford and Racine Case ranked, but traditional powers like Kimberly, Waunakee, Mukwonago, West De Pere, and Badger not in the poll after Week 1 losses. Neenah fell in overtime to Notre Dame but is the only ranked team with a loss. Oh by the way, after playing D2 #1 Notre Dame last week, the Rockets face D1 #1 Arrowhead this week.
Division 2
Notre Dame rallied to defeat Neenah in Week 1 and it led to the Tritons earning the top spot in the Bound Wisconsin Division 2 Coaches Poll. Monona Grove is second, followed by Homestead, Kaukauna, and New Richmond. Last season’s Division 3 state champion Grafton fell in a tight game to Mount Horeb/Barneveld but is ranked seventh this week.
Division 3
Catholic Memorial has loads of talent and a dominating win over Milwaukee Bradley Tech did nothing to dissuade people from thinking the Crusaders are the favorite in Division 3, as they are #1 in the poll. Pewaukee is second after a dominating win over Greendale. Mount Horeb/Barneveld, Whitefish Bay, and Reedsburg round out the top five.
Division 4
Freedom posted one of the most impressive wins of Week 1, shutting out a high-powered Lake Mills team 40-0. The Irish come in number one in the first Coaches Poll of the year. Last year’s runner-up Little Chute is second. Osceola was impressive in a win over Columbus, while West Salem also looked good in a victory against Onalaska. The teams are fourth and sixth this week, respectively.
Division 5
Darligton’s running clock victory over Saint Mary’s Springs solidified the Redbirds as the top-ranked team in Division 5. Defending state champion Mayville is second, followed by Grantsburg, Amherst, and Lake Country Lutheran in the top five.
Division 6
Cloverbelt rivals Mondovi and Regis are atop the rankings this week, with Edgar coming in at number three after a runner-up finish a year ago. Bonduel is second, with last season’s Division 7 state champion Kenosha St. Joseph fifth.
Division 7
With defending champion Kenosha St. Joseph elevated to Division 6 this year, Cochrane-Fountain City is the top-ranked team in D7 after finishing as the runner-up a year ago. Black Hawk/Warren is second, followed by Coleman, Lourdes Academy, and Boyceville in the top five.
8-Player
The 8-player season begins with defending champion McDonell up in 11-player, as last year’s runner-up Gilman opens at number one. Owen-Withee is second, followed by Belmont, North Crawford, and newcomer Assumption.
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].
