Franklin 23, CMH 20: Highlights from the Sabers’ victory
The Sabers defeated the Crusaders for the third straight season in Week 1. Here’s some of the highlights from the showdown between powers.
- Several intriguing high school football matchups are scheduled in Wisconsin before conference play begins.
- Neenah plays Arrowhead after a controversial win; Slinger and Lake Geneva Badger face off for the third time in a year.
- Sussex Hamilton plays Racine Case in a key test for both teams; Oak Creek and Muskego meet after contrasting Week 1 results.
- Nearby rivals Grafton and Port Washington play before becoming conference rivals next season.
As the two-week nonconference schedule winds down for high school football programs across the state, there’s some intriguing matchups before conference play kicks off next week.
One of the matchups this week includes two programs that played in two of the best contests last season around the greater Milwaukee area.
Here’s a look at five games to keep tabs on as the season moves into its second week, starting with a Fox Valley Association title contender looking to knock off a Classic Eight Conference contender for the second straight week.
(All games are at 7 p.m. Friday, Aug. 29 unless noted)
Neenah at Arrowhead
After surviving a 14-13 thriller that ended with some controversy in Week 1, Neenah will make an 87-mile journey to the Town of Merton and attempt to take down its second Classic 8 title contender in as many weeks. The Rockets will look to slow down what appears to be a high-powered Warhawks attack this season. Arrowhead put up 53 points in its season-opening victory over Marquette last week and looks poised to make a run at the Classic 8 title and potentially more. Neenah allowed 5.2 yards per carry against the rugged Muskego rushing attack last week and now it will prepare for Jacob Siner (117 yards, 1 TD) and an Arrowhead side that averaged just under seven yards per carry last week, along with Harper Hughes and Ryan Heiman, who caught a pair of touchdowns against Marquette from new quarterback Nolan Hanson.
Slinger at Lake Geneva Badger
For the third time in the last year, Lake Geneva Badger and Slinger will do battle in what promises to be another epic chapter in what’s become one of the must-see matchups in recent memory. In Week 2 of last season, Kaiden Rhymer stuffed Badger quarterback Matthew O’Grady on a two-point try with just over two minutes to play in a 35-33 classic and then with a trip to Camp Randall Stadium on the line in the Division 2 state semifinals, the two programs provided a sequel just as good as the original. The Owls squeaked past Badger on their way to the D2 state title with a 35-28 victory. Can the third act between these two well-coached programs best the previous two?
Sussex Hamilton at Racine Case
One of the more intriguing matchups this week pits Sussex Hamilton coming off an impressive three-touchdown victory over Kimberly last week against Racine Case. The Chargers got five total touchdowns from athlete of the week candidate Jacob Osmanski against the Papermakers, while the Case defense shut down and shut out Cedarburg in its season opener. This matchup feels like a great test for both programs as the conference slate draws near. Hamilton has dominated the Greater Metro Conference title scene in recent years, but the Chargers want to take that next step toward a bigger prize. Case is hell-bent on proving the 2024 season wasn’t a one-year thing and to show the area it is truly a program on the rise. Two programs with a chip on their shoulders? Sign us up for this one.
Oak Creek at Muskego
After passing his first test with flying colors last week in a 34-3 blowout of Waterford, former Badgers great Brian Calhoun will bring his Knights to Muskego for a showdown with a hungry Warriors side with a sour taste in its mouth after the conclusion of last week’s loss to Neenah on the road. Oak Creek got 211 combined yards on the ground from the sophomore duo of Jay Baylis-Hooker and Cayson Seabrooks, along with 97 yards through the air from wideout Doug Hamilton and a 58-yard touchdown from Max Hoagland. The Knights will need that balance and big-time playmaking offensively again, along with disciplined eyes and stern tackling efforts against the vaunted Wing-T offense from Muskego that tallied a run-pass ratio of 41:3 against Neenah.
Grafton at Port Washington
The two nearby rivals will square off again in nonconference play before they become true conference rivals next season in the newly-formed Glacier Trails Conference. Defending Woodland Conference champion Grafton will make the 11-minute journey to face off with Port Washington. The Black Hawks had one of the area’s best backfields last season and their new-look 1-2 punch got off to a solid start last week in a 24-7 win over Mount Horeb/Barneveld. Nicholas Schiller threw for 166 yards and two scores, both to leading receiver Tyler Deer (103 yards, 2 TDs), while new bell cow Jack Nelson toted the rock 28 times for 169 yards and a score. Grafton has won the last two meetings between these two rivals, including a 45-6 drubbing last season in Week 2.
Week 2 high school football schedule for the Milwaukee area
Thursday, Aug. 28
Racine Horlick vs. Milwaukee Hamilton at Pulaski Stadium (4:30 p.m.), Milwaukee Bradley Tech vs. Milwaukee Bay View at South Stadium (6 p.m.), Appleton North at Kenosha Bradford (6 p.m.), Westosha Central at Oregon, St. Thomas More at Saint Francis, Wauwatosa West at Waterford, Waukesha North at Waukesha West, Milwaukee Riverside at West Allis Hale, Racine Park at Greenfield, Sun Prairie West at Catholic Memorial, University School vs. Kingdom Prep Lutheran at Wisconsin Lutheran College, Obama SCTE vs. Milwaukee Pulaski at Pulaski Stadium.
Friday, Aug. 29
New Berlin West vs. Milwaukee Reagan at Pulaski Stadium (6 p.m.), Neenah at Arrowhead, Slinger at Badger, Madison West at Brookfield East, Cudahy at West Allis Central, Cedarburg at Elkhorn, Marquette University at Fond du Lac, Brookfield Central at Franklin, Hartford at Germantown, Cedar Grove-Belgium at Kenosha St. Joseph Catholic, Homestead at Kettle Moraine, Campbellsport at Kewaskum, Lake Country Lutheran at Lakeside Lutheran, Racine Lutheran at Martin Luther, Beaver Dam at Menomonee Falls, Kenosha Indian Trail at Middleton, Racine St. Catherine’s at Milwaukee Academy of Science, Sun Prairie East at Mukwonago, Oak Creek at Muskego, Whitnall at New Berlin Eisenhower, Milwaukee King at Nicolet, Greendale at Pewaukee, Wauwatosa East vs. Pius XI Catholic at Wisconsin Lutheran College, Grafton at Port Washington, Sussex Hamilton at Racine Case, West Bend East at Sheboygan North, Brookfield Academy at Shoreland Lutheran, South Milwaukee at Union Grove, Oconomowoc at Verona, Waukesha South at Watertown, Kettle Moraine Lutheran at Watertown Luther Prep, Kenosha Tremper at West Bend West, Wisconsin Lutheran at Whitefish Bay.
Saturday, Aug. 30
Brown Deer at Milwaukee Lutheran (1 p.m.).
