A look at Friday night’s first round of WIAA football playoff games in Divisions 1, 2 and 3.
WIAA FOOTBALL PLAYOFFS
First Round
Division 2
(5) Menasha (6-3) at (4) Central (6-3)
WHEN: 7 p.m. Friday
WHERE: Veterans Memorial Field Sports Complex, UW-La Crosse
UP NEXT: (1) River Falls or (8) Beaver Dam on Oct. 31
NOTEWORTHY: Menasha–The Bluejays placed third in the FRCC-South, which was won by Green Bay Notre Dame. … Menasha won its last three games by a combined score of 131-35 and its losses came to teams with a combined 26-1 record. … Junior QB Paul Schmolinske (71-for-131-1,076 yards, 12 TDs-3 INTs) is also one of his team’s top rushers (98 carries-563 yards, 10 TDs). … Sophomore Keonte Thigpen (57-701, 12) has scored 9 TDs in Menasha’s past 3 games. … The Bluejays have won 13 playoff games since 2017; Central–The RiverHawks tied for the MVC championship and last won a first-round playoff game in 2023. … Senior QB Christian Rudrud has been difficult to stop all season and has 1,459 rushing yards and 21 TDs and 818 passing yards and 7 TDs. … Rudrud has rushed for 799 yards and scored 13 in the past 4 games. … Senior WR Connor Groth (29 catches-510 yards, 7 TDs) is where the team looks when it passes, but junior Gabe Servais (15-182, 1) has been a factor there, too. … Servais has also rushed for 419 yards and 5 TDs and passed for 302 yards and 1 TD.
(7) Nicolet (4-5) at (2) Holmen (8-1)
WHEN: 7 p.m. Friday
WHERE: Empire Stadium, Holmen
UP NEXT: (3) Union Grove or (6) Waukesha West on Oct. 31
NOTEWORTHY: Nicolet–The Knights had a 5-game losing streak in the middle of the season and placed fifth in the North Shore Conference. … Nicolet has 1 win over a team with a winning record. … Junior QB Nicholas Bongard (99-178-1,588, 17-8) and junior RB Conner McKenna (116-760, 7) make the offense go. … The Knights have 3 receivers with more than 20 receptions and 2 with more than 400 receiving yards. … The defense held 4 opponents to less than 10 points. … Nicolet has 1 playoff win in its history. … Holmen–The Vikings tied for the MVC championship and is in the playoffs for a 3rd straight year. … Holmen’s only loss is to Central in Week 8. … The Vikings average 280.9 rushing yards per game and scored more than 40 points 5 times. … Senior RBs Jack Barth (69-821, 10) and Eli Kane (90-727, 13) lead that rushing attack, which averages nearly 4 rushing TDs per game. … Senior Colin Williams (74-529, 9) is another running threat and had 4 TD passes and 366 passing yards. … Junior LB Mason Flury has a team-high 94 tackles and team-high 14 TFLs.
Division 3
(5) Wisconsin Lutheran (6-3) at (4) Logan (6-3)
WHEN: 7 p.m. Friday
WHERE: Swanson Field at Logan
UP NEXT: (1) Waukesha Catholic Memorial or (8) Jefferson on Oct. 31
NOTEWORTHY: WL–The Vikings placed third in the Woodland Conference, which was won by Grafton. … All 3 of Wisco’s loses are to playoff teams with a combined 21-6 record. … The Vikings have wins in their last 4 games (1 a forfeit). … Sophomore QB Jonah Sadler is the most productive offensive player with 620 passing yards and 9 TDs and 512 rushing yards and 10 TDs. … The Rangers will have to keep track of senior WR Nico Holtzman (17-341, 6). … Logan–The Rangers were 4th in the MVC and won 2 of their final 3 regular-season games. … All 3 losses were to playoff teams. … Senior RB Maxim Roberts (171-1,176, 16) has been a force all season, but he left the season finale vs. Holmen with an injury. … If he can’t play, it puts pressure on sophomore QB Tommy Check (168-774, 12) and could pump up the production needed from senior Jackson Bosch (25-140, 1). … If Check )36-69-611, 4-4) needs to pass, he’ll try to find senior WR Andrew Stanton (16-346, 3) for a big play. … Bosch leads the team with 63 tackles, and senior Ben Spears has a team-high 11 TFLs.
(7) Menomonie (4-5) at (2) Onalaska (7-2)
WHEN: 7 p.m. Friday
WHERE: Onalaska High School
UP NEXT: (3) Sauk Prairie or (6) Pewaukee on Oct. 31
NOTEWORTHY: Menomonie–The Mustangs are making their 47th straight playoff appearance and placed 6th in the Big Rivers Conference, which was won by Rice Lake and River Falls. … Menomonie lost the last 3 games of its regular season and scored 14 points or fewer 4 times this season. … The Mustangs are a run-heavy team and led by junior RB DJ Butler (109-752, 9) and senior RB Luke Pember (65-340, 6) while averaging 220.3 rushing yards per game; Onalaska–The Hilltoppers placed third in the MVC and have won 6 games in a row since losses to Holmen and Reedsburg. … Senior QB Ian Kowal (129-198-1,658, 18-3) has consistently been a top area performer this season, but expect Onalaska to lean more on junior RB Kaeson Stettler (115-602, 7) and senior RB Carson Zinnecker 59-342, 4) in this game. … Junior Brendan Chenault is a factor offensively (357 receiving yards, 3 TDs) and defensively with his speed and in coverage. … Senior DL Carson Campbell has 11 TFLs and 4 sacks. … Senior Jackson Egan (4 TD catches, 3 sacks) can also be a big factor on both sides of the ball.
