Ashwaubenon's Hockers, Bay Port's Gauthier among top Week 9 high school football performers, plus our playoff rankings
PLAYOFF RANKINGS
1. Kewaunee (9-0)
Look poised for another deep run in the playoffs, this time as a No. 1 seed in Division 6 after making a semifinal in D5 last season.
The Storm is playing in D6 for the first time in 30 trips to the postseason and is averaging 43.3 points while allowing 9.1.
It hosts No. 8 Oconto in the first round.
Kewaunee beat Oconto 34-6 in a Packerland Conference game earlier this season, rushing for 234 yards and averaging 5.4 yards per carry.
2. Green Bay Notre Dame (8-1)
The Tritons reached the D3 quarterfinals as a No. 7 seed last season, so it would be difficult to blame them for having even bigger goals this season as a No. 2.
They dominated on their way to a Fox River Classic Conference-South title, with their only loss coming in a nonconference game in Week 2 against a Waunakee squad ranked No. 2 in D2.
The rushing attack remains key for Notre Dame. It is averaging 279.4 yards per game on the ground while led by Christian Collins (1,605 yards) and Ian Blom (599 yards).
A familiar face awaits in the first round with a date against No. 7 Ashwaubenon on Friday.
The two were members of the same conference and played each year before the FRCC split into two divisions in 2021.
Notre Dame lost 34-13 to Ashwaubenon the last time the teams met in 2019, although that doesn’t mean much since the current players were in middle school at the time.
3. Bay Port (7-2)
The Pirates repeated as FRCC-North champions with a win over West De Pere in Week 9 and enter the playoffs on a seven-game winning streak.
Their losses came to Middleton (8-1) and defending D1 state champion Kimberly (7-1) by a combined nine points, but they still received a No. 3 seed in D1 and potentially one home game.
Bay Port hosts Milwaukee Riverside (4-5) in the first round and hopes to have quarterback Carter Kallies in the lineup. The senior was injured toward the end of the West De Pere game with an AC joint issue, but he said afterward he planned to be ready for this week.
4. West De Pere (7-2)
Phantoms coach Chris Greisen wasn’t pleased with the No. 4 seed his team was given in D2 despite its only losses coming to Kaukauna and Bay Port.
Perhaps he can use it as another motivational tool for his team after it was given a No. 3 seed last season and advanced to the state title game.
West De Pere hosts No. 5 Menomonee Falls (6-3) in the first round, with the winner likely facing No. 1 Kaukauna in the second round.
The Phantoms are averaging 36.3 points and allowed 14 or fewer to every team except Kaukauna and Bay Port.
Menomonee Falls has similar numbers on offense, averaging 33.3 points, but it has allowed 20 or more points six times and 35 or more four times.
5. Luxemburg-Casco (8-1)
The Spartans finished two games better than every team in the North Eastern Conference, which was good for a No. 2 seed in D4.
L-C always was going to be a dangerous team with the return of senior quarterback Max Ronsman after his junior season ended midway through because of an injury.
Ronsman has been the catalyst for an offense averaging 34.7 points and 395 yards per game, while the defense has allowed 14 or fewer points six times.
The Spartans host a familiar opponent in the first round in No. 7 seed and fellow NEC member Little Chute (5-4). The first game went to the Spartans in a 35-14 win that sent Little Chute on a four-game losing streak.
6. Southern Door (8-1)
Earned a No. 2 seed with another strong season, its only blemish coming in a loss at Kewaunee.
The Eagles rebounded from the defeat with a 28-14 win over Sturgeon Bay in Week 9 and will host a Tomahawk team in the first round that has been leaky on defense at times this season.
Southern Door has rushed for 2,023 yards and 31 TDs and is averaging 33.2 points. It is in the playoffs for the fourth straight year and advanced to the quarterfinals last season.
7. Wrightstown (7-2)
The Tigers’ only two losses came against Appleton Xavier (Bay Conference champion) and Luxemburg-Casco (North Eastern champion).
The offense hasn’t exactly been dynamic for most of the season, with the team scoring 20 or fewer points five times the last six games. The good news is the defense has allowed 16 or fewer in all but one game in 2023.
Wrightstown has made the playoffs each season since 1995 and has won at least one postseason game in eight of the last nine years.
It earned a No. 3 seed in D5 and hosts Sturgeon Bay in a first-round game Friday.
8. Oconto Falls (9-2)
The Panthers won the Northwoods Conference with a perfect 7-0 mark and are a No. 3 seed in the D4 playoffs.
Oconto Falls was the largest school in the Northwoods, but now is No. 13 out of 32 schools in the D4 bracket.
It hosts a Somerset (4-5) team in the opening round that reached the playoffs with a must-win 48-8 victory over Osceola on Friday, but Somerset hasn’t won a playoff game since 2018 after a run that included winning D4 state titles in 2012 and 2014.
The Panthers have made the playoffs each of the last four seasons but are seeking their first postseason win in 26 years, which came when they won the D3 state title in 1997.
9. Pulaski (5-4)
Started the season 1-4 but enter the playoffs on a four-game winning streak in which it has outscored opponents 165-41 while scoring 42 or more points in each of the last three games.
The Red Raiders are in the postseason for the seventh straight year and have advanced to at least the second round in seven of their last eight appearances since 2011.
Pulaski is a No. 7 seed and has a difficult matchup in the first round with No. 2 Mequon Homestead (8-1).
Homestead has allowed 16 or fewer points in seven of its nine games and hasn’t permitted more than 21 in any contest.
10. De Pere (4-5)
The Redbirds have made the playoffs in each of Ben Strickland’s two years as coach.
They won four of their last six games to qualify this season, with the defeats coming to the two best teams in the FRCC-North in West De Pere and Bay Port.
De Pere draws an interesting matchup in the first round with Milwaukee Marshall, a No. 1 seed despite not being considered among the 10 best teams in the state in D1.
Marshall (6-2) finished second in the Milwaukee City-Richardson Conference and enters on a five-game winning streak, but if there is big upset in the opening round, this could be it.
11. Coleman (9-2)
The Cougars have won three straight since a loss to Oconto Falls in September and are averaging 30 points this season.
Coleman’s running game remains dominant despite the loss of several top players from last season. The team has rushed for 3,105 yards and 40 TDs and is led by Brady Gross (1,275), Micah Kuchta (657) and Kolton Peters (501).
The fifth-seeded Cougars play at No. 4 Luther (6-3) in a D6 opener featuring the two smallest schools in the division.
12. Sturgeon Bay (5-4)
A return to 11-man football in 2022 has been a success for the Clippers, who made the postseason for a second straight year since the move back up.
Sturgeon Bay is 4-2 in its last six games, with its only two defeats during that span against Kewaunee and Southern Door.
The sixth-seeded Clippers haven’t won a playoff game since 2012, and it won’t be easy to end the drought against Wrightstown.
13. Ashwaubenon (3-6)
The Jaguars are back in the playoffs as a No. 7 seed after missing out last season and despite losing three of their last four.
The offense has been held to six or fewer points in three of those games, although it did put up 41 points in Week 8 against Sheboygan South.
Ashwaubenon will have a difficult test against Notre Dame, which has scored 35 or more points eight times.
14. Oconto (4-5)
The Blue Devils earned a spot in the D6 playoffs as a No. 8 seed despite a losing record in conference play.
They are seeking the program’s first postseason win since 2008, although drawing Kewaunee in the opening round likely won’t do them any favors.
Oconto started the season 4-2 but has lost three of its last four and has allowed 40 or more points in two of the defeats.
Any chance to pull an upset against the Storm will come through a running game averaging 215.9 yards a contest.
15. Seymour (3-6)
The Thunder faced a must-win against Shawano in Week 9 just to have a chance to make the playoffs. It beat the Hawks 36-0 on Friday and learned Saturday morning it was headed back to the postseason as a No. 8 seed after missing out the last two years.
Seymour is riding a two-game winning streak in which it outscored Waupaca and Shawano by a combined 70-0, but the offense scored no more than 16 points in any of the first seven games.
A lack of offense could be a problem against a top-seeded Mount Horeb/Barneveld team that outscored opponents 378-167 while going 9-0 in the regular season.
PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
Mason Bunnell, Seymour
Rushed 13 times for 130 yards and one touchdown and had six tackles against Shawano.
It was the junior running back’s first career 100-yard game.
Derrick Bunkelman, De Pere
The senior linebacker celebrated his verbal commitment to Drake by making 20 tackles in a win over Ashwaubenon and helping the Redbirds clinch a playoff spot.
Bunkelman has 113 total tackles this season.
Easton Hockers, Ashwaubenon
The senior linebacker had eight tackles, one sack and a forced fumble against De Pere.
Hockers has 64 total tackles, including 13 for loss, four sacks and two forced fumbles this season. He’s had three sacks the last two games.
Landon Gauthier, Bay Port
The University of Wisconsin recruit and senior standout linebacker had 11 total tackles and two sacks in a big win over West De Pere.
It was the third time this season he has registered 11 or more tackles and the second time he has had multiple sacks despite missing the first two games with an injury.
Andrew Baumgart, West De Pere
The senior had six carries for 96 yards and two TDs against Bay Port while adding seven tackles on defense.
Baumgart has 10 rushing TDs this season, including seven in the last four games.
Braxton Murphy, Green Bay Southwest
The junior rushed four times for 37 yards, caught six passes for 96 yards and made nine tackles in a loss to Menasha.
Murphy has 72 combined tackles and four interceptions this season.
Christian Collins, Green Bay Notre Dame
The junior rushed for 242 yards and four TDs in a win over Manitowoc, the fourth time this season he has run for 200 or more yards and the seventh time he has scored at least three TDs.
Micah Kuchta, Coleman
Rushed for 247 yards and six TDs on just nine carries against Crandon while finishing with 10 total tackles.
The junior quarterback-linebacker has rushed for 657 yards and 20 TDs on 62 attempts and has made 62 tackles.
Owen Carlson, Kewaunee
Had a dominant night in a win over Peshtigo, finishing with 235 rushing yards and five TDs while averaging 19.6 yards per carry.
The senior is second in the state in rushing scores with 31 and third with 1,671 yards.
Zack Lynch, Southern Door
Had five tackles and an interception and rushed 31 times for a career-high 307 yards and three TDs against Sturgeon Bay.
Lynch has rushed for 2,580 yards and 41 TDs in his career.
Patrick Haese, Sturgeon Bay
The junior caught nine passes for 140 yards and two scores against Southern Door.
It was the fifth time this season he has topped the century mark. He enters the playoffs with 49 catches for 783 yards and seven scores.
This article originally appeared on Green Bay Press-Gazette: Ranking the Green Bay area WIAA high school football playoff teams
