Prep football top 10: Kimberly, St. Mary's Springs will be tough to beat again

With the start of the 2018 prep football season swiftly approaching, it’s time to start thinking about which teams will be the powerhouses contending for a trip to Madison in November.

Among the USA TODAY NETWORK markets in Wisconsin, here are the top 10 teams heading into the season with last year’s record and postseason achievement in parentheses.

10. Menasha (9-2, Division 2 second round): The Bluejays are just three seasons removed from winning a state title and are looking to get back to that peak.

Riley Zirpel was the second-leading rusher on the team a year ago and third-leading receiver and will be a top weapon in the Bay Conference, while Tyler Roehl also returns to the backfield after nearly 500 yards rushing and seven touchdowns. Cole Popp figures to step in at quarterback, while offensive linemen Alex Solak and Abe Elazazy each earned all-Bay Conference recognition last year.

The offense will be key for the Bluejays as they have to replace the core of a defense that registered three shutouts and allowed more than 21 points just once all season — the 31-28 double-overtime loss to Hartford in the second round of the playoffs.

9. Bay Port (11-1, Division 1 state quarterfinals): The two-time reigning Fox River Classic Conference champions were one of the highest-scoring teams in the state a year ago, but it will take a new crew to repeat that this year.

Bay Port graduated talented dual-threat quarterback Isaac Krause as well as leading receiver Cordell Tinch from an offense that scored at least 35 points in all but one game a year ago and topped the 55-point mark four times. However, in such a talent-rich program like Bay Port, finding the next group of stars is just standard procedure and the Pirates return 700-yard rusher Isaiah Gash.

The Pirates do have a pair of defensive standouts to build around in leading tackler Call Verlanic — a first-team all-conference linebacker — and defensive end Max Meeuwsen.

One thing that should help the Pirates is a generous opening schedule which has them playing Sheboygan North, Sheboygan South and Manitowoc in the first three weeks. Those teams combined to go 3-24 last season.

8. Stratford (8-3, Division 5 state quarterfinals): The Tigers featured a prolific offense last season and return some key figures from that unit as they take aim at regaining their spot as one of the top programs in the state.

Stratford scored at least 35 points seven times in 11 games a year ago and has eight starters return to the unit. First-team all-Marawood running back Kade Ehrike rushed for more than 1,000 yards and was also the team’s leading receiver and leads the offensive unit. Dylan Schoenherr, Ben Barten and Okley Wrensch lead a defense that held seven opponents to 10 points or less and registered a pair of shutouts.

The Tigers should get a good measuring stick in the first two weeks against perennial playoff qualifiers Spencer/Columbus Catholic and Antigo. However, the real measure of their season starts in October as they close the regular season against Marathon and Edgar before heading into the postseason.

7. Appleton North (9-3, Division 1 state semifinals): The Lightning has one of the league’s top returning offensive players in quarterback Carter Robinson and will need the senior signal-caller to have another big season.

Robinson threw for nearly 2,200 yards and threw just three interceptions in 238 attempts a year ago, but lost his top three targets from last year. Second-leading rusher Ian Laatsch, who was an honorable mention all-VFA South selection after totaling 744 yards and 11 touchdowns, also returns for the Lightning.

Appleton North’s offense was held to less than 21 points just once last season — the state semifinal loss to Kimberly — while scoring at least 40 points six times. If Robinson can adjust to his new crew of receivers, the Lightning could repeat those numbers and challenge Kimberly’s reign in the conference and the state.

6. Amherst (13-1, Division 5 state champion): The Falcons claimed their third straight state title last season and suffered their only loss to fellow state-title winner St. Mary's Springs.

However, this will be a different crew for coach Mark Lusic as the Falcons lost eight first-team all-conference performers and a senior-laden roster to graduation.

Josh Rieck was the third-leading rusher on the team last season and gained 119 yards in the state title game, while Isaac Premus was the team’s second-leading receiver. Both likely will take on bigger roles this season.

Amherst’s young squad will be tested right off the bat, opening the season with Division 3 playoff qualifier Merrill before a rematch with St. Mary’s Springs in Week 2.

5. Iola-Scandinavia (11-3, Division 6 state runner-up): There may be no team in the state returning more offensive firepower than the Thunderbirds, and after finishing second to St. Mary’s Springs last year, talk of winning a state title in 2018 isn’t out of the question.

Senior running back Bryce Huettner rushed for more than 2,800 yards — 213 of which came in the state title game against the Ledgers — and will be the focal point of an offense which scored at least 32 points in 10 of their 14 games last season. Huettner accounted for 35 offensive touchdowns last season.

Carter Kurki and Connor Kurki each rushed for more than 750 yards as well, while Connor Kurki also threw for 712 yards and 15 touchdowns. The Thunderbirds will have to replace two all-conference offensive linemen but have a leader up front in Kellan Wandtke. The defense also should be improved with five players who earned all-league recognition returning.

The Thunderbirds face a tough regular-season slate with road games at Marathon, Bonduel, Shiocton and Amherst but have the potential survive any of those hurdles and put together another deep postseason run.

4. Fond du Lac (9-3, Division 1 state quarterfinals): No team has come closer to ending Kimberly’s record-setting run over the past few years than the Cardinals, and this year may be when Fond du Lac gets over the hump.

Although Mike Gnewuch stepped away as head coach after last season, in steps Steve Jorgensen who is a proven winner and had been on Gnewuch’s staff. That means there will be little disruption in what the Cardinals have done over the past few years.

Fond du Lac will be anchored by a defense that returns three first-team all-VFA South selections in Ben Viau, Carson Raddatz and Drew Bonlander and an offensive line that features Andrew Stone, Luke Mueller, Joe Schlagenhaft and Riley Neal.

The Cardinals have to replace starting quarterback Jack Cole, leading rusher Colton Wasieleski and their whole group of receivers but should get speedy running back Eben Sauer back from injury to help spark the offense.

3. Edgar (11-1, Division 7 state quarterfinals): The Wildcats lost a heartbreaker to eventual state champion Bangor in the quarterfinals but are bringing back plenty of talent from last year’s squad and again should be one of the best teams in the state’s smallest division.

The team’s top three rushers from last year return in running backs Will Raatz and Ty Guden as well as quarterback Karson Butt, however, the Wildcats' biggest asset may be their defense. Edgar totaled 10 shutouts last season and allowed only 28 points total in 12 games and has Guden and Butt returning to the unit after earning first-team all-league honors.

The Wildcats have a pair of Division 5 playoff qualifiers on the schedule in nonconference road games at Mondovi and Laconia, however, Edgar’s toughest tests will likely come in Week 7 at home against Marathon and in the regular-season finale at Stratford.

2. St. Mary’s Springs (14-0, Division 6 state champion): The Ledgers have won state titles in three of the last four seasons and five of the last nine, and stopping this juggernaut will be difficult again this season.

Springs, under legendary coach Bob Hyland, returns the bulk of the roster from last year’s squad which outscored opponents by a whopping 552-66 margin and topped Iola-Scandinavia 35-12 in the state title game.

The lineup is littered with returning all-conference players, including two-way first-team selection Jake Schrauth on the offensive and defensive line. Quarterback Mitch Waechter and leading receiver Cade Christensen are back as well as running backs Marcus Orlandoni and Ezra Tucker, while Tucker, Waechter, Steve Hoepfner and Karlis Ozols lead the defense.

The Ledgers have not shied away from a tough nonconference schedule which includes Markesan, Amherst and Cedar Grove-Belgium, but if they can navigate those, it’s hard to think of a team that will beat them.

1. Kimberly (14-0, Division 1 state champion): Until someone can find a way to knock off the powerhouse Papermakers, they will continue their reign over Wisconsin high school football.

But this year’s edition of Steve Jones’ club will have something to prove.

The Papermakers graduated nine first-team all-VFA North performers from last year’s squad, including WFCA Offensive Player of the Year D.J. Stewart and WFCA Defensive Player of the Year Boyd Dietzen. Dietzen, who will play at Wisconsin, was also the defensive player of the year in the conference. Starting quarterback Alec Rosner and talented defensive back Nathan Endries were also lost to graduation.

Opponents also seem to have closed the gap a bit on Kimberly’s dominance. The Papermakers had four games decided by seven points or less last season — including both matchups against Week 1 foe Fond du Lac — which was double the number of such games in the previous four seasons. Kimberly also needed a 20-point second half to pull away from Sun Prairie in last year’s Division 1 state title game.

Yet, Kimberly is still Kimberly and it’s pretty safe to assume the talent pool hasn’t disappeared.

Leading receiver Zach Lechnir, who hauled in 45 catches and eight touchdowns a year ago, will be one of the staples on the offensive side of the ball, while headlining the defense will be linebacker Tristan Argall, who topped the team in tackles last season and was a unanimous first-team all-VFA North selection.

Surviving the opening week showdown against Fond du Lac would be a big hurdle to clear, but the toughest test for the Papermakers comes in late September. Kimberly must travel to Neenah and Appleton North on consecutive Friday nights and both teams provided a strong challenge last season.