PLAYOFF RANKINGS
1. West De Pere (9-0)
The defending WIAA Division 2 state champion makes its debut in the D1 field after being elevated in the offseason.
It responded by being the top team in the D1 matrix rankings, mostly dominating its opponents and winning a third straight Fox River Classic Conference-North title.
The Phantoms enter the postseason on a 23-game winning streak and will host Kimberly in the first round.
The Papermakers (6-4) haven’t been as good this season as recent years, but it’s still not your normal No. 8 seed. They started the season 0-3 but have won four of their last six.
2. Green Bay Notre Dame (9-0)
The Tritons lead the state in scoring with 56.8 points a contest and have scored 60 or more four times.
They earned a No. 1 seed in D2 and can make a title game for the third straight year after winning the D3 championship in 2024 and finishing runner-up in D2 in 2025.
The formula for success is established. Give the ball to running back Kingston Allen, have his blockers help open holes and watch him go.
Allen enters the postseason with 2,546 yards and 48 touchdowns.
Notre Dame hosts Germantown (4-5) in the first round. The Warhawks have allowed 35 or more points in three of the last four games and four times overall, which might not bode well for them.
3. Bay Port (8-1)
The Pirates are the only D1 local team to make a state title game. They have reached the big stage in each of the last two seasons and three times overall.
They lead the 32-team D1 field in scoring with 44.8 points per game and have the largest point differential at 34.9.
Bay Port has allowed 15 or fewer points in every contest except the 33 it permitted to West De Pere, a team it could meet in the state title game.
It will host No. 8 seed Wausau West (5-4) in the first round. The Warriors are 3-16 all-time in the postseason and have never advanced past the second round.
4. Pulaski (7-2)
Longtime coach Jerad Marsh has his team in the postseason for the 10th straight season, which continues to extend the program record.
The Red Raiders’ losses this season came against two of the best D1 teams in the state in West De Pere and Bay Port. They outscored their other seven opponents by a combined 270-71.
Pulaski won a playoff game last season for the first time since 2021, and it will be the favorite to do so again.
It hosts fellow FRCC-North member Ashwaubenon (5-4) in the opening round, a team it beat 35-0 in Week 5. It has won each of the last 11 meetings against the Jaguars.
5. De Pere (6-3)
The Redbirds have won three of their last four entering the D1 playoffs and have allowed 14 or fewer points five times.
They have won at least one postseason game in each of the last three seasons and advanced to the quarterfinals in 2025 for the first time since 2007.
A big run will be difficult this season.
The Redbirds are a No. 5 seed and will play at No. 4 Neenah (6-3) in the first round. If they pull off the upset, they likely will face Bay Port in the second round after losing to the Pirates by 37 points in Week 5.
6. Kewaunee (6-2)
The Storm is in the playoffs for the 13th straight season and has advanced to at least the second round in each of the last seven trips, including back-to-back semifinal appearances in 2022 and 2023.
It has been dominant since a 28-22 loss at Bonduel in Week 3, entering the D6 playoffs on a six-game winning streak. Kewaunee has scored 35 or more points and has allowed 14 or fewer in all six contests.
The Storm earned a No. 2 seed and host No. 7 Loyal/Greenwood (6-4) in the opening round, but looking way ahead, it could face Bonduel in a quarterfinal.
7. Coleman (7-2)
The Cougars are a No. 1 seed in D7, with their only losses coming against a Bonduel team that is a No. 1 seed in D6 and an Amherst squad that is a No. 1 seed in D5.
Even with those defeats, Coleman still has a winning record against teams over .500 and hopes to advance to the D7 title game for the first time since finishing runner-up in 2021.
It has made the quarterfinals three of the last four seasons, including each of the last two.
Coleman hosts No. 8 seed Manawa (3-6), and unless something has drastically changed the past few weeks, it probably won’t be close.
The Cougars beat the Wolves 51-12 in Week 8.
8. Luxemburg-Casco (6-3)
The Spartans have won four of five entering the D3 playoffs, with the only loss coming against a dominant Freedom team.
They are averaging 30.9 points per game this season behind an offense led by quarterback Eli Derenne.
The senior has thrown for 1,036 yards and seven TDs and rushed for 1,070 yards and 17 scores.
L-C hosts No. 5 Merrill (6-3) in the first round. The Bluejays have only beaten one winning team this season and are coming off a 21-14 loss at Wausau East in Week 9.
9. Wrightstown (4-5)
The Tigers are in the playoffs, but what’s new? They have qualified for the postseason each year since 1995, the longest active streak by any local team.
Wrightstown started the season 1-4 but got reasonably hot late, winning its final two games and three of its final four.
It was enough to land a No. 6 seed in D4, where it will play at No. 3 Fuller Collegiate Academy (7-3). It’s difficult to know how good the Lions are, considering five of their wins came via forfeit.
10. Ashwaubenon (5-4)
The Jaguars are making their 31st trip to the playoffs, but they haven’t found much success while there in recent years.
Ashwaubenon has lost in the opening round in each of its last nine trips and hasn’t been past the second round since 2006, when legendary coach Ken Golomski still roamed the sideline.
The Jaguars will have a difficult game to open the playoffs against a Pulaski squad they have not beaten since a 57-13 win in 2015.
11. Green Bay West (6-3)
There might not be a better story in the state than the Wildcats, who are in the playoffs for the first time in 30 years.
West has its most wins and points since 1996 and is making the program’s seventh appearance in the postseason.
It hasn’t won a game in the playoffs since 1994. Breaking that streak might be a little too much to ask.
The Wildcats play at No. 2 seed Medford (7-2), which has been in the playoffs each year since 2015 and reached the quarterfinals in 2024.
The Raiders have not lost since dropping the first two games of the season and have outscored opponents a combined 284-34 during their seven-game winning streak.
12. Seymour (5-4)
What’s the only thing better than having one playoff team led by a Marsh brother? Having two.
Like Jared Marsh with Pulaski, Jeff Marsh guided the Thunder to the D4 postseason in his first year after being promoted to head coach with the departure of Jason Bins to Denmark.
The Thunder finished the season with wins over New London and Shawano to clinch a playoff spot for the fourth straight season.
It won’t be easy to win a game as a No. 7 seed.
Seymour plays at No. 2 Stratford (8-1). The Tigers’ only loss has come against an undefeated Amherst team. They have one of the best defenses of any team in D4, allowing just 10.7 points per game.
13. Denmark (5-4)
Bins took over the Vikings in the offseason and led them to the D4 playoffs for the first time since 2022.
While they started the season 5-1, some of the most difficult games came at the end, and it showed.
Denmark is entering the postseason on a three-game losing streak, outscored by a combined 112-14 against Little Chute, Wrightstown and Luxemburg-Casco.
The Vikings haven’t beaten a winning team this season, and it’s unlikely that will change after getting a No. 8 seed and having to face No. 1 Little Chute in the first round.
The Mustangs beat the Vikings 49-0 in Week 7. They rushed for 351 yards, averaged 10.3 yards per carry and scored six TDs.
14. Crivitz (6-3)
The Wolverines have made the playoffs each season since 2017 and are in D7 for the fifth straight year after previously competing in D4, D5 and D6.
They earned a No. 4 seed and will host No. 5 Stevens Point Pacelli (6-4), hoping to reach the second round for the first time in nine years.
The Cardinals certainly aren’t entering the playoffs with momentum. They have lost their last three games by a combined 113-0.
15. Peshtigo (5-4)
The Bulldogs are back in the postseason for the second time in the last three years and are seeking their first playoff win since reaching the quarterfinals in 2009.
Like a few others in the playoffs, the Bulldogs won the games they needed to but couldn’t find a way to beat any winning teams.
Still, it was enough to earn a No. 5 seed in D5. Peshtigo is at No. 4 Chilton (5-4), which alternated between wins and losses during the entire second half of the season.
Players of the week
Kingston Allen, Green Bay Notre Dame
For those who grew up in the era of Tecmo Super Bowl, Allen is playing the part of Bo Jackson.
The senior running back had six carries against Sheboygan North to end the regular season and was tackled one time. He finished with 259 yards and five touchdowns.
He leads the state in rushing yards by 534 yards and has an opportunity to become the first player to twice rush for 3,000 yards in a season.
Wyatt Bieber, Coleman
The senior had a big day in a 35-13 win over Crivitz that helped the Cougars win a share of the Northwoods championship.
Bieber rushed 31 times for 227 yards and three touchdowns and had an interception on defense.
He has rushed for 924 yards and 14 TDs this season.
Blake Bortolini, Kewaunee
The senior had a dominating defensive day in a win over Oconto. He finished with 12 total tackles, including four for loss, and split a sack with teammate Landon LaTour.
Bortolini leads the Storm with 73 total tackles.
Keaton Dauk, Pulaski
He’s a state champion in track and field, but Dauk isn’t shabby in football.
The senior defensive back had two interceptions in a win over Appleton West and added two solo tackles.
He has three interceptions and 29 total tackles this season.
Andrew Greisen, West De Pere
The junior quarterback completed 15 of 17 passes for 192 yards and five TDs in a 45-0 win over Green Bay Preble.
He has enjoyed a big season in his first as the starter, throwing for 1,870 yards and 26 TDs with just three interceptions.
Kash Lowe, Green Bay West
The junior helped the Wildcats clinch a postseason berth by rushing 37 times for 258 yards and three TDs against Sheboygan South.
Lowe has been a standout all season, entering the playoffs with 989 yards and 13 scores.
Jackson Smith, Bay Port
The junior will be counted on to lead the Pirates’ rushing attack in the playoffs, and it appears he’s up for it.
Smith rushed for 161 yards and a TD against Ashwaubenon, caught two passes for 48 yards and two scores and returned a kickoff for an 88-yard TD.
This article originally appeared on Green Bay Press-Gazette: Ranking the 15 area high school football playoff teams, plus top performers for Week 9