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Week 1 WisSports.net Football Coaches Poll

Please note, divisional placement in our poll is based on our Enrollment Projections done earlier this year. Divisional placement in the WIAA playoffs is not determined until after the season and these projections can and will be different than the divisions at the end of the year.

Not too much of a surprise, as Mukwonago, the top team in our WSN preseason rankings, begins the year number one in the Coaches Poll as well. Kimberly is second, followed by Bay Port and Muskego. Defending champion Franklin is fifth after a tough opening loss to Catholic Memorial. Neenah's impressive victory against De Pere catapulted the Rockets into the top ten to begin the year at number nine.

Another year, another season with Waunakee starting number one in the Division 2 WisSports.net Football Coaches Poll. Pat Rice's group is a fixture at the top, with new Badger-Large foe Sun Prairie East close behind in second. Homestead, Brookfield East, and Brookfield Central round out the top five. It was a rough week for the teams in our preseason D2 rankings, with seven of the 15 suffering losses in Week 1.

It was a competitive vote in Division 3, but Menasha earns the top spot in the Coaches Poll, slightly edging defending champion Pewaukee, Monroe, and Rice Lake. North Eastern Conference teams Fox Valley and Luxemburg-Casco hold down spot at the bottom of the top ten.

Division 4 is looking extremely tough once again, with lots of depth that goes beyond even the top ten teams. However, the clear top team in Division 4 (and maybe the state) is Catholic Memorial. The defending champion Crusaders defeated defending D1 champion Franklin in Week 1, as Corey Smith ran wild. Ellsworth, Columbus, Freedom, and Edgewood round out the top five.

Defending Division 5 state champion Aquinas begins the year atop the rankings, with runner-up Mayville second. Last year's D6 champion Colby is expected to move up to Division 5 this year, and the Hornets begin the year fifth. Perennial power Amherst is not in the rankings at all this week after losing in Week 1 to Clintonville, who is tied for tenth with Lancaster. Likewise, traditional standouts Lake Country Lutheran (shutout loss to Saint Mary's Springs) and Stratford (weather-shortened tie with Mosinee) are outside the rankings to begin 2022.

With defending champion Colby likely to move up to Division 5 this season, Saint Mary's Springs opens the year number one in Division 6 following a dominating win against Lake Country Lutheran in Week 1. Coleman, the runner-up in D7 last year, is second in Division 6 to open the season. Mondovi, Darlington, and Markesan round out the top five.

Last year's runner-up Coleman as well as perennial power Bangor are up in Division 6; defending champ Reedsville lost a ton from last year. And yet, Division 7 remains very strong at the top, with Regis the number one team despite losing two-way star Zander Rockow for the year before practices even started. Edgar is second, followed by Black Hawk/Warren (IL), Cashton, and Hurley in the top five.

No games have been played yet in 8-player, with action starting this week. Defending champion Newman Catholic is first to begin the season, with Saint Mary Catholic/Valley Christian second followed by Gilman, Luck, and Wabeno/Laona in the top five.

For the latest and most up to date football news and recruiting information, follow Travis on Twitter @travisWSN. Email story ideas, recruiting info, etc. to Travis at travis(at)wissports.net.