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The WSN Team of the Week is back again for 2022. Voting is featured at the bottom of the article. Voting is open until Thursday at 4 p.m., so be sure to vote for who you feel is most deserving and spread the word (hint:  Social Media is a great way to do so). Users may vote once per day.

It was a battle of defending state champions and our very first Kwik Trip & Wisconsin Dairy Game of the Week for 2022, and the game did not disappoint. Catholic Memorial led early after Corey Smith took it 77 yards to the house, and held a 21-14 advantage at halftime. Franklin hung tough, and tied the game with just over six minutes remaining when Terrance Shelton went in for a short score. Catholic Memorial marched down the field and scored (with Franklin capitulating to ensure they got the ball back with a chance) on a short Corey Smith touchdown with 1:33 remaining in the game, going up 34-28. Franklin did get the ball back, but the CMH defense made sure they went backwards and the Crusaders held on for the win. Smith finished with 215 yards and four touchdowns on the ground to go with three catches for 35 yards.

Durand nipped old rival Spring Valley 22-21 to open the 2022 season, as Ryan Mason scored early in the fourth quarter and Dawson Hartung went in for the two-point conversion to put the Panthers ahead for good. It was a battle all night, with Spring Valley leading 7-6 at halftime. The Durand running game led the way, as both Mason and Hartung went for more than 100 yards, with the team finishing with 256 yards on the ground.

Kettle Moraine faded against Fond du Lac, watching the Cardinals rally from a 14-0, as Fondy pulled out a 28-20 victory. The Cardinals got two touchdowns in a span of just over a minute early in the final period, proving to be the difference. Fond du Lac had more than 400 yards of offense, led by quarterback Stephen Schreiter, who completed 16-of-24 passes for 286 yards and two touchdowns, with another short scoring run. Running back Brayden Eigenbrodt added 130 rushing yards and a score on the ground.

It is only fitting that the battle between last year's Big Rivers co-champions, Rice Lake and Menomonie, took two days to complete and came down to the final play. After starting on Thursday only to see weather postpone the remainder of the contest until Friday, Rice Lake held on for a 26-21 victory. With Menomonie on the five-yard line, Zach Orr intercepted a Mustang pass on the last play of the game to seal the deal. Both Max Nelson and Lucas Peters ran for more than 100 yards for Rice Lake.

Sauk Prairie entered 2022 with an 18-game losing streak that dated to the final game of the 2019 season, but the Eagles quickly put an end to that in one of Week 1's biggest upsets. Sauk Prairie went up 9-0 early and held on for a 23-13 victory over visiting Baraboo. Derek Hilden ran for 162 yards and two touchdowns, as Nolan Vils and Hayden Brice caused havoc up front on defense.

Travis Wilson serves as the WisSports.net General Manager, Football Editor, and contributing writer for other parts of the site. Wilson was selected as part of the Sports 40 Under 40 list by Coach & AD Magazine and the National High School Athletic Coaches Association for 2019. The Wisconsin Football Coaches Association (WFCA) named Travis the 2015 recipient of the Dave McClain Distinguished Service Award. He currently serves on the WFCA Executive Board and is a member of the Executive Board of the Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association. A graduate of Richland Center High School and Mount Mercy College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Travis was a three-sport athlete in high school (football, baseball, basketball), inducted to the Richland Center High School Hall of Fame in 2023, and currently resides in Reedsburg. You can follow him on Twitter at @travisWSN.

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.