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The WSN Team of the Week is back again for 2023. Voting is featured at the bottom of the article. Voting is open until Thursday at 2 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.

Homestead scored a big win to open the North Shore Conference season, holding off a late Slinger charge in a 24-21 victory. The Highlanders raced out to a 10-0 halftime lead and were up 24-7 early in the fourth quarter before Slinger scored twice to make it close. Homestead was able to hold on for the win, however. While they did score 24 points, the offense didn't produce huge numbers, with 218 yards, but they certainly made the plays when they needed to.

Kettle Moraine jumped out to a 7-0 first quarter lead that stretched to 27-0 in the fourth quarter and didn't really look back in a 27-13 win over D1 #2 Arrowhead on Friday in the Kwik Trip & Wisconsin Dairy Game of the Week. Jonathan Ksobiech had a hand in two first half touchdowns, one throwing and one rushing, and Jacob Eifert booted field goals of 37 and 48 yards in the game. The win will keep the defending Division 2 champions on top of the coaches poll this week and gives the Lasers a great start to the Classic Eight Conference schedule.

With less than a minute left in the game, Matt Steier found Ely Kohlman for a nine yard touchdown and Trent Roehrig booted through the extra point as New Holstein came back to defeat Valders 21-20. The game was back-and-forth the whole way, with neither team leading by more than one score at any time. Both Erick Burns and Brice Haendel reached the century mark on the ground for the Huskies, who are 3-0 on the year.

Pittsville will have plenty of tough games in the Marawood Conference, but so far the Panthers are 3-0 after a 60-16 victory over Assumption in a Marawood/CWC-Small crossover that counts in the standings for playoff qualification. Assumption led 3-0 in the first quarter, but Pittsville came roaring back with 52 unanswered points before halftime, including 44 points in the second quarter. Dawson Luther led a pretty balanced rushing attack with 164 yards and three touchdowns, while quarterback Jacob Hardinger completed all five of his passes for 165 yards and two scores.

Xavier split its non-conference games, losing to Luxemburg-Casco before a win against Fox Valley Lutheran in the Apple Bowl. Next up was a matchup against Freedom in a Bay/North Eastern crossover, which North Eastern teams dominated last season. At least in this one, it was all Bay Conference, with Xavier scoring a dominating 48-3 win over the D4 seventh-ranked Irish. The Hawks defense limited Freedom quarterback Drew Kortz to just 72 passing yards after he'd come in among state leaders, averaging more than 300 per game. The Xavier ground game pounded out 399 yards, with three different players going for at least 90 yards.

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.