Wisconsin High School Sports | Wisconsin Sports Network | WisSports.net

Many high school football standouts in Wisconsin go on to big things at the college level and in the pros, and this is our spot to recognize those athletes each week and help you keep up with what is going down on some of your favorite players from the past. If you have alumni news, please send it to Colton Wilson

In our weekly Watt watch, TJ proved again why he's the best defensive player in the NFL. The Pewaukee great dropped into coverage and got his first interception of the season in the Pittsburgh Steeler's 24-17 win over the Los Angeles Rams.

Ryan Ramczyck is in Year 7 of the NFL and closing in on 100 career starts, all with the New Orleans Saints. The Stevens Point great started game 95 this past weekend against the Jaguars, having just missed seven starts since his first in 2017.

Julius Davis never found his footing at Wisconsin, but appears to be doing so at Montana State. The Menomonee Falls grad carried the ball 12 times for 110 yards and a score in the Bobcat's 42-30 win over Sacramento State, including the highlight play above. On the season, Davis has rushed for 430 yards. averaging over 7.1 yards per carry, and finding the end zone three times.

Wisconsin needed a big fourth quarter comeback to take down Illinois 25-21 this past Saturday. The usual suspects were at it for the Badgers as Fond du Lac's Braelon Allen had 29 carries for 145 yards and a score. Defensively Muskego's Hunter Wohler again led the team with 13 tackles while Catholic Memorial's CJ Goetz had 10 tackles, a sack, a pass break up and quarterback hit. However, former Marquette University standout Riley Nowakowski recorded his first career reception for the Badgers. Kaukauna grad Gavin Lahm handled kickoff duties for his second game for Wisconsin.

In other Big Ten play, Dragan Kesich continues to be one of the top kickers in the nation for the Minnesota Gophers. The Oak Creek accounted for all 12 points for the Gophers in a 12-10 win over Iowa. Kesich went four of five on field goal attempts and hit from 28, 31, 43, and 44 yards. He was named the Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week for the second time this season. For the Hawkeyes, Neenah's Luke Elkin is the starting long snapper and Sun Prairie's Addison Ostrenga had his fourth career reception.

Davis Heinzen is just a sophomore at Central Michigan and has been a starter on the offensive line for two years. The Manitowoc Lincoln grad started his 20th collegiate game for the Chippewas in a 24-17 loss to Ball State.

Air Force is 7-0 and one of the better non-Power 5 football teams in the country. Caden Blum, a Baraboo alum switched from offense to defense this season for the Falcons and recorded his first career tackles and sack in a 17-6 win over Navy. University School's CJ Boyd also sees time in the Air Force secondary.

Kesich isn't the only kicker from the Badger State to win his second player of the week award this week. Shane Dunning has been exceptional for Drake. The Muskego grad proved to be the difference maker in the 25-20 win over San Diego. Dunning went four for four on field goals and one for one on PATs, connecting from 26, 37 and two 50-yard field goals. He also punted six times, landing three inside the 20. Dunning was named the Pioneer League Special Teams Player of the Week for the second time of the season.

Duluth squared off with Minot State this past weekend and won 42-7, holding Minot to 93 total yards and just nine first downs. The following group combined for 27 tackles, nine for loss, one sack, two forced fumbles, and one fumble recovery; Brad Dati (Brookfield East) Andrew Klopp (Baldwin-Woodville), Alex Sylvester (Bay Port), Brady Herbst (Superior), Zach Wallace (Burlington), Reed Ryan (Waunakee), Jacob Mogensen (Elkhorn), Mac Strand (Xavier), Drew Hennessey (Highland), Marcus Glodowski (Amherst) Luke Danielski (Kettle Moraine) and Jacob Kaszuba (Neenah). Burlington's Brian Konz returned a fumble 57 yards for a defensive touchdown.

On the opposite spectrum, Winona State rushed for 279 yards and six touchdowns in a 42-35 win over Sioux Falls. Leading up front for the Warriors is a trio of offensive lineman Jordan Haddad of Homestead, Jacob Leszczynski of Muskego and Mason Carnell of Arrowhead.

Southwest Minnesota State fell to Minnesota State-Moorhead 34-17, but a trio of alumni made plays for the Mustangs. SJNMA grad Donald Austin rushed for 80 yards and a score while Lakeside Lutheran alum Dustin Pampel caught five passes for 42 yards and a score. Defensively Avery Johnson of Lomira was a menace with six tackles, four for loss, three sacks and a forced fumble.

Jake Adams was all over the field in Northern State's 28-26 win over Wayne State. The Pulaski grad had 11 tackles and returned an interception 15 yards for a score in the win. He also broke up a pass that led to a teammate's interception in the fourth quarter. Adams was named the Northern Sun Defensive Player of the Week.

In non-Northern Sun, Division 2 action, Garritt Aissen was spectacular as he led Hillsdale to a 35-33 win over Thomas More. The Luxemburg-Casco grad completed 17 of 23 passes for 217 yards and four scores in the victory. Aissen added 24 yards on the ground.

UW Whitewater improved to 7-1 on the season after knocking off UW-Stout 37-20. Quarterback and Monona Grove grad Alec Ogden was sensational under center. Ogden threw for 280 yards and two scores and added 90 yards and two more touchdowns on the ground. He was named the WIAC Offensive Player of the Week. Defensively for the Warhawks, Lancaster's Caden Straka had a sack and a fumble recovery and Eau Claire Memorial's Tyson Harvey hauled in his first interception.

UW-Platteville won again 47-14 over UW-Eau Claire as Milton grad Zackary Bothun rushed for 110 yards on 19 carries. Mineral Point's Will Straka returned an interception for a touchdown while Wisconsin Lutheran's Brendan Lane intercepted his first ever ball.

Fourth-ranked UW-La Crosse squeaked out a 31-28 win over UW-Oshkosh this past weekend. Kicker Michael Stack made a 40-yard field goal and went four for four on PATs. The Oshkosh West grad also averaged 53.5 yards on six punts en route to being named the WIAC Special Teams Player of the Week. The Eagles rushed for 275 yards and had 478 total yards behind some strong offensive line play that includes starters Levi Liedke of Fond du Lac, Brendan Harder of D.C. Everest, Dain Walter of New Glarus and Noah Coleman of Wilmot.

Ripon handed Lake Forest its first loss of the season in a 12-0 low-scoring affair. For the Red Hawks, DeMarcus Conner of Belleville recorded his first collegiate catch. Defensively, Clay Ritschard of Argyle had ten tackles, a sack, and a forced fumble while Valder's Fletcher Dallas, Wausau West's Wes Schneider and Laconia's Jake Davies all had interceptions.

Rose-Hulman won a high scoring affair over Franklin 50-35 and a trio of Badger State alumni played a part for the Fightin' Engineers. Marshall Koch of Lourdes Academy had eight tackles and two for loss while both Wyatt Bell of River Falls and Connor Johansen of Onalaska each had three tackles.

St. Olaf fell to Augsburg 56-36, but a former Aquinas standout recorded a first in the loss. Will Skemp, a sophomore for the Oles, caught his first collegiate touchdown.

In other Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Association action, Isaac Simons continues to be a menace for Carleton College. The Lake Country Lutheran grad had a team high 12 tackles in the Knight's 42-21 win over St. Scholastica. Simons also tallied three tackles for loss, half a sack, a pass break up and a quarterback hit.

The Martin Luther Knights slugged out a 13-3 win over Crown College this past weekend. Jeremiah Stanton was a big reason why. The Watertown Luther prep grad had five tackles, but intercepted two balls and batted away two more. Stanton was named the NACC Defensive Player of the Week for his playmaking ability. Fox Valley Lutheran grad Ethan Melso also had an interception while Wisconsin Lutheran grad Micah Koschnitzke went two of three on field goal attempts.