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
— New York Jets (@nyjets) September 15, 2024
The New York Jets got in the win column Sunday with a 24-17 victory over the Tennessee Titans thanks in large part to a pair of former Wisconsin high school football standouts.
Last week we mentioned that Fond du Lac grad Braelon Allen got his first touches in the NFL serving as the Jets backup running back. This week, the rookie 20-year old (insert 17-year old joke) found the end zone not once, but twice for his first professional scores.
Allen's teammate and Waukesha North grad Will McDonald IV may have had his coming out party with the Jets defense this weekend as well. The edge rusher had a career day, amassing four tackles, three sacks, three tackles for loss, and three quarterback hurries. The three sacks match his total in 15 games player last year.
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— New York Jets (@nyjets) September 16, 2024
Addison Ostrenga is in his junior season with Iowa and plays a position in which the Hawkeyes have produced some of the best in the NFL; tight end. The standout from Sun Prairie caught 31 balls last year for 192 yards and two scores. Saturday in 38-21 win over Troy, Ostrenga found the end zone again as he finished with five catches for nine yards.
— Hawkeye Football (@HawkeyeFootball) September 14, 2024
The Minnesota Gophers have a plethora of former standouts from the state on its roster. Tyler Cooper of Saint Croix Falls starts on the offensive line while Oak Creek's Dragan Kesich is the team's kicker.
This past week in a 27-0 win over Nevada, Slinger graduate Ashton Beers got his first career collegiate start. The sophomore suited up at right guard.
Chimere Dike spent four seasons with the home state Wisconsin Badgers, amassing 97 catches for 1,478 yards and nine touchdowns. The wide receiver out of Waukesha North now suits up for the Florida Gators and finally found the end zone Saturday in a 33-20 loss to Texas A&M. Dike caught six passes for 91 yards and the seven yard touchdown.
Donovan Hunt was a standout running back at Brookfield East, rushing for nearly 2,000 yards and 27 touchdowns during his senior season, including 227 yards and three touchdown's in the Spartan's 31-30 win over Waunakee in the 2019 Division 2 State Championship. Saturady, Hunt rushed for 48 yards on just three carries and a score in North Dakota's 52-28 win over Idaho State.
St. Thomas University rosters 15 players from the Badger State. True freshman Joseph Koch of Menomonee Falls saw extended action at running back in the Tommie's 24-14 win over Black Hills State over the weekend. Koch carried the ball 18 times for 95 yards and hauled in a catch in his first game action. Teammate Luke Schuler, a Kenosha St. Joseph grad, hauled in his first collegiate catch.
UNI squared off with the much larger Nebraska Cornhuskers and came away with a 34-3 loss. Appleton North grad Matthew Schecklman serves as the Panthers backup quarterback and saw action in the blowout loss. Schecklman completed his first career passes, going three for seven for 45 yards.
In sticking with the trend of career firsts, Stoughton's Ben Harman did just that in Illinois State's 51-34 win over Western Illinois. The true freshman defensive lineman recorded his first collegiate sack in the victory.
— NSIC (@NorthernSunConf) September 15, 2024
Minnesota State-Moorhead squared off with Division II, nineteenth ranked Duluth as many former high school football standouts from the state took the field.
Moorhead quarterback and Bloomer graduate Jack Strand was incredible as he led the Dragons to a 30-29 win over Duluth, the first time since 1999. Strand attempted a whopping 69 passes, completing 44 of those for 418 yards and four touchdowns, including the game-winner in the video above.
Strand's teammate and Fox Valley Lutheran grad Josiah Behm was impressive as well on the defensive side of the ball. He had seven tackles, three and a half for loss, and half a sack. Behm was named the Northern Sun Defensive Player of the Week.
Jake Adams is a tackling machine for Northern State. In Saturday's 17-14 loss to Minot State, the Pulaski alum had a career high 20 tackles, including two and a half for loss. Through three games, Adams has led his team in tackles each game, accumulating 36 tackles overall.
In other Northern Sun (NSIC) action, Winona State topped Concordia-St. Paul 31-14. For the Warriors, Martin Luther grad Sylvere Campbell caught eight passes for 136 yards. Through two games, Campbell has 13 catches for 266 yards and a score. Also for the Warriors, Colby's Brent Jeske led the defense with nine tackles.
For Concordia-St. Paul, Menomonie grad Reed Styer got his first career start at quarterback, finishing with 91 yards through the air. Notre Dame alum Daniel Hornacek had a rushing touchdown while Racine St. Catherine's Isaiah Wray got his first collegiate sack.
Lastly in the NSIC, Minnesota State-Mankato knocked off Wayne State 35-28 behind 334 yards on the ground. Starting up front on the offensive line are a pair of alumni, Nathan Gribble of West Salem and Colby Hartig of DeForest.
Hunter Buechel has had quite the first two weeks for Michigan Tech. The Lake Mills grad sealed the victory last week by knocking down the game-tying two-point conversion attempt in the Huskie's 52-50, four overtime thriller over South Dakota Mines.
This week Buechel continued his tear in Michigan Tech's 21-6 victory over Hillsdale. He had a team high seven tackles, two tackles for loss, a sack, and a forced fumble. Buechel was named the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Week. Teammate and Edgewood grad Chase Koch tied for the team lead with seven tackles, adding two tackles for loss and half a sack.
Shaquille Roman is one of thirteen Wisconsinites to suit up for the Upper Iowa football team. In Saturday's 17-10 loss to South Dakota Mines, the Beloit Memorial grad recorded his first career interception to go along with three tackles, and a tackle for loss.
Erik Lumpkin also recorded a first in his Division II college football career this past weekend in Bluefield State's 40-13 win over Emory & Henry. The Madison La Follette alum got his first sack in his junior season.
Argyle alum and Ripon linebacker Clay Ritschard
Clay Ritschard was a terror for the Grinnell offense on Saturday in Ripon's 23-19 victory. The Argyle grad led the Red Hawks defense, recording a career high 16 tackles including one for loss and recovering a fumble. Ritschard was named the Midwest Conference Defensive Player of the Week.
The Ripon defense also got huge plays on defense from a few other alumni. Wausau West grad Wes Schneider had seven tackles, one for loss, and an interception while Burlington's Gage Taylor had five tackles, two pass breakups, and an interception.
Bethel University secured a 49-3 win over Northwestern-St. Paul as a pair of alumni shined on each side of the ball. New Richmond grad Joey Kidder caught eight passes for 105 yards and a score for the Royals.
Defensively, Matt Jung of Neenah continued where he left off last season. Jung had seven interceptions last season, and this past weekend he had a team high five tackles, one and a half for loss, and two interceptions; bringing his career total to nine.
Though it was two weeks ago, the CCIW just announced its players of the week for the first two weeks of the year. Two Carroll University and former alumni took home honors.
Damon Loker, a Kimberly grad, had a team high 11 tackles, including one and a half for loss, and three quarterback hurries in the Pio's 28-16 win over UW-Stout. Loker was named the CCIW Defensive Player of the Week.
Teammate and Stevens Point grad Noah Steveler took home CCIW Special Teams Player of the Week for his performance in the same game. Streveler punted the ball seven times, averaging 44.7 yards per punt, and landing three inside the twenty yard line.
The WIAC was electric this past weekend in the second week of non-conference action.
Currently four teams (UW-Whitewater, UW-La Crosse, UW-River Falls, UW-Oshkosh) rank in the top 14 in the Division 3 rankings, with UW-Platteville receiving the most votes outside of the top 25.
UW-Oshkosh got the biggest win of the weekend as the Titans knocked off 21st ranked Linfield University 28-21, propelling Oshkosh to 14th in the rankings.
Offensively for the Oshkosh, Justice Lovelace of Kenosha Indian Trail had 23 carries for 136 yards and a score. AJ Korth of Menasha, Clayton Schwalbe of Waukesha North and Jon Mathieu of Sheboygan Falls all found the end zone as well.
Defensively, Curtis Jaskulke of Stoughton earned WIAC Defensive Player of the Week honors with five tackles, one and a half sacks, a forced fumble, and two quarterback hurries. Omro's Kyle Dietzen added an interception and Oshkosh North's Dayshawn Henry had a sack and a forced fumble.
UW-Stout knocked off Dickinson State 22-20 behind a handful of contributions from players from Wisconsin. Offensively quarterback and Lake Mills grad Adam Moen threw for 199 yards and two scores to lead the charge.
Medford's Blaine Seidl led the Blue Devils with 13 tackles and half a sack. Brooks Brewer of Menomonie and Gavin Goodman of Chippewa Falls each had an interception while Carter Fonger of Superior and Walker Beyerl of Mosinee each recorded sacks. Franklin's Luke Cool went three for four on field goals and one for one on extra points, scoring 13 points.
UW-Stevens Point secured a 24-3 win over St. Norbert. Cedarburg's Jake Leair threw for 140 yards and a score while Pacelli's Brycen Cashin and Racine Horlick's Miles Gallagher each scored touchdowns. Defensively, Lena's Josh Kristof recorded a sack while Two Rivers' alumni Zander Popp and Carson Van Ess each had and interception.
UW-Eau Claire came up just short in a 43-41 loss to Coe College on Saturday. Winneconne grad Harry Roubidouz completed 32 of 45 passes for 409 yards and six touchdowns, including one to former high school teammate Trey Fitzgerald. Bonduel's Isaac Garside hauled in eight catches for 143 yards and a score while Spring Valley's Nolan Stans had seven catches for 103 yards and three touchdowns.
Lastly in WIAC action, UW-Platteville took down Dubuque 38-7. Milton's Zackary Bothun carried the ball 24 times for 157 yards, adding a receiving score. Belleville's Trevor Syse caught six passes for 52 yards and his first career touchdown.
Tag(s): News Archive News Alumni Colton Wilson