THE 1980’S GREATS...PART 1

As the decade of the 1980’s opened both the WIAA and WISSA were making changes to the post-season.  Under pressure from schools/coaches/media the two organizations were listening and they began to slowly expand playoff participation.  Some schools were also reaching national recognition in polls like the weekly USA Super-25.  There were, of course, some minor rule changes as well as equipment improvements but the big change was a growing threat to the sport…soccer.  Parents, concerned with potential injuries to their young child, looked for alternative activities.  Yes, some schools had started the sport in the 1970’s but it expanded in the 1980’s and now some football coaches were seeing participation numbers begin to dwindle.  In 1982 the WIAA moved the title games to UW-Madison’s Camp Randall Stadium after playing Championships at various locations around the state.

There were some great coaches, players and teams that came out of this decade.  So, with that here are the top teams:

                                  THE TOP TEAMS               

                            HONORABLE MENTION

1980/81 Mosinee… Besides winning the D-4 titles going 12-0 and 11-0 in consecutive years the Indians was the runner-up in 1983 (10-1).  1980/81 Cashton…Strong offenses and super defense’s (19 shutouts in 20 games.  D-6 state champion in 1981.  1989 Marinette set a then state record 567 points on the season, led by quarterback/defensive back Jeff Messinger as they won the D-2 title.  1980/81 Two Rivers…D-3 champ in 1980 (11-0) and followed up with the D-3 title in 1981 (10-2).  1986 Milton…Running back Mike Saunders took the Red Hawks to a 13-0 season and the D-3 title.  1985/86 Westby… (11-1 in both seasons as they won the D-4 title each year.  1988 Beloit Turner…1987 D-4 runner-up (10-3) and champions in 1988 (11-2) behind the running/scoring of Shawn Nicholson.  1982/83 Grafton…12-0 in ’82 and 11-1 in ’83, led by multi-position player Tim Fullington.  1983/84 DeSoto…D-6 champions 11-1 and 12-1 as well as D-5 runner-up in 1985 (11-1). 

Finally, 1984/85 Manawa…D-5 champion in 1985 (13-0).  They lost in the 1984 semi-finals 27-24 to Peshtigo after posting 10 consecutive shut- outs to start the season (10-1).  The WIAA pages of Football Championship Games has the Wolves listed for the 1985 championship as 11-0 but they really were 13-0 with 6 shutouts and allowing only 47 points. A small school, with about 250 students, Manawa usually matched up with some bigger schools and coach Bob Lieberman took his career 213-76-5 career record to the WFCA HOF.

                                          THE TOP 10

                               #10 1986 Monroe (12-0)

The Cheesemakers handled New Berlin Eisenhower in the finals, winning 28-7.  Defense was their keystone all season allowing only four points per game.  The title game was delayed from a Thursday 6pm start to a Monday day game as the weather was deemed too cold to play.  The wind chill at game time on Thursday was a minus-1 and it was nearly as cold in the Westby 29-7 win over Stanley-Boyd.  Monroe came up with 31 opponents’ turnovers during the season as Coach Pat Martin preached defense.  They held Eisenhower to only 2-yards rushing on 35 carries in the title game.

         #9 Tie 1981 and 1989 D.C. Everest (11-1 each season)

The 1981 Evergreens crushed Madison West 38-6 to take the D-1 title game.  Their lone loss on the season was early to Stevens Point, 6-0 and they still won the Wisconsin Valley Conference title.  A 20-7 victor over Waukesha South in the 1989 title game after playing in 2 inches of snow the week before as Everest beat Appleton West 14-13.  Despite another early season loss, this time to conference foe Antigo in a tough 22-19 battle they made it to the D-1 title3.  Coach Wayne Steffenhagen would win the 1983 D-1 title as well.

                                #8 1986 Stratford (12-0)

Yes, a small school makes the Top 10.  Coach Tom Knauf took his Tigers to the D-5 title backed by 10 shutouts in 12 games, including the 13-0 title game win over three-time champion De Soto.  The Pirates came into the championship game having scored 478 points in 11 games only to be shutdown.  With the 10 shutouts the Tigers only gave up 13 points all year. This was the first of the 10 titles the school would win through 2024.

              #7 1985 Milwaukee Marquette Academy (12-0)

In his 14th year of coaching the Fighting Hilltoppers Dick Basham had his first undefeated season and his third (1975, 1982 and 1985) WISAA Class A title.  Winning the Metro Conference title, Marquette, like other above listed champions, played tough defense allowing only 45 points all year and having six shutouts.  Only Whitefish Bay Dominican was able to score double digits (12 points) on the Hilltoppers.  The team defeated Waukesha Memorial twice, once in the regular season and then first round of the playoffs.  After beating Memorial in a classic semi-final battle Marquette was matched up with Fond du Lac St. Mary’s Springs and won 7-0.  Backed by three first team all-state players…defensive back Chris Wagner, quarterback Dan Novotny and defensive end Tim Williams, Marquette beat Green Bay Premontre 21-7 to win the state title.

             #6 1983 Fond du Lac St. Mary’s Springs (13-0)

In 1976 Springs made their first attempt to win the WISSA title but they were defeated by Waukesha Memorial 28-6.  They lost to Thomas More in both 1977 and 1978 and the to Green Bay Premontre in 1979. Four times a bridesmaid with several of those title losses spoiling an undefeated season.  The Ledgers won a convincing 31-0 game over La Crosse Aquinas.  The win took the monkey off the back of coach Bob Hyland and his players.  The future HOF coach had been working hard since he took over the program in 1971.  This would be the first of eight WISAA titles over the next 16 years and they never lost a championship game until 2003, four years after they joined the WIAA.

                              #5 1982 Antigo (13-0)

1982 would be the Red Robins third state title under the direction of Gordon Schofield.  In 1976 it was a close 6-0 final score over Racine Horlick and in 1978 it was also close as they beat Madison Memorial 21-14.  The 1982 title game was close at half time as Cudahy was ahead 7-3 but three second half scores led to an Antigo 20-7 victory.  Battling through a series of injuries Antigo was still able to average 400+ yards per game on offense and allow only about 165 yards a game for the opposition.  This was not a big sized team as most of the starters weighed between 175-190.  What they lacked in size they made up with heart and determination. 

                     #4 1980 Kenosha Tremper (11-0)

The defending 1979 D-1 champion repeated in 1980 by beating Wisconsin Rapids 19-6.  Having been put into the Milwaukee Conference coach Ron Davies Trojan’s eased through seven conference games and was again undefeated in the regular season.  Many starters were pulled after three quarters.  In a 41-7 route of Milwaukee South Davies pulled his starters mid-way through the second period otherwise the score may have been 81-7.  Hence, there were no 1,000-yard rushers and all- state quarterback Mark Hujik barely tossed for 900-yards, yet the talent shown through as three other players made all-state mention.

               #3 1987 Milwaukee Marquette Academy

You might ask “How good was Marquette in the 1980’s”? and I will respond by saying that the Fighting Hilltoppers posted the best D-1 record of the decade.  The school, under Dick Basham posted a 93-15 record, won four WISAA championships, five Metro Conference titles and finished in second place in the Metro three times.  True, they only had one all-state player and that was punter Al Kasun but they garnered 13 spots on the Milwaukee Journal and Sentinel all-metro teams with several players getting mention on both sides of the ball.  Except for a 40-7 season opener smashing of De Pere Pennings and a 35-0 flogging of Milwaukee Pius the team didn’t score a lot of points, only 286 on the year for an average of 23.0 points per game.  Only two opponents scored in double digits against the team.  14 by Waukesha Memorial in a 17-14 conference game and in a 26-21 victory over Chippewa falls Mc Donell for the title.  Yes, Mc Donell had a three times smaller student population, than Marquette but they did something most other teams around the state didn’t do and that was to throw the ball often and well.  In the title game the usually tough Highlander pass defense did give up 218 yards through the air but they picked off three of the Macks 53 passing attempts.  The Marquette Fighting Hilltoppers were truly a team that played well together and won.

                            #2 1983 D.C. Everest (13-0)

Everest again reached the top in D-1 by blowing out many opponents and going undefeated.   The Evergreens had a high-powered offense scoring 486 points to go along with a tough defense that allowed 123 points.  Quarterback Brian Owen passed 162-111-7-1,609-16 and ran 106-587-5.5-7. The running game was led by halfback Mark Tughkowski with 169-1,101-6.5-13 and fullback Steve Zagerbacki with 180-1,029-5.7-14. All-state defensive back Paul Gauerke intercepted 10 passes and on offense led the team in receiving with 53-738-13.9-7.  Coach Steffenhagen’s teams posted a sterling 84-22 record during the decade and the 1983 squad was clearly his best. With a 24-game, three-season win streak and a #19 ranking in the USA Today National Poll on the line, all would be lost on October 30, 1984, when Appleton West (10-0) beat the Evergreens 7-3 in the opening round of the playoffs.

              #1 1984-86 Manitowoc (12-0 each season)

Three consecutive D-1 titles, a 39-game win streak (As part of a then state record 48 consecutive wins 1983-87) and teams that were known for tough defense and having a number of all-state (13) players over the three years.  In 1984 the Shipbuilders posted seven shutouts and allowed only 36 points while scoring 329.  The 1985 team intercepted 33 passes, recovered 14 fumbles and allowed 64 points while scoring only 274 points.  In 1986 the offense came to life and scored 398 points and all the while the defense gave up 133 points.  They were tough when needed.  Surprisingly, after five games (Mid-October) in 1986 undefeated Fond du Lac was rated #16 in the USA Today National Poll but Manitowoc was missing from the list.  A 40-26 loss to Manitowoc dropped Fondy from the poll.  The Shipbuilders, for some reason, entered the poll only at the 21st spot. They stayed at #21 for several weeks before moving up to #19 in mid-November where they finished the year.  HOF coach Ron Rubick and his staff did a masterful job in keeping their players focused and the 48-game win streak would be the tops until the great Kimberly 70-game streak, 2013-17.

The next blog will have the top game, the top coach and the top players of the 1980’s.

NEW INFORMATION

I’m working hard on a different story but in this edition, I’d like to pass on some, what I feel, is important news.

ON THE 8-PLAYER FRONT:

Last week, on January 17, Travis Wilson at WISSPORTS reported a mass realignment of 11-player football only conferences that is sure to have some schools protesting.  The WIAA Conference Realignment Task Forcer had released their new proposal the day before.  It was noted in his story that the 8-player realignment had been released back on December 10 and so far, there had been no protests.  Now dated January 16, if you haven’t seen it I present it here:

To me, the 8-player proposal appears to be quite balanced.  The 11-player is too expansive to present but if you are interested, check it out at: WIAA Conference Realignment Task Force amends 2026 football-only proposals

Also, on the 8-player front, back on January 6, MaxPreps released their own updated national 8-man/player career record book.  There are a few Wisconsin players listed in the records but the overall list is statistically speaking, impressive…Career records added to MaxPreps 8-man football record book

The records are a combination of stats reported to the NFSA (National Federation of State High School Associations) and posted on MaxPreps.  There are a few Wisconsin schools that post on both web sites and I first, encourage all 8-player coaches to post their weekly stats on WisSports and fill in as much information as possible.  It helps me with adding stats to the state record book.  Secondly, look into posting the team/player stats on MaxPreps.  It’s simple to use and just takes a moment.  It’s cool to see where your players rank nationally plus it gives a wider recruiting reach. Several Wisconsin players would have ranked highly on the 2024 season leaders as I mentioned in my December 30th story…2024 RECORD BOOKS UPDATES

As I said back in December, I have made some changes to the 8-player state record book.  One of the additions is a “All-Time” 8-player team won/loss posting and an “All-Time” 8-player coaching record.  Hope you like it when I’m finished with updating the file.

11-Player Info

Having previously mentioning the WIAA Playoff Task Force Matrix there is another update from WisSports and a potential vote this week (February 2-8, 2024) to have additional impact on football playoffs…WFCA's Wisconsin Football Playoff Matrix continuing through process, big test next week.  Things are going to change and hopefully for the better with the coaches impute.

In past stories I’ve mentioned that Kevin Askeland writes a historical blog when not reporting on MaxPreps.  He spends a lot of time researching national schools… Archive - High School Sports History (This leads to the entire listing of stories).  There are several early stories covering the history of national high school football polls.  Ne next moved on to the 1944 and 1945 All-America team as well as his top 50- teams for those two seasons and then he dropped back to 1917 before starting with 1958 and moving each year back.  His latest story was released on January 25 with the 1950 teams… Archive - High School Sports History (This leads directly to 1950).

In the past Wisconsin had a team that ranked fairly low on the yearly national poll but for 1950, Kenosha High School is ranked #15.  Because Kevin Askeland does really in-depth research that takes out of his pocket expenses he asks for donations or you can get it free.  It’s up to you but look at his fine work.  He goes the extra mile.

 Not to beat a “dead horse” but there is more on Milton GA football.  As I wrote in the last two stories about NIL, several Wisconsin 2025 players have transferred/moved to Milton GA.  On January 23 a current 2027 sophomore quarterback, Derrick Baker from national powerhouse Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas High School, the Florida 2024 Class 5A Champion has also transferred…2027 QB Derrick Baker transfers from St. Thomas Aquinas (Florida) to Milton (Georgia)  St. Thomas has won 16 state titles since 1992 and is consistently ranked in the national top-25 polls.  Baker’s comments as to why he’s transferring seems questionable…he wants to win more championships.  I don’t know how many returning players there are at. St. Thomas but since they have won six consecutive state titles (2019-2024) there’s a good chance the school has many returning stars in 2025.

So, why the moves to Milton?  I’m not sure. 

Following up on the second NIL story, I mentioned Julien Lewis, the quarterback from Carrollton GA.  He had made the Sports Illustrated 2024 All-Georgia and their All-America team teams and he graduated early.  Well, it seems that Deon Sanders has gotten the University of Colorado in trouble with the NCAA over minor recruiting violations in the recruitment of Lewis. My original info was that Lewis had not played in 2024 for Carrollton but he had.  He did graduate early, passing up his senior 2025 season to take advantage of a lucrative NIL package. 

Well, there has been a change in the Julien Lewis college landing spot.  I had previously reported that he had rejected Colorado and had signed with USC.  Now it seems that he decided to go to Colorado…for the moment as ”Coach Prime” has surprised Lewis by recruiting a former 5-Star quarterback, Kaidon Salter who transferred from Liberty who had passed for 5,283 yards, 64 touchdowns and rushed for 1,687 yards and 21 scores.  In the mean time as Lewis was wavering in his commitment to USC, Coach Lincoln Reilly signed another top quarterback, Husan Longstreet.  So, the story will continue for Lewis but I’m calling it a day on him.  Just giving you, the reader, a final wrap-up on my end.

Take a look at this story from Sports Illustrated High School Football… Lawsuit against St. John Bosco furthers concern over high school football coaches' pressure to recruit, win.  A national look at some other issues nationally.

Finally, it was announced on Thursday, January 30 that the Denver Bronco’s were donating over 15,000 new Riddell Axiom smart helmets to all of the 272 Colorado high school football teams.  Partnering with the Colorado High School Activities Association and Riddell, the team dubbed the initiative as “All In, All Covered”.  Typically, the cost of a smart helmet costs about $800 each so the Bronco’s donated over $12,000,000.  Schools will begin receiving their helmets in early May.  Broncos launch first-in-NFL program to give all Colorado high school football programs helmets.

Well, that’s it for now. 

THE HIGH SCHOOL NIL (NAME, IMAGE, LIKENESS) PART 2 (AND MORE)

NOTE: THIS BLOG WAS EDITED ON 1/24/2025 AFTER I DISCOVERED THAT I HAD MADE A MISTAKE ABOUT JULIAN LEWIS AND HIS 2024 SEASON.

I guess that there are “sane” rules and some, to me are just plain stupid.  My most recent story on “2024 RECORD BOOKS UPDATES” noted that Milwaukee Academy of Science quarterback Brayln Albritton had announced that he was transferring to Milton GA High School to spend his senior season.  A few days later it was announced that Homestead High School running back Bentley Hickman was also transferring to Milton… Top 2026 Wisconsin Running Back Announces Transfer To Georgia 5A Champion Milton

In Wisconsin there have been basketball players who have over the years moved out of state to play for select academies in hopes of getting more attention from colleges.  Those who have moved to the out of state schools in the past were, to my knowledge, only “paid” tuition.  I’m probably uninformed about those athletes and their dealings as I’ve not read anything to shed light on any misdoings.  But now we are seeing what I feel is leading to the downfall of high school sports.

I recently emailed the football coaches at Milwaukee Academy of Science and Homestead to see if these moves were unexpected.  I asked if NIL was involved, did the whole family move and how did they both end up at Milton GA.  MAS Coach Rico Ragsdale responded saying that the whole Albritton family moved to Georgia and Milton just happened to be the closest school.  Ragsdale mentioned that both Albritton and Johnson know each other.  And finally, as far as he knew NIL was not involved.  Homestead AD, Eric Hinterstocker replied that the only info he had was that Johnson was no longer attending the school.

The NIL process has led to terrible consequences on a problem that has been ongoing for years.  I had always thought that some changes needed to be made for some sort of compensation for a college or university profiting at the athlete’s expense.  There was always an attempt by the NCAA to maintain some sort of amateurism, but they just couldn’t get a handle on the problem.

The Beginning of NIL

On September 30, 2019, California became the first state to pass a law allowing college athletes to be paid for use of their name, image and likeness.  Governor Gavin Newsom signed the law called the” Fair Play to Pay Act” which as initially designed to take effect in 2023.  The state later moved the date up to September 2021 but on July 1, 2021, the NCAA decided to allow student-athletes to profit from their NIL rights.  The NCAA initially called the California law “harmful”, “unconstitutional” and an “existential threat” to college sports.  With those comments the NCAA tried to restrict the NIL process by going to Congress and asking that the Federal Government pass a law restricting the proposed NIL process, but they failed as Congress ignored their plea.  

The NCAA administration seems that they wouldn’t implement positive changes because it would cost them money.  If they had made the proper moves, they could have undone what was and is still called” The Wild West”.  The NCAA was and is interested in making money for everyone except the athletes.  There is no explanation as to the college leaders in the college sports model dragging towards a slow death.

The High School NIL

While the NCAA was doing nothing to solve the NIL problem, the NFSA (National Federation of State High School Associations) and the individual states associations were trying to legislate “locally” the NIL movement in high schools.

 In 2020 Quinn Ewers of Southlake Carroll High School (TX), a junior, turned down his early commitment the University of Texas and recommitted to Ohio State University.  He made national news and his leaving school early allowed him to circumvent Texas high school rules which prohibited any high school NIL.   

After leading his team to the state finals as a sophomore in 2019 by throwing for 4,003 yards and 45 touchdowns.  He was injured as a junior in 2020 and played only eight games during that COVID year, again taking Southlake to the finals.  Ewers would forgo his senior high school football season, graduate early and attended Ohio State University in order to benefit from NIL.  At the time Ohio had no rules preventing high school NIL.  Ewers played briefly at Ohio State in the fall of 2021.  Texas state law prevents a student from benefitting from NIL prior to enrolling at a college or university.  Quinn was able to sign a series of contracts worth an estimated $1.4 million before attending Ohio State and become the first NIL millionaire.  He stayed one year at Ohio State and transferred to Texas where he has started 2022-24.  He had been awarded another season of eligibility for 2025 but  Ewers will pass on a fifth season of collage ball, turning down an $8 million NIL deal with an unknown school to go pro.  Quinn originally signed a deal with GT Sports Marketing in 2021 and so far, he has earned $6.4 million.  He declined to attend another school out of loyalty to the Texas Longhorns.  Interestingly, by going pro he will likely earn less than the NIL he turned down.

While Ewers scored a big contract in 2021, he was not the first highschooler to do earn a NIL.  In the 2020 Olympics Lydia Jacoby of Steward, Alaska, a high school sophomore brought home gold in the 100-meter Breaststroke.  Alaska’s ASAA made amendments to their state rules allowing a student to earn money in activities unaffiliated to their “school team, ASAA Region or ASAA.”  Lydia signed with ARENA swimwear and while she didn’t make the super big money like Ewers it is reported that by August 29, 2023, she had received $106,000 as a highschooler.

Julien Lewis of Carrollton GA was just named to the Sports Illustrated Magazine 2024 All-Georgia squad and their All-American Team. I had read that he wasn't even in school in 2024 at Carrollton but that was a wrong report. It seems that Lewis accepted a scholarship offer from Southern California as a junior following his 2024 season and he decided to do, as Ewers did, and graduate early.  In May of 2024 it was announced that he had accepted an NIL deal being featured in Leaf Trading Cards, endorsing a men’s jewelry line, a fitness/lifestyle brand called Alo Yoga and a partnership with Travis Scott’s Cactus Jack apparel line.   He earned an estimated $1million.  Lewis said that he took the NIL contracts because it was allowed by the Georgia High School Athletic Association, and he needed to help his family out. Julien was heavily recruited by Deon Sanders at the University of Colorado but ended up choosing USC.  His recruitment by Sanders has led to some minor sanctions leveled by the NCAA.

Right now, there is no state law prohibiting a high schooler in Wisconsin from earning NIL money.  The current WIAA regulations prohibit student-athletes from monetizing their NIL.  The WIAA has confirmed Section III which states a student-athlete’s amateurism status is lost by “receiving compensation or benefit, directly or indirectly, for then use of name, picture and/or personal appearance as an athlete because of ability, potential and/or performance as an athlete”. 

Until I started looking into NIL for high school student-athletes I had no idea how widespread it had become. 

Currently, the NIL situation is under further consideration by the WIAA.  Besides Wisconsin, there are four other states associations (Delaware, Montana, Wyoming and South Dakota) that are considering allowing their members to decide the fate of NIL.  Hawaii, Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, West Virginia, Alabama and Mississippi have blanket prohibition of a high school student-athlete participating in NIL.  South Carolina prohibits public schoolers from NIL but allows private schoolers to participate.  Texas now allows only 18-year-olds to do NIL. The other 38 states and the District of Columbia allow NIL. 

With all of this information I have a question.  is the movement of Albritton and Hickman related to a high-profile school (Milton GA. Finished #2 in MaxPreps, SB LIVE, and High School Football America final national polls) and wanting to be part of a powerhouse?  Was there an unknown NIL offer?  Or, is it just coincidence that the two ended up at the same school?  MAS Coach Ragsdale said that Albritton was not recruited by Milton, so I’ll go with that.

I worry that schools in Illinois, Florida, New Youk or Idaho or any of those other states that allow NIL will raid players in other states or even in their own using a cash incentive.

While Jacoby, Ewers and Lewis seem to be the only high school NIL recipients that I could find, you can see a potential NIL problem.  

However, a new program has arrived on the scene and it appears to have been around for a short while.  On January 15, On3 announced that basketball small forward Nate Ament from Highland School in in Warrenton, VA  was considering 11 schools…Five-Star Plus+ SF Nate Ament considering 11 schools while announcing new NIL partnership - On3 .  Ament is a 6’9 high school senior who signed an NIL with FANSTAKE.  He’s the highest ranking 2025 nsenior not yet committed to a college Here’s how it works:  You pay FANSTAKE money, pick your school and choose your player.  The “stake” goes to your player if they choose your school.  If he doesn’t go to your school, you get your money back.  Looking at the website…Welcome To Fanstake it appears that Ament is their first high school athlete.

While my blogs are supposed to be mostly high school orientated there are other things that impact the overall sport.  I mentioned the Transfer Portal. In the 2023-24 year nearly 3,500 players entered the Portal.  This year, 2024-25, there are over 2,500 movements.  Oklahoma has lost 27 players and there are other schools with big losses. 

After losing in the first round of the FBS Boise State Offensive Coordinator Dirk Koetter retired after 42-years of coaching citing the NIL and the Transfer Portal as his reason…www.si.com/fannation/name-image-likeness as Boise State Football Coach Retiring Amid Rapidly Changing NIL and Portal Landscape

I previously mentioned Terrelle Prior suing the NCAA.  Now there’s a new problem developing for the NCAA…NCAA Tries to Block John Wade Lawsuit Over Five-Year Eligibility Rule.  Wade has transferred, over the years, to four schools since 2018 and now he want’s to “continue his education” seven years later. 

If you want to look at High School NIL some of my info came from…High School NIL: State-by-state regulations for name, image and likeness rights - Opendorse

And, finally, as of this January 17 it appears that the NCAA is now trying to fix things.  Read on:  NCAA to dole out $1.2B to help pay for House settlement. Its president asks for Congress to step in – WSB-TV Channel 2 - Atlanta

I hope I you enjoyed this story.  Back to strictly high school next time.