This story is sponsored by: Wisconsin Homes of Marshfield
By Paul Lecker
MarshfieldAreaSports.com
The 45th WIAA State Football Championships will be held Thursday, Nov. 18, and Friday, Nov. 19, at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison.
Championship games in seven divisions will be held during the two days on the University of Wisconsin campus, with all being broadcast live on Bally Sports Wisconsin and the Bally Sports App.
Colby is the lone team from Central Wisconsin to qualify for the state finals. The Hornets (12-1) will play Fond du Lac St. Mary’s Springs (11-2) in the Division 6 championship game at 1 p.m. Thursday. ZaleskiSports.com will have an audio broadcast from Madison.
St. Mary’s Springs has won state titles the past three seasons that the championship games were contested (there were no complete state playoffs conducted in 2020), winning the Division 6 title in 2017, a Division 5 crown in 2018, and another D-6 championship in 2019, giving the Ledgers a state record nine state titles. The trip to the state finals ties St. Mary’s Springs with Edgar and Hartland Arrowhead for the most appearances at 13.
Colby, champions of the Marawood Conference, is making its sixth trip to the state finals. The Hornets won state titles in Division 5 in 2008 and 2011, and a Division 4 championship in 1998, while finishing runner-up in Division 4 in 1985 and Division 5 in 2010.
The only other defending state champion from 2019 is Waukesha Catholic Memorial in Division 4. The Crusaders won the Division 4 title in 2019 and Division 3 championship in 2018. Catholic Memorial will play Ellsworth at 7 p.m. Thursday.
The WIAA uses GoFan Ticketing for all digital and cashless tickets. Admission for a single game is $11 plus online fees for adults and students. An all-day pass for Thursday is $30 plus online fees, and $25 for an all-day pass for Friday’s games. All tickets must be redeemed on a mobile device. To purchase tickets, visit the WIAA website at: https://www.wiaawi.org/Tickets.
Here is a look at the state finals schedule:
2021 WIAA State Football Championships
Nov. 18-19, at Camp Randall Stadium, Madison
Thursday, Nov. 18
Division 7: Coleman (13-0) vs. Reedsville (12-1), 10 a.m.
Division 6: Colby (12-1) vs. Fond du Lac St. Mary’s Springs (11-2), 1 p.m.
Division 5: La Crosse Aquinas (13-0) vs. Mayville (11-2), 4 p.m.
Division 4: Ellsworth (12-0) vs. Waukesha Catholic Memorial (13-0), 7 p.m.
Friday, Nov. 19
Division 3: Rice Lake (11-2) vs. Pewaukee (11-2), 10 a.m.
Division 2: Waunakee (13-0) vs. Mequon Homestead (11-2), 1 p.m.
Division 1: Franklin (13-0) vs. Sun Prairie (13-0), 4 p.m.