The atmosphere at Camp Randall during late November is basically a character of its own. It’s cold. It’s loud. And for high school kids in Wisconsin, it’s the only place that matters. If you’ve been scouring the internet for wiaa football playoff scores, you already know that the 2025 season didn’t just end—it exploded.
Honestly, the drama we saw in the state finals this year was a bit much even for seasoned fans. From the Division 1 nail-biter that came down to the final minute to the absolute clinics put on in the lower divisions, the 2025 playoffs were a masterclass in why we love high school football. Seven teams walked away with gold balls, and many of them did it while keeping their undefeated records perfectly intact.
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Breaking Down the WIAA Football Playoff Scores by Division
Look, the big story everyone’s talking about is Arrowhead. They came into the Division 1 championship as the underdog against a top-ranked Bay Port squad, and what happened next was kinda legendary.
Division 1: The Warhawks’ Miracle Finish
Arrowhead (13-1) grabbed their seventh state title in a way that had people falling out of their seats. They topped Bay Port 18-15. But the score doesn't tell the whole story. With only 46 seconds left on the clock, Ryan Heiman decided he wasn't going home without a trophy. He returned a kickoff 76 yards for a touchdown. Just like that, a 15-12 deficit turned into a championship win. Bay Port tried to answer, getting down to the 11-yard line with one second left, but the final heave fell flat.
Division 2: West De Pere’s Air Raid
If you like passing, Division 2 was your game. West De Pere (14-0) stayed perfect with a 28-14 win over Notre Dame Academy. Patrick Greisen, a University of South Dakota commit, wasn't just good—he was record-breaking. He threw for 304 yards, a new D2 championship record. His favorite target, Judeah Kniskern, also set a record with 164 receiving yards. It was basically a clinic on how to pick apart a secondary.
Division 3: The 35-Yard Dagger
Grafton (14-0) and Reedsburg (10-4) played what was arguably the most stressful game of the weekend. It was 17-15. Grafton won on a 35-yard field goal by Graysen Bollech with only six seconds remaining. Reedsburg had actually taken the lead with about a minute and a half left, but Grafton’s 15-play final drive was a work of art.
Middle Division Chaos and Powerhouses
The Thursday games usually set the tone, and this year, they were physical. Like, "ice-pack-needed-immediately" physical.
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- Division 4: Winneconne (14-0) completed a comeback against Little Chute, winning 28-22. Brody Schaffer, who’s headed to the University of Iowa, was everywhere. He threw for two scores and ran for 137 yards. He even grabbed an interception on defense. Talk about doing it all.
- Division 5: Mayville (14-0) out-dueled Northwestern 42-32. This game was a track meet. Landen Baker and Joe Promersberger both cleared 100 yards rushing for the Cardinals. Northwestern’s Tysen Teal tried to keep pace with four total touchdowns, but Mayville’s ground game was just too relentless.
Small School Dominance in D6 and D7
There’s something about small-town football that just hits different. In Darlington and Kenosha, they’ll be talking about these wiaa football playoff scores for a decade.
Darlington’s Fifth Title
Darlington (14-0) absolutely dismantled Edgar 42-18 in Division 6. They scored on four of their first five possessions. Zeke Zuberbuhler is a name you should remember; the junior quarterback ran for three touchdowns and threw for another. Edgar, a program with more championship appearances than anyone else, just couldn't find an answer for the Redbirds' speed.
A First for Kenosha St. Joseph
Kenosha St. Joseph Catholic (14-0) finally got their first-ever state title by beating Cochrane-Fountain City 35-19. It wasn't even as close as the score suggests. They led 28-0 at halftime. Dominic Rinaldi caught 10 passes for 177 yards, setting new Division 7 records. When you have a receiver playing like that, you’re usually going to have a good night.
What Most People Get Wrong About the WIAA Bracket
A lot of folks think the highest-seeded team always cruises. This year's wiaa football playoff scores proved that's a total myth. Look at Division 1. Bay Port was the #1 team in most rankings and hadn't lost all year until that final kickoff return.
The WIAA’s "Success Factor" and the way they seed the quadrants often leads to "state championship-level" games happening in the quarterfinals or semifinals. For instance, the Homestead vs. West De Pere semifinal (35-34) was arguably as intense as the final itself.
Actionable Takeaways for the Off-Season
If you're a player, coach, or just a super-fan looking ahead to 2026, here is what the 2025 scores taught us:
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- Special Teams Win Rings: Arrowhead’s Ryan Heiman and Grafton’s Graysen Bollech are living proof. If you aren't practicing kick returns and pressure field goals, you're leaving the gold ball to chance.
- Dual-Threat QBs are Mandatory: Look at Brody Schaffer (Winneconne) and Zeke Zuberbuhler (Darlington). If your quarterback can't move, defenses are going to eat you alive in the later rounds.
- Efficiency over Volume: Kenosha St. Joseph won because they were 4-for-5 in the red zone. Cochrane-Fountain City had 280 yards of offense but struggled to finish drives.
The 2025 WIAA season is in the books. Five of the seven champions finished with perfect 14-0 records, which is a rare level of dominance across the board. Now, the focus shifts to the weight room and the 2026 schedule releases. Keep an eye on those junior-heavy rosters like Darlington—they’re already the favorites to repeat.
Final 2025 WIAA Championship Scores:
- D1: Arrowhead 18, Bay Port 15
- D2: West De Pere 28, Notre Dame 14
- D3: Grafton 17, Reedsburg 15
- D4: Winneconne 28, Little Chute 22
- D5: Mayville 42, Northwestern 32
- D6: Darlington 42, Edgar 18
- D7: Kenosha St. Joseph 35, Cochrane-Fountain City 19