From the WIAA —
PRE-FINAL MATCHES LIVE ON THE WEB: The quarterfinals and semifinals of the WIAA State Boys Soccer Tournament will be streamed live on the WIAA.TV portal of the NFHS Network on a consumer subscription basis for $10.99 per month. To purchase a subscription to the live programming, visit WIAA.TV and click on the subscription graphic on the page. Archived streams of the games will be available on demand on the NFHS Network 72 hours after the tournament with a paid subscription.
FINALS ON BALLY SPORTS WISCONSIN: Watch the broadcast of the WIAA Boys Soccer State finals Saturday on Bally Sports Wisconsin and on the Bally Sports app with registration cable system authentication. Check local cable listings for the channel in your area. The final of the Division 2 championship game will only be streamed live on the Bally Sports app. The game will be aired on a delayed basis following the Wisconsin Badger hockey game.
LAST YEAR: Marquette captured the crown in Division 1 for the sixth time in the last seven seasons with a 3-0 shutout over Hamilton in the final. In Division 2, the Roncalli/Two Rivers co-op captured the crown with a 2-0 win over Sauk Prairie in the championship game. In Division 3, The Prairie School posted a 4-0 victory over St. Lawrence Seminary in the title game after finishing runner-up in Division 4 in 2019. Only three divisions were conducted in the fall because of the impact of COVID, and an alternate season of two divisions were provided for schools not able to conduct sports in the fall. During the spring season, Appleton North recorded a 1-0 win over Racine Horlick in the championship game in Division 1, and McFarland notched a 6-1 victory over Notre Dame in the title tilt to earn the Division 2 title.
THE DIVISION 1 FIELD: Defending champion Marquette is the top seed. The Hilltoppers advance to the State Tournament in pursuit of their 17th State championship. They have now qualified for State in seven of the past eight seasons and for a membership-leading 20 times. Their championship total of 15 is also a membership record for championships won. The Hilltoppers won five consecutive titles from 2014-18 and a string of four crowns from 2000-03. They also won three straight titles from 2010-12 to go with championships in 2005 and 2008. In addition, they finished runner-up in 2004 and 2007. Prior to joining the WIAA, The Hilltoppers won 14 titles as a former member of WISAA. Those came in 1974, 1979, 1981, 1982, 1984-86, 1989-90, 1992, 1994-97. They qualify this year by shutting out Kenosha Tremper 3-0 in the West Allis Hale Sectional final. The Hilltoppers are the champions of the Greater Metro Conference this season. Verona is seeded second in the bracket. The Wildcats won the championship in their first-ever State Tournament appearance in 2019. Their pursuit of a second title continues after a 2-0 blanking of Arrowhead in the Oconomowoc Sectional final. They are the champions of the Big Eight Conference this season. Third-seeded Hudson qualifies for the State Tournament for the 11th time and for the second season in a row. The Raiders furthest advancement at State was to the semifinals in 1993 and last season. They shut out Appleton North 3-0 in the Marshfield Sectional final to earn their return to State. They placed atop the standings in the Big Rivers Conference this season. The fourth seed, De Pere, makes its ninth overall appearance at State including a runner-up finish in the alternate season last spring. The Redbirds have won one State championship. That came in 1993 when they captured the Division 2 championship. They also have a runner-up finish in Division 2 in 1992. The Redbirds advance to the State Tournament this year with a 3-2 victory over Green Bay Preble in the Green Bay East Sectional final. De Pere placed fifth in the Fox River Classic Conference this spring.
THE DIVISION 2 FIELD: Top-seeded Oregon returns to State for the first time since 2018, when the Panthers won the championship, and for the 10th time overall. Their appearance in 2013 also produced a championship as did their experience in 1998. This year, they tied Elkhorn 2-2 in the final of the Sauk Prairie sectional and advanced to the State semifinal with a 4-3 edge in the shootout. The Panthers were the champions in the West Division of the Badger Conference this season. Second-seeded Whitefish Bay is making its 15th trip to the State Tournament and its first since 2017 when the Blue Dukes won their fourth championship in a row. They have seven State titles overall. They also won consecutive crowns in 1982-83 when the tournament featured one class. They added a Division 1 title in 1994 and a another pair of Division 2 championships in 1995 and 2015 The Blue Dukes also advanced to the finals in 2003 and finished runner-up. They defeated Oshkosh North 4-1 in the final of the sectional hosted by the Blue Dukes to continue their pursuit of their eighth championship. They are the co-champions of the North Shore Conference with Homestead this season. Brookfield Central, the #3 seed, returns to the State for the 10th time and for the second time in the past three seasons after capturing the gold trophy in 2019. The Lancers also won the championship in 1992 when there was only one division in the Tournament Series They recorded a runner-up finish in the program’s first-ever appearance in 1984. This season, they defeated Waukesha West 2-0 in the final of the Wauwatosa East Sectional to advance to the State semifinals. The Lancers finished third in the Greater Metro Conference, which was won by Division 1 qualifier Marquette. Fourth-seeded River Falls advances to the State Tournament for the second time. The first came in 2015, which resulted in a loss in the semifinals. The Wildcats placed third in the Big Rivers Conference, which was won by Division 1 qualifier Hudson, and they return to State following a 2-1 win over Pulaski in the sectional final played at Pulaski.
THE DIVISION 3 FIELD: Three of the four teams in the field participated in the alternate season State culminating event last spring. Top-seeded Shorewood, qualifies for its third straight State Tournament, counting the alternate season in the spring, and for the fifth time overall. The Greyhounds won the Division 3 championship in 2019 to go with a Division 2 championship in 1997. They were runners-up in Division 2 in 2004. They are the champions of the sectional they hosted with a 4-1 victory over New Berlin Eisenhower in the final. The Greyhounds were the champions in the Woodland Conference during the regular season. Second-seeded Notre Dame qualifies for the State Tournament for the 10th time overall and for the second straight season with the alternate season in the spring. The Tritons advanced to the Division 2 title game in the alternate season tournament and finished runner-up They won back-to-back Division 2 titles in 2007-08 and also won the crown in 2001. In addition, they finished runner-up in Division 2 in their first-ever appearance in 2000 and again in 2013. This year, they advance to State from the Seymour Sectional with a 1-0 win over Seymour in the final. The Tritons finished third in the Fox River Classic Conference this fall. Third-seeded McFarland was the alternate season Division 2 champion. The Spartans are essentially appearing in its fourth straight State Tournament and its fifth overall. They advanced to the championship game in Division 3 in 2018 and 2019 and finished runner-up on both occasions. They are the champions of the Rock Valley Conference this year. Their return to the State semifinals comes following a 3-0 shutout over Evansville in the sectional final held at McFarland. Rice Lake, the fourth seed, is making its fifth appearance at State and its second in the past three years. The Warriors’ most notable experience at State was a runner-up finish in 2015. They qualify this year after rolling over Mosinee 4-0 in the sectional final played in Rice Lake. They finished fifth in the Big Rivers Conference that was won by Division 1 qualifier Hudson.
THE DIVISION 4 FIELD: Top-seeded Oostburg qualifies for State for the third time and for the first time since 2012. The Flying Dutchmen won the Division 2 State championship in their first appearance back in 1994. Their quest for another title remains alive following a 1-0 win over The Prairie School in the sectional final played on the road at The Prairie School. The Flying Dutchmen were co-champions with Sheboygan Christian/Sheboygan Lutheran in the Big East Conference this year. Sheboygan Christian/Sheboygan Lutheran, the #2 seed, qualifies for State for the second time in the co-op’s history. The first came in 2016 and resulted in a loss in the semifinals. The Eagles advance to the State semifinals this season comes virtue of a 3-1 win over Sturgeon Bay in the Kiel Sectional. They are co-champions with Oostburg in the Big East Conference standings this year. Prior to the formation of the co-op arrangement, Sheboygan Christian was a three-time qualifier, all coming successively in Division 3 from 2001-03. The string of appearances produced back-to-back titles in 2002 and 2003. St. John’s NW Academies/Chesterton Academy, the third seed, advances to State for the first time in the program’s history. This appearance comes as result of the Lancers’ 2-1 victory against Lake Country Lutheran in the Lodi Sectional final. They finished runner-up in the Midwest Classic Conference in 2021. Fourth-seeded Arcadia returns for its second straight State experience after making the program’s first appearance last season, which resulted in a loss in the semifinals. The Raiders edged past Washburn/Bayfield 1-0 in the Baldwin-Woodville Sectional final to earn the trip to Milwaukee. They played an independent schedule this fall.
SELECT IS THE OFFICIAL BALL: The Select “Royale” soccer ball is again the official ball of the 2021 Boys Soccer State Tournament. For more on Select soccer items, access the Select website at www.select-sport.com/us.
NEED RESULTS?: Results of the State Boys Soccer Tournament are available on the WIAA website at www.wiaawi.org by accessing the appropriate links on the boys soccer tournament home page.
LICENSED STATE MERCHANDISE: Apparel sales for the 2021 WIAA Boys Soccer State Tournament will be available only online through Games People Play. The link to the online store is: https://gppsports.chipply.com/wiaaboysstatesoccer/. The store is now open and will remain open until Wednesday, Nov. 10 at 11:59 p.m.
NEED THE QUALIFIERS & PROGRAM?: All rosters and qualifiers are available on the boys soccer tournament information page on the WIAA website. Media packets at the State Tournament will not include tournament programs. Information contained in the program can be download or reviewed on the WIAA website and on the WIAA Media Center.
FOLLOW MEET ON SOCIAL MESSAGING: Receive updates of the State Boys Soccer Tournament on the WIAA State Tournament Twitter account @wiaawistate with the hashtag #wiaasoccer. Also like us on Facebook, and follow us on Instagram at wiaawi.
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Author: David Keech
David Keech is a retired teacher and works as a sportswriter, sports official and as an educational consultant. He has reported on amateur sports since 2011, known as 'KeechDaVoice.' David can be reached at [email protected]
