We asked, you voted, and Watertown Luther Prep at Westby has been selected as the Kwik Trip and Wisconsin Dairy Game of the Week for Level 1 of the high school football playoffs. A total of 9.538 votes were cast, as this one received 3,377 of those votes.
The Kwik Trip & Wisconsin Dairy Game of the Week allows you, the fans, to pick what you feel is the biggest high school football game in the state each week. Not only will that game get featured on WisSports.net, but our WSN staff will make it our destination that week, with updates, photos, videos, and stories from the big game.
And of course, no trip to a big game in Wisconsin would be complete without a stop or two at Kwik Trip and a chocolate milk!!
Watertown Luther Prep shared the Metro Classic Conference title with Racine St. Catherine's and Lake Country Lutheran, but in the toughest bracket in Division 5 by a wide margin, the Phoenix have to settle for a five-seed and lengthy road trip to Westby. It was an outstanding season for Watertown Luther Prep, who shutout Martin Luther 29-0 to end the year. Arthur Robinson has really emerged as a running threat this season, going for 1,412 yards and 21 touchdowns while averaging 9.7 yards per carry.
Westby was second in the Coulee Conference, with the only loss coming against Aquinas in a competitive one-score game. The Norsemen won the other eight contests during the season, including the first victory over West Salem in 19 years. Quarterback Blake Sutton led a strong passing attack that also featured Anders Stakston, who set a new school receiving record.
"We've had a very strong group of guys led by our seniors that have led the way," said Westby head coach Andy Hulst. "The school and the town, along with the kids, have really enjoyed this ride so far this year and we're very excited to be competing in the playoffs."
A game against a co-conference champion is a challenging way to start the playoffs for one-loss Westby.
"It's unfortunate two teams that have had as successful of seasons as we and they have had are meeting up in the first round," said Hulst. "Both teams should be proud of what they've accomplished this year."
To keep the season going, Hulst knows the Norsemen will need to play well.
"Watertown Luther Prep looks like a tremendously athletic and physical team that won their conference," he said. "We know we will need to match their physicality and size up front if we're going to win this game.
"If we're going to win Friday night we will need to generate some big plays out of our special teams to start. We will need to get out in front of Watertown Luther Prep because I do believe it will be very difficult to come back from a substantial deficit against them."
While Westby has been battling a few injuries as the season went along, Watertown Luther Prep feels they are coming in in a good spot.
"We have been relatively injury-free and have great kids and great season leadership," said Phoenix head coach Justin Gregorius.
"Westby has a talented team and we need to be fundamentally sound on the offensive side of the ball, defensive side of the ball, and on special teams."
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