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State Results Archive

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Sports  /  Fall  /  Football  /  State Results Archive

Football History

The WIAA began sponsoring a playoff for football in 1976, which was comprised of four divisions and a total of 16 teams in 1976 and 1977. The championship finals have been conducted annually except in 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic caused the reduction of the playoffs to two levels with no champions crowned.

It was expanded to five divisions and a total of 20 teams for 1978 and 1979. Division 5 (smallest schools) was given eight playoff participants, making a total of 24, in 1980.

Beginning in 1981, the playoff program was changed to six divisions with eight teams in each, a total of 48; so all conference champions could be incorporated into the system. That plan was expanded in 1987 to 96 teams with conference runners-up, as well as champions qualifying. In the first five years, participants were determined on a system, ranking schools on basis of fewest losses and other factors. In 1996, the field was expanded to 192 teams, including all teams with conference records above .500 and other schools chosen from those who were .500 in conference games. In 2002, a seventh division was added, expanding the playoff field to 224 teams. In 2020, the reduction of teams because of the COVID-19 pandemic reduced the qualifying field to six divisions that season. 

When playoffs began in 1976, divisions of competition were based on average enrollment of conferences. But effective with the 1984 season, competition was based on enrollment of participants--largest schools in Division 1, next largest in Division 2, etc.

Championship games were played at many sites through the first six years of the playoffs. But in 1982, all championship games were played at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison in a two-day event. That format remains in existence.

Stratford has won the most football championships with 10 followed by Edgar and St. Mary's Springs with nine. Kimberly is fourth on the list of championships with eight. Lancaster and Waunakee are next with seven titles, and Arrowhead, Homestead and Monroe each have six crowns. Catholic Memorial, D.C. Everest, Menomonie, and Osseo-Fairchild have each won five. Amherst, Aquinas, Ashwaubenon, Brillion, Colby, Darlington and Wisconsin Lutheran have won four. Schools with three titles are Antigo, Columbus, De Soto, Gilman, Glenwood City, Hilbert, Kenosha Tremper, Manitowoc Lincoln, Marshfield, Monona Grove, Notre Dame, Owen-Withee, Regis, Rice Lake, Shell Lake, Somerset, Spring Valley, Stanley-Boyd, Two Rivers, Westby and Wrightstown.

Edgar has advanced to the most State finals with 15. Arrowhead, Darlington and St. Mary's Springs have appeared in the second-most championship games with 13. Stratford and Waunakee are next on the list with 12 appearances, and Lancaster follows with 11 finals appearances. Catholic Memorial and Kimberly are next with 10, and Monroe and Rice Lake have nine appearances in the finals. Homestead, Menomonie have played in eight, while Hilbert, Kenosha Tremper, Osseo-Fairchild and Regis have appeared in seven. Ashwaubenon, Colby, D.C. Everest, De Soto, Mayville, Somerset, Stanley-Boyd and Wisconsin Lutheran have been in six. Amherst, Baldwin-Woodville, Brookfield Central, Franklin, Grafton, Kewaunee, Marshfield, Monona Grove, Mosinee, New Berlin Eisenhower, Notre Dame, West De Pere and Wrightstown have played in five finals.

State championships have been won by 130 different programs.

Stratford (2003-08) is the only program to win six straight championships. Kimberly is the only program other than Stratford to win five titles in succession (2013-17). Amherst (2015-17), Lancaster (2000-02), Manitowoc (1984-86), Monroe (1990-92), Two Rivers (1980-82) and Waunakee (2009-11) are the other schools to win three consecutive State championships.

Stratford has qualified for the most number of playoffs with 39. Edgar and Menomonie have qualified 38 times. De Soto, before transitioning to 8-player football, qualified 37 times. Darlington has 36 appearances in the playoffs, and Arrowhead and Plymouth have 35. DeForest, Howards Grove and Lancaster have advanced to the playoffs 34 times. Medford, New Berlin Eisenhower, Platteville, Stanley-Boyd and Waupaca have qualified 33 times.

Edgar has compiled the most victories in the history of the football playoffs with 101 in qualifying 38 times. Stratford with 90 wins in 38 appearances is next, and Waunakee has 88 wins in 29 playoff appearances followed by St. Mary's Springs with 84 wins in the playoffs with its 22 experiences. Darlington has won 83 playoff games in its 36 appearances, and Lancaster and Menomonie are next with 78 wins in qualifying 38 times.

In 2012, the reinstatement of a reduced-player option for member schools became available as 16 teams opted for the eight-player format. The top four teams in two separate regions met for a four-game jamboree at the end of the season. In 2018, the first sanctioned eight-player State tournament was held with eight teams qualifying for the playoffs, which expanded to 16 teams in 2019.

Tournament Series Results