State finalists are well represented on all-area football team

This year the journey made the football season special more than the final result.

No area team won a state title, but in reaching the state final Brookfield Central, New Berlin Eisenhoer and Lake Country Lutheran enjoyed breakthrough years.

Central (13-1) won its third straight Greater Metro Conference title and earned a No. 1 seed in the playoff for the third year in a row. That kind of success didn't help it avoid upset losses to Brookfield East in 2015 and '16, but this year the Lancers thumped their rival in the Division 2 state quarterfinals and eventually advanced to the state title for the first time since 2006 before losing a heartbreaker to Waunakee, 14-13.

Eisenhower (13-1) hadn't won a playoff game since 2011 before its run to the Division 3 state final where the Lions fell to Rice Lake, 25-3. They hadn't been to the final since winning the second of two straight Division 2 titles in 1996.

Lake Country Lutheran (13-1) had never reached a title game before its run this year, which feature a couple of dramatic victories in the state quarterfinals and semifinals. Amherst beat the Lightning, 28-21, in the Division 5 final, but with a largely junior class the future is promising.

Each of those teams is well represented on the Journal Sentinel's all-area team. Here is the first team. Note that the area player of the year will be announced at the Journal Sentinel High School Sports Award Show in May.

All-area football second team and honorable mention

Area football coach of the year: Matt Kern led Eisenhower to Division 3 state final

OFFENSE

QUARTERBACK

Max Alba, 6 foot 5, 185 pounds, sr., Franklin: With Alba at the wheel, Franklin attacked defenses with countless downfield throws. He completed 58.7% of his passes for 2,259 yards, 26 touchdowns and seven interceptions. He also was a good runner and ranked second on the team with 321 yards. “The kid can run, throw and is tough,” Racine Park coach Andy Siegal said. “I can’t find a knock on him." He'll play baseball at North Carolina.

RUNNING BACKS

Julius Davis, 6-0, 189, jr., Menomonee Falls: The University of Wisconsin wasted no time in scooping up this two-year starter who ran for 1,762 yards and scored 17 touchdowns in 257 carries this season. He had five 200-yard games and reached 100 yards against all but one opponent. “He’s just balanced in everything that he does,” said Sussex Hamilton coach John Damato. “He’s not overly big, but he runs with a lot of power and that’s what stands out.”

Joe Garcia III, 6-3, 190, sr., Racine Horlick: This tall, long strider can fly and he used that speed to help his team post its first undefeated regular season since 1976. “He was so dang explosive,” Racine Park's Siegal said. “It was like watching a hurricane.” Garcia ran for 1,319 yards in 130 carries, an average of 10.1 yards, and an average of a touchdown every 6 ½ touches. The Southeast Conference named him its offensive MVP.

Peter MacCudden, 5-9, 190, sr., Waukesha West: Few can top the prep career of MacCudden, who played in state finals as a freshman and sophomore and then rushed for 2,000-yard seasons as a junior and senior. Here is the damage he did in 2017: 2,165 yards on 284 carries, a 7.6-yard average, with 28 touchdowns. He had three 200-yard games. “He’s a human bowling bowl,” Muskego coach Ken Krause said. “He’s going to knock down every pin.”

LINEMEN

Austin Ertl, 6-3, 290, jr., Wauwatosa West: The Trojans won just two games, but that didn’t prevent Ertl from shining. Greater Metro Conference coaches named him the league’s lineman of the year. He has multiple scholarship offers from mid-major programs, and Big Ten schools including Wisconsin have expressed interest. He was also a standout on the defensive line. “He plays with great leverage due to his choice to wrestle,” Tosa West coach Matt Good said. “He is extremely physical and athletic.”

Jordan Haddad, 6-3, 265, sr., Homestead: After playing in the shadow of talented teammates last season, Haddad helped set the tone for a team that won a share of its 17th straight North Shore title. He flattened opponents to the tune of 9½ pancake blocks per game. “He’s a big, physical, athletic football player who did a great job knocking opponents to the ground," Homestead coach Dave Keel said. "He’s just a physical presence on the football field."

Andrew Lyons, 6-5, 280, sr., Kenosha Bradford: The Southeast Conference lineman of the year is a preferred walk-on for Wisconsin who helped the Red Devils overcome the loss of standout running Erick Doke III to a season-ending knee injury in August. “He’s one of those walk-on guys where he’s going to end up playing a couple of years for them because he’s that good,” outgoing Oak Creek coach Mike Bartholomew said.

Owen Rozumalski, 6-1, 275, Oak Creek: The Knights center plans to walk on at Northern Illinois. His ability to manage the line and block nose guards one on one was key for the team’s attack, which averaged 30 points and 354 yards per game. “He did a great job in identifying fronts for us,” Bartholomew said, “so he’s the total package from intelligence to intensity.”

Bryce Texeira, 6-2, 280, sr., Waukesha West: The Navy recruit anchored the Wolverines line the past three seasons, never missing a start during that stretch. “He gets off the ball so quick that he kind of swallows guys up and he’s strong enough to continue to control them,” Oconomowoc coach Greg Malling said. “How do you get out of that?”

RECEIVERS/TIGHT ENDS

Alex Anthony, 6-1, 175, sr., Whitefish Bay: Great route running and excellent hands were a winning combination for Anthony, who caught 70 passes for 1,141 yards and 11 touchdowns. His ability to come out of breaks and great timing with quarterback Cade Garcia provided plenty of opportunities to get the ball before the defender could challenge for it. “We always set our target of who we have to stop and he was on our list,” Hartford coach John Redders said.

Isaiah Owens, 6-5, sr., Milwaukee Lutheran: Big, strong, fast, Owens epitomized a big-play receiver. He needed just 40 catches to gain 995 yards, an average of 24.9 yards. He also caught 19 touchdown passes, many of which were of the big-play variety. “You don’t have guys who can match up with that,” Greenfield coach Keith Ringelberg said. “He has length and he’ll run by most corners as well.”

KICKER

Blake Wilcox, 6-4, 195, jr., Kettle Moraine: Friends talked Wilcox, who also played soccer, into helping the football team and his first season was a booming success. He hit 10 of 15 field goals with a long of 59 yards. His percentage probably would have been better, but his ability to connect from great distance gave his coaches the confidence to try long attempts. Four of those misses came from at least 45 yards and two were from 50-plus.

DEFENSE

LINEMEN

Seth Bickett, 5-11, 235, sr., Pewaukee: It’s hard for a defensive lineman to lead a team in tackles, but Bickett accomplished the feat for three straight seasons. He finished with 107 this year, 90 solo, and posted 28 tackles for a loss and six sacks. To Greenfield's Ringelberg, Bickett's dominance was reminiscent of former Greendale standout Eric Brunner, who went on to play at Illinois State. “There definitely aren’t a lot of guys that quick and strong at our level,” he said. “It was difficult to block him.”

Blake Fehrmann, 6-6, 245, sr., Brookfield Central: The Lancers defense was loaded, and to some coaches, the spark of it all was Fehrmann, a massive human with nice athleticism and bend who made 28 tackles for loss that included nine sacks. His quickness off the snap and ability to play different spots on the line proved troublesome for opponents. "He was a destroyer inside," Tosa West's Good said.

Will McDonald, 6-5, 215, sr., Waukesha North: After committing to Iowa State last winter, McDonald put together a senior campaign that included 61 tackles, 33 solo and 12 sacks. He recorded a sack against six of the eight other teams in the Classic 8. He harassed Oconomowoc for four sacks. “We had no answer for him,” Malling said. “He was in our backfield all night."

Jordan Schroeder,  6-4, 275, sr., Homestead: The North Shore’s lineman of the year played his best ball when his team needed it most. With its streak of 16 straight league titles in jeopardy, Schroeder posted a season-high nine tackles that included one tackle for loss in a 15-14 victory over Slinger that gave Homestead a share of the championship. “He’s one of those guys it’s hard to find fault with,” Hartford's Redders said. “He could play down the line of scrimmage and he kept his pads low.”

LINEBACKERS

Brad Dati, 6-1, 230, sr., Brookfield East: He posted double-digit tackles in nine of 12 games for a defense that recorded four shutouts. He finished with 71 solo tackles, 60 assists and 20 tackles for a loss. He universally drew raves for his play. “He was as fast sideline to sideline as I’ve seen and was equally intelligent,” Tosa West's Good said. “He was hard to fool.”

C.J. Goetz, 6-4, 232, sr., Catholic Memorial: The Wisconsin recruit finished with 58 tackles, 60 assists and 18 tackles for a loss during the regular season. Crusaders coach Bill Young said he was the best defensive player he has ever coached. “He was everything we thought he would be,” said New Berlin Eisenhower coach Matt Kern, whose team defeated Memorial in the playoffs. “He ruined a couple of drives for us, and we had a couple of third and shorts that we’d been getting all year that he single-handedly blew up.”

Reggie Jennings 6-2, 225, sr., Brookfield Central: This returning first-team all-area selection finished with 72 tackles, 18 solos, with nine tackles for a loss and four sacks. Versatility is the Northern Illinois recruit’s strength. “He’s a heck of an athlete,” Marquette coach Jeff Mazurczak said. “You could put him at a number of positions. ... He doesn’t have great stats because he doesn’t get many tackle opportunities. Or people run away from him.”

Mike Timm, 6-0, 220, sr., Kettle Moraine: The Lasers made the playoffs for the first time since 2008 thanks in large part to Timm’s big season. He amassed 142 tackles, 96 solo, with 20 tackles for a loss and was named the Classic 8 defensive player of the year. He also played fullback and ran for 449 yards and 10 touchdowns in 69 carries. "We were trying to get the ball spread and I remember (quarterback) Grayson Cooley saying there was nothing we could do to get away from him," Waukesha South coach A.J. Raebel said. "He was covering both sidelines."

SECONDARY

Will Geels, 5-11, 165, sr., Sussex Hamilton: His season was cut a game short due to a knee injury, but the damage was done. Eight interceptions. Six passes broken up. He picked off passes against five of the Greater Metro’s eight other teams, including three against Wauwatosa East in Week 7. “He’s a kid that always played the ball in the air really well,” Marquette's Mazurczak said. “He’s one of those lock-down kind of kids.”

Chandler Pulvermacher, 6-2, 215, sr., Arrowhead: The three-year varsity performer totaled 32 tackles, 25 assists and three tackles for a loss for the Warhawks. He also picked off three passes and broke up five others. Oconomowoc's Malling, who coached at Arrowhead two years ago, liked Pulvermacher’s awareness. “He is very smart,” Malling said. “He is a player who is hard to throw off is game. He doesn’t fall for a lot of things high school players usually fall for.” Initially committed North Dakota State, Pulvermacher initially committed to North Dakota State, but he changed his mind and has opted for Iowa State.

Derrick Seay, 6-2, 175, sr., Racine Horlick: This three-year starter intercepted four passes and knocked down 16 other passes, but in general opponents steered clear of Seay, whose size and speed made him difficult to beat. “He was able to shut down kids last year and this year who went on to play at some pretty big colleges," Horlick coach Brian Fletcher said. "He was probably the best corner that we ever had here."

PUNTER

Brad Woldt, 6-0, 205, sr., Homestead: Woldt earned greater attention from his exploits as an all-conference running back, but his work on special teams was sterling. He averaged  43.8 yards per punt and placed four of his 22 punts inside the 20.

Editor's note

Our area football player of the year, along with athletes of the year from all WIAA sports, will be announced as part of our high school sports awards show next spring. The show will feature various awards, entertainment and a special appearance from a celebrity guest. We will provide more details about the event in the coming months.