Low seeded Area grid teams use conference play to win playoff openers

As has been said before, membership has its advantages,

And for the Fall Creek and Osseo-Fairchild High School football teams membership in the leagues they're in this season have helped tremendously in lifting them to upset victories in the WIAA Playoffs.

Last week Friday, Oct. 23, in Level 1 action, both schools, No. 7 seeds, knocked off their No. 2 seeded opponents on the road. Both of them champions of their respective conferences.

Fall Creek routed St. Mary's Catholic Central of Neenah 34-7 while Osseo-Fairchild won its first playoff match-up since 2014 at Shiocton by a 28-20 score. Both Area teams will take part in Level 2 games this Friday, Oct. 30 at 7 p.m.

FC head coach Marcus Wahleithner thinks it is no accident that his team and the four other Cloverbelt Conference teams that made the playoffs were victorious in the first round.

"The number of good teams and the quality of football played from all the teams in the league test you and make you better from week to week," Wahleithner said. "We have a lot of good players in the Cloverbelt and we play a physical brand of football and I believe when we compared what we're used to what we saw on film of St. Mary's we were very confident we could be successful if we avoided major errors."

Wahleithner also pointed it helped the Crickets cause immensely that injured player that were out of the line-up while FC suffered a three-game losing streak this season and were finally healthy enough to play again.

"We had to make a lot of adjustments in their absence, a lot of kids in reserve had to step-up and play," Wahleithner said. "And I think in doing so they got better for the experience and when those players came back morale improved and were able to start playing the way we were capable of and now momentum is on our side again when it wasn't before."

Fall Creek (6-4 overall) dominated its game against the Zephyrs (7-3 overall) from start to finish. Junior quarterback Bryson Elkins had one of his best games of the season 10-for-14 passing for 138 yards and two touchdowns. Senior wide out Koen Tumm caught five passes for 64 yards and two TD and senior running back Ethan Westrate rushed for 71 yards on 19 carries and two scores as well. Junior Adrian Duncan led the team in tackles with six including two quarterback sacks. FC's defense held St. Mary's to just 93 yards passing and 90 rushing and snagged an interception as well.

"We just put aside whatever their seed and what we had done recently and just went out and played our game and we had success which we just fed off of." Wahleithner said.

Osseo-Fairchild joined the Dunn-St. Croix Conference this fall and not only did it help them get into the field based on strength of schedule despite a 3-6 record but help prepare them for their game at Shiocton. The Chiefs (9-2 overall) led 6-0 after the first quarter but O-F dominated the second, scoring 22 points and then made their lead 28-6, holding on after a second rally by the home team fell short.

The Thunder (4-6 overall) won by the classic playoff formula of running the ball and stopping the run. Senior back Drew Hanson had his best game of the season 182 yards on 23 carries and scored three times. Senior wide receiver Brooks Koxlien caught four passes from junior QB Ty Skoyen for 74 yards and the Thunder held Shiocton to just 123 yards rushing compared to O-F's 207. Sophomore running back Daegan Swett also had a rushing touchdown. The Chiefs sophomore QB Evan Wyland threw for nearly 200 yards and two scores but it wasn't enough to offset three interceptions which set up Osseo-Fairchild's offense for scoring drives.

Now both Area squads are in western Wisconsin for Level 2 match-ups, FC at Eau Claire Regis (8-2) at Carson Park in Eau Claire in Division 6 and O-F at Boyceville (8-2) in Division 7. The Crickets again lost another close one to the Ramblers during the regular season, 15-7 back on Sept. 25. The Thunder were beaten by the Bulldogs 28-6 back on Sept. 11 as they were outgained on the ground 167-62 and were hurt by three turnovers.

"We have to step up and make plays when we have the opportunity to make them in order to beat Regis," Wahleithner said. "We've been in position but just haven't done it and that's got to change."

Level 3 ballgames, if one or both teams win, take place next Friday, Nov. 6 at 7 p.m.

https://tournaments.wiaawi.org/brackets/Football/Boys/2026/2026_Football...

https://tournaments.wiaawi.org/brackets/Football/Boys/2026/2026_Football...