2025 ROCK VALLEY CONFERENCE PREVIEWPredicted Order of Finish1. Monroe
2. Evansville
3. Delavan-Darien (Delavan)
4. Edgerton
5. McFarland
6. Jefferson
7. East Troy
8. WhitewaterPlayers to WatchQuintin Arizola, QB, Delavan-Darien: Arizola was a Second Team all-league pick, throwing for 1,582 yards and 10 touchdowns, adding another 301 yards and four scores on the ground.
Garrett Crull, QB, McFarland: Crull threw for 1,570 yards and 16 touchdowns as a First Team All-Conference pick and Rock Valley Conference Offensive Player of the Year.
Peyton Herbst, OL, Monroe: Herbst is a returning First Team All-Conference pick for the Cheesemakers.
Harker Larsen, RB/LB, Evansville: Larsen is a returning First Team All-Conference pick on both sides of the ball for the Blue Devils.
Landen Schmitt, WR, Jefferson: Schmitt was a First Team All-Conference receiver, catching 40 passes for 494 yards and four touchdowns last season.
Karder Tway, WR, Evansville: Tway was a First Team All-Conference receiver, catching 33 passes for 494 yards and six scores.
Matthew Wickersham, QB, Evansville: Wickersham is a returning starter at quarterback for the Blue Devils, throwing for 1,353 yards and 14 touchdowns.
Connor Witucki, RB, Jefferson: Witucki led the conference in rushing last year, going for 1,176 yards and 10 touchdowns as a First Team All-Conference choice.
2025 Team Previews1) Monroe had to deal with tragedy in the off-season prior to 2024, as head coach Toby Golembiewski passed of cancer. Tom Witt took over, and despite a couple of tough non-conference losses early, guided the Cheesemakers to a fourth straight outright league title, as Monroe has the state's longest active conference winning streak of 29 games. The Cheesemakers would fall in the first playoff game against Elkhorn. "We have to replace some pretty good players," said Witt. "We have some talented young guys, guys that had success on conference championship teams in basketball, wrestling, track, golf, and tennis." That culture of winning will help offset the loss of a considerable amount of production, as the team returns just two starters on offense and three on defense. Peyton Herbst and Waylon Yoder are strong returnees up front in the team's Wing-T offense. Despite the lack of experience, Monroe is the favorite until proven otherwise.
2) Evansville won five straight games to open the year and was in a good spot, but one-score losses down the stretch against Delavan-Darien and Monroe left the Blue Devils in a three-way tie for second place in the Rock Valley. They'd take down Edgerton to open the playoffs before going out against Lake Mills the following week. "We return a large group of players that have multiple years of varsity experience," said head coach Garth Coats. The team welcomes back 22 letterwinners, with seven starters back on offense and eight on defense. There's a strong contingent returning on offense, including quarterback Matthew Wickersham, First Team All-Conference running back Harker Larsen, leading receiver Karder Tway, and an excellent offensive line group.
3) Delavan-Darien finished 7-4 overall last year, ending an eight-year postseason drought. The Comets would score a win over Kettle Moraine Lutheran to open the playoffs before falling to eventual D4 champion Racine St. Catherine's. The team returns 23 letterwinners, though just three starters back on offense and four on defense. "We will be explosive on offense this year at the skills positions," said head coach Mark Kibler. "We only return three starters but quite of few kids that played varsity snaps. Defensively, we bring back players on the backend, but we have to replace the entire defensive line. We should compete to make the playoffs again this year." Quintin Arizola is a returning Second Team All-Conference quarterback, while Kaden Garbe was one of his favorite targets.
4) Edgerton had a solid season, going 7-2 during the regular season and tying for second in the Rock Valley. The Crimson Tide fell to rival Evansville in the playoffs, just as they had during the regular season. "We lost a lot to graduation," said head coach Russ Lietz. "However, the incoming class of juniors went undefeated in conference play. Inexperience will be the biggest hurdle to get over." There are just nine letterwinners back this fall, with four starters on offense and four on defense. Eli Kittleson and Juan Tobias are the top returning skill players.
5) McFarland finished just 3-6 overall last season, and a 3-4 record in the Rock Valley Conference left the team on the proverbial playoff bubble. The Spartans were one of just three teams that went 3-4 and did not make the playoffs. They'll look to make an improvement in the standings this year, with a returning junior quarterback they're excited about. Last season, Garrett Crull threw for 1,570 yards and 16 touchdowns, and while several of his top receivers are gone, Parker Roh is back after catching 24 passes a year ago.
6) Jefferson was off the pace in the Rock Valley last year, finishing 2-5 in the league and 2-7 overall. The team has a lot back this season as it tries to move up the standings, including 33 returning letterwinners, with eight starters back on offense and six on defense. There are four experienced offensive linemen back, as well as a strong skill position group that includes quarterback Bentley Wagner, 1100-yard rusher Connor Witucki, and top receiver Landen Schmitt. "Defensively, we look to take steps forward with stopping the run and being more aggressive," said head coach Scott Slotten. "We have a new Defensive Coordinator in former Head Coach Preston Knutson, and he is ready to get things rolling."
7) East Troy did not field a varsity team in 2023 but went 1-8 last year, which proved to be the only season for head coach Wyatt Jentz, who moved on to Kettle Moraine. Mike Slattery takes over as head coach this fall, inheriting a group that should have better numbers than in the past, including seven starters returning on offense and eight on defense. Brayden Golabowski returns at quarterback, looking to become more efficient this fall.
8) Whitewater, unfortunately, did not win a game last year, as the Whippets struggled in all phases. "Offensively and defensively, we will have athletes that can move," said head coach Samuel Bartlett. "We also have a large junior class that is extremely tight-knit with some great talent. The area we will need to iron out is our offensive and defensive lines. We have the pieces, so it is about finding the best match of all those pieces together." The team returns six starters on both sides of the ball this fall.
