2025 CLASSIC EIGHT CONFERENCE PREVIEWPredicted Order of Finish1. Arrowhead (Hartland)
2. Mukwonago
3. Muskego
4. Oconomowoc
5. Pewaukee
6. Kettle Moraine (Wales)
7. Waukesha West (Waukesha)Players to WatchNoah Dodds, LB, Mukwonago: Dodds was a tackling machine last season, recording 144 stops to go with seven tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks as a First Team All-Conference selection.'
Brendan Foley, LB, Arrowhead: Foley is a three-year starter and returning Defensive Player of the Year in the Classic Eight, committed to Army.
Harper Hughes, WR, Arrowhead: Hughes caught 49 passes for 796 yards and seven scores. That earned First Team All-Conference, WFCA All-Region, and WFCA Honorable Mention All-State recognition and a commitment to Western Michigan.
Caden Jurci, QB, Kettle Moraine: Jurci threw for 1,313 yards and 10 touchdowns last year with a solid 100.3 quarterback rating.
Colton Lynch, RB, Mukwonago: Lynch started a couple of games when All-State rusher Mason Radobicky was out, and showed plenty of promise, ready for a larger role this season.
Austin Munzel, QB, Oconomowoc: Munzel was Second Team All-Conference as just a sophomore last season, throwing for 1,166 yards and 14 touchdowns.
Jackson Niemiec, RB, Muskego: Niemiec broke the school record for most all-purpose yards last season, racking up 1,254 rushing yards, 184 receiving yards, and 550 return yards.
Cade Reikowski, OL, Pewaukee: Just a junior, he's already received multiple Division 1 offers, including one from Northwestern.
Alex Seraphine, RB, Oconomowoc: Seraphine was a first team All-Conference selection last season, rushing for 986 yards and 11 scores as the Raccoons shared the Classic Eight title.
Joey Shaw, QB, Muskego: Shaw doesn't throw it much in the team's Wing-T offense, but he hit on plenty of big plays last year with nine touchdowns and no interceptions as just a sophomore.
Jacob Siner, RB, Arrowhead: Siner earned First Team All-Conference and WFCA All-Region honors last year after going over 1000 rushing yards for a second straight season.
Tucker Thieneman, OL, Pewaukee: Thieneman received several Power 4 offers but gave a commitment to FCS powerhouse North Dakota State in the off-season.
2025 Team Previews1. Arrowhead took a step in the right direction last year, opening with a win over defending Division 1 champion Marquette before going on to tie for the Classic Eight title. The Warhawks took down Sussex Hamilton and Verona in the playoffs, but fell 17-6 to Classic Eight rival Mukwonago in a sectional championship. Head coach Matt Harris has a team that is capable of taking another step in 2025. "We have a lot of guys who have played a lot of varsity football," he said. "We are fast as always." While they do have to replace D1 quarterback Vance Holtz, eight starters are returning on the offensive side of the ball. That includes dynamic senior running back Jacob Siner, blazing receivers Harper Hughes and Ryan Heiman, and a strong contingent up front. They'll be bolstered by a couple of transfer linemen: 6'7", 290-pound Sam Cheever from Minnesota and Tristan Seidl, who started both ways at Kettle Moraine last season. The defense also has strong playmakers.
2. Mukwonago went through quite the gauntlet of a schedule in 2024, opening with non-league wins over Appleton North and Sun Prairie East before a tough Classic Eight slate, ending with a crossover game against defending D1 champion Marquette. The Indians put together a nice playoff run, ending in a 16-14 loss to rival Muskego in the state semi-finals. The team figures to be in the thick of things once again behind the return of five starters on offense and eight on defense. The team does have to replace quarterback Mason Kelley, along with All-State running back Mason Radobicky, but Colton Lynch is also back after going for 674 yards in a supporting role last season, including a couple of starts when Radobicky was injured. Jerrell Anderson is a promising young ball-carrier to keep an eye on as well. Noah Dodds, Connor Kreger, and Devin Viola are all defenders who we ranked in our positional rankings for the Class of 2026.
3. Muskego dropped three straight and four out of five at one point during the middle portion of a grueling schedule, all by competitive scores, but the Warriors rebounded in a big way, running through a playoff gauntlet that included Oak Creek, Franklin, Neenah, and Mukwonago to get to the state finals in Division 1. They came up just short, falling to Bay Port to go home with a silver ball trophy. Muskego may be picked third in the Classic Eight preview, but don't let that fool you, as they are a legitimate state title contender and will certainly be among the top teams in Division 1. "We return 10 players who started one or more games on offense last year," said head coach Ken Krause, who was recently announced as an inductee into the National High School Athletic Coaches Association Hall of Fame. "There are six full-time starters back on offense, and the defense returns six starters as well, plus the JV went 8-1 and the only loss was by one point. We've had an outstanding off-season so far." Jackson Niemiec is a versatile offensive weapon who is returning to the team's Wing-T offense, while Joey Shaw showed plenty of promise in his first year as a starter last season as just a sophomore. Defensive coordinator Ryan Lucchesi will have the team's 3-3 stack ready to go with a strong contingent of starters coming back across each level of the defense.
4. Oconomowoc was one of the surprise teams of the 2024 season, going from out of the playoffs the previous two years to a share of the Classic Eight title. The Raccoons would be the victim of a seeding controversy in the playoffs, receiving a five-seed and a road game, which they lost to Racine Case. Head coach Sal Logue brings back 29 letterwinners, with five starters returning on offense and four on defense as the team tries to build on last year's impressive season. "We feel that we will be solid up front on offense and are fortunate to return our quarterback, Austin Munzel, and running back Alex Seraphine," he said. "Defensively, we will have to rebuild, but we do have many players who saw action last season." Patrick Roeker is a standout offensive lineman returning for the Raccoons.
5. Pewaukee does not belong in the Classic Eight and will finally get moved out of the league and back to the Parkland next year, but the Pirates could be one of the big beneficiaries of the new football playoff system that provides more points for wins over larger opponents. The lone Division 3 school in a league full of D1 and D2 powerhouses, the Pirates qualified for the postseason last year, though in error, it turned out, only to fall to eventual state champion Notre Dame in Level 1. The team has to replace quarterback Owen Dobberstein, but can run it back with a strong rushing attack featuring 700-yard rusher Omar Cherrington as well as a host of big, D1 prospects on the offensive line including senior Tucker Thieneman (committed to NDSU), junior Cade Reikowski (multiple D1 offers), and junior Jack Tabbert (receiving D1 interest). Division 1 prospect Semaji Petzold patrols the defensive front.
6. Kettle Moraine was a state champion in 2022 and an undefeated Classic Eight champ in 2023, but the Lasers couldn't quite get things going last year, finishing 3-6 and out of the playoffs. Head coach Matt McDonnell left for Cedarburg in the off-season, and former East Troy coach Wyatt Jentz, a 2018 Hortonville High School graduate, was hired to take over. "We should have more depth in the trenches than in the past," said Jentz, who welcomes back five starters on both sides of the ball. "We are returning our quarterback and a few skill positions as well. Replacing the secondary will be difficult, and overall depth compared to the rest of the conference is a concern." Caden Jurci is back after a promising junior campaign, throwing for 1,313 yards and 10 touchdowns. Hawk Denor is one of the top linemen in the league.
7. Waukesha West enters its last season in the Classic Eight Conference before making the move to the North Shore next year. Significant program changes have already occurred this season; however, longtime head coach Steve Rux retired, replaced by Steve Vitale. The Wolverines did not win a game in the Classic Eight last year, finishing 1-8 overall. Vitale returns 23 letterwinners, including five starters on both sides of the ball this year. "We are returning many young guys who gained valuable experience as juniors and sophomores last year," said Vitale. "It is a motivated senior class leading throughout the off-season to prove last year was an anomaly. Offensive strengths include returning starters and lots of depth at the skill positions, including a second-year starter at quarterback (Jamison Larsen)." Mason Black is a standout on the defensive side of the ball.
• The Classic Eight is now a seven-team league, and each team will play one crossover against a member of the Greater Metro that will count in the standings for playoff qualification.
