(WIAA) – The 45th annual WIAA state boys soccer tournament is set for Nov. 5-7 at Southeast Sales Powersports Stadium at Uihlein Soccer Park in Milwaukee. A total of 16 schools will compete for titles in four divisions over the three-day event.
Schedule of Events
Division 1
Semifinals – Thursday, Nov. 5
4:30 p.m. – #1 Hudson (17-0-3) vs. #4 Verona (19-1-4)
7 p.m. – #2 Arrowhead (20-1) vs. #3 Marquette (13-4-3)
Championship – Saturday, Nov 5, 1:30 p.m.
Division 2
Semifinals – Thursday, Nov. 5
11 a.m. – #1 Wauwatosa East (17-2-1) vs. #4 Pulaski (14-6-3)
1:30 p.m. – #2 Whitefish Bay (13-3-1) vs. #3 Monona Grove (14-6-2)
Championship – Saturday, Nov 5, 11 a.m.
Division 3
Semifinals – Friday, Nov. 6
4:30 p.m. – #1 St. Thomas More (16-3-2) vs. #4 Rice Lake (14-4-2)
7 p.m. – #2 Kettle Moraine Lutheran (19-3-1) vs. #3 Edgerton (14-0-4)
Championship – Saturday, Nov 5, 7 p.m.
Division 4
Semifinals – Friday, Nov. 6
11 a.m. – #1 Lake Country Lutheran (16-1-2) vs. #4 Xavier (14-7)
1:30 p.m. – #2 Northland Pines (21-0-1) vs. #3 Cristo Rey Jesuit (16-2-2)
Championship – Saturday, Nov 5, 4:30 p.m.
Division 1:
Top-seeded Hudson brings an undefeated record into the Division 1 tournament for the second straight year. The Raiders own a 43-match unbeaten streak (37-0-6) over the past two seasons. They tied Marquette 3-3 in last year’s semifinals before being eliminated in a shootout. The Big Rivers Conference champions are making their 14th appearance in the state tournament and are seeking their first state title. The Raiders’ only victory at the state tournament came in the 2021 semifinals. Arrowhead is back in the field for the first time since 2020 and makes its eighth appearance at state. The Classic Eight Conference champions are searching for their first state title and have finished runner-up four times. Marquette is making its state-leading 24th appearance at state – all coming in the last 26 seasons. The Hilltoppers were last year’s state runner-up, falling to Madison West 1-0 in the state final. Marquette has won the most state titles of any school with 16, but has come up short in its past four trips to state since winning in 2021. Marquette also won 14 state titles as a member of WISAA. Verona makes its fourth appearance and first since 2022. The Wildcats boast a 5-1 all-time record in the state tournament, having won titles in two of their three appearances in 2019 and 2022. Their only defeat this season came against semifinal opponent Hudson 4-3 on August 29.
Division 2:
Wauwatosa East earned the top seed in Division 2 and is at state for the sixth time overall. The Red Raiders won state titles in their previous two appearances in 1990 and 1998. Wauwatosa East avenged one of its two losses during the regular season by edging Brookfield Central 1-0 in the sectional final. Defending Division 2 state champion Whitefish Bay appears in the state tournament field for the 18th time. Last year’s state title was the Blue Dukes’ eighth, which is the second-most all-time behind Marquette. Whitefish Bay won the first two state titles in 1982 and 1983 and also won Division 1 in 1994 and Division 2 in 1995, 2015, 2016 and 2017. Monona Grove is a state tournament entrant for the fourth time and first since 2004. The Silver Eagles lost in the semifinal round in all three of their previous appearances. Pulaski previously appeared in the state tournament in 2014 and 2022 and dropped its opening match each time. The Red Raiders shutout all four of their regional and sectional opponents and survived a sectional final shootout over Fox Valley Lutheran after a scoreless tie to qualify for the state tournament.
Division 3:
St. Thomas More is at the state tournament for the third time, having won the Division 3 championship in 2006 and finishing as Division 4 runner-up in 2014. The Cavaliers are tied with Verona for the longest winning streak entering this year’s tournament, winning nine straight contests and claiming the Metro Classic Conference title. Kettle Moraine Lutheran made its only previous appearance at the state tournament in 2018 and lost in the Division 4 semifinals. The Chargers won the Glacier Trails Conference this season and outscored their four regional and sectional opponents by a combined 22-0 in qualifying for the state tournament. Edgerton is the only newcomer to this year’s field in any division. The Tide brings an undefeated record into the tournament and captured the Rock Valley Conference title. Rice Lake is making its first trip to the state tournament since 2021 and its sixth overall. The Warriors’ lone victory at the state tournament came in the semifinals in 2015 when they claimed the runner-up trophy.
Division 4:
Lake Country Lutheran earned the top seed in Division 4 and is back in the field after winning the championship in 2024. The Lightning’s only other appearance came in 2022. Lake Country Lutheran won the Midwest Conference Classic title and brings an 18-match unbeaten streak into this year’s event. Northland Pines is the only undefeated team in the Division 4 field and qualified for the state tournament for the ninth time after winning the Great Northern Conference crown. The Eagles’ last appearance came in 2019. They have been eliminated in the semifinal round in each of their previous eight trips to state. Cristo Rey Jesuit made its only state tournament appearance in 2022 and emerged as the Division 4 state champion. Xavier is making its sixth trip to state and has been successful in its five other appearances with four titles and an 8-1 all-time record. The Hawks’ previous state titles all came in Division 2 in 2003, 2004, 2006 and its most recent appearance in 2012.
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