Sorry I’ve been tardy on posting blogs lately. I’ve been updating the state football record books and it should come as no surprise that a number of stars from 2024 have made the lists. There is some bad news before I get to the main part of the records
The bad news:
Brayln Albritton of Milwaukee Academy of Science is leaving for Milton High School in Georgia. He leaves the state as the #15 career passer. With another year like 2024 when he passed for 2,830-yards he could have been at the top of the state’s all-time list. Franklin’s Ben Hemple, 2001-04 holds the career record for 9,508. Albritton leaves the state with 6,912 career yards and 70 td’s. Robby Michael of Kohler/Sheboygan Lutheran/ Christian…2018-21 tossed for 96 career scores, so with a similar season, Brylon could have moved to the top of that list. See the attached story from Christmas Day…2026 Wisconsin Quarterback Announces Transfer To Georgia 5A Champion Milton.
Brayln Albritton Milwaukee Academy of Science
With Albritton passing (2,830 yards) and Josiah Johnson rushing for 2,381 yards the Milwaukee Academy of Science became the second school to have a 2,000+ rusher and passer in a single season. There have of course, been schools with a 2,000-yard passer and a 1,000-yard rusher or vice versa. Owen-Withee had two 2,000+ yard rushers in the same season, 2007. The first school to have a 2,000-yard + passer and rusher was the 2015 Kimberly team which had Danny Vanden Boom tossing for 2,499 yards and Blair Mulholland rushing for 2,971 yards. The team also had receiver Jordan Janssen haul in 1,516 yards that year, the only team ever to have a 2,000, 2,000, 1,500-yard trio.
Besides rushing for a lot of yards, Josiah Johnson scored 36 times, 35 by rushing, and trotted in for 22 2-point conversions, totaling 260 points on the year. Normally, this scoring total might have led the state for the season but not in 2024.
The all-around play by Blake Thiry of Prairie du Chien topped the list with 284 points. Blake really was a superstar as he rushed for an even 1,800 yards, scoring 32 times. Thiry also caught 925 yards worth of passes and 14 more touchdowns. He also returned an interception for a score as well as having a two-point conversion.
2024 had, perhaps, the tightest scoring race in many a season. Besides Thiry scoring 284 points, Green Bay Notre Dame’s Christian Collins scored 252 points, just behind Johnson. In 2023 Collins scored 260 total points. He led the state in rushing in 2023 and again in 2024 when he totaled 3,084 yards, helped greatly by his 408 yards in the state title game. His 3,084 yards on the ground was only the second time a Wisconsin player has crossed the 3,000-yard seasonal rushing threshold. Adrian Davis of Kenosha St. Josephs set the record in 2001 with 3,422 yards.
Getting back to Thiry for a moment it should be noted that his 925 receiving yards is the most that I have found for a running back in a single season. Blake was a wide receiver as a sophomore when he hauled in 11 touchdown passes. His versitality allowed him to gain 2,273 career receiving yards along with 2,965 yards on the ground as a junior and a senior. He scored 87 career touchdowns and the one two-point conversion for a total of 524 points. Blake was also an outstanding punter who averaged 47.3 yards per kick in 2024 on 16 kicks.
Collins led the state in rushing in both 2023 and 2024 and ended his career with 6,560 yards, good for #5 on the all-time list. Only three other players have, according to my records, led the state in rushing twice in two different seasons. Jim Baier of Elmwood in 1961 and 1962 led the state and Richie Nargers of Campbellsport led in 1982 and 1983. Westby back Steve Hougum in 1985 and 1985 also turned the feat.
Leading the passing department was West De Pere’s Patrick Greisen who led his team to 10-2 year by passing for 3,846 yards and 49 touchdowns. Only a junior in 2024, Patrick will be back in 2025 looking to move up the career lists in yards and touchdown passes even though he played sparingly as a freshman and a sophomore in 2022 and 2023.
Finally, in 11-player football I want to make mention of three players. First, Milwaukee Marquette University High School’s outstanding kicker, Eric Schmidt, perhaps the nation’s best, overall player at that position. Besides kicking a 55-yard field goal against De Pere, Alex was 9-12 on the season and 28 of 38 in his career (#4 on the all-time list) in field goal kicking. In booting extra point’s, he was 57-57 in 2024 and 176-179 in his four seasons at Marquette (#8 all-time). His 260 career kicking points is #1 on the list. During the 2024 season Eric punted 22 times for a 45.5 average.
Second, I wish to mention Germantown’s Cooper Catalano who was in on a state career record 583 tackles over the 2021-24 seasons. Cooper finished this year with 178 tackles, second to Isaiah Groom of Potosi/Cassville who had 199. As a freshman Cooper was in on 120 tackles, 147 as a sophomore and 138 as a junior. My third mention is for Kaden Smolinski, a junior from Lake Mills. He only touched the ball six times on defense while making 47 tackles. It wasn’t the tackles that got him into the record book. It was his defensive versatility in scoring. He recovered two fumbles and returned them of touchdowns. Kaden intercepted four passes from his linebacker spot and returned them for scores as well. Six touches, six touchdowns. Quite a feat.
Now on to 8-player stats and a few people have entered the lists numerous times. Quite numerous.
Jared Schultz of Northwood /Solon Springs has made the record book so many times it’s hard to count the number of mentions. He’s listed in 30 offensive spots. Yes, thirty!!! NINE more times when you count kick returns and defensive stats. He’s the all-time 8-player leader in total 8-player offense with 9,396 career yards and 136 total touchdowns responsible combining passing and rushing. This is just in one category. Jared is the 8-player all-time leading career scorer. In 2024 he ran for a record 28 two-point conversions and in his career, he ran for 42 conversions. He’s just everywhere on the record lists.
Next are the Koon twins from Madison Abundant Life/St. Ambrose. Jonah Koon was the team’s quarterback who set a lot of records in only nine games in 2024. Most yards passing in a season, 3,201, 45 touchdown passes (Tied with Nick Kita of Gibraltar in 2013) on the year and most consecutive 300+ yards passing in a game, to name a few. Jonah is mentioned 15 times in the records. His brother Jacob is mentioned 14 time, most notable for hauling in 65 passes, second in the state during the year but for a record 1,653 yards, a 25.4 per catch record and a record 183.7 yards per game.
Another notable record was set by Lucas Glindt of Winter/Birchwood who only played in four games but set a state 8-player single game reception record for catching 20 passes for 291 yards (#8 all-time in a single game for yards) vs. Washburn. Lucas had another great game against Mellon when he caught 15 passes for 243 yards. All total, for his four games in 2024, Glindt caught 43 passes for 657 yards. Just think where his totals might have been if he played a full season.
Well, that’s just a brief Holiday recap.
Shorter than normal but changes are coming to the record books. The 11 & 8-player record books are being revamped, and I hope when they are posted on the WFCA web site in January you will like the new look. Some of the category listings will be trimmed. A example is the 11-player two-point conversions list that currently has eight players listed with five and 27 listed as having scored four two-point runs. Those 27 will probably be trimmed leaving just those eight players with five conversions.
I again ask coaches, especially those in 8-player to fill in the stats on WISSPORTS as completely as possible. Scoring info is the main area where some of your players could get mention. Without details on two-point conversion rushes, or by passing or by recieving some of your players might not be getting the recognition they deserve. I realized it may be hard to get someone to be your regular stats person but maybe a fan or a student who is good with math can help out. Hopefully a coach or two can go back and relook at film and add those missing scoring stats or email me with the totals.
Also, Kevin Askeland at MaxPreps has completed a basic national 8-player record book. Click below or copy and paste to look at it. A few Wisconsin players have made the lists.
Finally, while WISSPORTS is only as good as you make it there is an additional way to get your team and players recognition. Put your stats on MAXPREPS as well for a national listing. As an example, Christian Collins of Green Bay Notre Dame would rank #7 in the NATION!!! if his stats were added to MAXPREPS. Blake Thiry would be #15 nationally in scoring and Collins and Josiah Johnson would be in the top 25 of scoring. But look, West De Pere uses MAXPREPS as well as WISSPORTS and Patrick Greisen is ranked #34 in the nation for passing yards. In 8-man Johah Koon would be ranked #5 and his brother Jacob would also be #5 nationally in receiving yards. Don’t shy away from WISSPORTS but think of MAXPREPS as an additional stats location.
Thanks to all and I hope you Holidays are blessed and safe.
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