5 things to know about the WIAA high school boys soccer state tournament

The top high school boys soccer teams will battle for state championships at Uihlein Soccer Park in Milwaukee this weekend.

Two new champions will be crowned in Division 2 and 3, as Union Grove and Sugar River (Belleville/New Glarus) did not reach state. Reigning Division 1 champions, Middleton, and Division 4 champion, Shoreland Lutheran, have opportunities to repeat.

Semifinals for Division 3 and 4 will be held Thursday and Divisions 1 and 2 will play semifinals Friday. Four state championship games are scheduled beginning at 11 a.m. Saturday.

Here are five things to know about the 43rd WIAA state high school boys soccer tournament.

Middleton chasing repeat championship

Middleton won its second title in program history last season in a thrilling shootout victory against Brookfield East. To get back to the Division 1 championship game, the Cardinals will again have to beat Brookfield East (19-0-1).

Middleton's record of 17-4-1 in the 2024 season is almost identical to its record of 17-4-2 entering the championship weekend in 2023.

The Cardinals' one Big Eight conference loss was against Madison West, but they avenged that loss in the sectional championship with a win in penalty kicks. Senior defenseman Josh Lee had the decisive PK.

While 2023 Madison/WiscNews Player of the Year Cal Avery graduated last year, several key players returned.

Forward Tony Murphy Jr. was first team all-area after leading his team in scoring last season. Murphy and his twin brother Jimmy have been crucial to their team's front line as seniors.

DeForest hunting for first state championship

There are parallels between DeForest's consecutive state tournament appearances. The Norskies (18-3-1) were again Badger Large Conference champions after an unblemished mark.

They've also rounded their defense into shape. DeForest allowed 12 goals last season, and has let in six more this fall but none since Oct. 22. The Norskies are peaking at the right time as goalkeepers Jamison Thoms and Kolby Herschleb have combined for 60 saves, per MaxPreps .

The offense has increased its goal total from last season by 10, which includes five in a sectional final shutout of River Falls. Captain Jacob Tutaj has a team-best 18 goals scored. The senior forward returned from last season's state qualifier.

The Norskies lost 2-0 to eventual champion Union Grove in last season's state semifinal. They meet top-seeded Waukesha West (14-4-2) at 11 a.m. Friday in a Division 2 semifinal.

Delavan-Darien's improbable run

While Delavan-Darien has three state titles to its name, this year, the team was not expected to make it this far. The Comets have the worst record among state qualifiers at 12-10-4, which is twice the amount of losses as the team with the second most.

But the Comets have proved that record doesn't matter once the tournament starts. Delavan-Darien was a No. 9 seed in its sectional and beat No. 8 Mount Horeb, top-seeded Wisconsin Dells, No. 4 Madison Edgewood and No. 3 McFarland to capture the sectional championship. They have yet to concede a goal in the tournament.

The Comets moved on to the state tournament thanks to the speed they used to attack McFarland in the sectional championship. Their Cinderella run continues against No. 1 seed St. Augustine (19-1-1) at 4:30 p.m. Thursday.

St. Augustine's superstar player

Top-seeded St. Augustine has a certified star in senior Angel Gomez. The forward leads the state in points (119) and goals (55), according to WisSports .

Gomez led St. Augustine to its first state tournament with eight goals in the regional and sectional rounds. In his team's 17-1 victory against Milwaukee Hamilton, Gomez was responsible for six of his team's goals. He scored three or more goals in 10 games this season.

St. Augustine has outscored its opponents 104-20 this season.

Marquette's soccer dynasty continues

Marquette has established itself as the premier boys' soccer school in the state with 16 championships over the last 42 years. The Hilltoppers have dominated Division 1 in the 2010s and 2020s. They won championships from 2014-18 and then again won back-to-back titles in 2020 and 2021.

Marquette coach Steve Lawrence and his team lost in the finals in 2022 and the semifinals in 2023. Marquette's defense allowed just one goal in their run to secure the sectional championship, outscoring opponents by a margin of 24-1.

The Hilltoppers' star player is junior midfielder Ben Bausch, who has 16 goals on the season, including a four-goal game against Brookfield Central. They will face Green Bay Preble in a semifinal at 4:30 p.m. Friday.