Replay: Wisconsin Boys Volleyball State Tournament Quarterfinals Updates

The WIAA boys volleyball state tournament kicked off on Wednesday, November 5, at the Resch Center in Ashwaubenon. The quarterfinals featured several top-seeded teams advancing with dominant performances, setting up exciting semifinal matchups for the following day.

Several teams made their way through the quarterfinals with three-set sweeps, ensuring a competitive path to the semifinals. No. 1 Middleton, No. 2 Germantown, No. 3 Marquette, and No. 5 Catholic Memorial all advanced without losing a single set. This sets up two high-stakes semifinal matches: Middleton against Catholic Memorial, and Germantown facing Marquette in an all-Greater Metro Conference showdown.

Catholic Memorial made history by becoming the third team from the greater Milwaukee area to reach the semifinals. They defeated Appleton North in a thrilling third set, winning 25-23. The Crusaders showcased strong performances, with Timmy Brayer, Henry Newman, and Matthew Goedheer each recording 12 kills. Cayden Christianson led the team with 36 kills, while Adam Serb added 11 digs. Appleton North's Nathan Ramus and Samuel Kuehl each had 11 kills.

Middleton continued its unbeaten season, improving to 37-0 after defeating Kenosha Indian Trail in a clean sweep. The Cardinals used a 10-0 scoring run in the third set to secure a 25-14 victory. Caden Van Buren was instrumental with 12 kills, and Bryce Stuttgen provided 30 assists. Middleton held Kenosha Indian Trail to a negative hitting percentage of -0.076, showcasing their dominance throughout the match.

Catholic Memorial took control early against Appleton North, winning the first two sets 25-21 and 25-18. Henry Newman and Matthew Goedheer each contributed eight kills, while Cayden Christianson recorded 21 assists. Appleton North's Nathan Ramus had eight kills, but the Crusaders' strong hitting (.333) and solid defense (.101) proved too much.

Middleton also started strong against Kenosha Indian Trail, taking the first set 25-19. Caden Van Buren led with five kills, and Bryce Stuttgen dished out 11 assists. The Cardinals extended their lead in the second set with a 25-21 victory, as Van Buren increased his kill total to nine. Kenosha Indian Trail struggled with a .050 hitting percentage.

Middleton overcame an early deficit in the second set, forcing a timeout after a 8-5 lead. Caden Van Buren's performance was key, as he tallied seven kills, while Bryce Stuttgen added 14 assists. The Cardinals' resilience helped them maintain control of the match.

Germantown secured a decisive victory over Brookfield Central, with Grayson Becker leading the charge with 20 kills. Alex Rogowski added 34 assists, and Parker Van Engen tallied 13 kills. Despite a tough third set, where Brookfield Central nearly pulled off a comeback, Germantown prevailed with a 31-29 win. The Warhawks will now face Marquette in the semifinals.

Marquette advanced to the semifinals with a clean sweep over Arrowhead, winning 25-21, 25-17, and 25-18. Aidan Del Fava led the team with 12 kills, while Cam Schaefer provided 31 assists. The Hilltoppers' strong performance ensured they would be in the semifinals.

Other notable results included:

• Germantown defeating Brookfield Central in a tight third set, 31-29.
• Marquette sweeping Arrowhead with a 25-21, 25-17, 25-18 victory.
• Catholic Memorial overcoming Appleton North in a dramatic third set, 25-23.
• Middleton maintaining its unbeaten record with a 25-19, 25-21, 25-14 win over Kenosha Indian Trail.

Tournament Schedule

Wednesday, November 5 – Quarterfinals - No. 2 Germantown (39-5) def. No. 7 Brookfield Central (26-14), 25-17, 25-16, 31-29. - No. 3 Marquette (21-12) def. No. 6 Arrowhead (24-15), 25-21, 25-17, 25-18. - No. 5 Catholic Memorial (27-9) def. No. 4 Appleton North (34-8), 25-21, 25-18, 25-23. - No. 1 Middleton (37-0) def. No. 8 Kenosha Indian Trail (26-12), 25-19, 25-21, 25-14.

Thursday, November 6 – Semifinals - Germantown vs. Marquette, 2 p.m. - Catholic Memorial vs. Middleton, 2 p.m.

Friday, November 7 – Final - Semifinal winners, 7:30 p.m.

Additional Information

• Location: The WIAA boys volleyball state tournament is held at the Resch Center in Ashwaubenon.
• Tickets: Admission is $11 per session at the gate or $13 online for individuals 3 and older. Tickets can be purchased online here.
• Defending Champion: Sussex Hamilton won the 2024 title by defeating Middleton in a five-set final.

About Top Teams

No. 1 Seed: Middleton Cardinals
The Middleton Cardinals remain undefeated this season, having beaten every team in the tournament field. Their senior-laden roster includes Caden Van Buren, the school’s all-time kills leader, who has committed to play college volleyball at Loyola Chicago. The Cardinals won the state title in 2023 and were runners-up in 2024.

No. 2 Seed: Germantown Warhawks
Germantown is a powerhouse in the Greater Metro Conference, known for its strong offense and defensive plays. With players like Grayson Becker and Alex Rogowski leading the way, the Warhawks are expected to make a deep run in the tournament.

For the ninth time since 2011, the Germantown Warhawks will play for a state title. Since winning the state title in 2018 as the No. 1 overall seed over Kimberly, the Warhawks have qualified for state in two seasons (2019, 2024). They've followed up last year's semifinal berth with an excellent 32-5 season, including a Greater Metro Conference title and a sectional title victory in a five-set thriller over Cedarburg. The Warhawks haven't suffered defeat since a Sept. 27 loss in tournament action to top-seeded and 2024 state runner-up Middleton in three sets.

About No. 3 Marquette boys volleyball team

The streak continues. For the 24th straight postseason as WIAA members (including the pandemic tournament of 2020-21), the Marquette Hilltoppers are at state. They've won more state titles than any program in state history (10), but haven't raised the gold ball since 2021. It's been the semifinal round that's tripped up the Toppers in the last three state tournaments, falling to Catholic Memorial, Arrowhead and Middleton last season. Still, Marquette coach Jake Cosson runs a well-oiled machine and the Toppers are always a threat, no matter where they're seeded in the tournament.

About No. 4 Appleton North boys volleyball team

This is the second straight state-tournament trip for the Lightning, the third in the last four years and the 10th overall. Last year, North lost to Germantown in the quarterfinals. Five players are back from that team, including senior outside hitter Nathan Ramus, the Fox Valley Association player of the year. Junior middle blocker Samuel Kuehl and junior libero Landon Kue also were first-team all-FVA players.

About No. 5 Catholic Memorial boys volleyball team

The 2022 state champions have returned to the grand stage at the Resch Center after two postseasons away from the spotlight. It took all five sets and 26 total points in the fifth set, but Catholic Memorial toppled defending state champion Sussex Hamilton to win its sectional and advance to its 16th state tournament in program history as WIAA members. After a 1-3 start to the season, the Crusaders ran the table to win the Classic 8 Conference title and have been on a roll since a four-set loss to Marquette on Sept. 30. A title would give CMH its fifth WIAA state crown.

About No. 6 Arrowhead boys volleyball team

Lately, it's almost been the three inevitables of life: death, taxes and Dennis Mechenich-coached teams making the state tournament. Arrowhead qualified for its fourth state tournament in the last five seasons with a four-set victory over Classic 8 foe Mukwonago in the sectional final. The Warhawks are still in search of their first state title after back-to-back runner-up finishes in 2022 and 2023. It'll be an uphill climb this time around as the No. 6 seed in the bracket with a tough matchup right out of the gate with Marquette, which holds a four-set victory over the Warhawks already this season. However, the Warhawks present a unique attack for the field this weekend, with six players tallying at least 100 kills, led by Joey Davies (182).

About No. 7 Brookfield Central boys volleyball team

Well, how about this? For the first time in 23 years, the Brookfield Central Lancers will play for a state boys volleyball title. The Lancers qualified for their first state tournament since 2002 with victories over Hmong American Peace Academy, Wauwatosa East and Nicolet in the sectional final. It was a rough start to the 2025 campaign with six losses against good competition before Sept. 7, but the Lancers have won 10 of their last 13 matches to find themselves among the final eight in the state, including one of three Greater Metro Conference programs. The versatile Weston Hink has been excellent with a team-high 317 kills, 174 digs and 52 aces this season.

About No. 8 Kenosha Indian Trail boys volleyball team

For the sixth time in program history, all of which have come since 2015, Kenosha Indian Trail is back at state. The Hawks qualified for last year's tournament and are back again this postseason after a clean sweep of their sectional. After sweeping Kenosha Bradford and Tremper, the Hawks dispatched Westosha Central in three sets to win back-to-back sectional titles. Getting there hasn't been the issue for the Hawks, but can they put together a run in Ashwaubenon? They've won just one match (2018) in five previous appearances and will have their hands full with top-seeded and undefeated Middleton. Still, the Hawks have some talented athletes in Evan Feudner (380 kills) and Briar Thoe (297 kills), along with Mason Fiene (867 assists) and Brayden Phillips (330 digs). No 8-seed has ever beaten a 1-seed in the current format. Can the Southeast Conference champions become the first?

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Replay: Updates from Wisconsin boys volleyball state tournament quarterfinals