Seven new high school football teams in Wisconsin are now state champions.

Thursday, Nov. 20

Division 7: Burlington Catholic Central 37, Hilbert 14

Burlington Catholic Central quarterback Reese Hartlage found receiver after receiver in Thursday's WIAA Division 7 state football championship game.

The end result was a slew of broken records and a state title for the Hilltoppers, who rolled over Hilbert 34-17 at Camp Randall Stadium.

Hartlage, wide receiver B.J. Ritzman and even punter Ben Wilde all set records as Catholic Central earned its first WIAA championship after winning five private-school titles.

Ritzman caught six passes for 136 yards and three touchdowns, matching or establishing Division 7 marks in all three categories.

Division 6: Stratford 7, Edgar 3

Stratford may have been guests at Camp Randall Stadium on Thursday, but Tigers senior Ryan Schalow took ownership of a small piece of turf.

The running back/defensive back made the two crucial plays in the end zone that allowed Stratford to defeat Edgar 7-3 and win its unprecedented sixth consecutive WIAA Division 6 championship.

Schalow caught a pass from quarterback Mason Nesbitt for the game's only touchdown in the first half, then secured the win with an interception at almost the exact same spot with 53 seconds to go.

Schalow gave the Tigers all the offense they would need early in the second quarter, when he hauled in Nesbitt's pass on a rollout to the right from the 15-yard line and just barely got a foot down in the end zone.

Division 5: Colby 42, Cedar Grove-Belgium 13

Ten years ago, Adam Esselman was a first-grader watching his big brother Joseph help bring home a WIAA state football championship to Colby.

Now, Adam has something to brag about at the family dinner table.

Esselman ran for three touchdowns and made an interception that set up another score, as the Hornets beat Cedar Grove-Belgium 42-13 in the Division 5 title game Thursday.

Esselman rushed for 157 yards, scoring on runs of 3, 2 and 11 yards.

On Colby's second play from scrimmage, Jordan Rahm rolled out and passed to Tyler Lynn for a 48-yard gain to the 9-yard line. Rahm scored on a sneak from the 1 two plays later.

After two second-quarter touchdowns by Esselman, Colby led 21-0 by halftime and made it 35-0 after Esselman's interception.

Division 4: Wautoma/Faith Christian 20, Big Foot 0

Wautoma/Faith Christian senior Jared Abbrederis put the finishing touch on his prep career by running for one touchdown, passing for another and intercepting two second-half passes.

The result was a 20-0 victory over Big Foot Thursday night for the Division 5 WIAA state championship.

Abbrederis, who doubles as quarterback and defensive back, helped the Hornets (14-0) hold the Chiefs (12-2) to only 18 yards rushing, a Division 4 record.

His first touchdown came on a 9-yard option keeper late in the first half. He broke a tackle in the backfield, found an opening off right tackle and barely made it across the goal line before a jarring hit from Big Foot safety Michael Walker knocked the ball loose.

On his scoring pass, he went right out of the shotgun on a rollout, then scrambled almost to the sideline before reversing field, sprinting to the left and hitting Brett Brown in the end zone for a 13-0 lead with 8:22 left in the game.

Friday, Nov. 21

Division 3: Waupaca 21, Reedsburg 20

Mike Solberg made a game-saving tackle on a 2-point conversion to lift Waupaca to its second state title with a 21-20 victory Friday over Reedsburg in the WIAA Division 3 championship.

Waupaca led 21-7 after Solberg's second touchdown with a minute left in the third quarter, but Reedsburg came back off Tyler Mazur's three touchdown runs.

Mazur scored on the first play of the fourth quarter and added a 1-yard run with 2:59 left to make it 21-20.

After a defensive penalty moved the ball inside the 2, coach Brian Pottinger decided to go for a 2-point conversion.

Mazur pitched it to Lennon, but he couldn't get away from Connor Kiesow or Solberg. Reedsburg got a final chance, but Mazur threw an interception with 58 seconds left.

Division 2: Kimberly 28, Verona 14

Jayme Wells scored touchdowns on a run, a reception and a kickoff return in the second quarter to give Kimberly its second straight title with a 28-14 victory over Verona in the WIAA Division 2 championship Friday.

Wells also intercepted a pass on defense and excelled all over the field, but the 5-foot-10 athlete will play baseball, not football, after committing to Northern Illinois.

Kimberly won its 28th straight game to finish undefeated for the second consecutive season.

Wells opened scoring with a 5-yard touchdown run in the second quarter, then caught a pretty pass from Tyler Wolf for a 34-yard touchdown to make it 14-0.

After Verona scored, Wells took the ensuing kickoff 88 yards for a score, and Verona never seriously threatened again.

Division 1: Homestead 13, Arrowhead 11

Tom Engel returned an interception for a touchdown and Homestead relied on its smothering defense in a 13-11 victory over Arrowhead for the WIAA Division 1 football championship Friday.

Homestead finished undefeated and won its third state title overall after beating Arrowhead in the final in 2006, but losing the rematch last year.

Trailing 5-0, Engel, who picked off two passes despite a separated shoulder, intercepted Tom Parish and returned it 42 yards for a touchdown that put Homestead up 7-5 at halftime.

Bryan Bronaugh's 15-yard TD run put Homestead up 13-5, but Calvin Ramsey scored on a 34-yard run with 2:30 left that gave Arrowhead a final chance to tie with a 2-point conversion.

On the attempt, Parish overthrew Collin Schreck in the corner of the end zone.