Vote: Who is the Wisconsin High School Football Defensive Player of the Week? - Nov. 5, 2025

Here are 16 candidates for your voting consideration

De Pere High School's Cayden Cavanaugh (18) attempts to tackle Bay Port's Brady Moon (33) during a Fox River Classic Conference (North Division) game on Friday, October 3, 2025. / Tork Mason / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Each week, there are many brilliant, stand-out individual performances on the gridiron throughout the state.

With that said, the time has arrived to take a look at some of the best high school football players from Wisconsin and let you vote on who you think was the best defensive standout from the past week.

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Congratulations to last week's winner: Jackson Guenzler-Soda of Verona.

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There are hundreds of outstanding players, and these lists are not intended to be comprehensive.

Voting remains open until November 9 at 11:59 p.m. PT.

(Players are listed in alphabetical order, and all stats/accolades are from the 2025 season as compiled by Bound.com; the poll is below the list of players.)

Cayden Cavanaugh, De Pere, junior

Cavanaugh registered 21 tackles with a sack as seventh-seeded No. 25-ranked De Pere (7-4 overall) upset third-seeded No. 14 Hudson 17-14 in a WIAA Division 1 second-round playoff game.

Devin Drajkowski, Franklin, junior

Drajkowski contributed 14 tackles and an interception as top-seeded No. 4-ranked Franklin (11-0 overall) defeated fifth-seeded Verona 42-20 in a WIAA Division 1 second-round playoff game.

Devin Eberhardy, Sussex Hamilton, junior

Eberhardy registered eight tackles with two sacks as second-seeded No. 12-ranked Sussex Hamilton (9-2 overall) defeated third-seeded No. 13 Kimberly 35-10 in a WIAA Division 1 second-round playoff game.

Brendan Foley, Arrowhead, senior

Foley registered 13 tackles as top-seeded No. 7-ranked Arrowhead (10-1 overall) defeated fourth-seeded No. 15 Brookfield East in a WIAA Division 1 second-round playoff game.

Larz Hanson, Bay Port, sophomore

Hanson registered nine tackles and recovered a fumble as third-seeded No. 11-ranked Bay Port (9-2 overall) upset second-seeded Milwaukee Reagan 49-8 in a WIAA Division 1 second-round playoff game.

Nixon Heinke, Freedom, senior

Heinke registered 12 tackles as second-seeded Freedom (10-1 overall) defeated sixth-seeded Wrightstown 27-13 in a WIAA Division 4 second-round playoff game.

Logan Limberg, Muskego, senior

Limberg registered 10 tackles with a sack as top-seeded No. 1-ranked Muskego defeated fourth-seeded No. 19 Racine Case in a WIAA Division 1 second-round playoff game.

Mason Mabie, Monona Grove, senior

Mabie registered 12 tackles as second-seeded Monona Grove (10-1 overall) defeated third-seeded Germantown 28-14 in a WIAA Division 2 second-round playoff game.

Jonah Marzec, Notre Dame, junior

Marzec registered seven tackles with a sack as top-seeded No. 8-ranked Notre Dame defeated fourth-seeded No. 24 Slinger 56-42 in a WIAA Division 2 second-round playoff game.

Kyan Newman, Waunakee, junior

Newman registered 14 tackles as top-seeded No. 2-ranked Waunakee (11-0 overall) defeated fourth-seeded No. 18 Mukwonago 20-0 in a WIAA Division 1 second-round playoff game.

Hudson Samolinski, Winneconne, senior

Samolinski registered 12 tackles as top-seeded No. 21-ranked Winneconne (11-0 overall) defeated fourth-seeded Altoona 28-6 in a WIAA Division 4 second-round playoff game.

Braylon Stegall, West De Pere, junior

Stegall registered 16 tackles as top-seeded No. 3-ranked West De Pere (11-0 overall) defeated fifth-seeded Pulaski 42-21 in a WIAA Division 2 second-round playoff game.

Treve Stoffel, Mosinee, senior

Stoffel contributed 10 tackles and an interception as second-seeded Mosinee (9-2 overall) defeated third-seeded Evansville 19-7 in a WIAA Division 4 second-round playoff game.

Gabriel Talla, Catholic Memorial, senior

Talla registered 15 tackles as top-seeded No. 16-ranked Catholic Memorial (10-1 overall) defeated fourth-seeded La Crosse Logan 31-22 in a WIAA Division 3 second-round playoff game.

Carson Taylor, Pewaukee, senior

Taylor registered 11 tackles as sixth-seeded Pewaukee (6-5 overall) upset second-seeded Onalaska 24-21 in a WIAA Division 3 second-round playoff game.

Jack Zernicke, Bonduel, junior

Zernicke registered 13 tackles as third-seeded Bonduel (9-2 overall) upset second-seeded Kewaunee 37-36 in a WIAA Division 6 second-round playoff game.

About Our Player of the Week Voting
High School on SI voting polls are meant to be a fun, lighthearted way for fans to show support for their favorite athletes and teams. Our goal is to celebrate all of the players featured, regardless of the vote totals. Sometimes one athlete will receive a very large number of votes — even thousands — and that’s okay! The polls are open to everyone and are simply a way to build excitement and community around high school sports. Unless we specifically announce otherwise, there are no prizes or official awards for winning. The real purpose is to highlight the great performances of every athlete included in the poll.

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-- Jeff Hagenau | jeffreyhagenau@gmail.com