WAUKESHA, Wis. — Arrowhead High School won the state football championship on the field in 2025, but the title could be stripped away in court.
The parents of Arrowhead student Tristen Seidl are asking a Waukesha County judge to make a temporary injunction permanent — an injunction that allowed Seidl to play football during the 2025 season despite a Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association eligibility ruling against him.
Watch: Arrowhead High School's 2025 state football championship at risk as court battle continues
Seidl is about to graduate and will not play high school football again, but his family says dropping the lawsuit would put both Seidl and Arrowhead at risk of losing the championship.
"We started off with a request to play football, and now, having a completely different case, we want to preserve the record, we want to preserve the status of a state championship," Judge Paul Bugenhagen, Jr. said.
Seidl moved to the Arrowhead School District in 2025 after his family's home burned down. The WIAA ruled him ineligible, citing a rule that prohibits athletes from transferring in their senior year. His family took the WIAA to court, and Judge Bugenhagen issued a temporary injunction allowing Seidl to play.
Now, even though Seidl has graduated, all parties agree that dismissing the case would trigger sanctions against both Seidl and Arrowhead — potentially costing the school its state title.
"He can't dismiss the case because the bottom line claims they will sanction Arrowhead and him if they dismiss the case," Seidl family attorney William Rettko said.
The WIAA argues it has no choice but to fight the injunction. Its attorneys say determining student eligibility is the WIAA's responsibility, and a permanent court ruling stripping the association of that authority could shift eligibility decisions to individual high schools.
"That affects tens of thousands of athletes over across 500 member schools. So I think it is an understatement to suggest this is just another case about another athlete," WIAA attorney Brent Jacobson said.
Judge Bugenhagen says he will determine whether the case still has a legal effect or has become moot. He plans to rule on July 1st.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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