Muskego football returns to practice with 'unfinished business'

MUSKEGO, Wis. — High school football teams across Wisconsin hit the practice field Tuesday for the first time this season, but for Muskego High School, this year carries special meaning.

The Warriors are entering the season with a clear motto: "Unfinished business." It's a direct reference to their heartbreaking loss in last year's Division 1 State Championship game to Bay Port.

"The seniors this year picked the theme 'Unfinished Business,' so it kind of tells you where their mindset is," said Muskego head football coach Ken Krause.

That championship defeat has fueled the team throughout their offseason preparation.

"We wanted to win that game, but it's really fueling us for this year," Warriors senior nose tackle Nathan Makinen stated. "You could see it in the offseason work we did when we were lifting and running. We want to win this year. This is our year."

The Warriors showed resilience in that championship game, nearly erasing a 19-point deficit before falling short, 25-18.

"We came back in the second half, outscored them in the second half, and it shows that our team's not going to get punched in the face and just lay down," Warriors senior running back Jackson Niemiec expressed. "We're going to fight back. We came up short there, but we're always going to try our hardest and give our best."

As they begin the new season, Muskego enters with high expectations, with several preseason polls ranking them first in the state. Coach Krause is focused on keeping the team grounded.

"It's a 1-0 mentality," he stated. "We can't look past anybody. There are so many teams in the Classic 8 that could win a state championship, so it's just one day, one practice, one game at a time. We can never look past that."

The Warriors return junior quarterback Joey Shaw, who brings valuable experience as the team's starter.

"He knows how to take control of the field," Niemiec stated. "He knows just what to do on the field. I fully trust in him."

Niemiec himself looks to build on his impressive 1,200-yard rushing season from last year.

"When your best player is your hardest worker, that sets you up for success," Krause stated. "You don't get to a state championship game without your best players being your best leaders, and he epitomizes that."

For this united group of Warriors, the goal is clear as they look toward the blank championship banner hanging outside their stadium press box.

Ashley Washburn, TMJ4 Sports

"This is a very united group, and to come out on top and win this thing with all these guys, it would mean the world," Makinen expressed.

Niemiec added a final thought about their championship aspirations: "Hopefully we can put a 2025 up there."

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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