The Wisconsin State Championship is the highlight of the girls high school fall season – for more reasons than the trophy it affords. Divine Savior Holy Angels (DSHA) and Catholic Memorial High (CMH) have competed in the previous five title games, building toward this finale after months of gauging each other from across the pools' divide. The pressure belongs to the Dashers, and this year, the challenge was to overcome the Crusaders for a 13th-straight title. Catholic Memorial entered the match with nothing to lose.

“I’m still in shock,” said Catholic Memorial captain Ellie Metz, whose team won 24-10. “I’ve been playing all four years and ever since I can remember, we always lost to DSHA. To have this happen when I’m a senior – to finally accomplish this goal and see our team grow, adapt, and change in order to do so – it’s incredible. The coaches are so happy; I’m in disbelief. I think I’ll be happy for the rest of my career.”

Catholic Memorial coach John "Wally" Waliszewski placed special emphasis on team defense in the build-up to the final. Both sides had weapons that needed neutralizing. The offense wanted to make good use of its power forwards before moving the ball to its talented freshmen on the wing.

CMH held onto a lot of possession during the first 10 minutes of the match was rewarded when senior prop Kelsey Gustafson barreled over for a try.

“That usually never happens,” Metz said. “We usually don’t come out with the lead, so when we got that first try, it really helped us psychologically. It was a boost of energy and optimism: We can do this!”

The lead switched hands twice more before the half, as DSHA responded with a converted score, and then CMH flyhalf Allison Koenig dotted down. Meaghan Schmitt’s conversion gave the Crusaders a 12-7 edge. Koenig nearly scored before the break, scooping up a loose ball and motoring around the corner, but referee Emily Grambsch called it back for a penalty.

Before the break, DSHA fullback Meg Walker added a penalty to pull her side within two points, 12-10. Walker is one of DSHA's best attacking weapons, and while she did break free a few times, the CMH defense did well to cover.

“It’s tough to play down, especially since we’ve been up all year,” DSHA coach John Klein said. “At the start of the second half, we controlled things but we couldn’t punch it over the line.”

Midway through the second half, Koenig cleaned up sloppy ball by kick-passing to her wing, who made a 20-meter break into DSHA’s half. The ball recycled to midfield, and scrumhalf Metz connected with Koenig for a 35-meter converted try, 19-10.

With a two-score cushion, CMH surged in confidence, and with minutes remaining, captain Metz dotted down a final try for the 24-10 win.

“Total credit goes to Memorial and how well they played,” Klein said. “What Wally has done with his team – he’s waited for that for a long time. I feel great for him. He’s the epitome of resiliency and it’s an honor to coach against him. If we’re going to lose our 12 consecutive state championship record, then that’s the man who should get it."

For Klein, the game came down to execution. CMH did a better job on defense and had some more potent ballcarriers in certain areas.

“But I’m very proud of the team,” Klein continued. “We have three returning starters from last year, and everyone else was from the B side. Last year, the B side lost the 3^rd place match, and now to come in and play the way they did on the A side is outstanding. It gives the young B side a look at how things can change, that we can get better in less than a year.”

DSHA will embrace a different mindset as it enters the off-season. The Dashers will be focusing on areas of improvement, but the coach is grateful to have this opportunity to put a better team on the pitch.

“At the end of the year, if you lose at nationals, you don’t get the opportunity to learn how to get better – the season’s over,” Klein said. “That’s something that can be very beneficial and I hope we use it as such. We’ve never had that perspective, but we’re looking forward to the challenge.”

For CMH, the focus is a little different than years past. The Crusaders want to keep this winning momentum into regionals and nationals.

“It’s exciting to have this positive energy into next season,” Metz said. “I’ve seen our team at so many different stages. The senior class, we all started together freshman year and have stuck together. Raw talent wise, there have been sets of seniors who were stronger and had more talent than we do now. But this is the team that really gels together and what makes it one of our strongest.”