Muskego vs Neenah: Recap & Prospects of the Game

The season is off and running! Week 1 is now in the books and we were lucky enough to spend Friday night in Muskego, WI where the Muskego Warriors took on the Neenah Rockets in a non-conference showdown. Both these teams entered the seasons with hopes of making a very strong push towards Madison, and both these teams showed that potential throughout different stretches of this game. What a game it was! Two teams with a strong base of senior talent, leadership, and experience supplemented by up and coming talent that fans and college recruiting departments will want to know about going forward. It all came together in a wild ride of a football game!   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Game Recap</h2>   It took about 3 seconds for the fireworks to start on the field in Muskego when the Warriors defense forced a Neenah fumble on the first offensive snap of the game. The Rockets of Neenah showed composure when the tides quickly shifted and were able to dig their heels in on the shadow of their own goal line and hold Muskego to a 20 yard field goal and a 3-0 lead. From there it became the Neenah Rockets show. They put together a long, sustained drive led by the ground attack of QB [player_tooltip player_id='384578' first='Evan' last='Vanevenhoven'] and S/ATH [player_tooltip player_id='262065' first='Grant' last='Dean']. It was [player_tooltip player_id='262065' first='Grant' last='Dean'] who was able to take the option pitch around the right side and race in for the 24 yard score and 7-3 lead for Neenah. The Rockets defense held strong, forcing a Muskego punt, and on the first play of the third Neenah drive we saw [player_tooltip player_id='262065' first='Grant' last='Dean'] get loose again. This time around the left side of the offensive line and he again flashed the game breaking speed on a 62 yard score for the 14-3 lead. The Rockets continued to pour it on Muskego who couldn't seem to find their rhythm on offense or contain the outside rushing of Neenah. At the midway point of the 2nd quarter QB [player_tooltip player_id='384578' first='Evan' last='Vanevenhoven'] pushed the lead to 21-3 with a 1 yard QB sneak, and that is where the score sat at halftime. Neenah went into the break with complete control and looking like they were going to end this thing very early in the second half.   However, what I love about this game at this level of competition is sometimes you find a special group of athletes. A group with impressive mental toughness, determination, and belief in each other that they truly believe they can overcome any obstacle. The Muskego Warriors proved they had that in the second half. Almost like a flip was switched, Muskego came out and completely took over the game on both sides of the ball. They quickly got the ball back for the offense and the offense went to work. RB Jackson Niemiec played out of his mind, taking a hand off around the left side with blocking in front of him and ran his way to a 24 yard TD cutting the lead to 9-21. After the Warrior defense dug their heels in again, the offense made quick work with drive #2 of the half. RB Jackson Niemiec took a handoff on what looked like a very similar play design and was off to the races for a 49 yard TD to narrow the gap to 16-21. Neenah tried to establish the run game that had dominated the first half, but the Muskego front seven led by DL [player_tooltip player_id='286169' first='Nicholas' last='McCullough'], [player_tooltip player_id='1051941' first='Liam' last='Shaw'], and [player_tooltip player_id='1220653' first='Nathan' last='Makinen'] completely stifled the attack. The Warriors continued their huge momentum swing as the 3rd quarter ended with a 3 yard run by RB Jack Labisch to cap off an insane 3rd quarter comeback and give Muskego a 24-21 lead.   That overpowering momentum for Muskego carried into the early 4th quarter where RB Jack Labisch added his second TD of the day on a hard earned 2 yard TD run. From there, Muskego was able to control the clock on offense and the defense completely slammed the door shut on Neenah's explosive offense. The 31-21 early 4th quarter score is where the game stayed until the final whistle, giving Muskego a very hard earned 1-0 start to the season and a chance to celebrate under actual fireworks to kick off the season. It was an impressive win, both physically and mentally for the Warriors. Big things are ahead for both of these teams. The season long goals should remain the same for both because both proved they could dominate a game against a very talented foe. Don't be surprised if we end up watching either of these teams again in Madison this November...   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Prospects of the Game</h2>    Stats: 7 Tackles, 3 TFLs   Nicholas started off his senior season with a great showing. He and his fellow DL members did a great job of controlling the inside run game and getting penetration into the backfield to throw off timing of plays. Nicholas in particular is an athlete we have watched closely for years and it is all coming together this year. He has long been a technician, now we are seeing the superior strength quickly shed blocks and his ability to transition speed to power out of his stance jumped off the field last night. McCullough also showed good awareness throughout the night, finding the ball and pursuing it. Harvard has a great prospect coming in with size, strength, technique, and experience.     Stats: 8 Tackles, 1 TFL   The top uncommitted senior is the game was Muskego's DL [player_tooltip player_id='1051941' first='Liam' last='Shaw'] and he affirmed that believe with his play on the field. Liam has built an outstanding frame. He has the length you love on the DL to create separation and it looks like he can carry plenty more weight on his 245+ lbs frame. Liam won reps in a variety of ways too. He was able to win with his explosive first step that got him through the gap before an OL to cut him off. We saw him drive his man into the backfield and create havoc before making the tackle. Liam also did a great job of on the backside of plays, collapsing down to make tackles on RBs trying to cut back. Shaw is an impressive prospect who still has his best football ahead of him.     Stats: 5 Tackles, 2 TFLs, 1 FR   Nathan has had himself as a top DL recruit for the Class of 2026 for awhile now, and he proved why last night. The primary NT in the Muskego 3 man front showed off his blend of quickness of the snap and lateral movements and impressive strength to hold the line of scrimmage at just 255 lbs. The junior consistently uses heavy hands that stay active, trying to disengage from blocks while also finding the football. Nathan also has the ability to turn his pads and get skinny between double teams. The standout junior made the first big play of the season with that fumble recovery to set up Muskego's first score of the game. Nathan has a lot of talent and potential to further tap into. He is firmly locked in as a top junior to know.     Stats: 12 carries, 143 Yards, 2 TDs, 2 Receptions, 43 Yards   Jackson was the spark plug that got the Muskego offense firing on all cylinders. I love this Muskego offense because it always gives us an electric, big play threat at RB and a powerful, downhill runner at FB. The big play threat is junior Jackson Niemiec. He proved it in Week 1. As soon as he was able to get to the edge in the second half he instantly was able to make the Neenah defense pay. He flashed the long speed to pull away for the big plays. Jackson showed he could make the talented DBs of Neenah miss in space. We also got to see him show off the receiving skills, turning a couple short roll out passes into 43 yards. Jackson ignited the special comeback Friday night and is in position for a lot more big plays this fall. Follow this kid closely.     Stats: 260 Team Rushing Yards, 4 TDs   Parker was the top OL prospect in this big time matchup. His 6'4" 285 lbs frame towered over the rest of the offensive linemen. The junior OT carried it impressively well too. Parker is quick on his feet, allowing him to be utilized on pulls or getting up to LBs. The big man also showed the dominant power needed to remove his man from the gap he was assigned. Parker helped spring loose a lot of the big plays that changed this game for Muskego. He is definitely an OL to know going forward. I'm excited to see some tape come out this season from the big man.     Stats: 8 Tackles, 2 Sacks   Bryan was a huge piece to the Muskego front seven that shut down Neenah in the second half. Neenah was unable to get much going attacking the middle of the defense from the opening bell and Bryan flying around behind the DL was a big part of that. The senior LB also stepped up in the biggest moments. On the final Neenah drive is when he collected both sacks. One coming on 2nd down and the other on 4th down. It was a great start to the season for Bryan as he leads the team in sacks and tackles heading into a Week 2 showdown with Oak Creek.     Stats: 17 Carries, 135 yards, 2 TDs   The top prospect of the night was the Badgers commit from Neenah HS. Grant is back in the Rockets uniform looking bigger, faster, and stronger than he did a year ago when we last watched him live. The 2025 DB/RB has strong instincts and feel for the game when roaming the field at safety or when he is running with the football. He has an athletic profile that allows him to cover a lot of the field at safety and he also used it to beat pursuit angles down the sideline on both of his TD carries. The senior athlete was physical and aggressive with his run support throughout the night as well. It was a strong start for the standout senior.     Stats: 19 Carries, 78 Yards, 1 TD, 1/4, 8 Passing Yards   We are a fan of Evan here at Prep Redzone WI. His skill set fits perfectly into the design of the Neenah offense. The 5'1" 175 lbs QB/ATH is a smart, quick decision maker with the ball in his hands. He knows when to give the ball or pitch it and is able to bait defenders into putting themselves into bad positions. When the senior keeps the ball himself, Evan is explosive in short areas. We saw him able to pick his way through a lot of traffic last night and make defenders miss in those tight quarters. Evan also proved to be a slippery tackle. He was able to slip away from arm tackles multiple times on the way to his 78 rushing yards and 1 TD Friday night.     Duluth has a good one coming to town next season. I was able to key in on Jung several times while he was at safety. The '25 DB looks better than ever with his 6'2" 190 lbs frame. He flashed range to be able to get to the sideline and on one particular play delivered a monster hit on a WR to break up a pass at the last moment. Luke also showed no hesitation against the run game, flying downhill, closing quickly, and running through tackle attempts. Jung has definitely developed his game this offseason, and his best football is still ahead of him.     Stats: 230+ Team Rushing Yards & 3 Rushing TDs   Nathaniel is a new senior to hit our radar. The left tackle for the Rockets has a massive frame and was a key contributor behind the Neenah rushing attack being able to attack the edges in the first half of the game. Nathaniel had a very difficult matchup against the Muskego OL, but several times was able to use his size and strength to overpower his opponent and also showed some short area quickness to be able to position himself in ways that cut off the DL and opened up paths for the RBs. I can definitely see Nathaniel gaining interest from the D3 schools across WI.    <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Other Noteworthy Prospects to Know</h2>   [player_tooltip player_id='1300195' first='Joey' last='Shaw'], QB- Muskego: Didn't light up the stat sheet, but the 2027 QB did a great job at the helm of the Muskego offense. He showed poise and composure while making smart decisions with the ball in the Muskego run game. His ball handling and ability to hide the ball while making fakes to RBs was a huge key to the success on multiple of the game changing TD runs. The sophomore lefty also looked comfortable rolling out and throwing on the run. Very excited for his future and coaches definitely should stay up to date with Joey's play on the field.   Jack Labisch, RB- Muskego: Senior RB Jack Labisch was the battering ram that helped wear down the Neenah defense. The 5'10" 200 lbs fullback showed off his toughness and power on both of his TD runs to give Muskego the lead and further their lead. He ran with low pads, kept his feet moving, and played with a low center of gravity and great contact balance. His ability to handle 20+ carries a game will be key to the success of Muskego this fall.   [player_tooltip player_id='383796' first='Caleb' last='Schaefer'], WR- Neenah: One of the top uncommitted seniors in this game is the Neenah WR. Compared to when we watched the Rockets in 2023, Caleb is looking bigger and stronger. The 6'4" 200 lbs frame has filled out very well giving him a size and strength advantage over DBs. He wasn't able to get involved in the passing game in Week 1, but his blocking in space was key to the Neenah first half success.

The season is off and running! Week 1 is now in the books and we were lucky enough to spend Friday night in Muskego, WI where the Muskego Warriors took on the Neenah Rockets in a non-conference showdown. Both these teams entered the seasons with hopes of making a very strong push towards Madison, and both these teams showed that potential throughout different stretches of this game. What a game it was! Two teams with a strong base of senior talent, leadership, and experience supplemented by up and coming talent that fans and college recruiting departments will want to know about going forward. It all came together in a wild ride of a football game!