MADISON (NBC 26) — Kimberly is back where it belongs: on top of the Wisconsin high school football world.
The Papermakers took down Classic Eight Conference champion Mukwonago 34-30 in a back-and-forth thriller Friday night to claim their first state title since 2017, when the won their state-record 70th straight game and fifth consecutive championship.
Senior running back Blake Barry scored four of Kimberly's five touchdowns, including the game-winner with 26 seconds remaining. Thomas Meyers then picked off Mukwonago quarterback Evan Herbig to seal the victory.
"That's something that you think about when you're working out on tough days when you really don't want to do it," Barry said of his final touchdown. "That's just the kind of thing that you think about in those moments that keep making you push. It feels great."
Barry had 184 of Kimberly's 234 rushing yards.
"We looked at him in the huddle - and the line as well - and we said 'this is why you do the hills,'" first-year head coach Chad Michalkiewicz said. "This is why we're one of the top squat high schools in the state of Wisconsin.
"Lean on it. Control the line of scrimmage. And we wore them down a little bit," Michalkiewicz continued. "Just an unbelievable rushing performance."
Kimberly has now won eight state championships, the second-most in WIAA history.
Click here to view the box score.
