The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel is counting down our top 10 Milwaukee-area football programs entering the 2026 season with analysis and reporting from preseason practice visits. These stories will release one per day leading up to kickoff of Week 1 of the WIAA high school football season.
Follow prep sports reporters Zac Bellman (@ZacBellman_WNY) and Michael Whitlow (@couldbelikemike) on X for hints on upcoming teams in the countdown.
No. 3 Sussex Hamilton
2025 finish: 9-3 (5-2 in Greater Metro Conference, T-first), lost in WIAA round three playoffs to Arrowhead, 34-24.
Key losses: OL Johnny Spingola, DB Aeden Sontag, DB Cooper Knuf, LB Xzavier Mielke, LB Will Stendler, LB Collin Storbakken, DL Haden Devorse.
Key returners: OL Hunter Mallinger, OL Reece Mallinger, WR Drew Olsson, WR Alex Restivo, QB Cole Erdmann, DL Ryan Dahms, LB Devin Eberhardy, TE Dane Warren, RB Brayden Schroeder, DB Kevin Lally, SS Cooper Blaszczyk, FS Tristan Haigh, DL Timmy Tobolic.
Visit takeaways
Biggest question
Will backups be ready if depth is called upon again in 2026?
Hamilton rode out significant turmoil at the quarterback position in the first month of the 2025 season as injuries contributed to four different players taking snaps until Cole Erdmann returned from a broken leg to provide stability to the offense. While injuries that challenge a team’s depth are oftentimes not as glaring as when they happen at the quarterback position, the lesson for coaches was to have reserves ready to go when adversity strikes.
“Every high school team wants more depth, but really we’ve gotta develop … it’s next man mentality. You always wanna say that, but we’ve gotta trust that next man a little bit more. Because we have so many starters back, those twos didn’t play a lot of football last year, especially at certain positions, so [developing depth] has gotta be a priority for us,” coach Gumm said.
They said it
“They’re elite, they’re one-percenters obviously as football players which everybody sees, but all the other stuff. First guys in, last guys out. Awesome academically, good leaders. We don’t have to worry about them. Obviously we want to keep them healthy. That’s a big priority. We want to keep them healthy, but as far as who they are as humans, who they are as football players, blessed to have those guys in our program for sure.” – Gumm on Hunter and Reece Mallinger.
“Those were really valuable reps I got playing some really big games. I felt like I was ready for it and did the best I could. Jake [Osmanski] and Cody [Berlin] helped me out tremendously in that process. We watched film a ton together, we bonded together, we’d go out to eat together. Just made that bond super good. Feel like I got a lot of good reps last year, practice and game, and I feel like no moment’s too big anymore.” – Erdmann on his second season starting after taking over a month into 2025.
“Cooper Blaszczyk, he’s our newest strong safety. He was a really close second last year, but he’s taken it to a whole new level, and he’s rising and rising and rising. Tristan Haigh, he’s second starting free safety, he’s also going really, really good. He was valuable for us last year and he’s still blooming off it. Personally, I think he’s a top 10 DB in the state and he didn’t even make all-conference last year, which I think is kind of stupid.” – Senior defensive back KJ Lally breaks down a couple names to know in a Hamilton secondary that picked off 17 passes in 2025.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Milwaukee-area top 10 high school football countdown: No. 3 Sussex Hamilton
Reporting by Zac Bellman, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Zac Bellman, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel | USA TODAY Network
