Columbus looks to repeat perfect 2022

COLUMBUS, Wis. (WMTV) - The pursuit of perfection is a funny game. In sports, perfection means fairy tale-like endings. Last season, Columbus football capped off an undefeated season with a state title, in the snow at Camp Randall.

“It was very surreal,” Cardinals head coach Andrew Selgrad said. “You work really hard in the offseason, you plan all the work that our players put in, our coaches, and forever to come together the way it did, especially in that atmosphere with the snow globe going. It was really special.”

The Cardinals hit a 31-yard field goal midway through the fourth quarter to go up 23-21 over Catholic Memorial, the team that bounced Columbus from the playoffs the year before.

In the state final, junior Colton Brunell had 38 carried for 186 yards and two touchdowns. This year, Brunell is one of only five seniors returning to a relatively young team.

“Well, basically, all five of those guys have been starting since their sophomore year,” Selgrad said. “They are a core piece to our championship team last year. And if we lost any one of those guys, I don’t think we would have won. "

“Oh, I feel like everybody’s gonna be like gunning for us this year,” Brunell said. “And we kind of just have to bring the energy every single game and just treat every single game like it’s our state championship because everybody’s gonna be treating it like it’s theirs.”

Selgrad said it will take a lot to repeat the fairy tale season.

“It takes growth,” Selgrad said. “Basically, you can’t be satisfied with what we did yesterday. And that’s part of the model that I’ve come up with is keep building. And, so never be content with what we did yesterday, you can always get better. And so that’s what it takes. You can’t be satisfied. You can’t be happy. You got to always push forward to be better the next day.”

The Cardinals open up their season on Friday, at home against Milwaukee Academy of Science. That game and many more will be in NBC15′s Friday Football Blitz.

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