The No. three seeded Mayville Cardinals saw their 2026 football season come to an end Friday, Oct. 30, falling 42-6 to the No. two seed Grantsburg in a WIAA Division 5 Level 2 playoff matchup.
The loss ended a season that included seven victories, a dramatic opening-round playoff comeback against Amery and strong community support for the football program.
Mayville entered Friday's contest hoping to build on its 27-24 victory over Amery, but second-seeded Grantsburg took control early, scoring 21 unanswered points in the first quarter.
Grantsburg quarterback Axel Hale opened the scoring with a 15-yard touchdown pass to Caleb Rombach. Daxter Schultz followed with touchdown runs of 1 and 4 yards, giving the Pirates a 21-0 advantage after one quarter.
The Pirates extended their lead to 28-0 in the second quarter on an 84-yard touchdown pass from Hale to Rombach and added a 15-yard scoring run by Schultz in the third quarter.
Mayville broke through in the fourth quarter when junior Dominic Schuelke scored on a 1-yard touchdown run with 8:50 remaining. The extra-point attempt was blocked.
Grantsburg answered with a 5-yard touchdown run by Curtis Fenton to complete the scoring.
The Cardinals finished with 202 yards of total offense, including 149 rushing yards.
Senior Joe Promersberger led Mayville's ground attack with 54 yards on 16 carries. Junior Tanner Schneider added 35 yards on five attempts, while Schuelke finished with 25 yards and the Cardinals' lone touchdown.
Junior quarterback Cooper Raddemann completed 6 of 14 passes for 57 yards. Schneider was his leading receiver with three catches for 39 yards.
Promersberger also contributed on special teams, returning five kickoffs for 129 yards.
Grantsburg totaled 358 yards of offense, including 219 through the air. Hale completed 9 of 13 passes for 219 yards and two touchdowns, while Rombach caught four passes for 149 yards and both receiving scores.
Schultz led the Pirates' rushing attack with 92 yards and three touchdowns on 18 carries.
Despite the final score, Mayville held an advantage in time of possession, controlling the ball for 30 minutes, 13 seconds compared with Grantsburg's 16:31. The Cardinals recorded 12 first downs to the Pirates' 15.
Community Support Makes Trip Possible
The Cardinals departed Mayville at approximately 8:20 a.m. Friday for the nearly five-hour trip to Grantsburg, traveling by charter coach bus thanks to donations from area businesses and organizations that covered the transportation cost.
With area charter companies booked because of Thursday night's Green Bay Packers game, the team secured a coach bus from Chicago.
The community support helped make the long postseason trip possible, allowing players and coaches to travel together for their final game of the season.
A Season of Resilience and Community Pride
Mayville finished the year with a 7-4 record, highlighted by several memorable performances and a postseason victory.
The Cardinals opened the season with a 23-0 shutout of Cedar Grove-Belgium and later earned victories over Winnebago Lutheran Academy, North Fond du Lac, St. Mary's Springs, Omro and Laconia.
The season also brought national recognition to the Mayville football program when the school was selected for a $5,000 award through T-Mobile's Friday Night 5G Lights initiative. The award was presented during halftime of the Cardinals' Oct. 9 homecoming game against Laconia, adding to an evening of school spirit and community celebration.
That same homecoming celebration included recognition of longtime Mayville assistant football coach Bill Lee's 90th birthday, with the crowd joining in to sing to him.
One of the season's defining moments came Oct. 23 at Ray Dunn Field, when Mayville rallied from an 11-point second-half deficit to defeat Amery 27-24 in the opening round of the WIAA playoffs.
Schuelke scored twice in the second half, including the go-ahead touchdown in the fourth quarter, while the Cardinals' defense held Amery scoreless in the final period.
The victory extended Mayville's season another week and earned the team a trip to Grantsburg.
Throughout the fall, the Cardinals relied on a physical rushing attack, contributions from multiple offensive players and a defense anchored by an experienced group of seniors.
Although Friday's loss brought the season to a close, Mayville's 2026 campaign will be remembered for its playoff comeback, the contributions of its senior class and the community support that followed the Cardinals through their final game.
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