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SUAMICO (NBC 26) — The Warden brothers each won WIAA state football titles on Friday at Camp Randall Stadium. Alex Warden won with Bay Port, while Jack Warden secured a title with Notre Dame Academy.
“It’s really special,” senior Jack Warden said. “Obviously, we never got to win a game together, but winning state, we get to say we did it together — yet separately.”
Despite having an older brother who attended Notre Dame, Alex Warden decided to go to Bay Port.
“A lot of my buddies at St. John’s were heading over to Bay Port, and Bay Port has a great welding department, so I wanted to come and learn how to weld as well,” Alex Warden said.
When Alex’s younger brother Jack went to Notre Dame Academy, the two continued supporting each other and following each other’s teams.
“During the playoffs, as soon as my game was done, I’m trying to figure out what the score was right away so I can see if my brother is moving on as well,” Alex Warden said.
Jack Warden said he would ask his trainers for Bay Port score updates during his own games.
The next day, the brothers would discuss their performances.
“We talked about our games Saturday morning once we both wake up,” Jack Warden said. “We would compare which team played better. Individually, normally, he played better, so he’s got me there.”
During the season, the Warden parents split up on Friday nights to attend both of their sons’ games. When they went to Madison on Friday for both state championships, they switched outfits between the games.
Jack Warden won the first game of the day when Notre Dame beat Catholic Memorial, 49-28. His family was hoping to go two for two.
“Right after the game, I texted him [Alex] like, yeah, we already won one, so if you don’t win, you know you’re gonna hear about it forever,” Jack Warden said.
Several hours later, Alex hoisted up the gold ball with Bay Port. The Pirates defeated Muskego, 25-18, for the Division One state title game.
“My mom was in tears, just pumped and really, really excited for me,” Alex Warden said. “My dad, obviously, he’s just prouder than you could be. My older brother, it was amazing to see him because he was crying with tears of joy.”
The Warden brothers did not see each other until Saturday morning because both players spent the night in Madison with their teammates.
“We were feeling pretty good, talking a little trash to our older brother as well,” Alex Warden said.
Alex added that if one of them lost on Friday, the trash talking definitely would have gotten worse around the house.
But the Warden family does not have to worry about that now, as both brothers hold their family’s first state titles.
“It is really cool the way that we split up and then the same year, same day, championship,” Jack Warden said.
Alex, a senior at Bay Port High School, is committed to playing football at North Dakota State University. His younger brother, Jack, will have one more season of high school football at Notre Dame Academy.
