MADISON — Black Hawk-Warren head coach Cory Milz went out a champion. So did 17 of his players from this season after the Warriors capped an unbeaten season by defeating Edgar 6-0 in the WIAA Division 7 state championship Nov. 21.
“It’s an unbelievable feeling, to do it like this,” Milz said. “You don’t write a script like that. We’ve had a lot of success, and I’m just so grateful for everybody that’s stood with the program and volunteered their time and put a lot of minutes, heart and soul into this program with me over the last so many years.
“You kind of feel when it’s time, and for me it makes sense.”
Milz has been at the helm for 18 years and coached his three sons during that time. He’s also been coaching longer than he’s been married, according to wife Tonya, who chuckled in a social media post that a week after they were hitched, Cory lost his wedding ring on the field and it was never found.
You kind of feel when it’s time, and for me it makes sense.Cory Milz
The eldest of the Milz children, Brody, is a sophomore on the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh football team. Cory said that stepping away opens up the opportunity to watch Brody play more often.
“Brody is going to play more and more. I don’t know what Cayden is going to do next year. Mya is going to be in seventh grade next year, so she’s going to start getting involved in all these sports, and of course Lucas is going to do a great job,” Cory said. “Lucas is the one that’s a little disappointed I think, but he understands. It’s a busy family right now and it makes sense. It’s time to hang up the coach title and just be a husband and a father and have fun with that.”
Son Cayden Milz said Cory was the hardest working person he’d ever known, and that he’s glad he was able to be suited and playing for his father in three-straight state championships.
“The amount of time he has put into this sport is unreal. Those 3 o’clock’s in the morning, when I get up to go to the bathroom and I see him on his laptop watching film and analyzing film — he’s worked so hard and has just put so much time into this game,” Cayden said.
Lucas Milz, a sophomore, only spent two years being coached in pads in his father’s high school program. The two shared an emotional hug on the sidelines prior to receiving the gold ball after the most recent win. Cayden, a senior, said he’s going to push his younger brother to hit the weight room hard.
“He has the potential to do great things. I know he’s going to be working hard — he’s the future of this program,” Cayden said. “I’m really proud of him already and I know that he’s going to do great things in the future.”
Cory is just the second head football coach in Black Hawk program history. Coach Dennis Murphy led the program from its inception back in the 1960s when South Wayne and Gratiot high schools joined to form Black Hawk.
Cory finished his career with a 140-60 record and three gold balls in four trips to Camp Randall. Black Hawk previously won a state title in 2013 and lost the 2017 championship to Bangor before defeating Edgar in 2018 and 2019. The 2019 season was also the first year of the co-op with Warren, which Cory said brought in a little bit of new life to the program.
The amount of time he has put into this sport is unreal. Those 3 o’clock’s in the morning, when I get up to go to the bathroom and I see him on his laptop watching film and analyzing film — he’s worked so hard and has just put so much time into this game.Cayden Milz on father, Cory
“The Warren kids brought such unbridled enthusiasm to break up some of the monotony,” Cory Milz said. “These Black Hawk kids have been playing for a lot of years and are used to hearing me talk and all of these types of things. To bring in a bunch of kids that are fresh, it kind of reinvigorates the program a little bit.”
The head coaching position is now open, and at least one assistant coach said he would apply, but added that he wished Cory would stick around, citing how wholesome the experience has been between learning leadership skills, Xs and Os and enjoying program success along with Milz’s unwavering trust in his assistant coaches.
Milz said he looks forward to following the program in the future, and knows he’s left it in good shape for whoever takes over next fall.
“I feel for the first time in a while — we’ve had a lot of volunteer coaches; non-teaching, non-classroom coaches — and for the first time in a long time I feel really, really good about the new breed of coaches that we’ve got coming in the door,” Cory Milz said. “Coach (Desi) Breadon, coach (Jacob) Brunner, coach (Jeremy) Saunders, coach (Eric) Erickson, coach (Mike) Burke — they will do a great job with this program.”