Max Peterson and Lena/St. Thomas Aquinas made it to the state finals last year and are among the favorites again this season
8-PLAYER | BRACKET
(Times, dates, & locations subject to change)
The Placements
This marks the first year of the expanded 32-team playoff structure for 8-player football, with the postseason getting underway a week earlier than normal. It’s also a new qualifying, grouping, and seeding system under the Wisconsin Football Playoff Matrix. In the top left bracket, undefeated Flambeau is experiencing a renaissance, and earned the top seed. McDonell Central’s only loss came against Gilman and the Macks grabbed the number two. Lena/St. Thomas Aquinas, last year’s runner-up, is unbeaten and the top seed in the lower left, with with fellow unbeaten Wabeno/Laona the two-seed. Gilman gets the top seed in the top right, with fellow undefeated North Crawford the two-seed. Defending champion Owen-Withee is the four-seed in that bracket. Oakfield earns the top seed in the lower right, where Marion/Tigerton is the two-seed.
Six to Watch
Here are six of the most electric offensive players that will be lining it up beginning this weekend:
Cooper Albrecht, Wabeno/Laona - Albrecht is all over the field for the Rebels. He’s thrown for 1,412 yards and 25 touchdowns, rushed for 384 yards and 12 scores, and caught a 60-yard touchdown on offense. He also leads the team with 82 tackles, 4 interceptions (two returned for a touchdown), and accounted for 15 two-point conversions.
Cullen Jacobus, North Crawford - Jacobus has accounted for 28 offensive touchdowns this season, 15 passing and 13 rushing. He’s thrown for 806 yards and rushed for 792 more for the undefeated Trojans. He’s also scored via punt return (twice), fumble recovery, and interception return.
Braylon Mielke, Marion/Tigerton - Mielke is the top rusher in 8-player football this year, going for 1,678 yards and 22 touchdowns on 160 carries, averaging 10.5 yards per carry. He also has two kick return touchdowns and 11, two-point conversions.
Max Peterson, Lena/St. Thomas Aquinas - The Titans are undefeated this year and one of the favorites in 8-player. Peterson leads the way with 104 carries for 1,004 yards and 21 touchdowns in eight games.
Cole Schley, Flambeau - Schley has been a big part of Flambeau’s outstanding 2025 season, as the Falcons enter the playoffs undefeated and a top seed. The versatile quarterback has thrown for 414 yards and six touchdowns this year and is also the team’s leading rusher with 1,230 yards and 21 touchdowns, averaging 10.5 yards per carry.
Wyatt Temperly, Belmont - Temperly leads the 8-player division with 25 touchdown passes, throwing for 1,373 yards this season while completing 88-of-126 passes (69.8%). He’s added three interceptions over on defense.
Upset Alert
With 8-player expanding to 32 teams, upsets may be less likely than in the previous 16-team arrangement, as there’s a larger gap between the top seeds and their Level 1 opponents. Sixth-seeded Hurley against third-seeded Tri-County may be one to keep an eye on, however. The Northstars have a strong history and their three losses were to solid teams. Tri-County did not face a particularly difficult schedule, as their opponents were a combined 39-52 this year. The Penguins were the top rushing team in the state, however, in any division.
Best Level 1 Game
How about a rematch from just a couple weeks ago as fifth-seeded De Soto will travel to fourth-seeded Belmont. In Week 7, the teams went into overtime, with Belmont pulling out a 36-28 victory. De Soto actually out-gained them in that one, but Belmont made the plays when they needed to, as Wyatt Temperly threw three touchdown passes and Tyler Kisamore rushed for 152 yards and two touchdowns.
Potential intriguing match-ups the rest of the way
Please note the emphasis on potential.
Flambeau vs. McDonell Central, Sectional Final - McDonell Central started the season number one for a second straight year, but the Macks fell to Gilman in a huge regular season 8-player game. They’re a two-seed and will be a tough matchup for Flambeau, who has been dominant this year, winning by an average of 38 points.
Lena/St. Thomas Aquinas vs. Wabeno/Laona, Sectional Final - Both teams are undefeated this season and could certainly make a claim to the top seed in this group, though it ended up going to Lena/St. Thomas Aquinas, who would get the home game.
Gilman vs. North Crawford, Sectional Final - Gilman has been dominant this year and on a mission for Wisconsin Rapids. North Crawford is unbeaten and looking to build on last year’s Level 2 trip, where they went down to Highland.
My Picks
Flambeau over Bruce
Newman Catholic over Frederic
Clayton over Northwood/Solon Springs
McDonell Central over New Auburn
Lena/St. Thomas Aquinas over Princeton/Green Lake
Athens over Niagara
Valley Christian over Elkhart Lake-Glenbeulah
Wabeno/Laona over Three Lakes/Phelps
Gilman over Siren
Owen-Withee over Almond-Bancroft
Tri-County over Hurley
North Crawford over Highland
Oakfield over Williams Bay
Belmont over De Soto
Sevastopol over Suring
Marion/Tigerton over Alma Center Lincoln
Travis Wilson serves as the Bound Wisconsin Manager. Wilson was selected as part of the Sports 40 Under 40 list by Coach & AD Magazine and the National High School Athletic Coaches Association for 2019. The Wisconsin Football Coaches Association (WFCA) named Travis the 2015 recipient of the Dave McClain Distinguished Service Award. He currently serves on the WFCA Executive Board and is a member of the Executive Board of the Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association. A graduate of Richland Center High School and Mount Mercy College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Travis was a three-sport athlete in high school (football, baseball, basketball), inducted to the Richland Center High School Hall of Fame in 2023, and currently resides in Reedsburg. You can follow him on Twitter at @travisBound or reach him at [email protected].