Ithaca/Weston running back Spencer Nelson
DIVISION 7 | BRACKET
(All games Friday at 7 pm unless noted; Times, dates, & locations subject to change)
#4 Cadott at #1 Cochrane-Fountain City
#3 Spring Valley at #2 River Ridge
#5 Melrose-Mindoro at #1 Glenwood City
#7 Osseo-Fairchild at #3 Boyceville
#5 Black Hawk/Warren (IL) at #1 Ithaca/Weston
#3 Pepin/Alma at #2 Iowa-Grant
#4 Crivitz at #1 Coleman
#3 Hilbert at #2 Lourdes Academy
To see the Level 1 Bracket Breakdown, click here.
Level 1 Surprise
Osseo-Fairchild was 4-5 during the regular season and dropped the final two games of the year, and the Thunder went on the road as a seven-seed to take on second-seeded Shiocton, who was 8-1 during the year. Shiocton was up after the first quarter, but Osseo-Fairchild erupted for 22 points in the second quarter and held on for a 28-20 win and the program’s first postseason victory since 2010. Senior Drew Hanson ran for 182 yards and three touchdowns in the win.
Best Rematch
Top-seeded Coleman played fourth-seeded Crivitz just two weeks ago in the regular season finale. The game was tied at halftime before the host Cougars of Coleman were able to pull away for a 35-13 victory. Coleman controlled things on the ground in that first matchup, as they did not attempt a pass, rushing for 303 yards and five scores to secure a share of the Northwoods Conference crown.
#1 seed with toughest match-up
Ithaca/Weston is undefeated and the champions of the Scenic Bluffs Conference, but the first-year co-op program has a tough one in Level 2 as they’ll take on Black Hawk/Warren (IL). The Warriors are just 6-4 on the year but play a very tough Six Rivers Conference and faced a tough schedule this season.
Level 2 Most Important Player
Blake Carlson, Pepin/Alma - The Eagles do not throw the ball often in their Wing-T offense, but they need to be efficient and hit on some big plays when they do so. Carlson has generally done that this year, averaging 18 yards per completion with 10 touchdowns. However, he struggled in the team’s only loss against Cochrane-Fountain City, completing just two-of-seven passes for 12 yards with an interception.
My Picks
(15-1 last week; 93.75% in Division 7 overall)
Cochrane-Fountain City over Cadott
River Ridge over Spring Valley
Glenwood City over Melrose-Mindoro
Boyceville over Osseo-Fairchild
Ithaca/Weston over Black Hawk/Warren (IL)
Pepin/Alma over Iowa-Grant
Coleman over Crivitz
Lourdes Academy over Hilbert
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].
