Football Sectional Final Preview: 8-Player

8-Player Schedule
8-Player Stats Leaders

Toughest Road So Far

Lena/St. Thomas Aquinas, the runner-up from a year ago, didn’t have any problems with Princeton/Green Lake in Level 1, downing their fellow co-op program 51-6. Last week against a solid Athens squad was a different story, however, as the Titans had to sweat out a 14-6 victory. It was the lowest-scoring output of the year for Lena/St. Thomas Aquinas, though they were able to rely on their stout defense once again.

Cinderella

Sevastopol is the only team not seeded first or second to advance to the sectional finals, as the third-seeded Pioneers finished tied for second in the Across the Bay-8 and scored convincing defeats of Suring and Marion/Tigerton in the playoffs. In a 50-16 victory over Marion/Tigerton last week, Sevastopol’s defense came up big, limiting Thundercatz running back Braylon Mielke, the state’s top rusher, to just 3.9 yards per attempt.

Most Impressive

Gilman was wire-to-wire as the number one team in the Bound Wisconsin 8-Player Coaches Poll, and the Pirates have looked every bit that ranking in the playoffs. First they dispatched Siren 66-0 in the opening round before a showdown against defending state champion Owen-Withee. The Pirates opened the year with a 43-0 victory over the Blackhawks, and were dominant once again in a 55-8 win. A balanced rushing attack rolled up 401 rushing yards, averaging 11.1 yards per carry.

The Match-Ups

#2 McDonell Central (9-1) at #1 Flambeau (10-0)

McDonell Central has been one of the top teams in 8-player football the last few years and have looked every bit the contender once again. The Macks’ only loss came against Gilman, and they’ve outscored opponents 120-13 in the playoffs. Flambeau is a bit of an upstart in 8-player, making its first-ever WIAA playoff appearance but doing so with a perfect 10-0 record to this point. The Falcons feature a powerful ground game, with Cole Schley and Chanse Ludescher combining for nearly 3000 yards and 44 touchdowns.

My Pick: McDonell Central

#2 Wabeno/Laona (10-0) at #1 Lena/St. Thomas Aquinas (10-0)

Lena/St. Thomas Aquinas was the runner-up in 8-player football last year and finished as the champion of the Across the Bay-8 this season. The Titans are coming off a tight game against Athens, but otherwise have been dominant this year. Wabeno/Laona is in the playoffs for a sixth time in seven seasons, with a pair of state semi-final appearances in 2021 and 2022. Cooper Albrecht leads the Rebels, throwing for 1,692 yards and 26 touchdowns with 569 rushing yards and 18 more scores on the ground.

My Pick: Lena/St. Thomas Aquinas

#2 North Crawford (10-0) at #1 Gilman (10-0)

Another game pitting undefeated squads that have been relatively unchallenged so far this season. Gilman has posted seven shutouts in ten games this season, scoring at least 37 points in every contest. Just one game, a 38-12 victory over fellow quarterfinalist McDonnell Central, did not end in a running clock. North Crawford enters as the champion of the Ridge & Valley-8, leaning heavily on the backfield trio of Cullen Jacobus, Landry Stluka, and Landen Blaha.

My Pick: Gilman

#3 Sevastopol (8-2) at #1 Oakfield (9-1)

Sevastopol is the lowest-seeded team remaining in the field, though the third-seeded Pioneers have really turned it on of late. After finishing in a tie for second in the Across the Bay-8, Sevastopol posted impressive playoff wins over Suring and Marion/Tigerton. Both teams suffered losses to Algoma this year by similar scores. Oakfield’s 34-22 defeat doesn’t show up on their playoff record though since it was a replacement game. The Oaks are coming off a hard-fought 32-26 win over a solid Belmont squad last week, as head coach Corey Rickert has built the team into one of the most consistent programs in 8-player football over the last decade.

My Pick: Sevastopol

My Picks:
(7-1 last week; 21-3, 87.50% overall in 8-Player)