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8-Player Football Weekly Spotlight: October 16

10/16/2019, 10:15am CDT
By Travis Wilson

Every Wednesday during the regular season we will highlight the 8-Player Football game with a spotlight article on WisSports.net. We'll look back at the action and big stories from the previous week, look ahead at the coming week's big match-ups, and select a Star of the Week.

8-Player coaches, please enter player stats on WSN so that we can continue having the necessary information to produce this weekly spotlight of your game, and feel free to send any news or information to us as well.

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Looking Back

The big game in 8-Player Football was on Saturday, as second-ranked Newman Catholic welcomed in third-ranked Phillips. In his first game back from injury since going out in Week 3, senior quarterback Ben Bates threw five touchdowns and added another rushing score as Newman dominated 48-6.

Defending state champion Sevastopol was likely eliminated from the playoffs with a 36-14 loss to Gibraltar. The duo of Luke Steebs and Alex Laughlin combined for 359 yards of total offense and five touchdowns for Gibraltar, who remain in the hunt for a share of the MONLPC-8 league title. Gibraltar is 6-1 with one league game left, while Suring is 7-1 with a non-conference game in Week 9.

Alma Center Lincoln went on the road and rallied for a 42-38 win over Bruce behind a big day from quarterback Jack Anderson. More on him later.

Frederic took a big step towards playoff qualification with a 32-0 shutout of Clayton. Layndyn Johnson ran for 119 yards and two scores, recorded 16 tackles, and had two interceptions including a Pick-6. Andrew Tinman carried the ball just six times but put up 164 yards and two scores.

Looking Ahead

The end of the regular season is near, which means the playoffs are just around the corner and begin to take center stage. We've projected the 16 teams we think will qualify for the 8-Player postseason, with several teams very much on the bubble. 

All 20 games featuring WIAA-sanctioned teams in Week 9 take place on Friday, all starting at 7 pm. 

Among the noteworthy games for playoff qualification include Elhart Lake/Glenbeulah hosting Algoma. The Resorters likely need to win to have a shot at the playoffs, while Algoma is one of the programs that is ineligible due to enrollment size. 

Prairie Farm is looking for one more victory to get into playoff position as well, as the Panthers take on Alma Center Lincoln.

Both teams are in, but the Newman Catholic versus Belmont game is yet another outstanding regular season 8-Player contest. For the second straight week, Newman takes on a team ranked third in the Coaches Poll at the time. After easily dispatching Phillips last week, the Cardinals make the long trip to Belmont, who sports a 7-1 overall record and number three ranking in the latest poll.

Star of the Week: Jack Anderson, Alma Center Lincoln

Alma Center Lincoln trailed 30-20 entering the fourth quarter of Friday's game against Bruce, but there was enough time left for the Hornets to engineer a comeback. And that they would, outscoring Bruce 22-8 in the final period to claim a 42-38 victory. Jack Anderson was outstanding through the air, completing 32-of-39 passes for 398 yards and six touchdowns, including three in the final period. He'd add 16 rushing yards as the Hornets kept their slim playoff hopes alive.

About the Author

Travis Wilson serves as the WisSports.net General Manager, Football Editor, and contributing writer for other parts of the site. 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 @travisWSN.

For the latest and most up to date football news and recruiting information, follow Travis on Twitter @travisWSN. Email story ideas, recruiting info, etc. to Travis at travis(at)wissports.net.

Tag(s): News Archive  News  Travis Wilson