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WisSports.net Final Football Coaches Poll: 8-Player

12/02/2020, 2:30pm CST
By Travis Wilson

With the 2020 high school football season complete, we will be posting a last look back via a final WisSports.net Football Coaches Poll for each division. Divisional placement is based on division cutlines for the 2020 playoffs and may be different than the division a school appeared in the Coaches Poll during the season. To view Coaches Polls from the regular season, please click here.

Listed records include only games played, not any forfeits or cancelations.

WisSports.net Final Football Coaches Poll: 8-Player

1. Belmont

Belmont went a perfect 7-0 this season, not only showing itself as the best team in the Southern-8, but making a strong case as the top-ranked team in 8-Player. The Braves were not significantly challenged during the regular season, which included a 60-6 win over Luck to close the year. Eschewing the WIAA postseason option, Belmont arranged an extra game with fellow unbeaten Gilman to close the season. The Braves rallied from a 20-12 fourth-quarter deficit to secure a 24-20 victory, as Riley Christensen finished with 347 yards and four touchdowns on 43 carries. 

2. Newman Catholic

Newman Catholic, last year's 8-Player runners-up, put together another outstanding season, opening with an impressive 35-16 win over Greenwood. The Cardinals had a much-anticipated showdown with Gilman in the regular season finale, but the program had to shut down due to COVID-related issues and missed out on that as well as the WIAA postseason. They finished 5-0 overall.

3. Gilman

Gilman made the move to 8-Player football this season and it paid big dividends right away. The Pirates dominated during the regular season, outscoring opponents 374-28 along the way. That included a 44-8 win over eighth-ranked McDonell Central. While they missed out on a season-ending showdown with unbeaten Newman Catholic, the Pirates did skip the WIAA postseason to schedule a game against Belmont. Gilman led into the fourth quarter only to see the game slip away in a 24-20 defeat, their only on the season as they finished 7-1.

4. Auburndale

Auburndale planned to play 11-Player football this season, but switched gears shortly before the season started due to numbers issues. The team tried to put together an independent 8-Player schedule, but struggled to find games and then had several canceled, as they ended up playing just two, both victories. One was a 32-26 win over Greenwood. The team also scheduled a pair of 11-Player games late in the year and won both.

5. Greenwood

Greenwood moved from 11-Player to 8-Player this season, and it was a bit of a rocky start for the Indians. They lost the first two games in competitive fashion against Newman Catholic and Auburndale, both teams who would rank above them, but won the final six games of the year, including a 60-12 win over Three Lakes in the WIAA culminating event. Greenwood finished 6-2.

6. Luck

Luck won the WIAA 8-Player championship in 2019, going unbeaten. The Cardinals entered 2020 as the top-ranked team and were looking dominant once again, winning the first four games of the year. However, top player Wyatt Jensen was lost after the Clayton game, and it led to one of the biggest upsets in 8-Player history, when the Cardinals lost 34-16 to winless Prairie Farm. Luck would lose a couple weeks later in a blowout against Belmont to finish 4-2.

7. Shell Lake

Shell Lake dropped a 50-19 decision to Luck in the middle of the season, which turned out to be the only loss for the Lakers in 2020. While they did not participate in the WIAA culminating event, the team did finish 5-1 overall.

8. McDonell Central

McDonell Central relied heavily on Tanner Opsal this year in putting together a 5-3 record. Opsal led the state in passing and was second in rushing as the team feasted on the weaker opponents on their schedule, though struggled a bit in losses to Greenwood and Gilman (twice). 

9. Wabeno/Laona

Wabeno/Laona won the MONLPC-West, splitting a pair of games with Three Lakes. Finishing 6-1, the co-op program would defeat Elkhart Lake-Glenbeulah 16-0 in the WIAA culminating event to close out the season.

10. Three Lakes

Three Lakes split a pair of games with Wabeno/Laona this season, but also suffered a loss to Florence in league play to place second in the MONLPC-West. A 60-12 loss to Greenwood in the WIAA culminating event dropped the team to 3-3 in games played this season.

Others Receiving Votes

 Clayton
Lena/St. Thomas Aquinas
Northwood/Solon Springs
Port Edwards


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.

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