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WisSports.net Final Football Coaches Poll: Division 3

12/03/2020, 7:30pm 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.

Previous Final Coaches Poll Rankings:

Division 4
Division 5
Division 6
8-Player

WISSPORTS.NET FINAL FOOTBALL COACHES POLL: DIVISION 3

1. Ellsworth

Ellsworth is one of the biggest surprise teams of 2020, going unbeaten through the always-tough Middle Border Conference after failing to qualify for the playoffs in 2019. The Panthers dispatched Somerset a second time to open the postseason, then posted a dominating 42-14 win over Northwestern to close out the year. The defense was outstanding, allowing less than ten points per game. Quarterback Mason Anderson showed significant improvement this season, Max Grand averaged more than 13 yards per carry, and Jack Janke was a big-play threat at receiver. Ellsworth finished a perfect 8-0 on the year as the only unbeaten team in Division 3.

2. Xavier

Xavier certainly made a strong case as the top team in Division 3, though the Hawks would come up short in the Coaches Poll voting. Playing a bit of an adjusted schedule due to teams opting out, Xavier's only loss on the year was a close 25-14 affair with a very good, and larger, West De Pere squad. The Hawks did have victories over Shawano, Fox Valley Lutheran, Hortonville, and Kohler/Sheboygan Lutheran/Christian on the year, all of them in convincing fashion. Xavier finished 7-1 on the season.

3. Freedom

Freedom played a typically challenging schedule as a member of the North Eastern Conference, adding some tough games outside the league as well. The Irish won the first four games of the year before dropping a 27-23 affair with Fox Valley Lutheran. The next week, after both Marinette and Port Washington canceled games with the Irish, the team showed they were more than ready to take on any challengers, welcoming in traditional Division 1 powerhouse Oak Creek. While the Knights left with a 21-20 victory, it was an impressive showing for Freedom. After narrowly getting past rival Wrightstown in the final regular season game of the year, the Irish defeated the Tigers 21-0 in Level 2 of the WIAA playoffs. Freedom was 7-2 on the season.

4. Wrightstown

Wrightstown won five straight games to start the season, and it appeared the Tigers were on their way to a shot at the top spot in the division. However, eschewing rankings points in favor of challenging themselves, to their credit, Wrightstown took on much larger Kaukauna in Week 6. A 35-7 loss was their first of the season, but it set the stage for a tough end to the year. The next week, Wrightstown dropped a close game against Freedom, and while they'd defeat Oconto Falls in Level 1, another loss to Freedom would close out the season. Wrightstown finished 6-3 overall in 2020.

5. Lake Mills

Lake Mills dropped games to Mineral Point and Lakeside Lutheran in the regular season, but the L-Cats played a very difficult schedule that also featured victories over Watertown Luther Prep plus larger teams Kewaskum, Watertown, Sauk Prairie, and Reedsburg. Behind record-setting quarterback Adam Moen, who went over the 10,000-yard mark for combined career passing and rushing yards, Lake Mills put a running clock on Mauston in Level 1 of the postseason before getting revenge against Lakeside Lutheran in Level 2 to close the year. The L-Cats finished 2020 with a 7-2 record.

6. Lakeside Lutheran

Lakeside Lutheran was a state semi-finalist in 2018 and advanced to Level 3 in 2019, as the Warriors put together another outstanding season in 2020. It turned out to be one of the more challenging slates in the division, as Lakeside opened with wins over Racine St. Catherine's and a much-improved Watertown Luther Prep squad. They'd also beat Kewaskum before taking down crosstown rival Lake Mills 24-21. After beating Edgewood in the first postseason game, the Warriors would fall to Lake Mills as the teams split the season series. Lakeside Lutheran finished 6-1 on the season.

7. Kohler/Sheboygan Lutheran/Chrisitian

Kohler/Sheboygan Lutheran/Christian went on quite the rollercoaster ride this season. It started with a wild 50-42 comeback win over defending Division 4 runner-up Kiel to begin the season. The big numbers put up by quarterback Robby Michael, receiver Colin Girdaukas, and the crew were just a primer for what would come. Just a couple weeks later, a 51-50 decision over New Holstein would go on to take home our Game of the Year honors, as Michael hit Girdaukas as time expired for an improbable 74-yard touchdown. On the play, Girdaukas set a new single-game receiving yardage record. With Michael out, they'd lose to Brillion the next week, before three straight wins before a season-ending loss against Xavier. The tri-op program finished 6-2 overall.

8. River Valley

River Valley went unbeaten against Southwest Wisconsin Conference opponents this year, but struggled a bit outside the league. The Blackhawks opened with a 34-21 loss to Darlington and also lost to Mineral Point later in the season. Postseason victories over Adams-Friendship and Richland Center moved the team's final record to 6-2.

9. Northwestern

Northwestern was very good against teams that didn't finish ranked number one. The team's only losses came against Division 4 top-ranked Cumberland and D3 top-ranked Ellsworth. Outside of that, the Tigers were a perfect 6-0, including a 14-0 postseason win over Saint Croix Central.

10. Sheboygan Falls

Sheboygan Falls had another solid season, winning the first four games of the season before suffering a close setback against rival Plymouth. They'd follow it up the next week with a loss to Elkhorn before topping Two Rivers 40-0 in the opening postseason game. Unfortunately the team had to cancel for Level 2 against Xavier.

OTHERS RECEIVING VOTES

Baldwin-Woodville
Denmark
Edgewood
Little Chute
Saint Croix Central
Two Rivers
University School
West Salem


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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