High School Football Recap: Week 8
By Jimmie Kaska
Game Audio: Monona Grove 63, Stoughton 35
By Jimmie Kaska
The Road To Madison
Each week, we will take a look at the area games and check out the playoff scenarios at play for each team. Projected divisions are based on the cutoff lines from last year based on enrollment.
Projected playoff teams are based largely based on current record and quality of opponents faced.
Current area teams (Big 8, Badger North/South, Capitol North/South, Rock Valley) teams that have clinched a playoff spot and their projected divisions:
Sun Prairie (1), Madison West (1), Middleton (1), Verona (1), Waunakee (2), Deforest (2), Beaver Dam (2), Monona Grove (2 or 3), Stoughton (2 or 3), Mount Horeb/Barneveld (3), Evansville/Albany (3), Jefferson (3), Lodi (4), Lake Mills (4), Turner (4), Clinton (5), New Glarus/Monticello* (5), Belleville* (6), Cambridge (6).
*Playoff-Eligible
Big 8: 5 wins needed to clinch
*4-5 record is projected to be enough for a playoff spot this year
Clinched: Sun Prairie (8-0), D1; Middleton (7-1), D1; Madison West (6-2), D1; Verona (5-3), D1
Eliminated: Madison East (0-8); Janesville Parker (1-7); Beloit Memorial (2-6);
Clinched With a Win: Janesville Craig (4-4), Madison La Follette (4-4)
Eliminated With a Loss: Madison Memorial (3-5)*
Clinching Scenarios: Madison La Follette, already likely in at 4-4, will need to upset current conference co-champ Sun Prairie, like they did last year in Level 1 of the playoffs, in order to clinch a spot. Janesville Craig will need to pull off a road win against the Verona Wildcats.
Elimination Scenarios: Madison Memorial will need to beat Beloit Memorial to become one of the teams that make it in at 4-5 to the playoff field.
Projected Playoff Teams: Sun Prairie, Middleton, Madison West, Verona, Madison La Follette, Janesville Craig
Bubble Playoff Teams: Madison Memorial
Badger North: 4 wins needed to clinch
*3-4 record is projected to be enough for playoff consideration, although there will be several teams in the mix state-wide
Clinched: Waunakee (8-0, 6-0), D2; Mount Horeb/Barneveld (7-1, 5-1), D3; DeForest (5-3, 4-2), D2; Beaver Dam (3-4, 3-2), D2
Eliminated: Baraboo (0-8, 0-6), Sauk Prairie (2-6, 1-5)
Clinched With a Win: None
Eliminated With a Loss: Portage (2-6, 2-4)*, Reedsburg (2-6, 2-4)*
Clinching Scenarios: None,
Elimination Scenarios: If Portage or Reedsburg claim a win in the final week, they can get into the statewide group of 3-4 teams hoping for a playoff spot. Portage plays DeForest, so they have a better chance of getting in with an upset.
Projected Playoff Teams: Waunakee, Mount Horeb/Barneveld, DeForest, Beaver Dam
Bubble Playoff Teams: None
Still in the Hunt: Portage, Reedsburg
Badger South: 4 wins needed to clinch
*3-4 record is projected to be enough for playoff consideration, although there will be several teams in the mix state-wide
Clinched: Monona Grove (8-0, 6-0), D2; Stoughton (7-1, 5-1), D2; Oregon (5-3, 4-2), D2
Eliminated: Edgewood (0-8, 0-6), Milton (3-5, 1-5)
Clinched With a Win: Watertown (4-4, 3-3), Monroe (4-4, 3-3)
Eliminated With a Loss: Fort Atkinson (3-5, 2-4)*
Clinching Scenarios: Watertown will need to upset Monona Grove, while Monroe will need to take down Oregon, in order to clinch a playoff spot.
Elimination Scenarios: If Watertown or Monroe lose, they are in a long list of teams at 3-4 trying to get in to what may be only one or two available spots. Fort Atkinson is doing all they can to play up to that level, but get Stoughton this week.
Projected Playoff Teams: Monona Grove, Stoughton, Oregon
Bubble Playoff Teams: Watertown, Monroe
Still in the Hunt: Fort Atkinson
Capitol North: 3 wins needed to clinch
Clinched: Lodi (8-0, 4-0), D4; Lake Mills (7-1, 3-1), D4
Eliminated: Poynette (2-6, 0-4), Columbus (2-6, 1-3)
Clinched With a Win: Luther Prep (5-3, 2-2), Lakeside Lutheran (5-3, 2-2)
Eliminated With a Loss: Luther Prep (5-3, 2-2), Lakeside Lutheran (5-3, 2-2)
Clinching Scenarios: Luther Prep and Lakeside Lutheran play in a win-or-go-home contest. Winner is in, loser is out.
Elimination Scenarios: See above. Week 9 is a playoff game for Lakeside Lutheran and Luther Prep.
Projected Playoff Teams: Lodi, Lake Mills, Lakeside Lutheran vs Luther Prep winner
Capitol South: 2 wins needed for playoff eligibility, 3 wins needed to clinch
Clinched: Cambridge (6-2, 3-0), D6
Eligible: Belleville (5-3, 2-1), D6; New Glarus/Monticello (5-3, 2-1)
Eliminated: Waterloo (3-5, 1-3), Marshall (2-6, 0-3)
Clinched With a Win: Belleville (5-2, 2-1), New Glarus/Monticello (4-3, 2-1)
Clinching Scenarios: If New Glarus/Monticello can beat Cambridge, it will force a split of the conference title. The Glarner Knights are in with a .500 record though. Belleville needs to beat Marshall to clinch as well, but at .500, they're in.
Projected Playoff Teams: Belleville, Cambridge, New Glarus/Monticello
Rock Valley: 5 wins needed to clinch
*4-5 record is projected to be enough for a playoff spot
Clinched: Clinton (8-0), D5; Jefferson (7-1), D3; Turner (6-2), D4; Evansville/Albany (5-3), D3
Eliminated: Whitewater (1-7), Edgerton (2-6), Brodhead/Juda (2-6), McFarland (2-6)
Clinched With a Win: East Troy (4-4)
Eliminated With a Loss: Big Foot (3-5)*
Clinching Scenarios: East Troy needs a win over Brodhead/Juda to clinch a playoff spot. The Trojans are likely in already.
Elimination Scenarios: Big Foot will need to take down Evansville/Albany for a playoff spot.
Projected Playoff Teams: Clinton, Jefferson, Turner, Evansville/Albany, East Troy
Bubble Playoff Teams: Big Foot
8-Player Football
Teams are drawn from a pool of "North" and "South" schools for the Jamboree (in its final year). Only two area teams can qualify for the Jamboree due to enrollment size: Oakfield and Abundant Life/St. Ambrose, both of whom are expected to be selected for the Jamboree (for the South). Wisconsin Heights has too large of an enrollment for Jamboree participation, but will be eligible for participation in the 8-player football playoffs next year.
What about other southern Wisconsin schools?