2018 High School Football Preview: Capitol South

The Capitol South is an oddity in the state of Wisconsin, with only five member teams following Wisconsin Heights' decision to switch to 8-player football a few years back. The result? It still takes three wins to clinch a playoff spot in conference play, but because there are 224 playoff spots for 395-ish teams, a 2-2 record is more than enough to get a postseason bid.

With only five teams, fun situations arise, like a three-way, 3-1 tie for the conference title between Belleville, Cambridge, and New Glarus/Monticello. The finish meant that every team in the conference has won or shared the Capitol South conference title at least once in the past three seasons, which means every senior in the conference has been a member of a conference championship-winning program.

An important note in the WFCA's football-only conference proposal was how the Capitol South was one of the main examples of disparity between conference member numbers. As a result, the reconstituted Capitol conferences look barely like the old ones, with five of the current 11 combined teams being shipped out to other leagues, including three current members of the Capitol South.

Four conference games, recent success by all programs, and multiple returning all-conference performers from a year ago make the Capitol South one of the most interesting conferences in the entire state, and predicting how it unfolds is difficult work. Below is our preview of the Capitol South Conference. The Big 1070's Jimmie Kaska talks to the coaches and projects the upcoming season:

Capitol South Conference

2018 Full Schedule

Conference Champions: Belleville, Cambridge, New Glarus Monticello - 2017; New Glarus/Monticello - 2016; Marshall, Waterloo - 2015; Cambridge - 2014

2017 Combined Playoff Record: 0-3 (Three teams, Level 1)

2017 Combined Non-Conference Record: 13-12 (Four teams, 3-2)

BIG Games: New Glarus/Monticello at Belleville, September 14; Cambridge at Belleville, September 28; New Glarus/Monticello at Cambridge, October 12

WSN Top Seniors: QB Nate Mabis, Belleville; CB Jackson Richter, Belleville; RB Riley Olson, Cambridge; K Trent Sigafus, New Glarus/Monticello

2018 Capitol South Preseason All-Conference Team

QB: Nate Mabis [🏈WSN] (SR), Belleville (2)

RB/FB: Riley Olson [🏈WSN] (SR), Cambridge (1); Zach Feller [🏅OPY] (SR), New Glarus/Monticello (1*); Mathew Mankowski (SR), Waterloo (1); Camden Eagan (SR), Cambridge (H)

WR: Rudy Hommen (SR), Cambridge (1); Bailey Furseth (SR), Cambridge (2)

TE/FB: Jordan Marty (JR), Cambridge (1*)

OL: Danny Enloe [🏅OLY] (SR), Belleville (1); Dylan Gratz (SR), Belleville (2)

DL: Adam Marty [🏅DLY] (SR), New Glarus/Monticello (1*); Danny Enloe (SR) Belleville (2); Dylan Gratz (SR), Belleville (2); Kaden Grieser (SR), Cambridge (2)

LB: Denver Evans (SR), Cambridge (1); Nate Mabis (SR), Belleville (1); Ogden York (JR), Belleville (1); Patrick Craker (SR), New Glarus/Monticello (1); Dylan Horstmeyer (SR), Marshall (1); Camden Eagan (SR), Cambridge (2*); Jared Schulting (SR), Belleville (2); Blake Huebner (SO), Waterloo (H)

DB: Jackson Richter [🏈WSN] (SR), Belleville (1); Spencer Noel (SR), Waterloo (2); Rudy Hommen (SR), Cambridge (2); Nathan Streiff (SO), New Glarus/Monticello (2);

RET: Dylan Horstmeyer (SR), Marshall (1); Luke Kelly (SR), Belleville (2)

K: Trent Sigafus [🏈WSN] (SR), New Glarus/Monticello (2);  Ben Incha (JR), Cambridge (H)

P: Tyler Chadwick (JR), Marshall (1)

All Selections Are Returning 2017 All-Conference Picks - 1=1st Team, 2=2nd Team, H=Honorable Mention; *indicates multiple-time selection at the position

Belleville Wildcats - Capitol South

Head Coach: Chase Ritter (3rd season); 11-8 Overall (0-1 Playoffs)

2017 Result: 6-4 (3-1), 🏆 1st in the Capitol South (Lost in Level 1 of the Division 6 playoffs to Racine Lutheran, 69-7)

2017 All-Conference Honors: 8 First-Team, 7 Second-Team, 0 Honorable Mention (15 total)

Returning All-Conference Players (7): QB/LB Nate Mabis,[🏈 WSN] (1st Team-LB; 2nd Team-QB), Sr.; G/DT/LS Danny Enloe (🏅co-Offensive Lineman of the Year; 1st Team-OL; 2nd Team-DL in 2016), Sr.; CB Jackson Richter [🏈 WSN] (1st Team-DB), Sr.; RB/S/ST Luke Kelly (2nd Team-ST in 2016), Sr.; T/DT Dylan Gratz (2nd Team-OL; 2nd Team-DL in 2016), Sr.; WR/LB Jared Schulting (2nd Team-LB), Sr.; T/DE Ogden York (1st Team-LB), Jr.

BIG Games: vs New Glarus/Monticello, September 14; vs Cambridge, September 28 (Homecoming); vs Cuba City, October 12

Cambridge Blue Jays - Capitol South

Head Coach: Mike Klingbeil (12th Season), 68-54 Overall (8-7 Playoffs)

2017 Result: 6-4 (3-1) - 🏆1st in Capitol South (Lost in Level 1 of the Division 6 playoffs to Manitowoc Lutheran, 39-14)

2017 All-Conference Honors: 8 First-Team, 5 Second-Team, 1 Honorable Mention (14 total)

Returning All-Conference Players (8): RB/CB/K Riley Olson [🏈 WSN] (1st Team-RB) Sr.; WR/DB/ST Rudy Hommen (1st Team-WR; 2nd Team-DB in 2016), Sr.; QB/TE/LB Denver Evans (1st Team-LB), Sr.; LB/FB Camden Eagan (2nd Team-LB in 2017 and 2016; HM-RB in 2016), Sr.; WR/DB/P/ST Bailey Furseth (2nd Team-WR), Sr.; OL/DE Kaden Grieser (2nd Team-DE), Sr.; TE/DL/LS Jordan Marty (1st Team-TE; HM-TE in 2016), Jr.; K/P/WR/DB Ben Incha(HM-K), Jr.

BIG Games: vs Horicon/Hustisford, August 31; at Darlington, September 21; at Belleville, September 28; vs New Glarus/Monticello, October 12 (Homecoming)

Marshall Cardinals - Capitol South

Head Coach: Matt Kleinheinz (15th season); 82-63 Overall (9-11 Playoffs) - 8 Conference Championships

2017 Result: 2-7 (0-4), 5th in the Capitol South

2017 All-Conference Honors: 5 First-Team, 1 Second-Team, 0 Honorable Mention (6 total)

Returning All-Conference Players (2): RB/LB/ST Dylan Horstmeyer (1st Team-LB and 1st Team-ST), Jr.; WR/DB/P Tyler Chadwick (1st Team-P), Jr.

BIG Games: vs Stanley-Boyd, August 24; vs Mineral Point, September 14; at New Glarus/Monticello, September 21; vs Cambridge, October 5 (Homecoming)

New Glarus/Monticello Glarner Knights - Capitol South

Head Coach: Jeff Eichelkraut (16th Season - 1999-2011 and 2016-2018), 77-65 Overall (2-9 Playoffs) - 6 Conference Championships

2017 Result: 6-4 (3-1), 🏆1st in the Capitol South (Lost in Level 1 to Prairie du Chien in the Division 5 playoffs, 36-14)

2017 All-Conference Honors: 5 First-Team, 6 Second-Team, 2 Honorable Mention (13 total)

Returning All-Conference Players (5): RB/DB/ST Zach Feller (1st Team-RB in 2017 and 2016) (🏅Offensive Player of the Year in 2016), Sr.; DL Adam Marty (2nd Team-DL in 2017, 1st Team-DL in 2016) (🏅Defensive Lineman of the Year in 2016), Sr.; K/DB Trent Sigafus [🏈 WSN] (2nd Team-K in 2017), Sr.; FB/LB Patrick Craker (1st Team-LB in 2017), Sr.; S Nathan Streiff (2nd Team-DB in 2017), So.

BIG Games: vs Lake Mills, August 24; at Belleville, September 14; vs Marshall, September 21 (Homecoming); at Cambridge, October 12

Waterloo Pirates - Capitol South

Head Coach: Aaron Erickson (1st Season)

2017 Result: 3-6 (1-3), 4th in the Capitol South

2017 All-Conference Honors: 3 First-Team, 5 Second-Team, 3 Honorable Mention (11 total)

Returning All-Conference Players (3): HB/DB/K/P Mathew Mankowski (1st Team-RB and 2nd Team-DL), Sr.; WR/DB Spencer Noel (2nd Team-DB), Sr.; FB/QB/LB/P Blake Huebner (HM-LB), So.

BIG Games: vs Luther Prep, September 7; at Cambridge, September 14; vs Marshall, September 28 (Homecoming)