Wisconsin High School Football: Level 1 Playoff Predictions
Oct 24, 2024
DIVISION I
No. 7* D.C. Everest (7-2) at No. 2 Hudson (7-2), 7 p.m.
Credit to the Raiders, who’ve won five straight games. Their explosive offense is paced by the hyper-efficient Cooper Adair, who threw for 249 yards and five touchdowns on just 14 attempts in last week’s win over Rice Lake. Our pick: Hudson 35, D.C. Everest 19
DIVISION 2
No. 8 Marshfield (4-5) at No. 1 New Richmond (9-0), 7 p.m.
These two teams met in Week 1, with New Richmond claiming the Battle of the Tigers by a slim 7-6 margin. That could inspire a belief that Friday’s affair will be close, as well. But New Richmond has played remarkable football since then, and Friday is likely to be a continuation of that. Our pick: New Richmond 28, Marshfield 7
DIVISION 4
No. 7 Oconto Falls (8-1) at No. 2 Baldwin-Woodville (8-1), 7 p.m.
On the surface, the records suggest this duel could be a brilliant battle. But Oconto Falls has fallen rather convincingly in the first round each year since 2020, and Baldwin-Woodville’s explosive offense — paced by dual-threat quarterback Gavin Sell and star running back Taden Holldorf, who has 1,341 yards and 20 scores on the ground — is averaging 44.7 points per game. Our pick: Baldwin-Woodville 50, Oconto Falls 7
No. 5 Seymour (7-2) at No. 4 Prescott (8-1), 7 p.m.
An intriguing matchup of two up-and-coming programs, both of which look ready to take the next step and earn a postseason victory. Seymour is a formidable foe, but it’s difficult to doubt Prescott senior signal caller Teddy Bernick and the slew of explosive weapons around him. Our pick: Prescott 35, Seymour 31
No. 8 St. Croix Central (5-4) at No. 1 Freedom (9-0), 7 p.m.
St. Croix Central finished with a sub.-500 conference record but snuck into the playoff field via a strong tiebreaker score. Its opponent is a legitimate state title contender. Pair those facts together, and it would seem the Panthers don’t stand much of a chance on Friday. Maybe they don’t, but few conferences prepare a team for the rigors of the postseason better than the Middle Border. So expect St. Croix Central to put up a fight. Our pick: Freedom 30, St. Croix Central 21
*= playoff seed