West De Pere backs up No. 1 ranking as Week 8 delivers upsets, unbeaten showdowns across Wisconsin
WISCONSIN (CBS 58) — With the Wisconsin high school football regular season nearing the finish line, Week 8 brought another Friday night filled with statement victories, unbeaten showdowns, rivalry games and upsets that could reshape the rankings one final time before the postseason.
A week after chaos swept across the state, several of Wisconsin's top teams answered with convincing bounce-back performances. Others weren't as fortunate.
Newly crowned Division 1 No. 1 West De Pere left little doubt about its place atop the rankings. Hamilton, Union Grove, Pewaukee and Port Washington kept perfect seasons alive. Waunakee handed Monona Grove its first loss. Amherst won a battle of unbeaten teams against Stratford. La Crosse Central stunned Holmen, and Franklin continued its resurgence by knocking off ranked Oconomowoc.
With conference championships and postseason positioning hanging in the balance, Week 8 provided plenty of clarity — and just as many new questions — with the regular-season finale approaching.
In southeastern Wisconsin, Arrowhead entered Friday looking for a response.
The Warhawks had been knocked from the top of Division 1 after an overtime loss to Muskego in Week 7, but there was no hangover against Mukwonago.
Arrowhead rolled to a 55-14 home victory, improving to 7-1 and quickly putting its first loss of the year in the rearview mirror. Mukwonago fell to 2-6.
While Arrowhead bounced back, Hamilton continued doing what it has done all season: win.
The Division 1 No. 2 Chargers hosted Germantown and overwhelmed the Warhawks 52-14. Hamilton improved to a perfect 8-0 and enters the final week of the regular season as one of the state's premier Division 1 programs.
Germantown fell to 3-5.
Muskego also showed there would be no letdown after one of the biggest wins of its season.
One week after beating then-No. 1 Arrowhead in overtime, the Division 1 No. 3 Warriors returned home and shut out Kettle Moraine 41-0.
Muskego has now won three straight and improved to 7-1. Kettle Moraine fell to 0-8.
Franklin, meanwhile, delivered one of the biggest results of the night in the Milwaukee area.
The Sabers entered Week 8 unranked but continued their climb back into contention with a 24-21 road victory over Division 1 No. 7 Oconomowoc.
It was another major step forward for a Franklin team that has recovered from an uneven start to the season.
Both teams now sit at 5-3, but Franklin's road win over a ranked opponent provides another significant result as the Sabers head toward the postseason.
Marquette University High School also continued its late-season surge.
The Hilltoppers traveled to Brookfield Central for one of southeastern Wisconsin's closest games of the night and escaped with a 34-31 victory.
Marquette improved to 6-2 and has continued to build momentum after a difficult start. Brookfield Central fell to 3-5.
Kenosha Bradford protected its home field against Oak Creek.
The Red Devils shut out the Knights 20-0 and improved to 6-2.
Oak Creek fell to 3-5 and has now lost two straight.
Across Kenosha, Indian Trail found itself in a much tighter game than many might have expected against Tremper.
The Trojans refused to go away, but the Hawks held on for a 14-12 victory.
Indian Trail improved to 7-1, while Tremper dropped to 2-6.
Catholic Memorial's difficult midseason stretch appears increasingly distant.
The Division 3 No. 9 Crusaders spent several weeks battling highly ranked opponents from larger divisions and suffered multiple losses, but Catholic Memorial has now begun to regain its footing.
The Crusaders shut out Brookfield East 35-0 in Week 8, improving to 4-4.
Brookfield East fell to 2-6.
Division 3 No. 10 Whitefish Bay also kept moving forward with a 38-19 road victory over Cedarburg.
The Blue Dukes improved to 6-2, while Cedarburg fell to 2-6.
Elkhorn Area continued one of the stronger seasons in southeastern Wisconsin.
The Division 2 No. 7 Elks defeated Wilmot Union 28-14 at home and improved to 7-1.
Wilmot Union fell to 4-4.
Homestead was another highly ranked team that entered Friday looking to recover from the Week 7 upset frenzy.
The Division 2 No. 6 Highlanders had suffered their first loss of the season against Wisconsin Lutheran, but they responded emphatically against Menomonee Falls.
Homestead shut out the Phoenix 51-0 to improve to 7-1.
Menomonee Falls dropped its third straight game and fell to 4-4.
Union Grove never needed a rebound.
The Division 2 No. 2 Broncos remained perfect with another commanding performance, defeating Beloit Memorial 40-7.
Union Grove improved to 8-0 with one regular-season game remaining, while Beloit Memorial fell to 0-8.
Pewaukee also ensured its undefeated season would reach the final week.
New Berlin Eisenhower entered Friday hoping a win over the state's top-ranked Division 3 team could vault the Lions back into the rankings after their loss to New Berlin West.
Pewaukee had other ideas.
The Division 3 No. 1 Pirates marched into New Berlin and dominated 41-8.
Pewaukee improved to 8-0, while Eisenhower fell to 5-3.
Another highly anticipated Division 3 matchup took place in Port Washington, where the No. 2 Pirates hosted No. 7 Plymouth.
The teams delivered one of the best games of the night.
Plymouth pushed Port Washington throughout the contest, but the Pirates did enough to preserve their perfect season with a 42-34 victory.
Port Washington improved to 8-0, while Plymouth fell to 6-2.
Racine St. Catherine's also survived a strong challenge.
The Division 4 No. 9 Angels held off Watertown Luther Prep 20-13 and improved to 7-1.
Luther Prep fell to 5-3.
Lake Country Lutheran put together one of southeastern Wisconsin's most dominant performances.
The Division 5 No. 10 Lightning jumped on Brown Deer early and led 43-0 by halftime before completing a 57-0 shutout.
Lake Country Lutheran improved to 5-2. Brown Deer fell to 1-7.
Division 5 No. 4 Racine Lutheran remained undefeated with a convincing victory over Division 6 No. 6 Kenosha St. Joseph.
The Crusaders won 33-6 to improve to 8-0 with one game remaining in their regular season.
Kenosha St. Joseph fell to 6-2.
Slinger also delivered a dominant defensive performance Friday.
The Owls traveled to Hartford and came away with a 33-0 shutout.
Slinger improved to 5-3. Hartford fell to 1-7.
Grafton found itself in a battle with Kettle Moraine Lutheran but held on for a 35-28 victory.
The Black Hawks improved to 5-3, while the Chargers fell to 3-5.
Then came the Battle of the Greens.
Greendale had entered Friday as one of the hottest teams in southeastern Wisconsin. After starting 0-2 under first-year head coach Jakup Sinani, the Panthers rattled off five consecutive victories.
Greenfield brought the streak to an end.
The Hustlin' Hawks went on the road and defeated Greendale 24-14 for their fourth consecutive victory.
Greenfield improved to 6-2, while Greendale fell to 5-3.
Wauwatosa East also added another win to a solid season, defeating West Allis Central 41-14.
The Red Raiders improved to 5-3. West Allis Central fell to 2-6.
Division 3 No. 5 New Berlin West continued to look like a team capable of making noise in the postseason.
The Vikings cruised past Waukesha North at home and improved to 7-1.
Waukesha North fell to 1-7.
One of the more surprising results in the area came from Whitnall.
The Falcons entered Friday with just one victory but delivered a dominant 44-0 shutout of South Milwaukee.
Whitnall improved to 2-6, while South Milwaukee dropped back to .500 at 4-4.
The story in northeast Wisconsin began with the state's new No. 1 team.
West De Pere ascended to the top of Division 1 after its statement road victory over Bay Port in Week 7.
On Friday, the Phantoms made sure their first game carrying the No. 1 ranking wasn't close.
West De Pere went on the road and shut out Green Bay Southwest 49-0.
The Phantoms improved to a perfect 8-0 and enter the regular-season finale with an opportunity to complete an unbeaten campaign.
Green Bay Southwest fell to 2-6.
Bay Port, meanwhile, responded to its first loss of the season with exactly the type of performance the Pirates wanted.
Division 1 No. 4 Bay Port dominated Green Bay Preble 54-7.
The Pirates improved to 7-1, while Preble fell to 3-5.
Division 2 No. 1 Notre Dame Academy continued to roll.
The Tritons shut out Green Bay West 63-0 to improve to 8-0, remaining undefeated and maintaining their place atop Division 2.
Notre Dame has been one of Wisconsin's most dominant teams throughout the season, with standout running back Kingston Allen helping headline an offense that has consistently overwhelmed opponents.
Green Bay West fell to 5-3.
Kaukauna also continued a strong season.
The Division 2 No. 8 Galloping Ghosts defeated Oshkosh West 19-3 for their third consecutive victory.
Kaukauna improved to 6-2, while Oshkosh West fell to 3-5.
Freedom has shown little vulnerability all year, and Week 8 was no exception.
The Division 4 No. 1 Irish faced a respectable Luxemburg-Casco team and jumped out to a 31-6 advantage before cruising to a 45-6 victory.
Freedom improved to 8-0.
Luxemburg-Casco fell to 5-3 and had its three-game winning streak snapped.
Division 7 No. 9 Shiocton also returned to the win column in convincing fashion.
The Chiefs took control early against winless Clintonville and never looked back, winning 50-6.
Shiocton improved to 8-1. Clintonville fell to 0-8.
Division 7 No. 8 Coleman kept building on its impressive season as well.
The Cougars defeated Manawa 51-12 and improved to 6-2.
Manawa fell to 3-5.
The fireworks continued through east central Wisconsin and the Fox Valley-Lakeshore region.
Division 2 No. 10 Beaver Dam hosted Division 3 No. 8 Edgewood in a matchup that quickly turned into an offensive showcase.
The Golden Beavers outlasted the Crusaders 50-30.
Beaver Dam improved to 7-1, while Edgewood fell to 6-2.
Division 3 No. 4 Winneconne had no trouble keeping its perfect season intact.
The Wolves defeated winless Sheboygan Falls 52-6 and improved to 8-0.
Sheboygan Falls fell to 0-8 and will have one final chance to earn a victory, but the Falcons will face an enormous challenge in the regular-season finale against Division 4 No. 1 Freedom.
Little Chute also rolled.
The Division 4 No. 4 Mustangs went on the road and defeated Kohler/Sheboygan Lutheran/Christian 49-7.
Little Chute improved to 7-1, while the Blue Bombers fell to 3-5.
Mayville continued strengthening its case as one of the better teams in Division 5.
The No. 9 Cardinals defeated Laconia 42-6 after building a 28-0 advantage through three quarters.
Mayville improved to 6-2. Laconia fell to 3-5.
Division 7 No. 4 Lourdes Academy also stayed on track.
The Knights defeated Parkview/Albany 22-6 to improve to 7-1.
Parkview/Albany fell to 2-6.
Lomira remains perfect.
The Division 6 No. 3 Lions traveled to Winnebago Lutheran and came away with a 24-7 victory.
Lomira improved to 8-0, while Winnebago Lutheran fell to 4-4.
Division 6 No. 10 Cedar Grove-Belgium extended one of the region's hottest streaks.
The Rockets shut out Howards Grove 57-0 for their fifth straight victory.
Cedar Grove-Belgium improved to 6-2, while Howards Grove fell to 2-6.
Manitowoc Lutheran joined Lomira among the Division 6 teams that remain perfect.
The No. 4 Lancers shut out Reedsville 42-0 to improve to 8-0.
Reedsville fell to 2-6 after its third consecutive defeat.
South central Wisconsin featured one of Friday night's most anticipated games.
Division 2 No. 3 Monona Grove entered its matchup with Division 1 No. 6 Waunakee carrying a perfect record.
It left with its first loss.
In a game dominated by defense, Waunakee squeezed out a 7-3 victory.
Both teams now sit at 7-1.
The result ended Monona Grove's pursuit of an unbeaten regular season and gave Waunakee another significant victory heading into postseason play.
Verona faced another strong challenge from Madison Memorial.
The unranked Spartans entered Friday at 6-1 and pushed the Division 2 No. 9 Wildcats throughout the night.
Verona held on, 20-14.
The Wildcats improved to 7-1, while Madison Memorial fell to 6-2.
Division 4 No. 10 Evansville celebrated both homecoming and senior night with a convincing 44-12 victory over Clinton.
Evansville improved to 7-1.
Clinton fell to 1-7, with its lone victory coming one week earlier against Whitewater.
Lake Mills continued one of the season's more impressive turnarounds.
The Division 4 No. 6 L-Cats opened their year with a 40-0 loss to top-ranked Freedom.
They haven't lost since.
Lake Mills defeated Big Foot 40-14 on homecoming night for its seventh consecutive victory.
The L-Cats improved to 7-1, while Big Foot fell to 2-6 with its fifth straight loss.
Division 6 No. 8 Belleville also gave its home crowd something to celebrate on senior night.
The Wildcats defeated Marshall 35-7 and improved to 7-1.
Marshall fell to 3-5.
Randolph/Cambria-Friesland continued its undefeated march through the regular season.
The Division 6 No. 7 Patriots went on the road and defeated Johnson Creek 46-6.
Randolph/Cambria-Friesland improved to 8-0, while Johnson Creek fell to 2-6.
One of the most compelling games in central Wisconsin featured two undefeated teams from different divisions.
Division 5 No. 2 Amherst hosted Division 4 No. 5 Stratford, with both teams entering the night without a loss.
Only the Falcons left that way.
Amherst defeated Stratford 35-21, proving the lower-division powerhouse was more than capable of handling a highly ranked opponent from Division 4.
Amherst improved to 8-0.
Stratford's perfect season came to an end at 7-1.
Division 1 No. 9 Marshfield also suffered a setback.
The Tigers traveled to Stevens Point and battled throughout the night, but the Panthers protected their home field with a 30-22 victory.
Stevens Point improved to 7-1.
Marshfield fell to 6-2.
In western and northwestern Wisconsin, Hudson continued showing it belongs among the state's ranked Division 1 teams.
The No. 10 Raiders traveled to Superior and cruised to a 55-14 victory.
Hudson has won three straight games and improved to 7-1, with its only loss coming against undefeated New Richmond.
Superior fell to 2-6.
New Richmond's perfect season also remained intact.
The Division 2 No. 4 Tigers defeated Menomonie 49-21 at home to improve to 8-0.
With Monona Grove suffering its first loss against Waunakee, New Richmond added another significant result to an already impressive résumé entering the final week.
Menomonie fell to 3-5.
Division 3 No. 8 Baldwin-Woodville wasted no time taking control against Altoona.
The Blackhawks scored 22 points in the first quarter and never looked back, completing a 42-0 shutout.
Baldwin-Woodville improved to 7-1, while Altoona fell to 2-6.
Division 4 No. 3 Northwestern remained one of western Wisconsin's unbeaten teams.
The Tigers defeated a solid Ashland team 52-14 on the road and improved to 8-0.
Ashland fell to 5-3.
Division 5 No. 3 Durand-Arkansaw also kept perfection alive on senior night.
The Panthers defeated Fall Creek 42-6 and improved to 8-0.
Fall Creek dropped its third straight game and fell to 4-4.
While several teams won with defense, Mondovi and Elk Mound went in the opposite direction.
The Division 6 No. 5 Buffaloes and unranked Mounders combined for an astonishing 119 points.
Mondovi survived the shootout 62-57.
The Buffaloes improved to 7-1, while Elk Mound fell to 5-3.
Division 5 No. 7 Grantsburg continued its strong season with a 55-18 victory over Cadott.
The Pirates improved to 7-1, while the Hornets fell to 5-3.
Saint Croix Falls extended its winning streak to six.
The Division 5 No. 6 Saints defeated Barron 48-15 and improved to 7-1.
Barron fell to 1-7.
Division 6 No. 9 Regis also delivered an impressive Week 8 performance.
The Ramblers defeated Stanley-Boyd 39-7 to improve to 6-2.
Stanley-Boyd fell to 2-6.
Division 7 No. 3 Pepin/Alma continued climbing as well.
The Eagles defeated Augusta 45-16 for their third straight victory.
Pepin/Alma improved to 7-1, with its only loss coming against Division 7 No. 1 Cochrane-Fountain City.
Augusta fell to 2-6.
In southwestern Wisconsin and the La Crosse area, one of the night's biggest upsets came at the expense of previously unbeaten Holmen.
The Division 2 No. 5 Vikings traveled to face unranked La Crosse Central after beginning the season 7-0.
The Riverhawks weren't intimidated.
La Crosse Central delivered a 28-7 victory, handing Holmen its first loss of the season.
The Riverhawks improved to 6-2, while Holmen fell to 7-1.
Division 3 No. 3 La Crosse Logan made sure its own perfect season survived.
The Rangers defeated Baraboo 41-21 and improved to 8-0.
Baraboo fell to 1-7.
Division 3 No. 6 Reedsburg earned a convincing road victory over Sparta.
The Beavers won 35-7 and improved to 6-2.
Sparta fell to 3-5.
Division 4 No. 7 Aquinas continued rolling as well.
The Blugolds shut out Westby 47-0 for their fifth consecutive victory.
Aquinas improved to 7-1, while Westby fell to 2-6 after its third straight loss.
Division 5 No. 1 Darlington remained firmly in control of its perfect season.
The Redbirds traveled to Cuba City and came away with a 41-7 victory.
Darlington improved to 8-0, while Cuba City fell to 5-3.
New Glarus' offense also delivered another explosive performance.
The Division 5 No. 6 Glarner Knights scored 56 points in a 56-14 road victory over Fennimore.
New Glarus has won four straight and improved to 7-1.
Fennimore fell to 3-5 after its fifth consecutive loss.
Division 7 No. 1 Cochrane-Fountain City continued to look every bit like the top-ranked team in its division.
The Pirates shut out Melrose-Mindoro 48-0 to remain undefeated at 8-0.
Melrose-Mindoro fell to 6-2.
Division 7 No. 6 Cashton also had no trouble finding the end zone.
The Eagles defeated New Lisbon 60-19 and improved to 7-1.
New Lisbon fell to 1-7 after its fourth consecutive loss.
Division 7 No. 2 Ithaca/Weston closed out another successful Friday with a 42-28 victory at Royall.
The Bulldogs remained unbeaten at 7-0.
Royall fell to 5-3.
After the chaos of Week 7, Week 8 showed which teams could respond and which undefeated seasons could survive another test.
West De Pere validated its move to No. 1 in Division 1 with a shutout victory. Arrowhead answered its first loss with 55 points. Muskego showed its victory over the Warhawks was no one-week high. Hamilton stayed perfect. Franklin earned another signature win. Pewaukee and Port Washington kept rolling in Division 3.
Elsewhere, Waunakee ended Monona Grove's perfect season in a 7-3 defensive struggle, Amherst emerged from its undefeated showdown with Stratford still spotless, and La Crosse Central delivered a statement by handing Holmen its first defeat.
The list of unbeaten teams is shorter than it was a week ago, but plenty remain.
Hamilton, West De Pere, Union Grove, Pewaukee, Port Washington, Racine Lutheran, Notre Dame Academy, Freedom, Winneconne, Lomira, Manitowoc Lutheran, Randolph/Cambria-Friesland, Amherst, New Richmond, Northwestern, Durand-Arkansaw, La Crosse Logan, Darlington and Cochrane-Fountain City all emerged from Week 8 without a loss.
For many of them, one obstacle remains between an undefeated regular season and the playoffs.
For everyone else, the final Friday offers one last opportunity to improve postseason positioning, build momentum or make a statement before the bracket takes over.
Eight weeks have established Wisconsin's contenders.
Week 9 will decide how they enter the postseason.