Week 8 Games to Watch in SD

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>We are getting into crunch time for football season in South Dakota. Some surprise teams emerged as the favorites for the top seed in the playoffs coming up in a couple weeks. That being said there is a battle in each class to gain that home playoff game in the first round. This week's report will have those games for the battle in the middle of the pack of the playoff rankings, there are plenty of them this week. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Brookings @ Aberdeen Central- These two have become rivals in the past couple seasons. A few close games and an upset in the playoffs last season. Now these two will battle for the four seed and the first round playoff game, which looks like it may be against each other again in a couple weeks. What ever the outcome of this game is will more than likely show a preview for the playoff game.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Players to Watch from Brookings: <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='89287' first='Jaxton' last='Eck'], [player_tooltip player_id='223095' first='Tyson' last='Brandt'], [player_tooltip player_id='273694' first='Caleb' last='Loehr'], Josiah Thomas, &amp; Jackson Hoffman.</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Players to Watch from Aberdeen Central: <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='447240' first='Austin' last='Erickson'], [player_tooltip player_id='273693' first='Karson' last='Carda'], [player_tooltip player_id='101182' first='Aiden' last='Heimann'], &amp; [player_tooltip player_id='161295' first='Brian' last='Johnson'].</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Brandon Valley @ Sioux Falls Lincoln- Another playoff preview as these two currently sit at 4 &amp; 5 in the rankings. This game also has the power of who will be hosting that first round, which could play a part in whether a Sioux Falls school or a suburb school will make a run at the title this season. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Players to Watch from Brandon Valley: <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='101217' first='Lucas' last='Slack'], [player_tooltip player_id='56568' first='Nate' last='Andresen'], [player_tooltip player_id='101167' first='Andrew' last='Bunkers'], Dylan Langerock, &amp; [player_tooltip player_id='273689' first='Isaac' last='Johnson'].</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Players to Watch from Sioux Falls Lincoln: <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='174189' first='Tate' last='Schafer'], [player_tooltip player_id='237982' first='Jack' last='Smith'], [player_tooltip player_id='56558' first='Trenton' last='Peterson'], [player_tooltip player_id='161258' first='Tyree' last='Shorter'], &amp; Gabe Guttierez.</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Sturgis Brown @ Belle Fourche- These two teams are both in different classes but are on the outside looking in on the playoff picture. There is a lot riding on this specific game because it could play a big factor on which team could make the playoffs in either class. Belle Fourche holds the final spot in their class, while Sturgis Brown could be one win away from making playoffs.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Players to Watch from Sturgis Brown: <strong>Gunnar Rohloff, [player_tooltip player_id='294145' first='Tyan' last='Buus'], [player_tooltip player_id='160904' first='Owen' last='Cass'], [player_tooltip player_id='89281' first='Zak' last='Juelfs'], &amp; Reese Jacobs.</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Players to Watch from Belle Fourche: <strong>Tatin Yackley, Jayden Sechser, &amp; [player_tooltip player_id='305545' first='Kyren' last='Nulle'].</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Watertown @ Mitchell- This game has implications both for these two teams as well as two other teams in the class. The 7 &amp; 8 seeds are in a four team race and right now Watertown and Mitchell have them, but Sturgis Brown and Huron are hot on their tail for a potential steal. Which ever team wins will knock out one of the other lower seeds, and the other will have new life in the season. A lot riding on this game for more than one team.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Players to Watch from Watertown: <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='174206' first='Juven' last='Hudson'], [player_tooltip player_id='174176' first='Austin' last='Johnson'], Ashton First In Trouble, [player_tooltip player_id='294157' first='Owen' last='Spartz'], &amp; Chase Christianson.</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Players to Watch from Mitchell: <strong>August Anderson, Jagger Tyler, AJ Siemsen, Mick Dailey, &amp; Treyson Schulz.</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>West Central @ Winner- This will be a brawl of two very good teams in their classes. Both teams are favorites to make runs at the title. Winner is looking to extend their winning streak and keep their top seed in 11B. West Central is looking for a boost to maybe propel them to the top seed in 11A. I see this game as who can keep up the physicality for all four quarters and outlast the other. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Players to Watch from West Central: <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='101148' first='Justin' last='Zirpel'], [player_tooltip player_id='161302' first='Owen' last='Heath'], Dylan Stromer, Dylan Sherard, &amp; Ethan Berens.</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Players to Watch from Winner: <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='77463' first='Riley' last='Orel'], [player_tooltip player_id='105505' first='Aiden' last='Barfuss'], [player_tooltip player_id='160907' first='Blake' last='Volmer'], [player_tooltip player_id='161343' first='Jack' last='Peters'], &amp; [player_tooltip player_id='160932' first='Ethan' last='Bartels'].</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->