8 Man State Championship Athletes to Know
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Use code Johnson30 for 30% off a new subscription! The 8 Man season in Wisconsin has reached its finale! The championship game will take place this Saturday, November 11 in Wisconsin Rapids. We will see Thorp take on Florence. Thorp…
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The 8 Man season in Wisconsin has reached its finale! The championship game will take place this Saturday, November 11 in Wisconsin Rapids. We will see Thorp take on Florence. Thorp enters with a 9-2 record, including playoff wins over both teams that beat them during the regular season. Florence enters with a record of 10-0, and hopes of capping off a flawless season with a Championship.
Thorp enters with a well balanced offense. They have athletes that can hurt you over the top in the passing game, and they can control the game with a dominant rushing attack. Florence leans far more on their rushing attack. They currently have 2,472 rushing yards on the season compared to 713 passing yards. The battles in the trenches are going to be huge in deciding the outcome of this game. Before the game kicks off, the athletes in this game need time in the spotlight. We are going to look at the top prospects and see what the film tells us.
Denzel has done a great job of stepping up where Thorp needed him. He is a talented WR prospect, and is committed to play that position for Minnesota State- Moorhead. However, the senior has stepped up at QB and done a more than serviceable job leading the offense. Through the air, Denzel’s natural playmaking ability comes through in his arm. He is able to push the ball deep, and has surprising accuracy to the three levels of the field. On the ground is where he shines. Denzel’s after the catch elusiveness carries over to his QB play. When he decides to tuck it and run he has the speed to create the big plays and the agility/quickness/burst to make defenders miss in tight quarters. The senior sees the field very well, and will be one of the leading factors in the success of Thorp’s final game.
Thorp’s leading rusher is senior Logan Hanson Logan Hanson 5’10” | 200 lbs | RB Thorp | 2024 State WI . The Dordt University commit has strong instincts and vision with the ball in his hands. He is able to find seams and blocks to utilize. Logan is at his best when he can use either power/balance or short area agility/burst. Hanson is able to juke and jump cut to separate himself from the defense. He can rip through tackle attempts while keeping his balance too. The senior’s tape shows a player with a knack for creating something out of nothing. Logan will be the key to the ground game on Saturday.
Highlights
Braden is another two way impact player just like the two athletes above. The senior is one of the reliable targets on the receiving end of Sutton’s passes. Braden has shown a knack for the big play this fall. He is averaging just shy of 20 yards per reception. Braden has the speed to get behind the defense and his ability to adjust to the pass plus his strong hands to make the catches through traffic made him a deep threat. If Thorp is able to break the game open with big plays in the passing game, you can expect to see Braden be a big part o that. The senior also Top 5 in tackles for the team.
Highlights
A junior standout to watch in this game is Dylan Mattson Dylan Mattson 5’9″ | 175 lbs | ATH Thorp | 2025 State WI . Mattson is the team’s leader in receptions, receiving yards, he is tied for the lead in receiving TDs, and leads the team in INTs on defense. Dylan finds the ball and gets his hands on it a lot. On offense, Dylan is a nuanced route runner who runs crisp routes and will use head fakes or speed manipulation to set up DBs. On defense, Dylan does a good job of becoming the receiver, getting to the catch point, and attacking the ball. Mattson has reliable hand-eye coordination to make the difficult catches. He will be a name to know on Saturday, and next season.
William Kelley
William Kelley
Senior William Kelley is going to be the main athlete to focus on for Florence’s production on Saturday. William leads the team in all passing categories, rushing yards, carries, and TDs, plus he is second in INTs on defense. On offense, Kelley is a dual threat QB. On the ground he plays more like an RB than QB. He has the vision to find lanes, blocks, or weaknesses to attack. The senior has the speed to break off big chunks. Kelley does have enough of an arm to push the ball downfield too, and attack the short levels of the field.
Bryce Leffler
Bryce Leffler
A big time standout on both sides of the trenches is senior OL/DL Bryce Leffler. Bryce has opened up running lanes for the rush heavy offense all season long. He explodes out of his stance on both sides of the ball and can generate power from that initial burst of speed. Leffler is able to win with power and leverage. That leverage helps him get a lot of movement in the trenches to open up running lanes. On defense, Bryce is a nightmare for QBs. He has gotten 16 sacks on the season so far, so look for him to try and pressure the passing attack of Thorp on Saturday.
Trent McClain
Trent McClain
Junior DL Trent McClain is going to pair with Leffler to form a nightmarish duo of pass rushers. As I mentioned, Leffler enters with 16 sacks. McClain has an even more impressive 18 sacks. The DL is also tied for 5th in tackles and also has an INT to his name. Trent knows how to get after the QB on a down to down basis. He is a junior to watch Saturday, and get to know over the next year.
Logan Schuls
Logan Schuls
Logan is another senior to watch in this game who enters with massive production on the season. Logan is the starting RB, and second leading rusher on the team behind QB William Kelley. Logan also is the team’s leader in receptions, yards, and receiving TDs. On defense, Schuls is 4th in tackles and sacks. Logan is going to be on the field all day, so make sure you take time to watch him closely.