What To Watch For: D1- D3 State Championship Games

Camp Randall hosts the large school Championship Games this Friday as the D1-D3 games will take place starting at 10 am. Yesterday we looked into a few key areas to watch in the small school battles, and today we are back to do the same for the large schools. When it comes to these final games there is so much that has to go right to be able to bring home the W, but within each team there are things you can count on and look forward to seeing. That is what we focus on today. The pillars that each team is built on and will count on to win it all. We start with the D3 Championship Game!   <h1 class="wp-block-heading">D3: Catholic Memorial vs Green Bay Notre Dame</h1>   <h3 class="wp-block-heading">The CM offense Runs Through [player_tooltip player_id='245969' first='MJ' last='Mitchell']</h3>   If you want to see some high level, natural talent on display then you need to keep your eyes on Catholic Memorial QB [player_tooltip player_id='245969' first='MJ' last='Mitchell']. The senior is the top dual threat QB in the state, the top uncommitted overall QB in the state, and he has the athleticism that would allow him to even play other positions at the next level. As for this game, it is safe to expect a big day from Mitchell because so much of the offense runs through him. He obviously is the leading passer with a stat line of 1546 yards and 17 TDs. The senior QB is also the teams leading rusher despite playing less games than the other skill players who line up in the backfield with him. That stat line looks like 131/826/13. MJ has the talent to change the game on a single snap, so keep a close eye on him every time CM is on offense.   <h3 class="wp-block-heading">The GBND Offense Revolves Around [player_tooltip player_id='1180699' first='Christian' last='Collins']</h3>   By the end of this game I expect to see [player_tooltip player_id='1180699' first='Christian' last='Collins'] as the state's leader in rushing yards, and for him to take sole possession of the state's lead for rushing TDs. Right now he sits at 2nd in rushing and is tied for 1st in rushing TDs. The stat line is elite, 311/2676/37. Having the responsibility of carrying the ball almost 24 times per game and still being able to churn out a 8.6 yds/carry average is dominant. It is a combination of the blocking efforts in front of him from TE [player_tooltip player_id='685836' first='James' last='Flanigan'] and the OL to Christian's own talent. He is a downhill, physical, well-balanced runner who has the patience and vision to allow things to develop so he usually doesn't have to create yards after contact until he is into the second level. Green Bay Notre Dame is going to run the ball early and often, and I expect nearly every carry to go to the workhorse senior.   <h1 class="wp-block-heading">D2: Rice Lake vs Slinger</h1>   <h3 class="wp-block-heading">Must Watch Triple Option Offense</h3>   The Rice Lake option offense has been outstanding productive and dominant over recent years. It helped them win a State Championship in 2023 and it has them back in 2024. The three headed monster of RB [player_tooltip player_id='308945' first='Lucas' last='Peters'], QB Jacob Kunz, and ATH [player_tooltip player_id='1125332' first='Connor' last='Durand'] are the pillars of the triple option. Peters is the downhill, physical runner who forces the interior of the defense to play their gaps and tackle. Kunz is the decision maker who is smart, instinctive, and quick with his reads. Plus he has the athleticism to be a dangerous option on his own. Durand is the pitch man and the mismatch out in space. He has the speed to beat pursuit angles and is also a viable receiving threat. Watch how smoothly these three work together as they look to bring home another State Championship.   <h3 class="wp-block-heading">Dominant Balance From Slinger</h3>   Everywhere I looked when it came to this team I found balance. Michael Thiede leads an explosive passing attack while targeting his top two receivers who almost have the exact same amount of catches through 13 games. The 1,963 passing yards is very well balanced by 2,218 rushing yards. The leader in the clubhouse there is RB [player_tooltip player_id='1220696' first='Kobe' last='Hendricks'] with his 962 yards and 10 TDs. Even within the rushing attack you find more balance. Hendricks has his 10 TDs, Michael Thiede adds 10 of his own on the ground, and Santos Rodriguez adds 11 as the second leading rusher on the team. The Slinger offense forces you to plan for every man and cover most of the field on every snap. Then they add a defense that has held teams to two scores or less in 8/13 games this season, balancing the offensive dominance with dominance of their own. This team is going to be fun to watch on Friday.   <h1 class="wp-block-heading">D1: Bay Port vs Muskego</h1>   <h3 class="wp-block-heading">Impact Playmakers Across the Board</h3>   Bay Port rosters so many impressive athletes position to position. QB Matt Stevens leads the offense with his dual threat abilities. His arm talent has him looking like a future college commit, and produced 2,066 yards and 27 TDs. On the ground he has rushed for 705 yards and 6 more TDs. The backfield has junior RB [player_tooltip player_id='1801490' first='Brady' last='Moon'] who has put up 1,238 yards and 22 TDs while toting the rock at a 7.8 yds/att clip. On the receiving end of those Stevens passes is usually senior WR [player_tooltip player_id='1209415' first='Sawyer' last='Torp'] who has put up 46/845/11. His 18.4 yds/rec hints to the big play threat that he is. Bay Port also will field arguably the best offensive line of any team that has made it to State this season with guys like seniors [player_tooltip player_id='685839' first='Alex' last='Michels'] and [player_tooltip player_id='685974' first='Alex' last='Warden'], juniors Lukas Weyenberg and [player_tooltip player_id='1361650' first='Aiden' last='Dirksen'], and sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='1226880' first='David' last='Provost']. Joining them and Torp in the receiving game is TE [player_tooltip player_id='944024' first='Bennett' last='Deppeler']. This offense can get it done in a variety of ways with all the talent they have.   <h3 class="wp-block-heading">Muskego Option Attack Overpowering Opponents</h3>   Muskego has been the hottest team in WI over the second half of the season and the playoffs. Leading the way is the rushing attack that Muskego has become so successful with over the years. They have so many options to attack a defense with, no pun intended. Leading the way is Jack Labisch with his 1,136 yards and 12 TDs in just 9 games. His return has been huge for the Muskego offense as they have put together this run. Joining Jack is Jackson Niemiec with 1,201 yards and 11 TDs over 13 games. Niemiec is the athlete who you will see attacking the edges on pitches or with misdirection. Orchestrating this offensive attack is sophomore QB [player_tooltip player_id='1300195' first='Joey' last='Shaw'] who has done a fantastic job with his ball handling to get clean handoffs, make good decisions, and also do a great job of hiding the ball on those misdirection carries. I'm very excited to see this team in action again after watching them in Week 1.

Camp Randall hosts the large school Championship Games this Friday as the D1-D3 games will take place starting at 10 am. Yesterday we looked into a few key areas to watch in the small school battles, and today we are back to do the same for the large schools. When it comes to these final games there is so much that has to go right to be able to bring home the W, but within each team there are things you can count on and look forward to seeing. That is what we focus on today. The pillars that each team is built on and will count on to win it all. We start with the D3 Championship Game!