By Paul Lecker
For Wausau Pilot & Review
For the third time in the four-year history of the WIAA 8-Player Football Championship, the Wausau Newman Catholic Cardinals will be there.
Newman Catholic, runner-up in 2019, won the state title a year ago with a 49-6 rout of Luck.
On Saturday, undefeated Newman Catholic (11-0) will battle Belmont (10-1) at South Wood County Stadium at Wisconsin Rapids Lincoln High School at 1 p.m. for a chance to repeat.
The game will be streamed live on the WIAA.TV portal of the NFHS Network on a subscription fee basis.
Tickets are $11 plus online fees for all attendees and must be purchased using the GoFan Ticketing app. Click here for more information.
Newman Catholic reached the championship game with a dominant 35-0 shutout of Siren in a Level 3 matchup on Nov. 4.
The Cardinals have rolled through the season essentially unchallenged, winning all 11 of their games by at least 34 points and allowing no more than two touchdowns in any matchup.
Running back Thomas Bates and quarterback Conner Krach have carried the Newman offense behind a solid line. Bates ran for 1,015 yards and 17 touchdowns, and Krach added 813 yards rushing and 17 scores, and 1,534 yards passing and 21 more TDs. Bates is also the team’s top receiver, catching 27 passes for 506 yards and 10 more touchdowns. Eli Gustafson added 21 catches for 393 yards and three scores.
Krach, the Central Wisconsin Conference Offensive Player of the Year, was also a first-team all-conference pick on defense as he picked off 11 passes for the Cardinals.
Belmont lost its first game of the season before ripping off 10-straight wins, nine by double digits.
Quarterback Kolby Lancaster does it all for the Braves as well, as he has run for 1,626 yards and 30 touchdowns, and thrown for 1,237 yards and 16 TDs. Noah Fritz is his top target, catching 52 balls for 856 yards and 10 touchdowns.
