By John Kemmeter

After winning their playoff openers last week, the back-to-back defending WIAA Division 5 State Champion Amherst High School football team and the Stevens Point Area Senior High School (SPASH) football team will both face top five-ranked teams in Level 2 of the WIAA Playoffs Friday, Oct. 27.

Senior running back/linebacker/defensive back Trent Hamerski (10) and the Stevens Point Area Senior High School (SPASH) football team will travel to play at third-ranked Bay Port in a WIAA Division 1 Level 2 Playoff Game at 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 27.
(John Kemmeter photo)

Top-ranked and second-seeded Amherst (9-1) rolled to a 53-6 victory over Colby (6-4) Friday, Oct. 20, and will host fifth-ranked and third-seeded Spencer/Marshfield Columbus (9-1) in a WIAA Division 5 Level 2 Playoff Game at 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 27.

Fifth-seeded SPASH (6-4) went on the road and pulled off a 48-47 overtime win at 10th-ranked and fourth-seeded Hudson (7-3) last Friday, and will travel to play at third-ranked and top-seeded Bay Port (10-0) in a WIAA Division 1 Level 2 Playoff Game at 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 27.

Amherst

In a battle of teams ranked in the top five in Division 5, Amherst and Spencer/Columbus will meet in the postseason for the third year in a row, and for the second consecutive season in the Round of 16.

The Falcons won 42-0 over Spencer/Columbus in the 2015 Division 5 State Championship Game, and then won 42-14 at home over Spencer/Columbus last year in Level 2.

Amherst High School senior linebacker Tommy Anderson returns an interception 32 yards for a touchdown to give the top-ranked Falcons a 20-0 lead in the first quarter of their 53-6 win over Colby in a WIAA Division 5 Level 1 Playoff Game at Amherst Friday, Oct. 20.
(John Kemmeter photo)

“We have tremendous respect for them, they have a very nice team,” said Amherst football head coach Mark Lusic. “Hunter Luepke is by far the best running back we’re going to see all year, he’s something special, but the thing is they are very balanced offensively and they have a couple of other guys who can spring it and they keep you honest.

“We’re going to have to have our best tackling game of the season,” he said. “If we don’t tackle well, it will be a long, long, long night.”

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