GREEN BAY (WLUK) — When the brackets came out for the football postseason it didn’t long for fans to realize Notre Dame and West De Pere could meet in the Division 2 state title game at Camp Randall Stadium.
All they had to do is win four playoff games, and they delivered.
Two of the most dynamic teams in the state meet Friday at 1 p.m. for a state championship, and one year after falling one game short of this contest the 13-0 Phantoms are looking forward to the opportunity.
“We knew we could make it far and we have high aspirations,” senior RB Ryan Lutz said. “Just came down to our work and our preparation to get us to this point, that was the biggest thing.”
“We worked so hard for this,” senior QB Patrick Greisen said. “This is is the one goal in the season. What happened last year really fired us up and I think this team wants to win more. But yeah, we have one more game and we’re just going to have fun and do the best we can.”
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Expect fireworks from the two best offenses in the state that each average better 40 points per game. The Phantoms, who average (45.1 points per game) are led by quarterback Patrick Greisen, who has a state record 100 career touchdown passes, including 47 TD strikes this season and a state-best 3,560 passing yards. He gets the offense going.
“We have three players who are breaking records including me, but you know it’s so much deeper than that,” Greisen said. “Our linemen, everyone else; so we all have to do our job and if we do that we do great things.”
Meanwhile, Notre Dame (13-0), which averages 46 ppg., is looking to record their second straight perfect season and win their second straight state title after winning the Division 3 championship a season ago. When this team got together in August for the first practice of the season this was their minds.
West De Pere and Patrick Greisen face Notre Dame in the Division 2 state title game Friday at Camp Randall Stadium. (Doug Ritchay/WLUK)
“This is the goal all season,” junior running back Kingston Allen said. “It’s what we strive for, it’s what every team in the state strives for, but I feel like we have a culture here that it’s more and means more to us to get here, especially moving up a division this year. It’s definitely was the main goal the whole year and we’re not surprised we’re here.”
Allen has been the story for Notre Dame, and maybe in the state. His 55 rushing touchdowns this season are a state record and he is 218 yards shy of breaking the single season record for rushing yards. Teams know Allen is getting the ball and he can’t be stopped as he has totaled at least 238 rushing yards in each playoff game including games of 477 and 509 yards, respectively.
Coach Mike Rader said there’s no reason to do anything else when the running game is humming.
“We keep doing it because it’s working, and you could certainly try some other things, but if it’s successful, I don’t know if I’d be very good coach if we tried different things,” he said. “Kingston certainly wants to be that guy and that’s certainly helpful when you’re making a play call for a guy who wants to be the guy.”
Allen replaced 3,000-yard rusher Christian Collins and he’s finally emerged from that shadow.
“I feel like I’ve made my own story,” he said. “I’ve made my own imprint and I don’t feel like I’m in Christian’s shadow anymore, and that’s a great feeling. I don’t feel like anybody’s in the 2024 team shadow anymore either. We’re gonna try to go make our own story Friday night.”
Looks like Friday’s game should be quite entertaining with these two offenses.
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