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Class D1 football: Week 9 games that shape the playoff race
The Class D1 Week 9 games with the most playoff weight, by NSAA wildcard average.
Week 9 is the last week of the regular season on NSAA's D1 schedule. The 7 district champions and the 9 teams with the highest regular-season point average that did not finish as district champions = 16. Ranks and records here are from NSAA's wildcard page as of Oct. 16 at 11:07 a.m. CT, which counted Thursday's games and NSAA's 1-0 results but not Friday's games, so they will move. They are projections, not seeds. Johnson-Brock (7-0) led D1 at that update, 1st of 40 by average (46.5714).
Games to watch
| Day | Away | Home |
|---|---|---|
| Fri. | No. 2 Ravenna (7-0) | No. 3 Sandy Creek (6-1) |
| Fri. | No. 5 Stanton (7-0) | No. 9 Wisner-Pilger (6-1) |
| Fri. | No. 18 West Holt (5-2) | No. 4 Hartington-Newcastle (7-0) |
| Fri. | No. 10 Amherst (5-2) | T-12 Alma (5-2) |
| Fri. | No. 8 Sutton (6-2) | No. 21 Conestoga (4-3) |
| Fri. | No. 7 Exeter-Milligan-Friend (6-1) | No. 23 Centennial (4-4) |
The matchups
Ravenna at Sandy Creek, Friday. Ravenna's 45.2857 average was 5.7143 points above the No. 16 average (39.5714); Sandy Creek's 45.0000 average was 5.4286 points above the No. 16 average (39.5714). Ravenna has outscored opponents 470-101 in seven scored games, and its latest NSAA result was a 66-21 win over Alma on Oct. 9, 2026. Sandy Creek has outscored opponents 382-113 in seven scored games, and its latest NSAA result was a 50-6 win over Centura on Oct. 9, 2026. NSAA records since 2020 show no earlier regular-season meeting.
Stanton at Wisner-Pilger, Friday. Stanton's 44.0000 average was 4.4286 points above the No. 16 average (39.5714); Wisner-Pilger's 41.5714 average was 2.0000 points above the No. 16 average (39.5714). Stanton has outscored opponents 391-72 in six scored games, and its latest NSAA result was a 62-12 win over Ponca on Oct. 9, 2026. Wisner-Pilger has outscored opponents 202-154 in seven scored games, and its latest NSAA result was a 40-30 win over Homer on Oct. 9, 2026. Wisner-Pilger is 0-3 against Stanton in NSAA regular-season meetings since 2020.
West Holt at Hartington-Newcastle, Friday. West Holt's 39.1429 average was 0.4285 points below the No. 16 average (39.5714); Hartington-Newcastle's 44.8571 average was 5.2857 points above the No. 16 average (39.5714). West Holt has outscored opponents 265-243 in eight scored games, and its latest NSAA result was a 30-14 loss to Elkhorn Valley on Oct. 16, 2026. Hartington-Newcastle has outscored opponents 415-170 in seven scored games, and its latest NSAA result was a 63-6 win over Lutheran High Northeast on Oct. 9, 2026. Hartington-Newcastle is 0-1 against West Holt in NSAA regular-season meetings since 2020.
Amherst at Alma, Friday. Amherst's 41.2857 average was 1.7143 points above the No. 16 average (39.5714); Alma's 40.4286 average was 0.8572 points above the No. 16 average (39.5714). Amherst has been outscored 231-220 in seven scored games, and its latest NSAA result was a 36-22 win over Kimball on Oct. 9, 2026. Alma has outscored opponents 262-232 in seven scored games, and its latest NSAA result was a 66-21 loss to Ravenna on Oct. 9, 2026. Alma is 0-2 against Amherst in NSAA regular-season meetings since 2020.
Sutton at Conestoga, Friday. Sutton's 42.3750 average was 2.8036 points above the No. 16 average (39.5714); Conestoga's 38.4286 average was 1.1428 points below the No. 16 average (39.5714). Sutton has outscored opponents 319-168 in eight scored games, and its latest NSAA result was a 82-26 win over Centennial on Oct. 15, 2026. Conestoga has outscored opponents 246-208 in seven scored games, and its latest NSAA result was a 42-22 loss to Exeter-Milligan-Friend on Oct. 9, 2026. NSAA records since 2020 show no earlier regular-season meeting.
Exeter-Milligan-Friend at Centennial, Friday. Exeter-Milligan-Friend's 42.8571 average was 3.2857 points above the No. 16 average (39.5714); Centennial's 37.3750 average was 2.1964 points below the No. 16 average (39.5714). Exeter-Milligan-Friend has outscored opponents 336-95 in seven scored games, and its latest NSAA result was a 42-22 win over Conestoga on Oct. 9, 2026. Centennial has been outscored 271-234 in eight scored games, and its latest NSAA result was a 82-26 loss to Sutton on Oct. 15, 2026. NSAA records since 2020 show no earlier regular-season meeting.
Week 8 results are in our recaps and the class roundup. Sources: NSAA D1 wildcard; NSAA D1 schedule.
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Result note: a 1–0 entry is shown as listed by NSAA. It is not treated as evidence of an on-field score or a confirmed forfeit.
