Back in the Sub-State game for the eighth time in the last nine seasons and for the third straight year are looking for a ticket to Newton to play in an 8-Man State Championship, this time it would be in the Division II game after the last two years in the Division I game. The Wildcats however finished state runner-up the last two years and are in search for their first State title since 2009.

Standing in the way of Hanover from a bid back to the State title game is Pike Valley who is 10-1 on the year with their lone loss to unbeaten 8-Man DI team in Osborne this year. The Panthers of Pike Valley have been putting up the points this year scoring 51.6 points per game and holding their opponents to 12.5 points per game also. The rushing of junior, Lane Peters leads Pike Valley has he has 1,437 yards with 28 touchdowns, while junior quarterback, Davante Hammer has tossed for 1,105 yards with 22 touchdowns. Pike Valley beat Wakefield 54-8 in the first round of the playoffs and topped Hartford in the second round 60-14 to make the Sub-State game.

The Hanover Wildcats put up plenty of eye popping offensive statistics last year including some records from senior quarterback, Will Bruna but if you look at the offensive stats this year they might not jump off the page and there is a reason for that. The Wildcats are still averaging 49.9 points per game this year but the team doesn’t have all the yards or even more points because they have only played two full four quarter games this year of the ten games played. Hanover’s defense has been suffocating this year giving up just 50 total points all year with only one team scoring more than eight points against them in a single game. The Wildcats defense held basically all of the regular season foes to around 100 yards of total offense but the last two weeks teams have put up more yards over 200 but have still be opportunistic Hanover has in the games. Hanover despite no gaudy yards stats still is filled with playmakers as the team as had four or more guys score a touchdown in eight of the ten games this season.

Hanover beat St. John’s-Tipton 38-12 in the first round and crushed Central Christian 62-6 in the second round getting touchdowns from six different guys in the win to make the Sub-State contest.

The winner punches their ticket to the 8-Man Division II State title game in Newton on Saturday, November 19th and will play the winner of Wallace County and Dighton for the title.