FLORENCE, Wis. — Unbeaten Florence is on course to qualify for Wisconsin’s eight-player state football playoffs.

The Bobcats (5-0) and Wausau Newman Catholic (6-0) are the only undefeated teams in the Eight-Player East Division. There’s four East teams with one loss and two with two defeats in Wausaukee and Gillett.

Four teams from the East will begin state playoff competition Oct. 19. The survivor will face the West representative for the state state title Nov. 3.

“We don’t have any room for error,” said head coach Kent Walstrom, noting his Bobcats play an independent schedule with just eight games. “We’re trying like crazy to earn a postseason playoff game, and to do that, we have to keep winning.”

Florence celebrates homecoming Friday when North Dickinson (0-5) visits Landry Field. Kick-off is 7 p.m.

“That’s a team that always comes ready to play tough, physical football,” Walstrom said of the Nordics. “They’re well coached and they block and tackle as aggressively as any team we’ll play all season.

“I have nothing but respect for North Dickinson’s football program and the way they coach those kids up.”

Florence scored 30 second-half points in beating Port Edwards 44-14 last week. The Bobcats tallied 507 yards from scrimmage including 472 on the ground.

Eric DeCremer scored three touchdowns and ran for 184 yards on 17 carries. Tailback Joseph Walstrom had 25 carries for 160 yards and one touchdown and quarterback Toby Wheeler added 101 yards on 16 carries and one score.

“That artificial turf is a difference maker for fast players, and Eric is our fastest,” Walstrom said. “With his running style he can go just about full tilt and still bend the edges on those outside runs, but he ran over a few tacklers running inside, too.”