Vote now for best high school mascot in America, Elite 8: Rhinelander Hodags vs. Fishburne Military Caissons

Rhinelander (Wisconsin) is the 1 seed and Fishburne Military (Virginia) is the 11 seed in the Midwest region

The Elite Eight is upon us in SBLive Sports' NCAA Tournament-style contest to determine the best high school mascot in America.

Vote below for the No. 1-seeded Rhinelander Hodags (Wisconsin) or the No. 11-seeded Fishburne Military Caissons (Virginia) to advance to the Final Four. The Hodags beat the Punahou Buff 'n Blue (Hawaii) and the Caissons topped the Green Mountain Valley Gumbies (Vermont) in the Sweet 16.

The Hodags earned a 1 seed by piling up 211,761 votes in our fall contests (including the championship round), while the Caissons earned an 11 seed with 46 votes.

Follow along: National Mascot Tournament 2023 Bracket

Voting for this matchup will conclude Wednesday, May 31, at 11:59 p.m. Eastern time.

Editor's note: In the event of a tie, the team with the better seed will prevail based on the results of our fall mascot contest.

1. Rhinelander Hodags (Wisconsin)

The history of the hodag is strongly tied to the city of Rhinelander, where it was claimed to have been discovered. The hodag — a fearsome creature resembling a large bull-horned carnivore with a row of thick curved spines down its back — has figured prominently in early Paul Bunyan stories. 

11. Fishburne Military Caissons (Virginia)

The Caissons are named for the “usually 2-wheeled vehicle for artillery ammunition attachable to a horse-drawn limber,” according to Merriam-Webster. Fishburne Military can probably rest easy that the nickname is all theirs at this point.