With just one week of the regular season left, we project out where each local team will fall when the WIAA playoff brackets come out on October 19th, and what each team can do to get there.
A huge thank you to Travis Wilson and his team at wissports.net as we used their projected playoff field for this, then we broke down each division projecting the geographical groups and then the seeds and matchups for our local teams.
Division 2
#6 Marshfield (5-3) @ #3 River Falls (6-2)
A late comeback against DC Everest keeps Marshfield where they were, but their opponent changes, River Falls, who took down Superior, leapfrogs up to the 3 seed dropping Superior down to the 4 seed. The big change in this group is Hortonville taking down Neenah jumps them up to the 1 seed, moving Pulaski down to the 2 seed.
Other games in this group
#8 Green Bay Southwest (3-5) @ #1 Hortonville (7-1)
#7 De Pere (4-4) @ #2 Pulaski (8-0)
#5 Kaukauna (6-2) @ #4 Superior (6-2)
Division 3
#7 Rhinelander (5-3) @ #2 Medford (8-0)
Medford seems to be pretty solid in the two seed with undefeated West DePere coming down from Division 2 with an undefeated record. But Medford has to be careful in week 9 Merrill is trying to play spoiler and can still get in the playoffs with an upset of the Raiders.
Other games in this group
#8 Shawano Community (4-4) @ #1 West De Pere (8-0)
#6 Mosinee (5-3) @ #3 Menomonie (7-1)
#5 New Richmond (6-2) @ #4 Ashwaubenon (6-2)
Division 5
#8 Spooner (3-5) @ #1 Stratford (8-0)
Stratford continued their shutout run with a 6-0 win over Edgar. This almost all but secures a one seed for the Tigers.
#6 Spencer/Columbus (4-4) @ #3 Bloomer (6-2)
Both teams lost last week as we expected, Bloomer to undefeated Northwestern, Spencer/Columbus to undefeated Eau Claire Regis. Don’t see to much change in this group overall as both schools have easily winnable games in Week 9.
Other Games in the group
#7 Arcadia (3-2) @ #2 Northwestern (7-0)
#5 St. Croix Falls (3-4) @ #4 Elk Mound (4-3)
Division 6
#8 Crivitz (4-4) @ #1 Abbotsford (8-0)
Abbotsford has been dominating all year, and with every other school in their group sporting two losses, even if they fall Week 9 to Athens they should secure the 1 seed.
#7 Lake Holcombe/Cornell (5-3) @ #2 Auburndale (6-2)
A new team comes into the group, out is Winnebago Lutheran and in is Lake Holcombe/Cornell, both teams were projected to make the playoffs but shifts elsewhere in the D6 teams cased the change the come in as a 7 seed with a really tough game week 9 against Grantsburg.
#6 Coleman (6-2) @ #3 Colby (6-2)
Colby gets hurt by there blow out loses to Eau Claire Regis and Spring Valley, and the overall weakness of the Cloverbelt this year. A strong finish could see them leapfrog Auburndale.
Other games in this group
#5 Bonduel (6-2) @ #4 Manawa (6-2)
Division 7 Group 1
#8 Athens (5-3) @ #1 Edgar (7-1)
Athens losing to Gilman on Friday night drops them significantly, especially with Webster projecting out of the playoffs now, someone has to be down here in a stacked group.
#7 Gilman (6-2) @ #2 Loyal (5-3)
Loyal may have the worse record currently but with a huge win over Athens, and some tough non-conference losses to Bangor and Ellsworth and only one conference loss this season to Abbotsford. These two teams play week 9 and either team with a win can really change the makeup of this group.
#6 Greenwood (5-3) @ #3 Hurley (6-2)
Greenwood has some work to do yet, but we project them to beat Thorp Friday night they would project in as a 6 seed, and make the long treck to Hurley for a Level 1 game.
Other games in this group
#5 Turtle Lake (5-3) @ #4 Clear Lake (5-3)
Division 7 Group 2
#5 Pittsville (5-3) @ #4 Randolph (6-2)
Pittsville has finished their regular season as they do not have a week 9 game, and Randolph is pretty set in their place, not too many changes here in this group overall. It would be interesting to see if this group may be cut up as there are three undefeated teams and the WIAA might try to break up the undefeated teams.
Other games in this group
#8 Rosholt (4-4) @ #1 Hilbert (8-0)
#7 Catholic Central (5-3) @ #2 Lourds Academy (8-0)
#6 Reedsville (5-3) @ #3 Almond-Bancroft (8-0)
