WIAA Football Playoff Groupings Announced
By John Kemmeter
The groupings for the WIAA Football Playoffs were announced early Saturday, Oct. 13.
Each of the seven divisions include four groups, with eight teams in each group.
Three-time WIAA Division 5 State Champion Amherst (7-2) was placed in Group D in Division 5, along with defending WIAA Division 6 State Champion Fond du Lac Saint Mary’s Springs (9-0), which was the last team placed in Division 5 based on the enrollment of teams that made the playoffs.
Along with top-ranked Springs and third-ranked Amherst, Group D includes 2016 State Runner-up and sixth-ranked Cedar Grove-Belgium (8-1), Whitefish Bay Dominican (5-3), Howards Grove (6-3), New Holstein (6-3), eighth-ranked Omro (8-1) and Valders (7-2).
Almond-Bancroft (8-1) and Rosholt (3-6) were both placed in Group B in Division 7. Also in Group B are fourth-ranked Hilbert (8-1), Wisconsin Rapids Assumption (4-5), Pittsville (8-1), ninth-ranked Reedsville (8-1), Suring (3-6) and Wabeno/Laona (3-5).
The winner of each eight-team group will advance to the State Semifinals.
Coaches from each group will meet for a seeding meeting Saturday, with playoff brackets and first-round matchups set to be released Saturday afternoon.
Complete Playoff Groupings are available at the WIAA website.