MONROE — The WIAA released the postseason football brackets Oct. 13. Four area schools enter the fray with all Level 1 games slated for a 7 p.m. start time Friday.
In Division 5, New Glarus Monticello (4-5) received the No. 7 seed and will travel to No. 2 Prairie du Chien (8-1). The winner will take on the winner of Horicon-Hustisford (No. 3, 8-1) and Belleville (No. 6, 6-3).
The Glarner Knights have both shown promise and scuttled opportunities throughout the year. After a Week 1 blowout win against Dodgeville, NGM was blanked 35-0 at home by Lake Mills. After three straight losses, the Knights shocked then-unbeaten Belleville on the road but needed to beat Waterloo in Week 8 to clinch a playoff berth.
NGM runs a balanced offensive attack that has gained nearly 2,600 yards of offense on the season and averages 22.4 points per game.
Prairie du Chien went unbeaten in the Southwest Conference and gained over 3,600 yards of offense, also on a balanced scheme. PDC averages 38.9 ppg and has scored 50 offensive touchdowns on the season.
In Division 6, Darlington (4-5) received a No. 7 seed and travels to Melrose-Mindoro (8-1). The winner plays the winner of Lancaster (No. 3, 6-3) and Brookwood (No. 6, 6-3).
The Redbirds are in their first year under head coach Travis Winkers and transitioned from a spread passing-style offense back to a hard-nosed ground game midseason. The change in scheme helped propel Darlington to wins in each of its final three weeks that clinched a playoff berth. In their four wins, the Redbirds have allowed just 10 points on defense, compared to 147 points in the five losses (34.8 ppg).
Melrose-Mindoro has gained nearly 2,700 yards of offense on the season, with over 2,100 yards coming on the ground. The only loss of the season for MM came in the season opener, a 14-6 loss over reigning Division 7 state champion Bangor.
Also in Division 6, Pecatonica-Argyle (8-1) scored a No. 6 seed and will play at Racine Lutheran (No. 3, 7-2). The winner will play either Ozaukee (No. 7, 6-3) or Mineral Point (No. 2, 8-1). It’s a tough draw for Pecatonica-Argyle, which was ranked No. 9 in the AP Small Division poll of schools under 300 enrollment, and No. 5 in Division 6 in the Wisconsin Coaches Football Association rankings. Racine Lutheran was ranked eight in the WBCA rankings and unranked in the AP Poll. The Vikings only loss of the season was an 8-6 nail-biter against rival Black Hawk, last year’s state runner-up and currently unbeaten and ranked near the top of both polls.
In Week 5 the Crusaders earned a forfeit from Kenosha St. Joseph. Racine Lutheran comes into the game averaging over 366 yards of offense per game with 39 total touchdowns and a third-place finish in the Metro Classic Conference. Defensively, Racine Lutheran has given up an average of 18.5 points per game, but in its two losses (Martin Luther, Racine St. Catherine’s) gave up 40 points each.
The Vikings are averaging 368 yards per game and have 40 touchdowns on the season. Only in garbage time against Hurley in Week 9 did the Vikings allow more than one score in a game. Using a 3-3-5 defensive scheme, Pecatonica-Argyle allowed just 4.4 points per game and had four shutouts on the season.
Black Hawk (8-0) gained a No. 1 seed in Division 7 and hosts Randolph (No. 8, 4-5). The Rockets have a balanced offensive attack that has not shown much life all season, accumulating just over 2,000 yards in nine games (229 ypg and 21 TDs). The Warriors, meanwhile, have run for over 2,300 yards and have gained nearly 3,000 yards on the season with 40 TDs. Defensively is where Black Hawk shines, allowing a touchdown or less in six of its eight games.
The second round would see either Living Word Lutheran (No. 5, 7-2) or Potosi-Cassville (No. 4, 7-2). The Warriors defeated Potosi-Cassville in Week 2 14-7.
