For five area football teams, the playoff buzz has arrived after receiving their first-round postseason assignments.
Some of their assignments were revised Friday.
A year after the WIAA Web site was flooded with traffic and brought viewing last year's pairings to a standstill, state officials made adjustments to avoid a repeat. That problem may have been solved, but another was created.
Not long after releasing the pairings to state media Friday morning, the multiple revisions began. First-round matchups and sites had to be changed for a number of teams, including Brodhead-Juda, Pecatonica-Argyle and New Glarus-Monticello. Todd Clark, WIAA director of communications, said the changes were due to special playoff criteria for slotting teams.
"We are looking at the field and proofing them over a couple of hours," Clark said. "That is the danger in releasing them early."
Brodhead-Juda (7-2), which has been ranked in the top 10 in the Associated Press' medium division state poll most of the year, opens the WIAA Division 4 playoffs hosting Kettle Moraine Lutheran (6-3) Tuesday night.
The Cardinals first were scheduled to host Poynette, but Clark said a playoff criteria prohibiting conference opponents Kettle Moraine Lutheran and Winnebago Lutheran Academy from playing each other in the first round was the reason for the revised bracket.
"What we have to do is reshuffle so conference opponents aren't playing each other," Clark said. "Sometimes that has a domino effect. Sometimes, it's rather difficult when you have three or four teams in your bracket from the same conference."
If the Cardinals can beat Kettle Moraine, a second-round playoff game against Ripon (7-2) or Mayville (6-3) awaits.
"We have played as well as we have played all year going into the playoffs, which is what you want," Brodhead-Juda coach Jim Matthys said. "Playoffs are a lot about eliminating mistakes. One little mistake can cost you in the playoffs."
New Glarus-Monticello (5-4) first was scheduled to open the WIAA Division 4 playoffs at Lodi. Instead, the Glarner Knights, on the heels of a thrilling 14-12 win over Belleville-Albany to qualify for the postseason on Thursday, will travel to Prairie du Chien (6-3).
Clark said River Valley (7-2) was first awarded a No. 4 seed, but after using head-to-head playoff criteria, Prairie du Chien was granted a higher seed and a home game against the Knights because they beat River Valley during the regular season.
New Glarus-Monticello coach Jeff Eichelkraut said he contacted the WIAA office when he heard the Knights' first-round opponent had changed.
"I don't know if there is any quality draw," Eichelkraut said. "After our loss to Cambridge, we felt we had to win every week or we were out."
Division 5
Darlington (5-4), a Division 6 qualifier the last time the Redbirds made the playoffs in 2005, will open the postseason at Lancaster (8-1).
Division 6
Pecatonica-Argyle (7-2) was first scheduled to host Racine Lutheran, but Clark said that had to be changed with conference rivals Heritage Christan and Brookfield Academy matched up. The Vikings, who were Six Rivers Conference co-champions with Potosi and Benton Scales-Mound (Ill.), will open the postseason hosting Wayland Academy Tuesday night.
Division 7
Black Hawk (6-3) will be on the road at Burlington Catholic Central (9-0), one of five unbeatens in Division 7.
Some of their assignments were revised Friday.
A year after the WIAA Web site was flooded with traffic and brought viewing last year's pairings to a standstill, state officials made adjustments to avoid a repeat. That problem may have been solved, but another was created.
Not long after releasing the pairings to state media Friday morning, the multiple revisions began. First-round matchups and sites had to be changed for a number of teams, including Brodhead-Juda, Pecatonica-Argyle and New Glarus-Monticello. Todd Clark, WIAA director of communications, said the changes were due to special playoff criteria for slotting teams.
"We are looking at the field and proofing them over a couple of hours," Clark said. "That is the danger in releasing them early."
Brodhead-Juda (7-2), which has been ranked in the top 10 in the Associated Press' medium division state poll most of the year, opens the WIAA Division 4 playoffs hosting Kettle Moraine Lutheran (6-3) Tuesday night.
The Cardinals first were scheduled to host Poynette, but Clark said a playoff criteria prohibiting conference opponents Kettle Moraine Lutheran and Winnebago Lutheran Academy from playing each other in the first round was the reason for the revised bracket.
"What we have to do is reshuffle so conference opponents aren't playing each other," Clark said. "Sometimes that has a domino effect. Sometimes, it's rather difficult when you have three or four teams in your bracket from the same conference."
If the Cardinals can beat Kettle Moraine, a second-round playoff game against Ripon (7-2) or Mayville (6-3) awaits.
"We have played as well as we have played all year going into the playoffs, which is what you want," Brodhead-Juda coach Jim Matthys said. "Playoffs are a lot about eliminating mistakes. One little mistake can cost you in the playoffs."
New Glarus-Monticello (5-4) first was scheduled to open the WIAA Division 4 playoffs at Lodi. Instead, the Glarner Knights, on the heels of a thrilling 14-12 win over Belleville-Albany to qualify for the postseason on Thursday, will travel to Prairie du Chien (6-3).
Clark said River Valley (7-2) was first awarded a No. 4 seed, but after using head-to-head playoff criteria, Prairie du Chien was granted a higher seed and a home game against the Knights because they beat River Valley during the regular season.
New Glarus-Monticello coach Jeff Eichelkraut said he contacted the WIAA office when he heard the Knights' first-round opponent had changed.
"I don't know if there is any quality draw," Eichelkraut said. "After our loss to Cambridge, we felt we had to win every week or we were out."
Division 5
Darlington (5-4), a Division 6 qualifier the last time the Redbirds made the playoffs in 2005, will open the postseason at Lancaster (8-1).
Division 6
Pecatonica-Argyle (7-2) was first scheduled to host Racine Lutheran, but Clark said that had to be changed with conference rivals Heritage Christan and Brookfield Academy matched up. The Vikings, who were Six Rivers Conference co-champions with Potosi and Benton Scales-Mound (Ill.), will open the postseason hosting Wayland Academy Tuesday night.
Division 7
Black Hawk (6-3) will be on the road at Burlington Catholic Central (9-0), one of five unbeatens in Division 7.
