After 9-weeks, the field of high school football teams in Wisconsin has been cut roughly in half and it's time for the WIAA playoffs. The field of 224 teams and 112 games will be cut by half heading to round two on Saturday. It's time to put the disappointment over seedings and brackets aside and play the games. Afterall, you're going to have to beat all of those teams eventually if you want to win a state title.
I'm thinking primarily about Hortonville. The Polar Bears were disappointed to have drawn defending state champion Ashwaubenon in the opening round. Hortonville enters play as a two seed and Ashwaubenon, after having to forfeit four wins because of an ineligible player, went unseeded. The Polar Bears thought they got a raw deal. I got news for you, the arguement would be the same for any team that matches up against the Jaguars. No formula would have been a good one.
Hortonville folks, if you think you got a raw deal, take a look at top seeded and unbeaten Kimberly just to your east. They play in a tougher conference, they ran the table and were handed an opening round game against Germantown. Don't let Germantown's 6-3 record fool you, this team is for real. Should the Papermakers skate past this first round opponent, high powered Cedarburg looms on the horizon. Hardly what I call catching a break as an undefeated top seed.
Bottom line, this is playoff time. You're entitled to feel like you got jobbed, but that feeling can only last for a moment. It's time to strap it up and go to it. May the best teams win.
