WIAA playoff pairings released

Here's the latest story we have on our site. Keep checking back here and at www.fdlreporter.com for more. We'll also have a story about Springs missing the playoffs shortly.

In Division 1, Fond du Lac will play host to Madison La Follette at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Fruth Field.

The Lancers play in the Big Eight Conference and finished with a record of 5-4, 4-4 in conference play.

If it wins, Fond du Lac will play at either Janesville Parker (9-0) or Mukwonago (4-5, 4-3) on Saturday. The game will most likely be on the road, unless Parker or Mukowanago is unable to host a second-round playoff game.

In Division 3, the WIAA didn't do Waupun any favors. The East Central Flyway champs will have a road littered with traditional poweres on the way to the state title game.

Waupun (8-1) opens with Sheboygan Falls (6-3, 4-3). If it wins, it will most likely play two-time defending WIAA Division 3 state champion Wisconsin Lutheran (7-2). The Warriors are the top seed in that region, however, and will have home field advantage until the state semifinal.

At the other end of the bracket, Kewaskum (8-1) earned the third seed and will play host to Pewaukee (7-2). The winner will play the winner of unseeded Port Washington (6-3) and second-seeded Plymouth (6-3). Plymouth beat Kewaskum earlier this season to earn the better sead. The teams shared the Eastern Wisconsin Conference title.

In Division 4, defending state champion Ripon (5-4) opens the playoffs at top-seeded Lodi (9-0) in a matchup of last year's state semifinal. In the same bracket, Winnebago Lutheran (6-3) will play the first home playoff game under the lights at Viking Field against Valders (5-4). The winner will play the winner of New Holstein (4-5) and second-seeded Mayville (7-2). The Huskies stumbled into the playoffs losing three straight, while the Cardinals may be without star quarterback Matt Haass, who is nursing a hamstring injury.

In Division 5, Laconia (4-5) returned to the playoffs for the first time since 2001. It's reward? A game at powerhouse Kewaunee (9-0).

And in Division 6, Oakfield (4-5) returns to the playoffs after sitting out last year and will play at third-seeded Deerfield (8-1).

The one area team that was playoff eligible that didn't make it was St. Mary's Springs. The Ledgers were among a handful of teams that finished .500 in their conference but were not included in because of several tiebreakers the WIAA implements to narrow the eligible teams to a 224-team playoff field.

Keep checking back with www.fdlreporter.com for updates