Division 5 playoff bracket analysis

GREEN BAY - When the WIAA released its prep football brackets Friday, Brillion had to have a smile on its face when it realized it would remain in Division 5.

There was some thought the Lions could move to Division 4, but they stayed in Division 5 by four students.

That means Brillion is the second-largest school in Division 5 and will look to advance one step further in the 5 playoffs this fall after reaching the semifinals last year. Brillion opens playoff action Tuesday as a No. 1 seed and will play Cedar Grove-Belgium in the Southwest Region.

The rest of the FOX 11 coverage area teams are the Northeast Region, literally. No. 1-seeded Bonduel (9-0) hosts Wabeno-Laona (5-4), No. 2 Tigerton/Marion (6-3) hosts Oshkosh Lourdes (6-3), No. 3 Peshtigo (7-2) hosts Laconia (7-2) and No. 4 Niagara/Goodman/Pembine hosts Reedsville, which is the smallest school in the division.

Potential game to watch: Laconia vs. Tigerton/Marion. Laconia is a real sleeper here as its only losses this season came to Omro and St. Mary’s Springs.

Analysis: Brillion’s the story here. Can coach Pete Kittel get his team back to state again? The Lions finished the season real strong, and a hot Brillion team is one to avoid in the postseason. Guess here is the Lions make state, but fall to Colby in the finals.

WIAA Division 5 Bracket

Level 1 Games, Tuesday, 7 p.m.
Northwest Region
Ladysmith at Colby (1)
Elk Mound at Grantsburg (4)
Cameron at Osseo-Fairchild(3)
Stanley-Boyd at Mondovi (2)

Northeast Region
Wabeno-Laona at Bonduel (1)
Reedsville at Niagara/Goodman/Pembine (4) Laconia at Peshtigo (3) Oshkosh Lourdes/Valley Christian at Tigerton/Marion (2) (at Wittenberg-Birnamwood)

Southeast Region
Darlington (1) at Lancaster
Stratford at Poynetted (4)
Aquinas at Arcadia (3)
Auburndale at Pardeeville (2)

Southwest Region
Cedar Grove-Belgium at Brillion (1)
Palmyra-Eagle at Martin Luther (4)
Shoreland Lutheran at Waterloo (3)
Kenosha Saint Joseph at Oostburg (2)

More divisions: 1 • 2 • 3 • 4 • 5 • 6 • 7