17 local teams ready for WIAA playoffs

The WIAA playoff field is set.

There will be 17 Green Bay area teams in the postseason this year.

Divisional and regional placements are set and pairings will be announced after coaches meet Saturday.

Among all of the local teams that have punched their ticket to the playoffs, Denmark perhaps made the most dramatic run.

Needing a win to finish with a .500 record in conference play to secure a spot, the Vikings won 20-14 at Freedom Friday to advance to the playoffs for the first time since making back-to-back apperances during the 2013 and 2014 seasons.

Three local schools completed undefeated regular seasons Friday to wrap up outright conference titles and now stand a good chance to secure No. 1 seeds in the playoffs.

Bay Port (Division 1) defeated Green Bay Preble to win a third straight Fox River Classic Conference title and extend its conference winning streak to 27 games.

West De Pere (Division 3) completed an undefeated campaign to win a second straight Bay Conference championship and will now try to make a state run for the first time since making three straight trips from 2009 to 2011.

Kewaunee (Division 5) won the outright MONLPC-Large title with a win over Peshtigo to claim its first confernce title since 2010. The Storm will attempt to win a playoff game for the first time since 2013.

A few local teams were right on the cutoff line for divisional placement.

Despite having a losing record in conference play, De Pere (4-5) made the playoffs for the first time since 2015. However, the Redbirds will be in Division 1 and are the smallest school in the division.

Across the river, West De Pere will be the biggest school in Division 3. The Phantoms’ enrollment of 951 was narrowly smaller than the smallest school in Division 2, which was Baraboo with an enrollment of 957 students.

Division 3 has traditionally produced some great matchups and deep postseason runs for local teams in recent years. There will be four local teams in Division 3 this year. However, Luxemburg-Casco finds itself in a different regional than Green Bay Notre Dame, Seymour and West De Pere.

This year will mark the first time the WIAA has an 8-player playoff. The 8-team field will feature Gibraltar and Sevastopol. The Pioneers beat their Door County rivals Friday to claim a third straight conference title.

Division 1

Bay Port: This will be the 18th straight year the Pirates are in the playoffs.

De Pere: First playoff appearance since 2015.

Green Bay Preble: This will be the Hornets’ eighth straight playoff appearance.

Division 2

Ashwaubenon: The Jaguars advanced to the playoffs for a 21 st straight year.

Pulaski: The Red Raiders made the playoffs for a third straight year.

Division 3

Green Bay Notre Dame: The Tritons made the playoffs for a sixth straight year and 18th time in 19 seasons.

Seymour: The Thunder advanced to the playoffs for a 10 th straight year.

West De Pere: The Phantoms are in the playoffs for a 15th straight year.

Luxemburg-Casco: The Spartans are in the playoffs for a sixth straight year.

Division 4

Denmark: The Vikings advaned to the playoffs for the first time since 2014.

Wrightstown: The Tigers extended their playoff streak to 24 straight years.

Division 5

Kewaunee: The Storm made the playoffs for a sixth straight year and 18th time in 19 seasons.

Peshtigo: The Bulldogs made the playoffs for an 11th straight year.

Southern Door: The Eagles will be making their fight straight playoff appearance.

Division 6

Coleman: The Cougars will be back in the playoffs after missing out last year in their first year in the MONLPC-Large.

8-player

Gibraltar: The Vikings finished 7-2 to make the playoffs.

Sevastopol: The Pioneers went 8-1 and won the MONLPC-8-player title.