WIAA Football Playoff Picture Gets Clearer Friday

Greenfield football coach Scott Otto is pretty sure his players understand the significance of tonight’s regular season finale with New Berlin West.

But it’s been so long he can’t be certain.

At 4-3 in the Woodland Conference (4-4 overall), the Hustlin’ Hawks have already qualified for the WIAA playoffs thanks to their guaranteed .500-or-better record in league play. But a win tonight would ensure the team its first WIAA playoff berth since 2002.

"When you tell them it’s been nine years, it’s almost been so long they don’t have anything to compare it to," Otto said. "It’s a big deal for our kids, but when you haven’t experienced something, you don’t know what you’re missing."

With a win over the struggling Vikings at 7 p.m. , the Hawks would lock up a spot in the 32-team Division 2 field with the postseason tournament beginning next weekend.

The Vikings (2-6, 2-5), suffered large graduation losses following last season and never got going this fall, which to Otto, makes them a dangerous opponent.

"They can throw caution to the win,” he said. “What do they have to lose. They’re not fighting for a playoff berth. They can play loosey-goosey, trick plays and zip it up in the air. If they lose, that’s what’s supposed to happen. Our kids have to get used to beating teams they’re supposed to beat."

A win to (maybe) get in

Across town, the Whitnall Falcons will be fighting for their playoff lives.

At 3-5 overall and 3-4 in the conference, the Falcons must beat Woodland Blue Division leading Pewaukee (6-2, 6-1) at 7 p.m. just to qualify for the playoffs. From there, Whitnall would have to cross its fingers and hope tie-breakers would fall just right in order to get into the playoff field for the fourth straight year.

"I’m pretty sure we’d be in because we would have beaten two playoff teams," in Pewaukee and Cudahy earlier this year, said Whitnall coach Rob Leboeuf, whose team has lost four straight games.

The Falcons have been decimated by injuries, particularly to the offensive line, but Leboeuf said his crew will give Whitnall a battle on what will be the final varsity game played at .

"Our practices haven’t been inspired like they should be this time of year because we’re all standing on the sidelines hurt," he said. "But we’re fairly even with them, and if the weather’s nice, we’ll sling it around the yard like 70 times and see what happens."