WIAA Realignment Would Impact Greenfield, Whitnall

A WIAA realignment plan that would affect four conferences would make the Woodland Conference, home of both and , even tougher than it already is.

According to a story by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, the WIAA gave initial approval to a plan that would involving the shifting of some teams around to different conferences and creating a new conference.

The plan, which would not go into effect until the 2012-13 school year, includes moving St. Thomas More out of the Woodland Conference and into a new conference, while Milwaukee Pius would move from the Classic 8 Conference to the Woodland.

"We’ve known about it for a little bit as far as Thomas More wanting to get out because of competitive balance," Greenfield athletic director and football coach Scott Otto said. "As a head coach and an AD, I say bring it on as far as the (improved) talent. Pius would bring up the quality of the league a little bit."

According to Otto, the move would have its pros and cons. Some of the Woodland Conference sports are split into divisions based on enrollment. The addition of Pius would likely bump New Berlin Eisenhower in the "small school" division. Eisenhower is one of the more competitive teams in the league in most sports and would probably dominate its new division in many sports. On the flip side, Eisenhower would be reunited with New Berlin West, its natural rival.

Pius has traditionally been strong in girls athletics over the years, winning the Division 1 basketball title in 2010.

"I liked our conference before, but bring it on and let’s go," Otto said.