FIRST AND SHORT

Bracket chatter: Friday's 4-5 battles have spirited recent playoff history

JR Radcliffe
jr.radcliffe@jrn.com

When the football playoffs kick off in Level 1, some of the best matchups are naturally the 4-5 games between two closely-paired squads. Oct. 21 should be no different – and what’s more, some of these have a bit of recent history.

(5) Middleton at (4) Oconomowoc – In 2013, these two teams locked horns in Level 2 of the postseason and turned into perhaps the Raccoons’ most impressive win of the year – and that’s saying something, since it came the same years as an 84-82 win over Wisconsin Lutheran and an 11-0 start

In muddy conditions at OHS, Oconomowoc had to play without its playmaking quarterback Canton Larson, who incurred a concussion the previous week. .When Middleton scored four plays into the game, it looked dire, but the Raccoons battled back for a 27-24 win behind backup quarterback Jason Brandl and steady play from senior Nate Nord.

(5) Wisconsin Lutheran at (4) New Berlin Eisenhower -- Last year, Wisconsin Lutheran was only a seventh seed, but the Vikings went to Eisenhower and ended the season for a one-loss Lions team, 18-7.

Ike was actually ahead with just more than 10 minutes to play, 7-6, but a fumble deep in its own territory set up a Wisco score that got the snowball rolling for the Vikings.

In 2011, Wisco scored all its points before halftime and held on for a 28-17 win over Eisenhower in Level 2 of the playoffs, with 226 yards rushing and three touchdowns by Adihia Bell. The Vikings went on to appear in the Division 3 state title game.

Those are the last two playoff appearances for Eisenhower, a fact that will surely be on the Lions’ mind. Wisconsin Lutheran has not lost a first-round playoff game since 2001.

(5) Kenosha Bradford at (4) Oak Creek – The 2012 season couldn’t have ended more unexpectedly for undefeated Oak Creek, the top seed in its pod facing fourth seed Bradford in the second round of the playoffs one year after the Red Devils won the state title. But Bradford took a massive graduation hit, and Oak Creek defeated it in the regular season of the Southeast Conference, 42-10.

But in the playoffs, Bradford quarterback Nate Wilson hit Danny Lira for a 58-yard touchdown with a mere 7 seconds left to account for the winning points in a 21-14 shocker. Bradford’s second touchdown that night came by way of a blocked punt returned for a score.

This year, the script is reversed, with Bradford topping Oak Creek during the regular season in a stunner, 43-42 – a win that proved crucial to even get Bradford into the postseason. Can Oak Creek provide a dose of symmetry in the postseason?