By Chris Bennett
Sports Correspondent
After Friday night’s WIAA Division 2 Level 1 playoff games the conference score is Southern Lakes 3, Woodland 0.
The Wolverines defeated Wauwatosa West 28-0 at home on the strength of a power running game that accumulated 294 rushing yards and an angry defense that allowed the Trojans 115 yards of offense.
Union Grove beat Greenfield 27-6 at Greenfield, and Wilmot routed Greendale 39-6 at Greendale.
Wauwatosa West, Greenfield and Greendale are all members of the suburban Milwaukee-based Woodland Conference.
As the clock ticked to zero at Waterford and the Wolverines’ (9-1) victory over the Trojans moved closer to being certain, the press box and fans in attendance buzzed in anticipation over another matchup with the Broncos.
Waterford and Union Grove will play each other at 7 p.m. Oct. 30 at Waterford in a Level 2 Division 2 playoff game.
On the other side of the Wolverines’ eight-team postseason bracket, No. 1-seeded Waukesha West dismantled 8th-seeded Milwaukee Bay View/Lifelong Learning 79-0 at home.
The Wolverines are seeded second and the Broncos seventh. Wilmot is seeded fifth and will play at 7 p.m. Oct. 30 at Waukesha West.
The winner of the Waterford-Union Grove game will play the winner of the Wilmot-Waukesha West game Nov. 6 at Waukesha West, unless the WIAA decides a neutral site is necessary.
After the game Wauwatosa West coach Matt Good said Waterford played as though it expected to be in the playoffs, and the Trojans (7-3) played as though they were happy just to be there.
The Trojans fumbled the game’s first snap. Waterford’s Jared Krattiger recovered at West’s 15-yard line, and quarterback Sam Allen scored five plays later on an eight-yard quarterback sneak. Waterford led, 7-0, with 10:02 left in the first quarter after Tony Ray’s extra point.
Waterford added another score in the middle of the second on an 11-yard run by Johnny McCormick and led 14-0 at halftime.
Dyln Ross scored two second-half touchdowns for the Wolverines. Ross scored on a 14-yard run in the third quarter and a six-yard run in the fourth.
The Trojans did not cross midfield until halfway through the second quarter and looked lost at times against the Wolverines’ defense. Waterford’s front seven harassed and stymied the Trojans all night, and the defensive backfield excelled in run support.
In his postgame comments to the team, coach Adam Bakken said he welcomed the opportunity to face the Broncos again, and said Waterford’s 30-24 SLC victory Oct. 2 at Union Grove did not provide a true representation of the Wolverines’ talent.
Bakken also took animated pleasure in pointing out Waterford again beat a team from the Woodland in the playoffs. Waterford previously defeated Woodland members South Milwaukee and Greenfield twice each in Bakken’s tenure at Waterford. Bakken is in his fifth season as the Wolverines’ coach.
Four teams from the SLC remain in the playoffs after Friday’s Level 1 games. Lake Geneva Badger beat Watertown, 35-9, at home and will play Oregon Oct. 30 at home. Oregon beat Milton 14-7 at Milton.
Badger is seeded second in its eight-team bracket.
Kewaskum beat Delavan-Darien, 44-14, in a Division 3 playoff game at Kewaskum.
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