Wisconsin Soccer Central

Higher-seeded teams continue to fare well in the WIAA boys soccer playoffs, advancing in 88 percent of matches, but two No. 1 seeds were upset victims in regional finals.

No. 4 seed Kenosha Bradford outlasted top-seeded Kenosha Tremper 1-0 in overtime Thursday in the Division 1 Tremper sectional, getting the golden-goal, game-winner from senior Johnny Rimkus in the 84th minute to upend their city rivals.

Meanwhile, fourth-seeded Barron knocked off No. 1 seed Chippewa Falls McDonell-Eau Claire Regis 1-0 in overtime in the Division 4 Marshfield sectional.

Overall, higher-seeded teams went 168-23-5 through regional play and advanced in 172 of the 195 games. That included a 51-11-2 record in the regional finals played Thursday and Friday.

One interesting bracket is the Division 2 Ashwaubenon sectional, which has a No. 6 seed playing a No. 7 seed in the sectional semifinals. Sixth-seeded Green Bay East topped third-seeded Watertown 1-0 and seventh-seeded Slinger got past No. 2 seed De Pere 2-1 – the Red Devils will play host to the Owls on Thursday for a spot in the sectional final.

Here are the records of higher-seeded sides for all four divisions through regionals:

Division 1 – 42-6-0
Division 2 – 37-8-2
Division 3 – 43-5-2
Division 4 – 46-4-1

• Twenty-nine of the 64 regional finals were shutouts (45 percent), lowering the overall percentage of clean sheets for the tournament to 55 percent (108 of 195).
• Matt Walsh scored in the first half, Dillon Ballentine doubled the lead in the second half and fellow senior Westin Burke made four saves for the shutout as third-seeded McFarland blanked host and second-seeded Delavan-Darien 2-0 in a Division 3 match last Thursday. The Spartans (17-6-1) started the season 3-6-1, but take a 14-game winning streak into Thursday's Mount Horeb sectional semifinal against top-seeded Sugar River in Belleville. Ballentine's goal was his ninth of the year, making him the fifth player on the McFarland roster to reach that mark.
• Senior Christian Elliehausen had two goals and two assists, and Milwaukee Marquette scored four times in the opening 22 minutes in an 8-1 rout of Milwaukee South in Division 1 action that extended its postseason winning streak to 21. The three-time defending state champion Hilltoppers (15-1-2), who haven't lost a playoff match since the 2009, have an intriguing matchup against Muskego (19-4-1) in the Kenosha Tremper sectional semifinals – the Warriors are unbeaten in their past 14 games (13-0-1).
• Here's a look at the state leaders in goals and assists, as reported to our partners at the Wisconsin Sports Network. WSN boys soccer statistics page