Rumor has it Titan Stadium has wireless internet availability. Provided I can get the proper password, I'll be updating live from the Fondy-West game. So if you are stuck at home or at work, check back here for my witty insights.
Of course, you can always check back after the fact and see that I have no idea what I'm talking about when I make predictions like "So and so is going to have a big second half," or "There's no way Team A will lose this game."
Get pumped.
Wednesday, September 27, 2006
If only I worked at ESPN
I feel that Friday night needs a name. ESPN likes to go nuts with the "Showdown Saturdays" and "Seperation Saturdays" or "Semi-sedated Saturdays" for those weekends when most of the good teams have byes.
But Friday isn't as user-friendly as far as the snappy names are concerned. Maybe if I had a thesaraus things would be different. But I don't have a thesaraus. I have a newsroom and a camera. Wait, I mean I have a newspaper and a blog.
Sorry for the poor Anchorman reference. But yeah, this weekend needs a name.
Until I think of one, this is what we are looking at this weekend:
Fond du Lac at Oshkosh West: This is usually a big basketball rivalry, but there's a lot riding on this year's football matchup. The winner gets a spot in the playoffs and their conference championship hopes stay alive. West, however, still has yet to play Kimberly, a team that has yet to be challenged.
Horicon at Mayville: I guess this game means something to the people in these towns. I received a few e-mails this week saying that there was vandalism on Mayville's practice field. While I can't condone that, the excitement around the game has me intrigued. For more on the rivalry, visit the Mayville football site.
Sheboygan Falls at Kewaskum: Some of the luster was taken off this mathcup after both were upset by Kiel and Plymouth, respectively, but it still should be a good game. I've had both at No. 1 in my Division 3 poll at some point this year (Wisconsin Lutheran is my No. 1 now) and I'd think the winner of this game will have the inside track to the EWC title.
WLA at Ripon: The last two times these teams have met a trip to a state semifinal was on the line. And in both instances, Ripon smacked WLA in the mouth, including a 35-0 victory last year at Ingalls Field. But WLA is playing extremely well on defense lately, and may have the speed to keep up with Ripon's run game. The Tigers received a boost last week when David Soda returned to the offense and scored three rushing TDs. Soda, of course, broke his ankle against WLA last year.
Yeah, this weekend definitely needs a name, but Friday doesn't really go with anything. Fantastic Friday? Feature Friday? Fun Friday? All lame. Any others would make my bosses angry and my mother blush.
Still, you should get excited.
But Friday isn't as user-friendly as far as the snappy names are concerned. Maybe if I had a thesaraus things would be different. But I don't have a thesaraus. I have a newsroom and a camera. Wait, I mean I have a newspaper and a blog.
Sorry for the poor Anchorman reference. But yeah, this weekend needs a name.
Until I think of one, this is what we are looking at this weekend:
Fond du Lac at Oshkosh West: This is usually a big basketball rivalry, but there's a lot riding on this year's football matchup. The winner gets a spot in the playoffs and their conference championship hopes stay alive. West, however, still has yet to play Kimberly, a team that has yet to be challenged.
Horicon at Mayville: I guess this game means something to the people in these towns. I received a few e-mails this week saying that there was vandalism on Mayville's practice field. While I can't condone that, the excitement around the game has me intrigued. For more on the rivalry, visit the Mayville football site.
Sheboygan Falls at Kewaskum: Some of the luster was taken off this mathcup after both were upset by Kiel and Plymouth, respectively, but it still should be a good game. I've had both at No. 1 in my Division 3 poll at some point this year (Wisconsin Lutheran is my No. 1 now) and I'd think the winner of this game will have the inside track to the EWC title.
WLA at Ripon: The last two times these teams have met a trip to a state semifinal was on the line. And in both instances, Ripon smacked WLA in the mouth, including a 35-0 victory last year at Ingalls Field. But WLA is playing extremely well on defense lately, and may have the speed to keep up with Ripon's run game. The Tigers received a boost last week when David Soda returned to the offense and scored three rushing TDs. Soda, of course, broke his ankle against WLA last year.
Yeah, this weekend definitely needs a name, but Friday doesn't really go with anything. Fantastic Friday? Feature Friday? Fun Friday? All lame. Any others would make my bosses angry and my mother blush.
Still, you should get excited.
Monday, September 25, 2006
How I voted this week
The madness continues somewhat. For the second straight week, a No. 1 team falls. Kewaskum, the No. 1 team in Division 3 lost to Plymouth in a hard-fought Eastern Wisconsin Conference game. There were a few other mix-ups as well.
Here's how I sorted out the mess. Feel free to leave a comment if you think I have no idea what I'm doing.
Division 1
1. Stevens Point
2. Arrowhead
3. Hartford
4. Homestead
5. Middleton
6. Kenosha Bradford
7. Wisconsin Rapids
8. Janesville Parker
9. Oshkosh West
10. Sun Prairie
Division 2
1. Ashwaubenon
2. Waunakee
3. Kimberly
4. Menomonie
5. Monona Grove
6. Cedarburg
7. Verona
8. DeForest
9. Milton
10. Waukesha West
Division 3
1. Wisconsin Lutheran
2. Green Bay Notre Dame
3. New Berlin Eisenhower
4. Sheboygan Falls
5. New Berlin West
6. Kewaskum
7. Whitewater
8. Madison Edgewood
9. Union Grove
10. Waupun
Division 4
1. Evansville
2. Platteville
3. Appleton Xavier
4. Lodi
5. Kewaunee
6. Gale-Ettrick-Trempealeau
7. Brodhead-Juda
8. Mayville
9. Ripon
10. Denmark
Division 5
1. Wrightstown
2. Horicon
3. Lancaster
4. Pardeeville
5. Ladysmith
6. Somerset
7. Peshtigo
8. Marshall
9. Random Lake
10. Niagara
Division 6
1. Edgar
2. Stratford
3. Pecatonica-Argyle
4. Fennimore
5. Eau Claire Regis
6. Racine Lutheran
7. Iola-Scandinavia
8. Abbotsford
9. Cedar Grove
10. River Ridge
Division 7
1. Stevens Point Pacelli
2. DeSoto
3. Hillsboro
4. Plum City
5. Hilbert
6. Eleva-Strum
7. Burlington Catholic Central
8. Oshkosh Lourdes
9. Gilman
10. Necedah
Here's how I sorted out the mess. Feel free to leave a comment if you think I have no idea what I'm doing.
Division 1
1. Stevens Point
2. Arrowhead
3. Hartford
4. Homestead
5. Middleton
6. Kenosha Bradford
7. Wisconsin Rapids
8. Janesville Parker
9. Oshkosh West
10. Sun Prairie
Division 2
1. Ashwaubenon
2. Waunakee
3. Kimberly
4. Menomonie
5. Monona Grove
6. Cedarburg
7. Verona
8. DeForest
9. Milton
10. Waukesha West
Division 3
1. Wisconsin Lutheran
2. Green Bay Notre Dame
3. New Berlin Eisenhower
4. Sheboygan Falls
5. New Berlin West
6. Kewaskum
7. Whitewater
8. Madison Edgewood
9. Union Grove
10. Waupun
Division 4
1. Evansville
2. Platteville
3. Appleton Xavier
4. Lodi
5. Kewaunee
6. Gale-Ettrick-Trempealeau
7. Brodhead-Juda
8. Mayville
9. Ripon
10. Denmark
Division 5
1. Wrightstown
2. Horicon
3. Lancaster
4. Pardeeville
5. Ladysmith
6. Somerset
7. Peshtigo
8. Marshall
9. Random Lake
10. Niagara
Division 6
1. Edgar
2. Stratford
3. Pecatonica-Argyle
4. Fennimore
5. Eau Claire Regis
6. Racine Lutheran
7. Iola-Scandinavia
8. Abbotsford
9. Cedar Grove
10. River Ridge
Division 7
1. Stevens Point Pacelli
2. DeSoto
3. Hillsboro
4. Plum City
5. Hilbert
6. Eleva-Strum
7. Burlington Catholic Central
8. Oshkosh Lourdes
9. Gilman
10. Necedah
Friday, September 22, 2006
We've got you covered
Before I head on out to Fruth Field, remember to check our Web site for all updated scores.
Also, check out Preps Factory. And the week-by-week stats for Matt Haass. And other fun stuff.
Also, check out Preps Factory. And the week-by-week stats for Matt Haass. And other fun stuff.
Check out our new toy
Before you head out to a game tonight, take a spin around our Web site.
Specifically, go here: www.fdlreporter.com/preps.
It's called Preps Factory, and while we've had it all season, this is the first time we're letting you know about it. The six Gannett Wisconsin Newspapers in this area (Green Bay, Oshkosh, Appleton, Sheboygan, Manitowoc and yours truly) all use the same Internet-based computer program to enter information we receive from area football coaches on game nights. It used to be that each paper would enter this into their own system -- accessible only to those in the office -- and choose to publish as much as they wanted, when they wanted.
Now, you get it all. Every stat that is called by the coaches is saved and can be accessed from anywhere at anytime. There are rosters for every team in our coverage area, and, if you know how to press the right buttons, a game-by-game statistics log for every player in the area.
Check out the team page for Fond du Lac. The roster for Ripon. Or the box score from the Springs-WLA game. How about some receiving leaders?
With any new feature, it has its kinks, so keep clicking around to see all that's offered. Keep coming back. I beg of you.
Meanwhile, we're already at Week 5. There's only one team that can (almost) guarantee a playoff spot with a victory tonight and that team is Laconia, but even then, it's not a lock.
Of course, it's way too early to talk about playoffs. Just ask Jim Mora.
Specifically, go here: www.fdlreporter.com/preps.
It's called Preps Factory, and while we've had it all season, this is the first time we're letting you know about it. The six Gannett Wisconsin Newspapers in this area (Green Bay, Oshkosh, Appleton, Sheboygan, Manitowoc and yours truly) all use the same Internet-based computer program to enter information we receive from area football coaches on game nights. It used to be that each paper would enter this into their own system -- accessible only to those in the office -- and choose to publish as much as they wanted, when they wanted.
Now, you get it all. Every stat that is called by the coaches is saved and can be accessed from anywhere at anytime. There are rosters for every team in our coverage area, and, if you know how to press the right buttons, a game-by-game statistics log for every player in the area.
Check out the team page for Fond du Lac. The roster for Ripon. Or the box score from the Springs-WLA game. How about some receiving leaders?
With any new feature, it has its kinks, so keep clicking around to see all that's offered. Keep coming back. I beg of you.
Meanwhile, we're already at Week 5. There's only one team that can (almost) guarantee a playoff spot with a victory tonight and that team is Laconia, but even then, it's not a lock.
Of course, it's way too early to talk about playoffs. Just ask Jim Mora.
Tuesday, September 19, 2006
More you tube goodness
Again, this really has no place on the blog, just a video that I think is beyond hilarious.
Enjoy.
Enjoy.
Schools dealing with eligibility issues
There was an interesting column in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel today written by Anthony Witrado regarding eligibility issues in the Milwaukee City conference.
The column pointed out that eligibility for the first two or three games of the football season is often determined by the last six weeks of the previous school year. Most kids aren't thinking three or four months down the road, and don't realize that a few skipped days or a failed class will come back to haunt them come September. Some schools had their best players — in some cases, potential college prospects — watching from the sidelines in one-sided losses.
It's not a problem that's unique to the Milwaukee area. Lots of schools, even a handful in the Fond du Lac area, deal with this problem. Most of the time, it occurs inbetween a coaching changeover. In a roundtable discussion we moderated before the football season began, WLA coach Mark McCormick said that if kids aren't in a spring sport, then they have to come to workout sessions he holds early in the morning. While this is mainly to keep the kids active and in shape before summer begins, it's also to make sure they stay eligible. If kids have to be at school early in the morning for a workout, or after school for a spring sport, they are less likely to skip class or let their grades slip.
According to the column, there is an idea to combine some of the schools for football only to level the playing field. While the idea has received some support, city schools that have strong programs like Milwaukee Vincent and Bay View would almost certainly be opposed. Plus, it's only a stop gap solution. It doesn't change the problem of truancy.
Succesful football programs aren't just the work of one person. It takes an entire team. Sure, the coach should try to make sure his kids are in school. But coaches and teachers are stretched thin enough as it is. It falls on the captains to make sure their teammates are following the rules. It takes a positive influence at home to do the same.
Football, and high school sports in general, should be about more than winning. It should be about learning life lessons of responsibility and accountability. It's time some coaches, players and parents try to do something about the eligibility problem.
The column pointed out that eligibility for the first two or three games of the football season is often determined by the last six weeks of the previous school year. Most kids aren't thinking three or four months down the road, and don't realize that a few skipped days or a failed class will come back to haunt them come September. Some schools had their best players — in some cases, potential college prospects — watching from the sidelines in one-sided losses.
It's not a problem that's unique to the Milwaukee area. Lots of schools, even a handful in the Fond du Lac area, deal with this problem. Most of the time, it occurs inbetween a coaching changeover. In a roundtable discussion we moderated before the football season began, WLA coach Mark McCormick said that if kids aren't in a spring sport, then they have to come to workout sessions he holds early in the morning. While this is mainly to keep the kids active and in shape before summer begins, it's also to make sure they stay eligible. If kids have to be at school early in the morning for a workout, or after school for a spring sport, they are less likely to skip class or let their grades slip.
According to the column, there is an idea to combine some of the schools for football only to level the playing field. While the idea has received some support, city schools that have strong programs like Milwaukee Vincent and Bay View would almost certainly be opposed. Plus, it's only a stop gap solution. It doesn't change the problem of truancy.
Succesful football programs aren't just the work of one person. It takes an entire team. Sure, the coach should try to make sure his kids are in school. But coaches and teachers are stretched thin enough as it is. It falls on the captains to make sure their teammates are following the rules. It takes a positive influence at home to do the same.
Football, and high school sports in general, should be about more than winning. It should be about learning life lessons of responsibility and accountability. It's time some coaches, players and parents try to do something about the eligibility problem.
Monday, September 18, 2006
No computer problems this week
Well, the reason I didn't post my votes last week was because I didn't vote last week. I had some computer problems and couldn't submit my rankings before the deadline. I would have gone into the office, but I try to stay away from the building for my own mental sanity. There was quite a bit of turmoil this week (Wisconsin Rapids lost to Antigo?), so things may look odd when the rankings come out later today.
Now, on to my picks:
Division 1
1. Stevens Point
2. Arrowhead
3. Hartford
4. Homestead
5. Middleton
6. Kenosha Bradford
7. Wisconsin Rapids
8. Janesville Parker
9. Oshkosh West
10. Sun Prairie
Division 2
1. Ashwaubenon
2. Waunakee
3. Kimberly
4. Menomonie
5. Waukesha West
6. Monona Grove
7. Cedarburg
8. Verona
9. Germantown
10. Milton
Division 3
1. Kewaskum
2. Green Bay Notre Dame
3. New Berlin Eisenhower
4. Wisconsin Lutheran
5. Madison Edgewood
6. Sheboygan Falls
7. Luxemburg-Casco
8. New Berlin West
9. Tomahawk
10 Waupun
Division 4
1. Evansville
2. Platteville
3. Appleton Xavier
4. Lodi
5. Lakeside Lutheran
6. Kewaunee
7. Gale-Ettrick-Trempealeau
8. Brodhead-Juda
9. Mayville
10. Ripon
Division 5
1. Wrightstown
2. Horicon
3. Lancaster
4. Pardeeville
5. Ladysmith
6. Somerset
7. Shoreland Lutheran
8. Valders
9. Random Lake
10. Grantsburg
Division 6
1. Edgar
2. Stratford
3. Pecatonica-Argyle
4. Fennimore
5. Eau Claire Regis
6. Racine Lutheran
7. Iola-Scandinavia
8. Abbotsford
9. Cedar Grove
10. Pittsville
Division 7
1. Stevens Point Pacelli
2. DeSoto
3. Hillsboro
4. Plum City
5. Hilbert
6. Eleva-Strum
7. Burlington Catholic Central
8. Gilman
9. Oshkosh Lourdes
10. Johnson Creek
Now, on to my picks:
Division 1
1. Stevens Point
2. Arrowhead
3. Hartford
4. Homestead
5. Middleton
6. Kenosha Bradford
7. Wisconsin Rapids
8. Janesville Parker
9. Oshkosh West
10. Sun Prairie
Division 2
1. Ashwaubenon
2. Waunakee
3. Kimberly
4. Menomonie
5. Waukesha West
6. Monona Grove
7. Cedarburg
8. Verona
9. Germantown
10. Milton
Division 3
1. Kewaskum
2. Green Bay Notre Dame
3. New Berlin Eisenhower
4. Wisconsin Lutheran
5. Madison Edgewood
6. Sheboygan Falls
7. Luxemburg-Casco
8. New Berlin West
9. Tomahawk
10 Waupun
Division 4
1. Evansville
2. Platteville
3. Appleton Xavier
4. Lodi
5. Lakeside Lutheran
6. Kewaunee
7. Gale-Ettrick-Trempealeau
8. Brodhead-Juda
9. Mayville
10. Ripon
Division 5
1. Wrightstown
2. Horicon
3. Lancaster
4. Pardeeville
5. Ladysmith
6. Somerset
7. Shoreland Lutheran
8. Valders
9. Random Lake
10. Grantsburg
Division 6
1. Edgar
2. Stratford
3. Pecatonica-Argyle
4. Fennimore
5. Eau Claire Regis
6. Racine Lutheran
7. Iola-Scandinavia
8. Abbotsford
9. Cedar Grove
10. Pittsville
Division 7
1. Stevens Point Pacelli
2. DeSoto
3. Hillsboro
4. Plum City
5. Hilbert
6. Eleva-Strum
7. Burlington Catholic Central
8. Gilman
9. Oshkosh Lourdes
10. Johnson Creek
Saturday, September 16, 2006
Friday night insight
I'm going to make this one brief, just because Notre Dame-Michigan is about to kick off.
We're one week shy of crossing the halfway mark, and there are only a few teams that have played at a consistent level since Week 1.
At the top of that list is Kewaskum. The Indians rolled again last night, as Casey Scheel threw for 148 yards in a 41-7 victory over Two Rivers. After Sheboygan Falls and Waupun lost last night, I'm starting to think Kewaskum could be the legit No. 1 team in Division 3.
Mayville was impressive as well. The Cardinals lost their first game of the year to a pretty good Brodhead-Juda team, but have rolled since then. I know that we've given a lot of pub to Matt Haass, but I was most impressed with the Mayville running attack against a fairly good Springs defense. Now, a large part of that success was because the Ledgers were guarding against the pass, but Michael Nied still broke some tackles. If they can keep that balance, I like their chances come playoff time.
Other than that, every team has had a hiccup so far this season. Campbellsport bounced back from a puzzling loss to New Holstein last week to edge Plymouth, 30-27, behind the running of Billy Mayer. Speaking of New Holstein, it's kind of hard to believe they are tied with Kewaskum for the conference lead. Two more EWC wins for the Huskies, and they are playoff-bound.
WLA came up with a big win on the road at Brown Deer. That was probably the most surprising result of the weekend. WLA is a young team, and they really grew up against the Falcons. With Waupun and Ripon looking beatable the last few weeks, I don't think we can overlook the Vikings as a contender in the East Central Flyway.
Finally, Fondy got a very important victory over Appleton East. There are no gimme-games in the FVA, but considering Appleton East hadn't won a game yet this season and Fondy plays Menasha and Oshkosh West the next two weeks, the victory will either keep the playoffs a possibility, or keep the Cardinals among the FVA's elite. I'm a bit surprised the running game hasn't fared too well lately, but quarterback Ben Anderson (9 of 11 for 177 yards and two TDs) is doing enough to get Fondy on the board.
We're one week shy of crossing the halfway mark, and there are only a few teams that have played at a consistent level since Week 1.
At the top of that list is Kewaskum. The Indians rolled again last night, as Casey Scheel threw for 148 yards in a 41-7 victory over Two Rivers. After Sheboygan Falls and Waupun lost last night, I'm starting to think Kewaskum could be the legit No. 1 team in Division 3.
Mayville was impressive as well. The Cardinals lost their first game of the year to a pretty good Brodhead-Juda team, but have rolled since then. I know that we've given a lot of pub to Matt Haass, but I was most impressed with the Mayville running attack against a fairly good Springs defense. Now, a large part of that success was because the Ledgers were guarding against the pass, but Michael Nied still broke some tackles. If they can keep that balance, I like their chances come playoff time.
Other than that, every team has had a hiccup so far this season. Campbellsport bounced back from a puzzling loss to New Holstein last week to edge Plymouth, 30-27, behind the running of Billy Mayer. Speaking of New Holstein, it's kind of hard to believe they are tied with Kewaskum for the conference lead. Two more EWC wins for the Huskies, and they are playoff-bound.
WLA came up with a big win on the road at Brown Deer. That was probably the most surprising result of the weekend. WLA is a young team, and they really grew up against the Falcons. With Waupun and Ripon looking beatable the last few weeks, I don't think we can overlook the Vikings as a contender in the East Central Flyway.
Finally, Fondy got a very important victory over Appleton East. There are no gimme-games in the FVA, but considering Appleton East hadn't won a game yet this season and Fondy plays Menasha and Oshkosh West the next two weeks, the victory will either keep the playoffs a possibility, or keep the Cardinals among the FVA's elite. I'm a bit surprised the running game hasn't fared too well lately, but quarterback Ben Anderson (9 of 11 for 177 yards and two TDs) is doing enough to get Fondy on the board.
Thursday, September 14, 2006
Guess who is coming to town?
We had him on the cover of our prep football issue. We practically anointed him the player of the year before the season began. After he was "only" 11 of 21 for 115 yards in a 1-point loss to a pretty good Brodhead-Juda team, I said in a couple of radio interviews because of the preseason hype, everyone is focusing on stopping him. (Granted, we at The Reporter created most of that hype, but ignore that for now...)
The fact remains, Mayville quarterback Matt Haass is a darn good quarterback, and he'll be making an appearance in Fond du Lac on Friday night against Springs. It'll be my first time seeing him on the football field, and I've been looking forward to this one ever since I saw the schedule. Haass, at least stats-wise, is the top quarterback in this part of the state and has been especially efficient the last two weeks in wins over Campbellsport and Kettle Moraine Lutheran.
Springs is going to have its work cut out for it. The problem with defending a quarterback like Haass is because he can beat you in a couple of ways. You can't sit back in a zone because he'll pick it apart. Even though he's not very fast, you can't put on a heavy rush because he has a couple of tall wideouts, including Tyson Apfelbeck, that will win any jump ball or can burn their man deep. Also, Mayville has several good running backs that can do some damage if they catch the ball in the flat.
If you ask me, Springs' best defense is their offense. The Ledgers had a drive against WLA last week that was something like 16 plays, 45 yards and took 8 minutes off the clock.
***Blog intermission. Most media members enjoy a quick game because it allows more time to get our work done after the game. As a result, I am very superstitious when it comes to anyone mentioning how fast a game is going (or the weather), because, of course, that will annoy the time (or weather) gods, jinx everyone that would benefit from a quick game and pretty much bring the proceedings to a halt. No one, and I mean no one (man, woman or child), should mention anything about time, weather, overtime, anything that may annoy the time and weather gods. Well, last Friday, I was in the booth with a certain radio reporter that we'll call Justin H. Wait, that's too obvious. Let's call him J. Hall. He mentioned, midway through the second quarter, that the game was moving rather quickly. I cringed. It took the weather gods about 15 minutes to put together a freak lightning storm, and the time gods just laughed as we were handed a 90-minute weather delay. So you know who to blame for that one.
ANYWAYS, if Springs keeps the clock moving, it will limit the number of possessions for Haass. Add in a couple of big plays on defense, and that's your receipe for a Ledgers victory.
If you are a football fan and live in the Fond du Lac area, I highly recommend checking this one out.
The fact remains, Mayville quarterback Matt Haass is a darn good quarterback, and he'll be making an appearance in Fond du Lac on Friday night against Springs. It'll be my first time seeing him on the football field, and I've been looking forward to this one ever since I saw the schedule. Haass, at least stats-wise, is the top quarterback in this part of the state and has been especially efficient the last two weeks in wins over Campbellsport and Kettle Moraine Lutheran.
Springs is going to have its work cut out for it. The problem with defending a quarterback like Haass is because he can beat you in a couple of ways. You can't sit back in a zone because he'll pick it apart. Even though he's not very fast, you can't put on a heavy rush because he has a couple of tall wideouts, including Tyson Apfelbeck, that will win any jump ball or can burn their man deep. Also, Mayville has several good running backs that can do some damage if they catch the ball in the flat.
If you ask me, Springs' best defense is their offense. The Ledgers had a drive against WLA last week that was something like 16 plays, 45 yards and took 8 minutes off the clock.
***Blog intermission. Most media members enjoy a quick game because it allows more time to get our work done after the game. As a result, I am very superstitious when it comes to anyone mentioning how fast a game is going (or the weather), because, of course, that will annoy the time (or weather) gods, jinx everyone that would benefit from a quick game and pretty much bring the proceedings to a halt. No one, and I mean no one (man, woman or child), should mention anything about time, weather, overtime, anything that may annoy the time and weather gods. Well, last Friday, I was in the booth with a certain radio reporter that we'll call Justin H. Wait, that's too obvious. Let's call him J. Hall. He mentioned, midway through the second quarter, that the game was moving rather quickly. I cringed. It took the weather gods about 15 minutes to put together a freak lightning storm, and the time gods just laughed as we were handed a 90-minute weather delay. So you know who to blame for that one.
ANYWAYS, if Springs keeps the clock moving, it will limit the number of possessions for Haass. Add in a couple of big plays on defense, and that's your receipe for a Ledgers victory.
If you are a football fan and live in the Fond du Lac area, I highly recommend checking this one out.
Wednesday, September 13, 2006
Packers trade Gado
Not that this is a place for breaking Packers news, but I thought I'd tip my loyal readers off to the fact the Packers traded Samkon Gado to the Houston Texans for another running back.
It's a shame. Gado was one of the neat guys on the Packers roster. He spent the offseason volunteering at a Green Bay hospital so when he was done with football he could help the AIDS epidemic in his native Africa.
Obviously the Packers are concerned with winning ball games first but it's a shame that in the span of three days they picked up one of the NFL's worst human beings and traded one of its best.
It's a shame. Gado was one of the neat guys on the Packers roster. He spent the offseason volunteering at a Green Bay hospital so when he was done with football he could help the AIDS epidemic in his native Africa.
Obviously the Packers are concerned with winning ball games first but it's a shame that in the span of three days they picked up one of the NFL's worst human beings and traded one of its best.
This is some funny stuff
Well, this doesn't really have to do with the Fondy sports scene, the Wisconsin sports scene, or really sports in general. But it's still pretty funny.
There's a group in New York that calls itself "Improv Everywhere." Its goal is to make all of the world a stage. It's some funny stuff.
One guy, "Rob," decided he would get lost at a Yankee game. I won't spoil it for you, but he became more popular than Derek Jeter in the process.
Check it out.
There's a group in New York that calls itself "Improv Everywhere." Its goal is to make all of the world a stage. It's some funny stuff.
One guy, "Rob," decided he would get lost at a Yankee game. I won't spoil it for you, but he became more popular than Derek Jeter in the process.
Check it out.
Monday, September 11, 2006
The weekend that was
We're 1/3 of the way though the high school football season, and thanks to some Friday night lightning, it took a little while longer to get there.
There were some teams that made big statements this weekend, others that may have taken a step back and a couple of teams that picked up their first win of the year.
One of those teams that picked up its first win was Springs. I was there, 90-minute lightning delay and all. It was a game that the Ledgers dominated for all but about eight minutes, where it looked like WLA might steal one away. I still don't think that Springs is playing at a level they are capable of, but man, was coach Bob Hyland pumped after that one. I'm looking forward to their matchup with Mayville on Friday night. Defensive back Eric Pantojas had a great night against WLA, and he'll need another one to help keep Matt Haass and the Cardinals from tearing the Ledgers' defense apart.
How about New Holstein coming through with a big 31-14 victory over Campbellsport. The Cougars were one of my surprise teams early, but after they allowed a 97-yard touchdown run to Matt Preissner, that was kind of all she wrote for that one. New Holstein played a couple of good opponents in the preseason (Valders, Waupun) and it looks like the Huskies learned a few things from those games.
Other quick thoughts:
*I've gotta check out Lomira's John Weninger at some point. He's putting up nearly 200 rushing yards a game, and while the Lions have some other talented players, he's about the only one that's getting any positive yards.
*I'm a little surprised they are ranked where they are, but Kewaskum is playing like the No. 1 team in the state. While Manitowoc Roncalli isn't a playoff-caliber team, Kewaskum did what they were supposed to do and take care of business on Saturday afternoon to the tune of a 42-0 victory.
*It was good to see Laconia get a victory. The first two weeks they had the ball at the end of the game with a chance to tie or win, and fell short both times. Josh Tipton's 1-yard run finally got the job done for a very talented Spartans group.
Looking forward to Week 4, but in the meantime, I was wondering if anyone in the Fondy area knows a good place for wings. I'm in the mood for some wings and Monday Night Football. Leave a comment if you have a recommendation.
Also, you should be able to watch my spot on WFRV's High School Sports Xtra sometime today. It will be posted here. Check it out. Keep it away from children under 3 and women who are pregnant or who might become pregnant.
There were some teams that made big statements this weekend, others that may have taken a step back and a couple of teams that picked up their first win of the year.
One of those teams that picked up its first win was Springs. I was there, 90-minute lightning delay and all. It was a game that the Ledgers dominated for all but about eight minutes, where it looked like WLA might steal one away. I still don't think that Springs is playing at a level they are capable of, but man, was coach Bob Hyland pumped after that one. I'm looking forward to their matchup with Mayville on Friday night. Defensive back Eric Pantojas had a great night against WLA, and he'll need another one to help keep Matt Haass and the Cardinals from tearing the Ledgers' defense apart.
How about New Holstein coming through with a big 31-14 victory over Campbellsport. The Cougars were one of my surprise teams early, but after they allowed a 97-yard touchdown run to Matt Preissner, that was kind of all she wrote for that one. New Holstein played a couple of good opponents in the preseason (Valders, Waupun) and it looks like the Huskies learned a few things from those games.
Other quick thoughts:
*I've gotta check out Lomira's John Weninger at some point. He's putting up nearly 200 rushing yards a game, and while the Lions have some other talented players, he's about the only one that's getting any positive yards.
*I'm a little surprised they are ranked where they are, but Kewaskum is playing like the No. 1 team in the state. While Manitowoc Roncalli isn't a playoff-caliber team, Kewaskum did what they were supposed to do and take care of business on Saturday afternoon to the tune of a 42-0 victory.
*It was good to see Laconia get a victory. The first two weeks they had the ball at the end of the game with a chance to tie or win, and fell short both times. Josh Tipton's 1-yard run finally got the job done for a very talented Spartans group.
Looking forward to Week 4, but in the meantime, I was wondering if anyone in the Fondy area knows a good place for wings. I'm in the mood for some wings and Monday Night Football. Leave a comment if you have a recommendation.
Also, you should be able to watch my spot on WFRV's High School Sports Xtra sometime today. It will be posted here. Check it out. Keep it away from children under 3 and women who are pregnant or who might become pregnant.
Friday, September 08, 2006
Friday night scores update
St. Mary's Springs 14, Winnebago Lutheran 7: Andy Grebe scored on a 32-yard screen pass with 1:17 left. The game was delayed by 90 minutes because of lightning.
Fond du Lac 14, Neenah 12: With quarterback Ben Anderson watching on the sideline with an injured shoulder, the Cardinals' Sam Provot blocked an extra point after Neenah's first touchdown and Kyle Duquaine stuffed the two-point conversion attempt after the second as Fondy held on in Neenah.
New Holstein at Campbellsport, no score
Laconia 26, Lomira 25
Deerfield 32, Markesan 0
Kettle Moraine Lutheran 12, Mayville 48: Matt Haass threw for 224 yards and four touchdowns.
Horicon 70, North Fond du Lac 20
Oakfield 27, Dodgeland 14
Ripon 55, Mauston 12
Waupun 30, Medford 23
Fond du Lac 14, Neenah 12: With quarterback Ben Anderson watching on the sideline with an injured shoulder, the Cardinals' Sam Provot blocked an extra point after Neenah's first touchdown and Kyle Duquaine stuffed the two-point conversion attempt after the second as Fondy held on in Neenah.
New Holstein at Campbellsport, no score
Laconia 26, Lomira 25
Deerfield 32, Markesan 0
Kettle Moraine Lutheran 12, Mayville 48: Matt Haass threw for 224 yards and four touchdowns.
Horicon 70, North Fond du Lac 20
Oakfield 27, Dodgeland 14
Ripon 55, Mauston 12
Waupun 30, Medford 23
WLA-Springs highlights Week 3 games
It's amazing to think that after tonight we'll be 1/3 of the way through the prep football season. It seems like only yesterday we were putting the finishing touches on our annual football preview issue. Before you know it, we'll be talking about playoffs, even if Jim Mora thinks that's a little insane.
Conference play begins tonight for all the teams in the Eastern Wisconsin Conference and all but one in the Wisconsin Flyway (or what I like to call the Wi-Fly, I'm hoping it catches on).
Fondy plays nothing but conference games until the postseason, so their fully ensconsed in the Fox Valley Association race. While the Cardinals don't desperately need a victory over Neenah tonight, they do need something positive on defense to carry them throughout the season. The Rockets have struggled on offense as of late, which hopefully will help give the Fondy defensive unit some confidence.
Ripon has to play a game after a loss for the first time since late in the 2004 season after a 45-21 loss to Sheboygan Falls. And while that game with the Falcons should give the Tigers character, tonight's game with Mauston should give them some confidence. Mauston was blown out last week by Waupun, 43-0.
But the game of the week, as far as, well, anyone is concerned is WLA vs. Springs. I'm a big fan of rivalry games, and I've been looking forward to this one for a while. Both teams have quarterback issues, but I'm sure both replacements will find a way to get the job done come Friday night. I'd look for Springs to have the advantage in this one, but WLA has won the last three.
I will be making the usual appearances on all the local radio stations, so be sure to listen in to those. Also, on Sunday night, I'll be appearing on WFRV's High School Sports Xtra with Burke Griffin. It's 13 feet and 600 pounds of pure, unalduterated high school sports talk, so you can't miss that. I'll be breaking down this weekend's big games as well as a rivalry game from my old stomping grounds — Oshkosh West vs. Oshkosh North.
If you really can't wait to hear what I have to say, you can click here for my conversation with Jason Mansmith of WRPN-AM 1600 for the Ripon pre-game show. WRPN has a great radio station and a pretty nice sports Web site to boot. Check it out.
Conference play begins tonight for all the teams in the Eastern Wisconsin Conference and all but one in the Wisconsin Flyway (or what I like to call the Wi-Fly, I'm hoping it catches on).
Fondy plays nothing but conference games until the postseason, so their fully ensconsed in the Fox Valley Association race. While the Cardinals don't desperately need a victory over Neenah tonight, they do need something positive on defense to carry them throughout the season. The Rockets have struggled on offense as of late, which hopefully will help give the Fondy defensive unit some confidence.
Ripon has to play a game after a loss for the first time since late in the 2004 season after a 45-21 loss to Sheboygan Falls. And while that game with the Falcons should give the Tigers character, tonight's game with Mauston should give them some confidence. Mauston was blown out last week by Waupun, 43-0.
But the game of the week, as far as, well, anyone is concerned is WLA vs. Springs. I'm a big fan of rivalry games, and I've been looking forward to this one for a while. Both teams have quarterback issues, but I'm sure both replacements will find a way to get the job done come Friday night. I'd look for Springs to have the advantage in this one, but WLA has won the last three.
I will be making the usual appearances on all the local radio stations, so be sure to listen in to those. Also, on Sunday night, I'll be appearing on WFRV's High School Sports Xtra with Burke Griffin. It's 13 feet and 600 pounds of pure, unalduterated high school sports talk, so you can't miss that. I'll be breaking down this weekend's big games as well as a rivalry game from my old stomping grounds — Oshkosh West vs. Oshkosh North.
If you really can't wait to hear what I have to say, you can click here for my conversation with Jason Mansmith of WRPN-AM 1600 for the Ripon pre-game show. WRPN has a great radio station and a pretty nice sports Web site to boot. Check it out.
Thursday, September 07, 2006
Try a different kind of football this Friday night
Want a change of pace from your regular Friday night?
Head on out to the Fondy Soccer Complex on Friday night to see two of the state's best soccer teams meet in a nonconference battle.
Madison Memorial, the No. 2 team in the state, already owns a victory over powerhouse Milwaukee Marquette. Fondy, ranked No. 8, hasn't really been tested by any of the state's top teams yet but the Cardinals have blown everyone else away.
Fondy coach Greg Winkler said Friday was the only date he could get Memorial to come up to Fond du Lac.
It's unfortunate, because if it was any other night, even Saturday, I'd love to check that out.
But if anyone else is going and wants to give me a full report, feel free. I'll be at the WLA-Springs football game. Please don't throw eggs at me.
Head on out to the Fondy Soccer Complex on Friday night to see two of the state's best soccer teams meet in a nonconference battle.
Madison Memorial, the No. 2 team in the state, already owns a victory over powerhouse Milwaukee Marquette. Fondy, ranked No. 8, hasn't really been tested by any of the state's top teams yet but the Cardinals have blown everyone else away.
Fondy coach Greg Winkler said Friday was the only date he could get Memorial to come up to Fond du Lac.
It's unfortunate, because if it was any other night, even Saturday, I'd love to check that out.
But if anyone else is going and wants to give me a full report, feel free. I'll be at the WLA-Springs football game. Please don't throw eggs at me.
Monday, September 04, 2006
How I voted this week
As I said earlier, I'll post how I voted in the weekly AP poll. Also, like I said earlier, these rankings are somewhat meaningless. They don't help determine playoff seeding or anything like that... but they are good fodder for the water cooler.
Division 1
1. Stevens Point
2. Arrowhead
3. Wisconsin Rapids
4. Homestead
5. Hartford
6. Racine Park
7. Appleton North
8. Middleton
9. Kenosha Bradford
10. Milwaukee Marquette
Division 2
1. Ashwaubenon
2. Waunakee
3. Waukesha West
4. Menomonie
5. Kimberly
6. Monona Grove
7. Cedarburg
8. Verona
9. Germantown
10. Marshfield
Division 3
1. Sheboygan Falls
2. Waupun
3. Wisconsin Lutheran
4. Kewaskum
5. Green Bay Notre Dame
6. New Berlin Eisenhower
7. Rice Lake
8. Waukesha Catholic Memorial
9. Whitewater
10. Waupaca
Division 4
1. Evansville
2. Kewaunee
3. Platteville
4. Appleton Xavier
5. Brodhead/Juda
6. Gale-Ettrick-Trempealeau
7. Lakeside Lutheran
8. Mayville
9. Lodi
10. Prairie du Chien
Divison 5
1. Lancaster
2. Wrightstown
3. Valders
4. Horicon
5. Iowa-Grant
6. Pardeeville
7. St. Croix Falls
8. Ladysmith
9. Grantsburg
10. Marshall
Division 6
1. Edgar
2. Stratford
3. Pecatonica-Argyle
4. Fennimore
5. Eau Claire Regis
6. Shiocton
7. Lena
8. Loyal
9. Chippewa Falls McDonnell
10. Pittsville
Division 7
1. Stevens Point Pacelli
2. Gilman
3. DeSoto
4. Hillsboro
5. Plum City
6. Hilbert
7. Oshkosh Lourdes
8. Eleva-Strum
9. Necedah
10. Suring
Division 1
1. Stevens Point
2. Arrowhead
3. Wisconsin Rapids
4. Homestead
5. Hartford
6. Racine Park
7. Appleton North
8. Middleton
9. Kenosha Bradford
10. Milwaukee Marquette
Division 2
1. Ashwaubenon
2. Waunakee
3. Waukesha West
4. Menomonie
5. Kimberly
6. Monona Grove
7. Cedarburg
8. Verona
9. Germantown
10. Marshfield
Division 3
1. Sheboygan Falls
2. Waupun
3. Wisconsin Lutheran
4. Kewaskum
5. Green Bay Notre Dame
6. New Berlin Eisenhower
7. Rice Lake
8. Waukesha Catholic Memorial
9. Whitewater
10. Waupaca
Division 4
1. Evansville
2. Kewaunee
3. Platteville
4. Appleton Xavier
5. Brodhead/Juda
6. Gale-Ettrick-Trempealeau
7. Lakeside Lutheran
8. Mayville
9. Lodi
10. Prairie du Chien
Divison 5
1. Lancaster
2. Wrightstown
3. Valders
4. Horicon
5. Iowa-Grant
6. Pardeeville
7. St. Croix Falls
8. Ladysmith
9. Grantsburg
10. Marshall
Division 6
1. Edgar
2. Stratford
3. Pecatonica-Argyle
4. Fennimore
5. Eau Claire Regis
6. Shiocton
7. Lena
8. Loyal
9. Chippewa Falls McDonnell
10. Pittsville
Division 7
1. Stevens Point Pacelli
2. Gilman
3. DeSoto
4. Hillsboro
5. Plum City
6. Hilbert
7. Oshkosh Lourdes
8. Eleva-Strum
9. Necedah
10. Suring
Sunday, September 03, 2006
Springs QB possibly out for the season
St. Mary's Springs quarterback Mitchell Schneider aggravated a previously injured shoulder during Saturday's 26-14 loss to Verona at Fruth Field. Schneider was diving for a pass on defense when he landed awkwardly on his shoulder. He was removed from the game and coach Bob Hyland said afterward that he's probably done for the season.
It's a blow to a Springs team that was already inexperienced at the skill positions. What this does now is take away depth at other positions. John Kiefer is probably going to start at quarterback on Friday against WLA, meaning his split end spot will have to be filled by somebody else and so on.
Hyland said that he thought something like this may happen, so Springs was prepared for the worst. At least the big boys on the schedule are out of the way and Springs can face someone its own size (somewhat) in WLA.
It's a blow to a Springs team that was already inexperienced at the skill positions. What this does now is take away depth at other positions. John Kiefer is probably going to start at quarterback on Friday against WLA, meaning his split end spot will have to be filled by somebody else and so on.
Hyland said that he thought something like this may happen, so Springs was prepared for the worst. At least the big boys on the schedule are out of the way and Springs can face someone its own size (somewhat) in WLA.
Saturday, September 02, 2006
Friday night insight quickies
After a long, long night at work, I'm up bright and early (by my standards) to watch a little college football. But first I start mentally preparing for Notre Dame's first step toward its 12th national title and Brady Quinn wraps up the Irish's 8th Heisman Trophy, let's take a quick look back to Friday night.
Waupun's defense coming out strong: Say what you want about the level of competition, but Waupun has just rolled its first two opponents. The Warriors pitched another shutout last night and were up on Mauston 43-0 at halftime. These games are going to give the Warriors confidence heading into the conference season. Waupun received one first-place vote in the last Associated Press poll, and while that may be a stretch, they are sure looking like a state championship-caliber team thus far.
Where's the 'D'?: Fondy fans have to be a bit concerned with the team's defense in its first two games. The problem, as I see it, is one of depth. Fondy was missing some players at key positions Friday night and had others that were banged up. When you get behind by a few points, the natural need is to play those players more on offense to catch up. So when Josh Korb spent most of his time playing on offense last night, his defense suffered. The Cardinals will be a better football team once Paul Biolo is back on the field. Besides, Kimberly was a pretty darn good football team.
Haass lives up to the hype: After a shaky outing in Week 1, Mayville quarterback Matt Haass bounced back in a big way Friday night to throw for 292 yards in a 28-25 victory over Campbellsport. He completed 23 of 28 passes and had three touchdowns against a pretty good defense. He's got to be dealing with a lot of pressure, considering Mayville ditched its run-based offense last year to better utilize Haass's talents, only to finish 3-6 and miss the playoffs for the first time since 1990. I can't wait to see him play on Sept. 15 when Mayville comes to Fruth Field to take on Springs.
If only they were healthy: You got to feel for North Fondy. From what coach Nate Lehman has said, they just can't stay healthy. Injuries bit key players for the Orioles last night, who were up early on Ozaukee, 7-0, before they started dropping like flies. North Fondy will get a win at some point this year, and man, is it going to be a great thing for that program.
Waupun's defense coming out strong: Say what you want about the level of competition, but Waupun has just rolled its first two opponents. The Warriors pitched another shutout last night and were up on Mauston 43-0 at halftime. These games are going to give the Warriors confidence heading into the conference season. Waupun received one first-place vote in the last Associated Press poll, and while that may be a stretch, they are sure looking like a state championship-caliber team thus far.
Where's the 'D'?: Fondy fans have to be a bit concerned with the team's defense in its first two games. The problem, as I see it, is one of depth. Fondy was missing some players at key positions Friday night and had others that were banged up. When you get behind by a few points, the natural need is to play those players more on offense to catch up. So when Josh Korb spent most of his time playing on offense last night, his defense suffered. The Cardinals will be a better football team once Paul Biolo is back on the field. Besides, Kimberly was a pretty darn good football team.
Haass lives up to the hype: After a shaky outing in Week 1, Mayville quarterback Matt Haass bounced back in a big way Friday night to throw for 292 yards in a 28-25 victory over Campbellsport. He completed 23 of 28 passes and had three touchdowns against a pretty good defense. He's got to be dealing with a lot of pressure, considering Mayville ditched its run-based offense last year to better utilize Haass's talents, only to finish 3-6 and miss the playoffs for the first time since 1990. I can't wait to see him play on Sept. 15 when Mayville comes to Fruth Field to take on Springs.
If only they were healthy: You got to feel for North Fondy. From what coach Nate Lehman has said, they just can't stay healthy. Injuries bit key players for the Orioles last night, who were up early on Ozaukee, 7-0, before they started dropping like flies. North Fondy will get a win at some point this year, and man, is it going to be a great thing for that program.
Friday, September 01, 2006
A quick note about our coverage
Some of you may have noticed our increased coverage on the Web and in Blink for high school football. I hope that you continue to log on to the Web site or pick up a copy of Blink, and then tell your friends about it.
Once again, tonight we will be updating the Web site. Remember to check back often, because I try to update it as much as possible. We also try to add highlights where we can.
I will be covering the Fond du Lac-Kimberly game, while Doug Whiteley will be covering the WLA-Random Lake game. I realize that these are the same teams we covered last week, but that's just the way the schedule worked out.
Until then, feel free to leave comments here. Let's get some discussion going about your favorite team.
Once again, tonight we will be updating the Web site. Remember to check back often, because I try to update it as much as possible. We also try to add highlights where we can.
I will be covering the Fond du Lac-Kimberly game, while Doug Whiteley will be covering the WLA-Random Lake game. I realize that these are the same teams we covered last week, but that's just the way the schedule worked out.
Until then, feel free to leave comments here. Let's get some discussion going about your favorite team.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
