MONROE - The later the season gets, the bigger the games become. This week there are five games with conference championship implications. The following are the games to get tickets for this week.
Today: Darlington girls basketball at Cuba City
The race for the SWAL championship goes through Cuba City. Darlington (8-3) and Cuba City (9-2) are tied atop the conference at 5-0. The winner of this showdown gets a leg up for the league title. Two of the Redbirds' two losses have come to teams ranked No. 1 - Platteville, the top team in Division 3 and Black Hawk, the top team in Division 5.
The Cubans are led by Kiera Holzemer, who is averaging 11 points per game. Darlington, which made a run to the WIAA Division 4 sectional championship game a year ago, split two games with Cuba City last season. The Redbirds have a balanced attack with nearly four players averaging double figures led by junior Kaylee Meyers (15.5 ppg), junior Kathleen Mathias (13.5 ppg), senior Kennedy Rankin (11.5 ppg) and senior Bethany McDonald (9.5 ppg).
Friday: Black Hawk girls basketball at Argyle
This game will likely determine the Six Rivers East Conference champion. Black Hawk (13-0, 5-0 Six Rivers East) has a one game lead over Argyle (10-1, 4-1). If the Warriors win, a two-game lead could be enough cushion for the state's No. 1-ranked Division 5 team.
Both Argyle and Black Hawk rely on press defenses to set the tone. The Warriors are winning games by an average of 38.7 points per game. The Orioles will have to take care of the basketball and limit their turnovers to have a chance at an upset. In the first matchup between the two teams this year, the Warriors rolled to a 71-20 win over the Orioles.
Black Hawk has a multiple scoring options, led by sophomore Natalie Leuzinger (18.7 ppg), freshman Bailey Butler (15.8 ppg) and sophomore Hannah Butler (10.6 ppg). The Orioles rely on junior Jena Saalsaa (23.2 ppg) for a lot of offensive production.
Friday: Stoughton at Monroe wrestling
The Cheesemakers face a challenge with a rescheduled dual meet against Stoughton, which is ranked No. 3 in the Division 1 Wisconsin Wrestling Online state poll. The Vikings have finished as the WIAA Division 1 state runner-up the past two years and has won two straight Badger South Conference titles.
Stoughton has eight wrestlers ranked in the top 10 in Division 1. The ranked wrestlers include senior Tyler Dow, a University of Wisconsin-Madison recruit, who is ranked No. 1; junior Hunter Lewis (120), No. 7; sophomore Braden Whitehead (126), No. 8; freshman Luke Mehler (132), No. 6; junior Cade Spidle (160), No. 6; senior Aodan Marshall (heavyweight), No. 6; freshman Alexander Wicks (106), 11th and senior Gavin Miller (220), ranked 12th.
The Cheesemakers counter with five wrestlers ranked in the top 10 in the state in Division 2. Monroe senior Travis Wolf is ranked No. 11 at 152. The other ranked wrestlers for the Cheesemakers include sophomore Patrick Rielly (160, No. 9); senior Sam Kind (170), No. 6; senior Dempzy Foley (182), No. 12 and senior Tyson Welsch (heavyweight). Monroe sophomore Bodie Minder (220) is honorable mention in the rankings.
Saturday: Monroe girls basketball vs. Beaver Dam at Stoughton
The Badger Challenge will feature a showdown of the state's No. 1-ranked Division 2 team in Beaver Dam (10-2) against the second-ranked Cheesemakers (13-1). It's a rematch of last year's WIAA Division 2 state semifinal game, which the Golden Beavers topped the Cheesemakers 62-47.
In last year's game at state, Monroe sophomore Emily Benzschawel was in foul trouble. It will be important for the Cheesemakers to keep their top playmakers on the court against the Golden Beavers. Both Monroe and Beaver Dam are unbeaten against teams in Wisconsin. The only loss for the Cheesemakers came to Morton, Illinois. The two losses for Beaver Dam came to Maine West, Illinois, 60-51, and Hopkins, Minnesota (14-1), 74-71.
Beaver Dam has seven players averaging 7 points per game or more, led by 5 foot, 10 inch freshman Matyson Wilke (11.8 ppg) and senior Tara Stauffacher (10.2 ppg). The Beavers feature great size with 6-2 Afton Bartol, 5-11 Stauffacher and 6-3 junior Aly Van Loo.
Monroe is led by junior point guard Sydney Hilliard, who has scholarship offers from Wisconsin, UW-Green Bay, Marquette, UW-Milwaukee and others. The big scoring three for the Cheesemakers includes Hilliard (21.2 ppg), Benzschawel (15.7 ppg) and senior Sydney Mathiason (12.6 ppg).
Saturday: Black Hawk boys basketball vs. Don Bosco Catholic
The Warriors face their biggest test since an early season loss to Barneveld. Black Hawk will take on Don Bosco Catholic, Iowa, which is ranked No. 7 in Class 1A poll, in the Wendy's American Trust Classic Saturday at Loras College in Dubuque.
Black Hawk (6-3) is on a four-game winning streak since a 68-26 loss to Platteville. Senior C.J. Leuzinger is averaging 12.4 points per game. Black Hawk junior Conner Meyer (19.4 ppg) is 18 points away from 1,000, with a game against Belmont due Thursday. Meyer is likely to reach the mark this week.
Today: Darlington girls basketball at Cuba City
The race for the SWAL championship goes through Cuba City. Darlington (8-3) and Cuba City (9-2) are tied atop the conference at 5-0. The winner of this showdown gets a leg up for the league title. Two of the Redbirds' two losses have come to teams ranked No. 1 - Platteville, the top team in Division 3 and Black Hawk, the top team in Division 5.
The Cubans are led by Kiera Holzemer, who is averaging 11 points per game. Darlington, which made a run to the WIAA Division 4 sectional championship game a year ago, split two games with Cuba City last season. The Redbirds have a balanced attack with nearly four players averaging double figures led by junior Kaylee Meyers (15.5 ppg), junior Kathleen Mathias (13.5 ppg), senior Kennedy Rankin (11.5 ppg) and senior Bethany McDonald (9.5 ppg).
Friday: Black Hawk girls basketball at Argyle
This game will likely determine the Six Rivers East Conference champion. Black Hawk (13-0, 5-0 Six Rivers East) has a one game lead over Argyle (10-1, 4-1). If the Warriors win, a two-game lead could be enough cushion for the state's No. 1-ranked Division 5 team.
Both Argyle and Black Hawk rely on press defenses to set the tone. The Warriors are winning games by an average of 38.7 points per game. The Orioles will have to take care of the basketball and limit their turnovers to have a chance at an upset. In the first matchup between the two teams this year, the Warriors rolled to a 71-20 win over the Orioles.
Black Hawk has a multiple scoring options, led by sophomore Natalie Leuzinger (18.7 ppg), freshman Bailey Butler (15.8 ppg) and sophomore Hannah Butler (10.6 ppg). The Orioles rely on junior Jena Saalsaa (23.2 ppg) for a lot of offensive production.
Friday: Stoughton at Monroe wrestling
The Cheesemakers face a challenge with a rescheduled dual meet against Stoughton, which is ranked No. 3 in the Division 1 Wisconsin Wrestling Online state poll. The Vikings have finished as the WIAA Division 1 state runner-up the past two years and has won two straight Badger South Conference titles.
Stoughton has eight wrestlers ranked in the top 10 in Division 1. The ranked wrestlers include senior Tyler Dow, a University of Wisconsin-Madison recruit, who is ranked No. 1; junior Hunter Lewis (120), No. 7; sophomore Braden Whitehead (126), No. 8; freshman Luke Mehler (132), No. 6; junior Cade Spidle (160), No. 6; senior Aodan Marshall (heavyweight), No. 6; freshman Alexander Wicks (106), 11th and senior Gavin Miller (220), ranked 12th.
The Cheesemakers counter with five wrestlers ranked in the top 10 in the state in Division 2. Monroe senior Travis Wolf is ranked No. 11 at 152. The other ranked wrestlers for the Cheesemakers include sophomore Patrick Rielly (160, No. 9); senior Sam Kind (170), No. 6; senior Dempzy Foley (182), No. 12 and senior Tyson Welsch (heavyweight). Monroe sophomore Bodie Minder (220) is honorable mention in the rankings.
Saturday: Monroe girls basketball vs. Beaver Dam at Stoughton
The Badger Challenge will feature a showdown of the state's No. 1-ranked Division 2 team in Beaver Dam (10-2) against the second-ranked Cheesemakers (13-1). It's a rematch of last year's WIAA Division 2 state semifinal game, which the Golden Beavers topped the Cheesemakers 62-47.
In last year's game at state, Monroe sophomore Emily Benzschawel was in foul trouble. It will be important for the Cheesemakers to keep their top playmakers on the court against the Golden Beavers. Both Monroe and Beaver Dam are unbeaten against teams in Wisconsin. The only loss for the Cheesemakers came to Morton, Illinois. The two losses for Beaver Dam came to Maine West, Illinois, 60-51, and Hopkins, Minnesota (14-1), 74-71.
Beaver Dam has seven players averaging 7 points per game or more, led by 5 foot, 10 inch freshman Matyson Wilke (11.8 ppg) and senior Tara Stauffacher (10.2 ppg). The Beavers feature great size with 6-2 Afton Bartol, 5-11 Stauffacher and 6-3 junior Aly Van Loo.
Monroe is led by junior point guard Sydney Hilliard, who has scholarship offers from Wisconsin, UW-Green Bay, Marquette, UW-Milwaukee and others. The big scoring three for the Cheesemakers includes Hilliard (21.2 ppg), Benzschawel (15.7 ppg) and senior Sydney Mathiason (12.6 ppg).
Saturday: Black Hawk boys basketball vs. Don Bosco Catholic
The Warriors face their biggest test since an early season loss to Barneveld. Black Hawk will take on Don Bosco Catholic, Iowa, which is ranked No. 7 in Class 1A poll, in the Wendy's American Trust Classic Saturday at Loras College in Dubuque.
Black Hawk (6-3) is on a four-game winning streak since a 68-26 loss to Platteville. Senior C.J. Leuzinger is averaging 12.4 points per game. Black Hawk junior Conner Meyer (19.4 ppg) is 18 points away from 1,000, with a game against Belmont due Thursday. Meyer is likely to reach the mark this week.
