MONROE — Although fall sports teams like Darlington, Black Hawk-Warren and Monroe-New Glarus are preparing for their respective state tournaments, the 2022-23 winter sports season officially began on Monday, Nov. 6. 

Monroe’s co-op hockey spent its first week of practice preparing for the Beloit Thanksgiving Shootout, which will take place on Friday, Nov. 24 and Saturday, Nov. 25. Last year, the Cheesemakers beat the Beloit Memorial Knights to claim the trophy. The team’s first Badger Conference game is Nov. 28 against Edgewood.

Monroe girls basketball began on Monday, Nov. 6, too. The Cheesemakers scrimmaged Belleville on Friday and have their first game at home against the Juda Panthers on Friday, Nov. 17. Their first Rock Valley Conference game will be at Whitewater on Thursday, Nov. 30. 

Boys basketball and boys and girls wrestling begins on Monday, Nov. 13.

Monroe boys basketball will participate in a scrimmage with Watertown, Delavan-Darien, Janesville Parker, Milwaukee Bay View, Beloit Turner and Franklin at Janesville Craig on Saturday, Nov. 18. The Cheesemakers’ first game will be home against Darlington on Saturday, Nov. 25. The team’s first Rock Valley Conference game will be home against Whitewater on Thursday, Dec. 7. 

Monroe wrestling’s first invite is Saturday, Dec. 2 at Janesville Parker. Head coach Tom Witt has added four girls tournaments to his team’s schedule, accommodating the increasing numbers of female participants. The first of those invites is hosted by Stoughton at the Alliant Energy Center on Saturday, Dec. 16.

For full schedules and previews of the 27 local teams, pick up a copy of the Winter Sports Preview, available Dec. 2.