As the fall sports season has gotten underway, we here in the office have noticed a few things. A few very good things.
Brodhead-Juda's football team is so good, Big Foot is the only team on the Cardinals' schedule that will make the game a tough one to decide. That is, if Brodhead-Juda is on top of its game.
That being said, should the Cardinals' top running back, Ethan Douglas, not be able to take the majority of the carries, others can fill the void with ease. Between Brayden Fritsch and Gavin Garrett, Brodhead-Juda has plenty of talent to carry the football. Then again, head coach Jim Matthys guides his team like Mike Shanahan did with the Denver Broncos for a dozen years - solid defense with a quality offense that is focused on the running game. So focused that whatever tailback the team throws out there will be expected to run for 200 yards and three scores.
If we had an office-run high school fantasy football team, an offense like that would definitely make it tough to slot in our position players before every Friday.
Another team with a great offense that is rolling through opponents is Darlington. Unlike Brodhead-Juda, the Redbirds have faced a team that is routinely in the hunt for a deep playoff run (Fennimore). With junior all-star athlete Alex Erickson at the helm, Darlington's offense can run around and through defenses. If anything, teams in the SWAL should be glad they can play day games. It probably makes it easier to see each Redbird runner while the defense is chasing them.
New Glarus-Monticello is also undefeated, at 3-0, and is finally getting recognition from the state coaches association. The coaches poll now has the Knights ranked 15th in Division 4 (Brodhead-Juda is ranked third in the same division, and Darlington is ranked sixth in Division 5).
The Knights have put their wins on the backs of the team's skill players, Ryan Bright, Kirbe French, Michael Elzen, Tyler Dorn and 'Playmaker' himself, Cameron Jeglum. With the offensive and defensive lines owning the trenches, the team's playmakers do exactly what the word's definition says they will do, make plays.
In volleyball, Black Hawk is in the same boat as these three football teams. Despite losing key players from the 2008 season due to graduation, the Warriors continue to dominate. Black Hawk now has its conference winning streak at 28 matches. A win over Albany, its top contender, on Tuesday reiterated to the entire Six Rivers conference that the Warriors are not slowing down.
Several younger players have stepped into their roles cleanly and seniors Kim Wellnitz and Katie Place are dominating the net. Head coach Rachel Wolff must like what she sees in South Wayne.
Despite losing on Tuesday, the Comets shouldn't be terribly upset. Filled with juniors that are just finding their potential (Sydney Bump can and should be a top contender for player of the year), Albany is a great match away from stopping the streak.
Monroe's volleyball team is also trying to find that "great match." Still winless in the Badger South, the Cheesemakers nearly knocked off Stoughton - blowing a two game lead in the process. But after winning the Brodhead Invitational, second-year coach Dave Gersbach knows his team is close.
Monroe will still need to have a great second half of the season to make run in conference play, needing to win six of eight matches to match last season's .500 record. However, with senior slammer, George Washington recruit Jamie Armstrong, and teammates Jaclyn Ditter and Chelsea Wyss, the Cheesemakers pose a big threat for opponents come playoff time.
There is still a month left in the volleyball, cross country, soccer and swimming regular seasons, two weeks in tennis, and six weeks of football. By the end, things may look completely different. However, from where I sit right now, in front of hundreds of stat sheets, notebooks and box scores stacked together around my desk, what I say is what I see. That means good things for several area teams and, my prediction, likely two state preview sections.
- Adam Krebs is the Monroe Times sports editor and can be reached at
328-4202 ext. 33 or
sportseditor@themonroetimes.com
Brodhead-Juda's football team is so good, Big Foot is the only team on the Cardinals' schedule that will make the game a tough one to decide. That is, if Brodhead-Juda is on top of its game.
That being said, should the Cardinals' top running back, Ethan Douglas, not be able to take the majority of the carries, others can fill the void with ease. Between Brayden Fritsch and Gavin Garrett, Brodhead-Juda has plenty of talent to carry the football. Then again, head coach Jim Matthys guides his team like Mike Shanahan did with the Denver Broncos for a dozen years - solid defense with a quality offense that is focused on the running game. So focused that whatever tailback the team throws out there will be expected to run for 200 yards and three scores.
If we had an office-run high school fantasy football team, an offense like that would definitely make it tough to slot in our position players before every Friday.
Another team with a great offense that is rolling through opponents is Darlington. Unlike Brodhead-Juda, the Redbirds have faced a team that is routinely in the hunt for a deep playoff run (Fennimore). With junior all-star athlete Alex Erickson at the helm, Darlington's offense can run around and through defenses. If anything, teams in the SWAL should be glad they can play day games. It probably makes it easier to see each Redbird runner while the defense is chasing them.
New Glarus-Monticello is also undefeated, at 3-0, and is finally getting recognition from the state coaches association. The coaches poll now has the Knights ranked 15th in Division 4 (Brodhead-Juda is ranked third in the same division, and Darlington is ranked sixth in Division 5).
The Knights have put their wins on the backs of the team's skill players, Ryan Bright, Kirbe French, Michael Elzen, Tyler Dorn and 'Playmaker' himself, Cameron Jeglum. With the offensive and defensive lines owning the trenches, the team's playmakers do exactly what the word's definition says they will do, make plays.
In volleyball, Black Hawk is in the same boat as these three football teams. Despite losing key players from the 2008 season due to graduation, the Warriors continue to dominate. Black Hawk now has its conference winning streak at 28 matches. A win over Albany, its top contender, on Tuesday reiterated to the entire Six Rivers conference that the Warriors are not slowing down.
Several younger players have stepped into their roles cleanly and seniors Kim Wellnitz and Katie Place are dominating the net. Head coach Rachel Wolff must like what she sees in South Wayne.
Despite losing on Tuesday, the Comets shouldn't be terribly upset. Filled with juniors that are just finding their potential (Sydney Bump can and should be a top contender for player of the year), Albany is a great match away from stopping the streak.
Monroe's volleyball team is also trying to find that "great match." Still winless in the Badger South, the Cheesemakers nearly knocked off Stoughton - blowing a two game lead in the process. But after winning the Brodhead Invitational, second-year coach Dave Gersbach knows his team is close.
Monroe will still need to have a great second half of the season to make run in conference play, needing to win six of eight matches to match last season's .500 record. However, with senior slammer, George Washington recruit Jamie Armstrong, and teammates Jaclyn Ditter and Chelsea Wyss, the Cheesemakers pose a big threat for opponents come playoff time.
There is still a month left in the volleyball, cross country, soccer and swimming regular seasons, two weeks in tennis, and six weeks of football. By the end, things may look completely different. However, from where I sit right now, in front of hundreds of stat sheets, notebooks and box scores stacked together around my desk, what I say is what I see. That means good things for several area teams and, my prediction, likely two state preview sections.
- Adam Krebs is the Monroe Times sports editor and can be reached at
328-4202 ext. 33 or
sportseditor@themonroetimes.com
