Sports reporter Mark Nesbitt went 7-2 with his picks last week and sports editor Adam Krebs went 6-3. Mark is now 42-13 with his picks and Adam is 40-15.
Monroe (2-5) at Fort Atkinson (6-1)
Mark: It's been a big turnaround for Fort Atkinson going from a two-win team last season and turning into one of the Badger South's top teams. Fort Atkinson hasn't played the same competition as the Cheesemakers. Three of Fort's wins have come against teams that are a combined 2-19. The Blackhawks will test the Cheesemakers' pass defense. Fort Atkinson quarterback Drew Dunkleberger passed for 229 yards and two touchdowns last week in a 34-0 win over Oregon. He has passed for 1,256 yards this season. James Nachtigal is the Blackhawks' top receiver with 31 catches for 511 yards and eight touchdowns. This is the biggest game of the year for Monroe and they will rise to the challenge and become playoff-eligible.
Pick: Cheesemakers
Adam: Monroe just started finding some momentum until Madison Edgewood came to town and ruined everything on Homecoming. Those cheeky Crusaders and their talent and winning ways.
But now the Cheese get to hit the road, and once again get to play underdog again. Is Fort for real this year? Probably not. Yes, they have made the playoffs (something Monroe is a win away from qualifying for), but that doesn't mean they are any good. So will the Cheesemakers do the unthinkable and break the 7-year streak of missing the playoffs? Well, the defense has to be about as stout as they've been all year, and the offensive line must continue to block long enough for Jon Becker & Co. to gain every last inch possible. Because football is a game of inches, just as Al Pacino so eloquently puts it in "Any Given Sunday."
Pick: My Cheesemakers
North Crawford (1-6) at Black Hawk (5-2)
Mark: Black Hawk just has to get healthy after quarterback Merik Meythaler, running back Michael Walker and Kyle Walters were all injured in a a 7-2 loss to Cassville. Black Hawk's Hayden Schliem has also been playing through a nagging injury. If the Warriors have to go with Jace Johnsrud or Walters at quarterback, they should still roll over North Crawford.
Pick: Black Hawk
Adam: After fully getting on board the Warrior Bandwagon, a speed bump popped out of the road and nearly bumped me off. The injuries to several key players has me concerned about how Black Hawk will fare in Week 9 and beyond. However, North Crawford shouldn't be much of a problem.
Pick: Wayne Township Warriors
Brodhead-Juda (5-2) at Whitewater (2-5)
Mark: The Whippets are giving up 30.7 points per game. The Cardinals were able to win last week on Brodhead's homecoming, despite not playing their best game. The Cardinals should roll behind Jesse DeLorme in this game.
Pick: Brodhead-Juda
Adam: Apparently Brodhead-Juda played a not-so-perfect game last week, and still won handily. I've run out of ridiculous things to say about this team because they are so balanced, offensively and defensively, and they have a valuable experience from last year. That makes me fully believe the Cardinals will win out the regular season and not face a formidable opponent until the playoffs.
Pick: Da Cards
New Glarus-Monticello (4-3) at Waterloo (3-4)
Mark: This is a critical game for both teams. A win by either team would insure they finish above .500 in the Capitol South Conference. New Glarus-Monticello quarterback Lukas Kolasch has rushed for more than 320 yards the last two games and scored four touchdowns. The Pirates coached by Doug Miller, Monroe coach Curt Miller's father, will be ready for the option.
Pick: Waterloo
Adam: Every year I have been with the Monroe Times, NGM has made the playoffs. Waterloo presents as big of a challenge as the Knights would like to face in Week 8. In order to get to the playoffs with a loss this week, NGM would have to beat Cambridge, which is 6-1 overall. Nothing like pinning your season in the final weeks of the year - but hey, that's football, folks.
Pick: NGM
Pecatonica-Argyle (3-4) at Benton Scales-Mound (Ill.) (2-5)
Mark: There is a very good chance that six teams from the Six Rivers Conference will make the playoffs. It's a must-win for the Vikings if they want to become a playoff team. The Vikings are hoping to have both Jared Johnson and Dillon Conwell back this week. Pecatonica-Argyle struggled tackling Highland running back Tyler Kleist in a 35-7 loss last week. Benton fullback Franki Carlborg, at 6 foot, 1 inch and 210 pounds, is a physical runner. Carlborg has rushed for 510 yards this season and is averaging 6.5 yards per carry.
Pick: Pec-Argyle
Adam: Nearly every week it seems like I pick the Vikings to win. Three of those weeks they have lost. Last week I was unaware of the injuries of Conwell and Johnson, though something tells me I may not have switched picks. I won't switch this week either.
Pick: Argyle Orioles of the Pecatonica River, via Blanchardville
Darlington (5-2) at Southwestern (4-3)
Mark: Southwestern has been one of the surprise teams in the SWAL this year and they are looking to lock up a playoff berth. The Wildcats last winning season came in 2007. The Redbirds are coming off a 15-7 win over ninth-ranked Cuba City. The Redbirds won't look past the Wildcats as they look to have their second straight unbeaten conference season and third consecutive conference championship.
Pick: Darlington
Adam: The Redbirds must have me tacked to the bulletin board every week, because it seems like every week I pick them to lose, they win (except for the first two weeks, that is). So that's it. No more hatin' on D-Town.
Pick: The Bird is the Word
Belleville-Albany (0-7) at Wisconsin Heights (1-6)
Mark: Belleville-Albany's Jacob Kowalski rushed for 116 yards last week in a 52-14 loss to Cambridge. The Vanguards have won just one game, but lost by one point to Watertown Luther Prep and 27-20 to New Glarus-Monticello last week.
Pick: Wisconsin Heights
Adam: The good news is that, as far as I know anyway, B-A has enough players to play this game and the next before the injury-laden season comes to an end. The bad news is that once again, the Albany Comets of Belleville won't score that ever-elusive win.
Pick: UW legend Mike Wilkinson's alma mater
Packers (4-0) at Falcons (2-2)
Mark: I'm sure Aaron Rodgers won fantasy football matchups for a lot of fans with six touchdowns against the Broncos last week. The Falcons have a high octane offense with Michael Turner, Roddy White and Julio Jones. The problem for the Falcons is their defense is soft. That will haunt them in this game.
Pick: Packers
Adam: Why yes, Mark, Aaron Rodgers did win me a fantasy game last week. By a lot. But back to the real life game at hand.
Atlanta poses the biggest threat to the Packers to date. Green Bay's offense has not missed a beat, and the running game should roll even more with Ryan Grant returning to the lineup. However, the defense isn't as magical as it has been the past two years, and Atlanta's offense can score often if needed. This will be a knock-down, drag-out game, but I see the Pack winning by under seven. In fact, it could very well be within three.
Pick: Curly's Meat Packers
Monroe (2-5) at Fort Atkinson (6-1)
Mark: It's been a big turnaround for Fort Atkinson going from a two-win team last season and turning into one of the Badger South's top teams. Fort Atkinson hasn't played the same competition as the Cheesemakers. Three of Fort's wins have come against teams that are a combined 2-19. The Blackhawks will test the Cheesemakers' pass defense. Fort Atkinson quarterback Drew Dunkleberger passed for 229 yards and two touchdowns last week in a 34-0 win over Oregon. He has passed for 1,256 yards this season. James Nachtigal is the Blackhawks' top receiver with 31 catches for 511 yards and eight touchdowns. This is the biggest game of the year for Monroe and they will rise to the challenge and become playoff-eligible.
Pick: Cheesemakers
Adam: Monroe just started finding some momentum until Madison Edgewood came to town and ruined everything on Homecoming. Those cheeky Crusaders and their talent and winning ways.
But now the Cheese get to hit the road, and once again get to play underdog again. Is Fort for real this year? Probably not. Yes, they have made the playoffs (something Monroe is a win away from qualifying for), but that doesn't mean they are any good. So will the Cheesemakers do the unthinkable and break the 7-year streak of missing the playoffs? Well, the defense has to be about as stout as they've been all year, and the offensive line must continue to block long enough for Jon Becker & Co. to gain every last inch possible. Because football is a game of inches, just as Al Pacino so eloquently puts it in "Any Given Sunday."
Pick: My Cheesemakers
North Crawford (1-6) at Black Hawk (5-2)
Mark: Black Hawk just has to get healthy after quarterback Merik Meythaler, running back Michael Walker and Kyle Walters were all injured in a a 7-2 loss to Cassville. Black Hawk's Hayden Schliem has also been playing through a nagging injury. If the Warriors have to go with Jace Johnsrud or Walters at quarterback, they should still roll over North Crawford.
Pick: Black Hawk
Adam: After fully getting on board the Warrior Bandwagon, a speed bump popped out of the road and nearly bumped me off. The injuries to several key players has me concerned about how Black Hawk will fare in Week 9 and beyond. However, North Crawford shouldn't be much of a problem.
Pick: Wayne Township Warriors
Brodhead-Juda (5-2) at Whitewater (2-5)
Mark: The Whippets are giving up 30.7 points per game. The Cardinals were able to win last week on Brodhead's homecoming, despite not playing their best game. The Cardinals should roll behind Jesse DeLorme in this game.
Pick: Brodhead-Juda
Adam: Apparently Brodhead-Juda played a not-so-perfect game last week, and still won handily. I've run out of ridiculous things to say about this team because they are so balanced, offensively and defensively, and they have a valuable experience from last year. That makes me fully believe the Cardinals will win out the regular season and not face a formidable opponent until the playoffs.
Pick: Da Cards
New Glarus-Monticello (4-3) at Waterloo (3-4)
Mark: This is a critical game for both teams. A win by either team would insure they finish above .500 in the Capitol South Conference. New Glarus-Monticello quarterback Lukas Kolasch has rushed for more than 320 yards the last two games and scored four touchdowns. The Pirates coached by Doug Miller, Monroe coach Curt Miller's father, will be ready for the option.
Pick: Waterloo
Adam: Every year I have been with the Monroe Times, NGM has made the playoffs. Waterloo presents as big of a challenge as the Knights would like to face in Week 8. In order to get to the playoffs with a loss this week, NGM would have to beat Cambridge, which is 6-1 overall. Nothing like pinning your season in the final weeks of the year - but hey, that's football, folks.
Pick: NGM
Pecatonica-Argyle (3-4) at Benton Scales-Mound (Ill.) (2-5)
Mark: There is a very good chance that six teams from the Six Rivers Conference will make the playoffs. It's a must-win for the Vikings if they want to become a playoff team. The Vikings are hoping to have both Jared Johnson and Dillon Conwell back this week. Pecatonica-Argyle struggled tackling Highland running back Tyler Kleist in a 35-7 loss last week. Benton fullback Franki Carlborg, at 6 foot, 1 inch and 210 pounds, is a physical runner. Carlborg has rushed for 510 yards this season and is averaging 6.5 yards per carry.
Pick: Pec-Argyle
Adam: Nearly every week it seems like I pick the Vikings to win. Three of those weeks they have lost. Last week I was unaware of the injuries of Conwell and Johnson, though something tells me I may not have switched picks. I won't switch this week either.
Pick: Argyle Orioles of the Pecatonica River, via Blanchardville
Darlington (5-2) at Southwestern (4-3)
Mark: Southwestern has been one of the surprise teams in the SWAL this year and they are looking to lock up a playoff berth. The Wildcats last winning season came in 2007. The Redbirds are coming off a 15-7 win over ninth-ranked Cuba City. The Redbirds won't look past the Wildcats as they look to have their second straight unbeaten conference season and third consecutive conference championship.
Pick: Darlington
Adam: The Redbirds must have me tacked to the bulletin board every week, because it seems like every week I pick them to lose, they win (except for the first two weeks, that is). So that's it. No more hatin' on D-Town.
Pick: The Bird is the Word
Belleville-Albany (0-7) at Wisconsin Heights (1-6)
Mark: Belleville-Albany's Jacob Kowalski rushed for 116 yards last week in a 52-14 loss to Cambridge. The Vanguards have won just one game, but lost by one point to Watertown Luther Prep and 27-20 to New Glarus-Monticello last week.
Pick: Wisconsin Heights
Adam: The good news is that, as far as I know anyway, B-A has enough players to play this game and the next before the injury-laden season comes to an end. The bad news is that once again, the Albany Comets of Belleville won't score that ever-elusive win.
Pick: UW legend Mike Wilkinson's alma mater
Packers (4-0) at Falcons (2-2)
Mark: I'm sure Aaron Rodgers won fantasy football matchups for a lot of fans with six touchdowns against the Broncos last week. The Falcons have a high octane offense with Michael Turner, Roddy White and Julio Jones. The problem for the Falcons is their defense is soft. That will haunt them in this game.
Pick: Packers
Adam: Why yes, Mark, Aaron Rodgers did win me a fantasy game last week. By a lot. But back to the real life game at hand.
Atlanta poses the biggest threat to the Packers to date. Green Bay's offense has not missed a beat, and the running game should roll even more with Ryan Grant returning to the lineup. However, the defense isn't as magical as it has been the past two years, and Atlanta's offense can score often if needed. This will be a knock-down, drag-out game, but I see the Pack winning by under seven. In fact, it could very well be within three.
Pick: Curly's Meat Packers
