MONROE - The second round of the playoffs are filled with rematch games.
Fort Atkinson comes to Monroe for a rematch with the Cheesemakers. Unbeaten Darlington hosts Southwest Wisconsin Activities League rival Fennimore, and Black Hawk will play a Level 2 playoff game at Shullsburg in a rematch of a Week 2 game.
"We are a different team now than we were," Black Hawk coach Cory Milz said of the Warriors rematch against Shullsburg which beat Black Hawk 24-0 Aug. 26. "Our kids have been looking forward to this game since Week 2."
Also, unbeaten Markesan plays at unbeaten Pecatonica-Argyle.
The preview for the Monroe-Fort Atkinson game will appear in Thursday's Times.
Here are the keys for the other area playoff games slated for Friday night:
Fennimore (7-3) at Darlington (10-0)
How did they get here?
Darlington: The Redbirds won the SWAL title and then defeated Brookwood 49-8 in a first-round playoff game last week.
Fennimore: Finished third in the SWAL and defeated Mineral Point 28-21 last week.
Last meeting: Darlington defeated Fennimore 63-0 Oct. 7.
Players to watch
Darlington: The Redbirds' offense averages 58.2 points per game and has a strong one-two punch in the backfield with seniors Hunter Johnson (1,767 rushing yards and 37 touchdowns) and Trevor Johnson (1,014 rushing yards and 17 TDs). Both of the Johnsons are the Redbirds' top two receivers out of the backfield with five touchdowns combined. The Redbirds' defense has five shutouts and is giving up a meager 5.3 points per game.
Fennimore: The Eagles finished third in the SWAL this year. Fennimore is led by quarterback Jordan Williams, who has passed for 2,033 yards with 20 TDs and eight interceptions. He's completing 55 percent of his passes, but will be challenged by a Redbirds' defense that had two interceptions and defensive touchdowns last week in a 49-8 win over Brookwood. The top wide receivers for the Eagles are Trevor Neuroth, who has 46 receptions for 1,020 yards with 10 TDs, and Liam Kenney, who has 32 catches for 677 yards with seven TDs. Neuroth is the big playmaker, averaging 22.2 yards per catch.
Prediction: Darlington 49, Fennimore 7
Markesan (10-0) at Pecatonica-Argyle (10-0)
How did they get here?
Pecatonica-Argyle: The Vikings went unbeaten in the regular season and won the Six Rivers Conference championship for the second straight year. Pecatonica-Argyle toppled Waterloo 40-0 in a first-round playoff game last week.
Markesan: The Hornets also enter the second-round game unbeaten. Markesan won the Trailways Large Conference. Markesan beat Cuba City 32-28 last week in a first-round playoff game.
Players to watch
Pecatonica-Argyle: Senior quarterback Logan Green has passed for 1,182 yards and 18 TDs. He leads an offense averaging 31 points per game. Senior RB Collin Argue (843 rushing yards and eight TDs) and senior RB Cam Treuthardt (six TDs) give the Vikings a balanced offensive attack. The top receiver for Pec-Argyle is senior A.J. Hendrickson, who has 34 receptions for 594 yards with 11 TDs. Hendrickson is averaging 17.4 yards per catch. Treuthardt (77 tackles, three sacks) and senior Kole Kent (three sacks) lead a Vikings' defense that has given up just 5.9 points per game and has recorded three shutouts this season. Treuthardt and Kent will be key in getting pressure on Markesan.
Markesan: The Hornets' offense averages 33.8 points per game and is led by QB Carson Clark, who has passed for 1,677 yards with 28 TDs and five interceptions. He's completing 56.8 percent of his passes and is averaging 167 yards passing per game. The Hornets have two dynamic playmakers at wide receiver in Drew Bernhagen and Austin Triggs. Bernhagen has a team-high 38 receptions for 847 yards with 17 TDs. He's averaging 22.3 yards per catch. Triggs has 23 catches for 597 yards and 10 TDs.
Prediction: Pecatonica-Argyle 35, Markesan 20
Black Hawk (8-2) at Shullsburg (8-2)
How did they get here?
Black Hawk: Finished tied for second in the Six Rivers Conference with Shullsburg and Highland. Black Hawk beat Wauzeka-Steuben/Seneca 54-6 in the first round last week.
Shullsburg: Tied Black Hawk and Highland for second in the Six Rivers. The Miners crushed Potosi 46-0 in the first round last week.
Last meeting: Shullsburg defeated Black Hawk 24-0 Aug. 26.
Players to watch
Black Hawk: Both of Black Hawk's running backs, junior Brody Milz and sophomore Colby Argall, have eclipsed 1,000 yards. Milz (1,098 rushing yards and 14 TDs) and Argall (1,019 rushing yards and 11 TDs) combined to run for more than 200 yards in the win over Wauzeka-Steuben/Seneca last week. Quarterback Michael Flanagan (902 passing yards with nine TDs and five interceptions) gave the Warriors' offense some balance last week throwing the ball. Jett Rufenacht has 24 receptions for 573 yards and seven TDs. Milz (123 tackles and 15 tackles for loss) and Mitchell Quinn (116 tackles and a team-high 16 tackles for loss) lead a Warriors' defense giving up 16.6 points per game.
Shullsburg: The Miners have a high-powered offense averaging 34.2 points per game. Shullsburg quarterback Noah Wand has thrown for 1,413 yards with 19 TDs and four interceptions. Wand is completing 63.4 percent of his passes and hasn't made many mistakes this season. RB Lance Lierman has rushed for 968 yards with 17 TDs. Lierman is averaging 107 rushing yards per game and 8.5 yards per carry. The top receivers for the Miners are Hunter Matye (30 receptions for 479 yards with seven TDs) and Nate Wedige (15 receptions for 464 yards with four TDs). Joey Meyer also has five TD catches.
Prediction: Shullsburg 21, Black Hawk 16
Fort Atkinson comes to Monroe for a rematch with the Cheesemakers. Unbeaten Darlington hosts Southwest Wisconsin Activities League rival Fennimore, and Black Hawk will play a Level 2 playoff game at Shullsburg in a rematch of a Week 2 game.
"We are a different team now than we were," Black Hawk coach Cory Milz said of the Warriors rematch against Shullsburg which beat Black Hawk 24-0 Aug. 26. "Our kids have been looking forward to this game since Week 2."
Also, unbeaten Markesan plays at unbeaten Pecatonica-Argyle.
The preview for the Monroe-Fort Atkinson game will appear in Thursday's Times.
Here are the keys for the other area playoff games slated for Friday night:
Fennimore (7-3) at Darlington (10-0)
How did they get here?
Darlington: The Redbirds won the SWAL title and then defeated Brookwood 49-8 in a first-round playoff game last week.
Fennimore: Finished third in the SWAL and defeated Mineral Point 28-21 last week.
Last meeting: Darlington defeated Fennimore 63-0 Oct. 7.
Players to watch
Darlington: The Redbirds' offense averages 58.2 points per game and has a strong one-two punch in the backfield with seniors Hunter Johnson (1,767 rushing yards and 37 touchdowns) and Trevor Johnson (1,014 rushing yards and 17 TDs). Both of the Johnsons are the Redbirds' top two receivers out of the backfield with five touchdowns combined. The Redbirds' defense has five shutouts and is giving up a meager 5.3 points per game.
Fennimore: The Eagles finished third in the SWAL this year. Fennimore is led by quarterback Jordan Williams, who has passed for 2,033 yards with 20 TDs and eight interceptions. He's completing 55 percent of his passes, but will be challenged by a Redbirds' defense that had two interceptions and defensive touchdowns last week in a 49-8 win over Brookwood. The top wide receivers for the Eagles are Trevor Neuroth, who has 46 receptions for 1,020 yards with 10 TDs, and Liam Kenney, who has 32 catches for 677 yards with seven TDs. Neuroth is the big playmaker, averaging 22.2 yards per catch.
Prediction: Darlington 49, Fennimore 7
Markesan (10-0) at Pecatonica-Argyle (10-0)
How did they get here?
Pecatonica-Argyle: The Vikings went unbeaten in the regular season and won the Six Rivers Conference championship for the second straight year. Pecatonica-Argyle toppled Waterloo 40-0 in a first-round playoff game last week.
Markesan: The Hornets also enter the second-round game unbeaten. Markesan won the Trailways Large Conference. Markesan beat Cuba City 32-28 last week in a first-round playoff game.
Players to watch
Pecatonica-Argyle: Senior quarterback Logan Green has passed for 1,182 yards and 18 TDs. He leads an offense averaging 31 points per game. Senior RB Collin Argue (843 rushing yards and eight TDs) and senior RB Cam Treuthardt (six TDs) give the Vikings a balanced offensive attack. The top receiver for Pec-Argyle is senior A.J. Hendrickson, who has 34 receptions for 594 yards with 11 TDs. Hendrickson is averaging 17.4 yards per catch. Treuthardt (77 tackles, three sacks) and senior Kole Kent (three sacks) lead a Vikings' defense that has given up just 5.9 points per game and has recorded three shutouts this season. Treuthardt and Kent will be key in getting pressure on Markesan.
Markesan: The Hornets' offense averages 33.8 points per game and is led by QB Carson Clark, who has passed for 1,677 yards with 28 TDs and five interceptions. He's completing 56.8 percent of his passes and is averaging 167 yards passing per game. The Hornets have two dynamic playmakers at wide receiver in Drew Bernhagen and Austin Triggs. Bernhagen has a team-high 38 receptions for 847 yards with 17 TDs. He's averaging 22.3 yards per catch. Triggs has 23 catches for 597 yards and 10 TDs.
Prediction: Pecatonica-Argyle 35, Markesan 20
Black Hawk (8-2) at Shullsburg (8-2)
How did they get here?
Black Hawk: Finished tied for second in the Six Rivers Conference with Shullsburg and Highland. Black Hawk beat Wauzeka-Steuben/Seneca 54-6 in the first round last week.
Shullsburg: Tied Black Hawk and Highland for second in the Six Rivers. The Miners crushed Potosi 46-0 in the first round last week.
Last meeting: Shullsburg defeated Black Hawk 24-0 Aug. 26.
Players to watch
Black Hawk: Both of Black Hawk's running backs, junior Brody Milz and sophomore Colby Argall, have eclipsed 1,000 yards. Milz (1,098 rushing yards and 14 TDs) and Argall (1,019 rushing yards and 11 TDs) combined to run for more than 200 yards in the win over Wauzeka-Steuben/Seneca last week. Quarterback Michael Flanagan (902 passing yards with nine TDs and five interceptions) gave the Warriors' offense some balance last week throwing the ball. Jett Rufenacht has 24 receptions for 573 yards and seven TDs. Milz (123 tackles and 15 tackles for loss) and Mitchell Quinn (116 tackles and a team-high 16 tackles for loss) lead a Warriors' defense giving up 16.6 points per game.
Shullsburg: The Miners have a high-powered offense averaging 34.2 points per game. Shullsburg quarterback Noah Wand has thrown for 1,413 yards with 19 TDs and four interceptions. Wand is completing 63.4 percent of his passes and hasn't made many mistakes this season. RB Lance Lierman has rushed for 968 yards with 17 TDs. Lierman is averaging 107 rushing yards per game and 8.5 yards per carry. The top receivers for the Miners are Hunter Matye (30 receptions for 479 yards with seven TDs) and Nate Wedige (15 receptions for 464 yards with four TDs). Joey Meyer also has five TD catches.
Prediction: Shullsburg 21, Black Hawk 16
