MONROE - Evansville-Albany wide receiver Isaiah Shell isn't ready to trade in his football helmet for basketball shoes yet.
Shell, a senior at Albany High School, has excelled as a big-playmaking wide receiver this year for the Evansville-Albany football team. Shell has 14 receptions for 288 yards and four touchdowns this season. He has displayed a penchant for creating big plays adding two rushing touchdowns and a kick return for a touchdown. He is averaging 20.6 yards per catch and gives the Blue Devils a game-breaking player on the outside.
He will lead Evansville-Albany (5-4) into a a WIAA Division 3 first-round playoff game at 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 26 at La Crosse Logan.
"I think a lot of people think we are an underdog in the bracket," Shell said. "Since we are peaking at the right time, I think we can make a run in the playoffs."
He has drawn football recruiting interest from Minnesota State-Manketo and Minot State University in Minot, N.D. He has received basketball recruiting interest from Division II Upper Iowa and Division III schools like the University of Wisconsin-Platteville, UW-Whitewater and Saint Mary's in Atlanta, Ga.
Shell said his biggest improvement this year has been building more strength through weight training and becoming faster.
"I actually like football more than basketball," Shell said. "I feel like I have put on more weight, got stronger and faster playing AAU basketball. Last year I couldn't break many tackles. I have been able to break more tackles this year."
Evansville-Albany was placed in an eight-team playoff grouping that includes Badger North Conference champion Reedsburg, unbeaten Capitol North Conference champion Lodi and Badger South power Madison Edgewood. Reedsburg is ranked No. 4 in the WisSports.net Division 3 coaches' poll and Lodi is ranked No. 2 in Division 4.
Shell is excited to get another chance to play a game after a 42-7 regular season finale loss to Edgerton.
"I'm just happy we get to play another game because that game against Edgerton left a bad taste in my mouth and I didn't want that to be my last game," he said. "The big key will be stopping their (La Crosse Logan's) run. They have two good running backs and a 250-pound fullback. We will have to tackle better than we did against Edgerton."
Few teams are rolling into the playoffs as hot as Darlington. The Redbirds are riding an eight-game winning streak entering the postseason.
If Darlington (8-1) can beat Melrose-Mindoro (4-5) in a WIAA Division 6 first-round playoff game at 2 p.m. Saturday, the Redbirds could get a rematch in the Level 2 playoffs against SWAL rival Cuba City (6-3). If the Redbirds, ranked fifth in Division 6, make it to the state quarterfinal they could face SWAL rival Iowa-Grant who beat them last year in the Level 3 playoffs or they could face Necedah (7-2) or Brookwood (8-1). If the Redbirds make a deep playoff run they could face unbeaten and No. 1 ranked Saint Mary's Springs (9-0) in the state semifinals. Saint Mary's Springs is the two-time defending state champion.
"We have the personnel to do it," Darlington coach Scott Zywicki said of making a state semifinal run. "Everything has to fall into place. We have a loaded division. When you get to this point and level anyone can beat anybody."
The Redbirds have an explosive offense that averages 47 points per game and has a three-pronged running attack that features two 1,000-yard rushers. Darlington junior Myles Leahy has rushed for 1,109 yards and 15 touchdowns and senior Tanner Wiegel has rushed for 1,008 yards and 15 TDs. Darlington junior Jason Singer has rushed for 810 yards and 15 TDs.
"I think with our size and the ability to break the long run should play into our hands," Zywicki said. "We can control the clock and pound the ball with our size."
Darlington's Carson Carpenter has a team-high 62 tackles and leads a stingy Redbird defense that is giving up just 8 points per game. Senior Michael Ruf has 38 tackles and has a team-high eight sacks this year. Senior defensive back Kyle Johnson has six interceptions and two touchdown returns.
Shell, a senior at Albany High School, has excelled as a big-playmaking wide receiver this year for the Evansville-Albany football team. Shell has 14 receptions for 288 yards and four touchdowns this season. He has displayed a penchant for creating big plays adding two rushing touchdowns and a kick return for a touchdown. He is averaging 20.6 yards per catch and gives the Blue Devils a game-breaking player on the outside.
He will lead Evansville-Albany (5-4) into a a WIAA Division 3 first-round playoff game at 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 26 at La Crosse Logan.
"I think a lot of people think we are an underdog in the bracket," Shell said. "Since we are peaking at the right time, I think we can make a run in the playoffs."
He has drawn football recruiting interest from Minnesota State-Manketo and Minot State University in Minot, N.D. He has received basketball recruiting interest from Division II Upper Iowa and Division III schools like the University of Wisconsin-Platteville, UW-Whitewater and Saint Mary's in Atlanta, Ga.
Shell said his biggest improvement this year has been building more strength through weight training and becoming faster.
"I actually like football more than basketball," Shell said. "I feel like I have put on more weight, got stronger and faster playing AAU basketball. Last year I couldn't break many tackles. I have been able to break more tackles this year."
Evansville-Albany was placed in an eight-team playoff grouping that includes Badger North Conference champion Reedsburg, unbeaten Capitol North Conference champion Lodi and Badger South power Madison Edgewood. Reedsburg is ranked No. 4 in the WisSports.net Division 3 coaches' poll and Lodi is ranked No. 2 in Division 4.
Shell is excited to get another chance to play a game after a 42-7 regular season finale loss to Edgerton.
"I'm just happy we get to play another game because that game against Edgerton left a bad taste in my mouth and I didn't want that to be my last game," he said. "The big key will be stopping their (La Crosse Logan's) run. They have two good running backs and a 250-pound fullback. We will have to tackle better than we did against Edgerton."
Few teams are rolling into the playoffs as hot as Darlington. The Redbirds are riding an eight-game winning streak entering the postseason.
If Darlington (8-1) can beat Melrose-Mindoro (4-5) in a WIAA Division 6 first-round playoff game at 2 p.m. Saturday, the Redbirds could get a rematch in the Level 2 playoffs against SWAL rival Cuba City (6-3). If the Redbirds, ranked fifth in Division 6, make it to the state quarterfinal they could face SWAL rival Iowa-Grant who beat them last year in the Level 3 playoffs or they could face Necedah (7-2) or Brookwood (8-1). If the Redbirds make a deep playoff run they could face unbeaten and No. 1 ranked Saint Mary's Springs (9-0) in the state semifinals. Saint Mary's Springs is the two-time defending state champion.
"We have the personnel to do it," Darlington coach Scott Zywicki said of making a state semifinal run. "Everything has to fall into place. We have a loaded division. When you get to this point and level anyone can beat anybody."
The Redbirds have an explosive offense that averages 47 points per game and has a three-pronged running attack that features two 1,000-yard rushers. Darlington junior Myles Leahy has rushed for 1,109 yards and 15 touchdowns and senior Tanner Wiegel has rushed for 1,008 yards and 15 TDs. Darlington junior Jason Singer has rushed for 810 yards and 15 TDs.
"I think with our size and the ability to break the long run should play into our hands," Zywicki said. "We can control the clock and pound the ball with our size."
Darlington's Carson Carpenter has a team-high 62 tackles and leads a stingy Redbird defense that is giving up just 8 points per game. Senior Michael Ruf has 38 tackles and has a team-high eight sacks this year. Senior defensive back Kyle Johnson has six interceptions and two touchdown returns.
