SOUTH WAYNE - Black Hawk junior Shawn Woodruff hasn't always felt at home at middle linebacker.
He's in his third year starting at linebacker, but as a freshman he remembers how much he had to develop into the physical and instinctive player he has become.
"When I first started out I didn't like to fill and I was scared," Woodruff said. "Playing with Coltin Piefer, he got that out of me. Being in the center of the defense now is kind of fun."
He had mentors in Piefer and former linebacker Shane Jackson giving him the tutelage he needed. Now, Woodruff is part of a stingy defense that enters a WIAA Division 7 state semifinal against sixth-ranked Lake Country Lutheran at 7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 15 at Middleton High School.
"I believe I have gotten a lot better at filling for the inside runs," Woodruff said. "I have had a lot of help from a lot of people. I play without being scared of giving up a big play. I know if I slip, Seth (Butler) is back there and he backs me up."
Black Hawk (12-0), ranked No. 1 in the WisSports.net Division 7 Coaches poll, is looking to advance to the state championship game for the first time since 1998 when Dennis Murphy was the head coach and current head coach Cory Milz was the defensive coordinator. The Warriors are trying to keep an unbeaten season in tact.
"That (state) has always been our goal," Woodruff said. "I didn't think we would be undefeated this far out. We always set our goals high. That is why we got so far."
The big challenge for the Warriors' defense is trying to shut down a Lightning offense that averages 40 points per game.
The Warriors have changed their defense a little to feature Woodruff more as a middle linebacker and have not played him lined up off the guard like they have in the past.
"He (Woodruff) doesn't have to play as lateral as he used to play and have to scrape over the guard," Milz said. "He can play more downhill and be much more aggressive and that suits his ability greatly. We looked at previous years and we wanted to eliminate the grey areas so they (linebackers) know where they fit on run plays."
Woodruff leads the Warriors in tackles (115) and Seth Butler is second (112). Both will be critical in trying to shut down a Lightning offense that features two 1,000-yard running backs. Lake Country Lutheran's Justin Prostinak has rushed for 1,295 yards and scored 17 TDs and Adam Tovar has rushed for 1,211 yards and scored 12 TDs. Just like the Warriors with the 6-foot-4 Heath Butler at quarterback, the Lightning feature a 6-foot-4 quarterback in Ben Wilkins who has passed for 1,460 yards and 21 TDs.
"They have tremendous speed in a lot of different positions," Milz said. "It used to be everyone was running the ball. Everyone uses multiple formations now. Our conference has prepared us well. Everyone in our conference runs multiple formations."
Woodruff is zeroing in on keeping the Lightning inside where he can make big plays.
"We can't let them get outside our defensive ends," Woodruff said. "If we keep them from getting outside, we should be good."
The Warriors are averaging 46.3 points per game and also have a pair of 1,000-yard rushers. Black Hawk senior Tanner Sweeney has rushed for 1,655 yards and scored 23 TDs. He is averaging 137 yards per game and could be a key to victory along with senior Jayden Rufenacht (1,036 yards and 21 TDs). The Lightning play a 4-3 defense and run a cover-2 in pass coverage. Milz is confident it will give the Warriors a chance to attack them with some inside runs against a seven-man front. The Lightning feature two defensive tackles at 230 and 210 pounds.
"We have to establish the run inside," Milz said. "Their two defensive tackles would have probably been all-conference in our conference. Catholic Central couldn't run outside on them because of the speed of their linebackers."
Milz expects the state semifinal game to come down to the fourth quarter.
"I think this will be a game where teams score a lot of points and some team will have a drive in the final 5 or 6 minutes," he said. "It will be a heck of a football game. It will be a flip of the coin."
He's in his third year starting at linebacker, but as a freshman he remembers how much he had to develop into the physical and instinctive player he has become.
"When I first started out I didn't like to fill and I was scared," Woodruff said. "Playing with Coltin Piefer, he got that out of me. Being in the center of the defense now is kind of fun."
He had mentors in Piefer and former linebacker Shane Jackson giving him the tutelage he needed. Now, Woodruff is part of a stingy defense that enters a WIAA Division 7 state semifinal against sixth-ranked Lake Country Lutheran at 7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 15 at Middleton High School.
"I believe I have gotten a lot better at filling for the inside runs," Woodruff said. "I have had a lot of help from a lot of people. I play without being scared of giving up a big play. I know if I slip, Seth (Butler) is back there and he backs me up."
Black Hawk (12-0), ranked No. 1 in the WisSports.net Division 7 Coaches poll, is looking to advance to the state championship game for the first time since 1998 when Dennis Murphy was the head coach and current head coach Cory Milz was the defensive coordinator. The Warriors are trying to keep an unbeaten season in tact.
"That (state) has always been our goal," Woodruff said. "I didn't think we would be undefeated this far out. We always set our goals high. That is why we got so far."
The big challenge for the Warriors' defense is trying to shut down a Lightning offense that averages 40 points per game.
The Warriors have changed their defense a little to feature Woodruff more as a middle linebacker and have not played him lined up off the guard like they have in the past.
"He (Woodruff) doesn't have to play as lateral as he used to play and have to scrape over the guard," Milz said. "He can play more downhill and be much more aggressive and that suits his ability greatly. We looked at previous years and we wanted to eliminate the grey areas so they (linebackers) know where they fit on run plays."
Woodruff leads the Warriors in tackles (115) and Seth Butler is second (112). Both will be critical in trying to shut down a Lightning offense that features two 1,000-yard running backs. Lake Country Lutheran's Justin Prostinak has rushed for 1,295 yards and scored 17 TDs and Adam Tovar has rushed for 1,211 yards and scored 12 TDs. Just like the Warriors with the 6-foot-4 Heath Butler at quarterback, the Lightning feature a 6-foot-4 quarterback in Ben Wilkins who has passed for 1,460 yards and 21 TDs.
"They have tremendous speed in a lot of different positions," Milz said. "It used to be everyone was running the ball. Everyone uses multiple formations now. Our conference has prepared us well. Everyone in our conference runs multiple formations."
Woodruff is zeroing in on keeping the Lightning inside where he can make big plays.
"We can't let them get outside our defensive ends," Woodruff said. "If we keep them from getting outside, we should be good."
The Warriors are averaging 46.3 points per game and also have a pair of 1,000-yard rushers. Black Hawk senior Tanner Sweeney has rushed for 1,655 yards and scored 23 TDs. He is averaging 137 yards per game and could be a key to victory along with senior Jayden Rufenacht (1,036 yards and 21 TDs). The Lightning play a 4-3 defense and run a cover-2 in pass coverage. Milz is confident it will give the Warriors a chance to attack them with some inside runs against a seven-man front. The Lightning feature two defensive tackles at 230 and 210 pounds.
"We have to establish the run inside," Milz said. "Their two defensive tackles would have probably been all-conference in our conference. Catholic Central couldn't run outside on them because of the speed of their linebackers."
Milz expects the state semifinal game to come down to the fourth quarter.
"I think this will be a game where teams score a lot of points and some team will have a drive in the final 5 or 6 minutes," he said. "It will be a heck of a football game. It will be a flip of the coin."
