No. 1: Monroe, Keen make third straight state run
Coach, senior class close out historic careers at Kohl Center
The Monroe girls basketball team made its third straight trip to the WIAA Division 2 state tournament in coach Kevin Keen's final season. The Cheesemakers lost a heartbreaker 31-30 to Winneconne in the WIAA Division 2 state semifinals at the Kohl Center.
Keen, who retired from coaching and teaching at the end of last school year, compiled a record of 394-127 and led the Cheesemakers to eight state appearances and three state titles in his 22 years coaching. Monroe was ranked No. 1 in Division 2 and had an amazing run.
The Cheese-makers won the Badger South for an unprecedented seventh consecutive year last season. The big three for the Cheesemakers on the court - Gwen Sutter, Ashley Hermanson and Jamie Armstrong - compiled one of the winningest marks in school history at 88-14.
Armstrong scored 12 points and had eight blocks.
No. 2: Cards finish as state runner-up
The Brodhead-Juda football team made a surprise run to state and finished as the state runner-up after losing 41-21 to Kewaunee in the WIAA Division 4 state championship game. The Cardinals finished the season 11-3 and won 10 straight games before losing the state title game.
The Cardinals beat defending state champion Big Foot to get to state. It's the first time the Cardinals had beat Big Foot since the 2005-06 season.
No. 3: Warriors take silver ball
For the second straight year the Black Hawk girls basketball team returned to state. The Warriors finished as the WIAA Division 4 state runner-up after losing the state title game to Wausau Newman, 64-30.
The Warriors knocked off Minong Northwood in the state semifinal, 42-31 to assure the school would bring home its first basketball hardware in school history.
Black Hawk and its fans won the WIAA sportsmanship award. The Warriors were dominant all season winning 26 straight games by an average of 20 points.
Black Hawk coach Mike Flanagan was selected to coach in the WBCA All-Star game.
No. 4: Redbirds reach state semis
The Darlington football team made a run to the WIAA Division 5 state semifinals where they lost to eventual state champion Brillion, 35-14. Darlington finished (13-1).
No. 5: Trio inducted into WBCA Hall of Fame
Three area basketball representatives were inducted into the Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Hall of Fame Oct. 2. The inductees included former Black Hawk boys basketball coach Jerry Mortimer, friend of basketball Loren Homb and Monticello alum Jim Zweifel who was inducted as a player.
Mortimer coached at Black Hawk for 26 years and he had a record of 374-199.
Homb has served as a coach, referee and is the WBCA game site chairman who was instrumental in getting the WBCA All-Star game moved from Oshkosh.
Zweifel was a sharpshooter at Monticello who led them to two sectionals in the late 1950s and went on to play basketball at Valparaiso.
No. 6: Cheese run to fifth at state in Wis. Rapids
The Monroe boys cross country team won the Badger South for the sixth time in the last eight years. The Cheesemakers finished fifth at the WIAA Division 2 state meet at Wisconsin Rapids.
It was another amazing season for Monroe. The Cheesemakers were ranked fourth in the Division 2 Wisconsin Cross Country Coaches Association Poll.
No. 7: Monroe's run ends with loss in sectional final
The Monroe softball team advanced to the sectional finals and were one game away from qualifying for state for the third straight year.
Monroe lost 14-2 to Fort Atkinson in a WIAA Division 2 sectional final. The Cheesemakers committed five errors that led to 12 unearned runs. Becca Armstrong emerged as a top pitcher.
No. 8: Medalists, phenoms make impact at state
As a freshman, Monroe's Kevin Klopfenstein set a school record for wins (40) and he qualified for state at 119 pounds. Brodhead-Juda's Hunter Colden became the first freshman in the program's history to qualify for state
Two area wrestlers closed out stellar careers at the state wrestling meet. Ben Schmitt finished third at the WIAA Division 2 state wrestling meet at the Kohl Center. Schmitt entered the state meet unbeaten and ranked No. 1 at 160 pounds in the Crossface poll. Darlington's Devin Malott made his fourth straight trip to state and he finished fifth at 119 pounds in the Division 3 state meet. Malott was the first four-time state qualifier in Darlington's history.
No. 9: Comets end Warriors' streak at 36
The Albany volleyball team went unbeaten to win the Six Rivers East Conference and snapped Black Hawk's streak of four conference championships and their 36-match winning streak.
The last time Black Hawk had lost a conference match, former President George Bush was updating the nation on troops in Iraq and Brett Favre was playing for the Packers
Albany senior Sydney Bump was named the conference's player of the year for the second consecutive season.
Black Hawk returned the favor in the postseason knocking off the Comets in four games.
No. 10: Four medal at La Crosse
Several area track athletes earned individual medals at the state track and field championships. Monroe's Stephanie Wyss, who was a four-time state qualifier, finished sixth in the high jump at the WIAA Division 2 state track meet at the University of Wisconsin- La Crosse Darlington's Alex Erickson finished third in the 400-meter dash with a season best time (:50.11) at the Division 3 state meet. Pecatonica-Argyle's Kendra Sigg, a two-time state qualifier in the 1,600, took sixth in the 1,600 in the Division 3 state meet. Brodhead's Shannon Klein battled back from hip surgery and finished fifth in the 400-meter dash at the WIAA Division 2 state meet.
No. 11: Repeat runs to state
Several area cross country teams made returns to the state cross country meet at Wisconsin Rapids. The Darlington girls team returned to state for the fourth straight year and finished fifth. The Darlington boys led by freshman Tyson Miehe were ranked No. 1 and qualified for state for the third straight year. The Redbirds took fifth at state. The Albany boys made its third straight tip to state and finished seventh.
New Glarus-Monticello sophomore Ryan McCoy finished fifth at the WIAA Division 2 state meet with a time of 16 minutes, 20 seconds.
The Darlington boys cross country team won the SWAL Conference title for the third straight year. The Albany boys also won the Scenic Ridge and Rivers Conference title for the fourth straight year and the Darlington girls won a third consecutive conference championship.
Coach, senior class close out historic careers at Kohl Center
The Monroe girls basketball team made its third straight trip to the WIAA Division 2 state tournament in coach Kevin Keen's final season. The Cheesemakers lost a heartbreaker 31-30 to Winneconne in the WIAA Division 2 state semifinals at the Kohl Center.
Keen, who retired from coaching and teaching at the end of last school year, compiled a record of 394-127 and led the Cheesemakers to eight state appearances and three state titles in his 22 years coaching. Monroe was ranked No. 1 in Division 2 and had an amazing run.
The Cheese-makers won the Badger South for an unprecedented seventh consecutive year last season. The big three for the Cheesemakers on the court - Gwen Sutter, Ashley Hermanson and Jamie Armstrong - compiled one of the winningest marks in school history at 88-14.
Armstrong scored 12 points and had eight blocks.
No. 2: Cards finish as state runner-up
The Brodhead-Juda football team made a surprise run to state and finished as the state runner-up after losing 41-21 to Kewaunee in the WIAA Division 4 state championship game. The Cardinals finished the season 11-3 and won 10 straight games before losing the state title game.
The Cardinals beat defending state champion Big Foot to get to state. It's the first time the Cardinals had beat Big Foot since the 2005-06 season.
No. 3: Warriors take silver ball
For the second straight year the Black Hawk girls basketball team returned to state. The Warriors finished as the WIAA Division 4 state runner-up after losing the state title game to Wausau Newman, 64-30.
The Warriors knocked off Minong Northwood in the state semifinal, 42-31 to assure the school would bring home its first basketball hardware in school history.
Black Hawk and its fans won the WIAA sportsmanship award. The Warriors were dominant all season winning 26 straight games by an average of 20 points.
Black Hawk coach Mike Flanagan was selected to coach in the WBCA All-Star game.
No. 4: Redbirds reach state semis
The Darlington football team made a run to the WIAA Division 5 state semifinals where they lost to eventual state champion Brillion, 35-14. Darlington finished (13-1).
No. 5: Trio inducted into WBCA Hall of Fame
Three area basketball representatives were inducted into the Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Hall of Fame Oct. 2. The inductees included former Black Hawk boys basketball coach Jerry Mortimer, friend of basketball Loren Homb and Monticello alum Jim Zweifel who was inducted as a player.
Mortimer coached at Black Hawk for 26 years and he had a record of 374-199.
Homb has served as a coach, referee and is the WBCA game site chairman who was instrumental in getting the WBCA All-Star game moved from Oshkosh.
Zweifel was a sharpshooter at Monticello who led them to two sectionals in the late 1950s and went on to play basketball at Valparaiso.
No. 6: Cheese run to fifth at state in Wis. Rapids
The Monroe boys cross country team won the Badger South for the sixth time in the last eight years. The Cheesemakers finished fifth at the WIAA Division 2 state meet at Wisconsin Rapids.
It was another amazing season for Monroe. The Cheesemakers were ranked fourth in the Division 2 Wisconsin Cross Country Coaches Association Poll.
No. 7: Monroe's run ends with loss in sectional final
The Monroe softball team advanced to the sectional finals and were one game away from qualifying for state for the third straight year.
Monroe lost 14-2 to Fort Atkinson in a WIAA Division 2 sectional final. The Cheesemakers committed five errors that led to 12 unearned runs. Becca Armstrong emerged as a top pitcher.
No. 8: Medalists, phenoms make impact at state
As a freshman, Monroe's Kevin Klopfenstein set a school record for wins (40) and he qualified for state at 119 pounds. Brodhead-Juda's Hunter Colden became the first freshman in the program's history to qualify for state
Two area wrestlers closed out stellar careers at the state wrestling meet. Ben Schmitt finished third at the WIAA Division 2 state wrestling meet at the Kohl Center. Schmitt entered the state meet unbeaten and ranked No. 1 at 160 pounds in the Crossface poll. Darlington's Devin Malott made his fourth straight trip to state and he finished fifth at 119 pounds in the Division 3 state meet. Malott was the first four-time state qualifier in Darlington's history.
No. 9: Comets end Warriors' streak at 36
The Albany volleyball team went unbeaten to win the Six Rivers East Conference and snapped Black Hawk's streak of four conference championships and their 36-match winning streak.
The last time Black Hawk had lost a conference match, former President George Bush was updating the nation on troops in Iraq and Brett Favre was playing for the Packers
Albany senior Sydney Bump was named the conference's player of the year for the second consecutive season.
Black Hawk returned the favor in the postseason knocking off the Comets in four games.
No. 10: Four medal at La Crosse
Several area track athletes earned individual medals at the state track and field championships. Monroe's Stephanie Wyss, who was a four-time state qualifier, finished sixth in the high jump at the WIAA Division 2 state track meet at the University of Wisconsin- La Crosse Darlington's Alex Erickson finished third in the 400-meter dash with a season best time (:50.11) at the Division 3 state meet. Pecatonica-Argyle's Kendra Sigg, a two-time state qualifier in the 1,600, took sixth in the 1,600 in the Division 3 state meet. Brodhead's Shannon Klein battled back from hip surgery and finished fifth in the 400-meter dash at the WIAA Division 2 state meet.
No. 11: Repeat runs to state
Several area cross country teams made returns to the state cross country meet at Wisconsin Rapids. The Darlington girls team returned to state for the fourth straight year and finished fifth. The Darlington boys led by freshman Tyson Miehe were ranked No. 1 and qualified for state for the third straight year. The Redbirds took fifth at state. The Albany boys made its third straight tip to state and finished seventh.
New Glarus-Monticello sophomore Ryan McCoy finished fifth at the WIAA Division 2 state meet with a time of 16 minutes, 20 seconds.
The Darlington boys cross country team won the SWAL Conference title for the third straight year. The Albany boys also won the Scenic Ridge and Rivers Conference title for the fourth straight year and the Darlington girls won a third consecutive conference championship.
