MONROE - With just two weeks until conference tournaments and three weeks before regional tournaments for wrestling teams begin, there are still a lot of matches and basketball games to be played before the postseason tips off.
There are several big wrestling matches and basketball games this week. This is a look at five of the top area matchups:
Tuesday: Cuba City boys basketball at New Glarus
This could be a potential matchup for New Glarus if the Knights make a run to the sectional like last year once the tournament starts. New Glarus (13-0) is unbeaten, but they will be challenged by the Cubans. The Knights have won two games decided by 6 points or less.
Cuba City is led by sophomore Brady Olson, who is averaging 18.7 points per game. The Cubans are second in the SWAL along with Darlington behind Mineral Point and Fennimore, which are both 6-1 in the league. New Glarus has passed tests in wins over Monroe, Barneveld and Platteville.
The Knights are led by junior Zach Feller (22.2 ppg), junior Jaden Kreklow (19.5 ppg), senior Cullen Brooks (15.2 ppg) and junior Trevor Gassman (11.4 ppg).
Thursday: Evansville-Albany wrestling at Monroe
The Monroe wrestling team, ranked No. 12 in the Division 2 Wisconsin Wrestling Online state poll, will have a nonconference showdown against Evansville-Albany, which is honorable mention in the state rankings. This will likely be a preview of what it will come down to in the run for a regional title and a sectional team berth.
The Cheesemakers have finished second to the Blue Devils the past two years in the regional. Evansville-Albany has two wrestlers ranked in the top 12 in the state, including junior Nolan Kicmol (145), No. 3, and junior Brandon Lange (heavyweight), ranked No. 4. The Blue Devils have two other wrestlers receiving honorable mention in the state rankings - sophomore Jarrett Miller (113) and junior Adam Staver (132).
The Cheesemakers have four wrestlers ranked: sophomore Patrick Rielly (160), ranked No. 11; senior Sam Kind (170), No. 6; senior Dempzy Foley (182), No. 8; and senior Tyson Welsch (heavyweight), No. 9.
Thursday: Pecatonica boys basketball at Black Hawk
Pecatonica (8-5) is coming off a thrilling 54-53 win over Barneveld last week that kept the Vikings unbeaten in the Six Rivers East Conference. Black Hawk is looking to get back on the hunt for a conference championship after early season losses to Pecatonica and Barneveld. The Vikings have a one-game lead in the conference over Barneveld and a two-game lead over the Warriors.
Pecatonica is led by junior point guard Colton Schraepfer, who is averaging 17.2 points per game, and senior Evan Prust (11.8 ppg).
Black Hawk (8-4) was riding a six-game winning streak before losing to Barneveld last week. The Warriors are starting to play their best basketball of the season. The Warriors beat Don Bosco Catholic, the No. 4-ranked Class 1A team in Iowa. Black Hawk is led by junior Connor Meyer (19.9 ppg) and senior C.J. Leuzinger (13 ppg).
Friday: Potosi girls basketball at Black Hawk
The Six Rivers Challenge takes center stage Friday. The top team from the Six Rivers West, Potosi will play the top-ranked Black Hawk in South Wayne Friday.
Black Hawk (16-0) has been on a roll all season and defeated Potosi by 26 points, 69-43, earlier this year. The Warriors are averaging 9.3 3-pointers per game. Black Hawk sophomore Natalie Leuzinger (18 ppg, 5.9 rebounds per game) is shooting 49.4 percent from 3-point range. Freshman Bailey Butler (15.5 ppg, 4.2 assists and 3.9 steals per game) is shooting 43.9 percent from beyond the arc, and sophomore Hannah Butler (11.8 ppg) is shooting 44.2 percent from 3-point range.
Black Hawk has won every game in conference by 34 points or more. It will be tough for Potosi to slow down the Warriors.
Saturday: Monroe boys basketball vs. Oregon
The Monroe boys basketball team has won three straight games, and at 8-6 overall and 4-3 in the Badger South Conference, the Cheesemakers are looking to build on their winning streak. Monroe is tied with Watertown for third in the Badger South Conference, and this is a must-win game for the Cheesemakers to keep pace with the Goslings. Oregon (6-8, 3-4 Badger South) trails the Cheesemakers and Goslings by one game.
Monroe is looking to sweep Oregon. In the first meeting, the Cheesemakers beat the Panthers 51-46. Monroe's starting point guard scored a game-high 24 points to lead the Cheesemakers to the win over the Panthers in the first meeting.
The key playmaker for Oregon is Ethan Victorson (16.2 ppg). In the first meeting against the Panthers, the Cheesemakers limited Victorson to just 2 points. A solid defensive effort will go a long way to Monroe stretching its winning streak to four games.
There are several big wrestling matches and basketball games this week. This is a look at five of the top area matchups:
Tuesday: Cuba City boys basketball at New Glarus
This could be a potential matchup for New Glarus if the Knights make a run to the sectional like last year once the tournament starts. New Glarus (13-0) is unbeaten, but they will be challenged by the Cubans. The Knights have won two games decided by 6 points or less.
Cuba City is led by sophomore Brady Olson, who is averaging 18.7 points per game. The Cubans are second in the SWAL along with Darlington behind Mineral Point and Fennimore, which are both 6-1 in the league. New Glarus has passed tests in wins over Monroe, Barneveld and Platteville.
The Knights are led by junior Zach Feller (22.2 ppg), junior Jaden Kreklow (19.5 ppg), senior Cullen Brooks (15.2 ppg) and junior Trevor Gassman (11.4 ppg).
Thursday: Evansville-Albany wrestling at Monroe
The Monroe wrestling team, ranked No. 12 in the Division 2 Wisconsin Wrestling Online state poll, will have a nonconference showdown against Evansville-Albany, which is honorable mention in the state rankings. This will likely be a preview of what it will come down to in the run for a regional title and a sectional team berth.
The Cheesemakers have finished second to the Blue Devils the past two years in the regional. Evansville-Albany has two wrestlers ranked in the top 12 in the state, including junior Nolan Kicmol (145), No. 3, and junior Brandon Lange (heavyweight), ranked No. 4. The Blue Devils have two other wrestlers receiving honorable mention in the state rankings - sophomore Jarrett Miller (113) and junior Adam Staver (132).
The Cheesemakers have four wrestlers ranked: sophomore Patrick Rielly (160), ranked No. 11; senior Sam Kind (170), No. 6; senior Dempzy Foley (182), No. 8; and senior Tyson Welsch (heavyweight), No. 9.
Thursday: Pecatonica boys basketball at Black Hawk
Pecatonica (8-5) is coming off a thrilling 54-53 win over Barneveld last week that kept the Vikings unbeaten in the Six Rivers East Conference. Black Hawk is looking to get back on the hunt for a conference championship after early season losses to Pecatonica and Barneveld. The Vikings have a one-game lead in the conference over Barneveld and a two-game lead over the Warriors.
Pecatonica is led by junior point guard Colton Schraepfer, who is averaging 17.2 points per game, and senior Evan Prust (11.8 ppg).
Black Hawk (8-4) was riding a six-game winning streak before losing to Barneveld last week. The Warriors are starting to play their best basketball of the season. The Warriors beat Don Bosco Catholic, the No. 4-ranked Class 1A team in Iowa. Black Hawk is led by junior Connor Meyer (19.9 ppg) and senior C.J. Leuzinger (13 ppg).
Friday: Potosi girls basketball at Black Hawk
The Six Rivers Challenge takes center stage Friday. The top team from the Six Rivers West, Potosi will play the top-ranked Black Hawk in South Wayne Friday.
Black Hawk (16-0) has been on a roll all season and defeated Potosi by 26 points, 69-43, earlier this year. The Warriors are averaging 9.3 3-pointers per game. Black Hawk sophomore Natalie Leuzinger (18 ppg, 5.9 rebounds per game) is shooting 49.4 percent from 3-point range. Freshman Bailey Butler (15.5 ppg, 4.2 assists and 3.9 steals per game) is shooting 43.9 percent from beyond the arc, and sophomore Hannah Butler (11.8 ppg) is shooting 44.2 percent from 3-point range.
Black Hawk has won every game in conference by 34 points or more. It will be tough for Potosi to slow down the Warriors.
Saturday: Monroe boys basketball vs. Oregon
The Monroe boys basketball team has won three straight games, and at 8-6 overall and 4-3 in the Badger South Conference, the Cheesemakers are looking to build on their winning streak. Monroe is tied with Watertown for third in the Badger South Conference, and this is a must-win game for the Cheesemakers to keep pace with the Goslings. Oregon (6-8, 3-4 Badger South) trails the Cheesemakers and Goslings by one game.
Monroe is looking to sweep Oregon. In the first meeting, the Cheesemakers beat the Panthers 51-46. Monroe's starting point guard scored a game-high 24 points to lead the Cheesemakers to the win over the Panthers in the first meeting.
The key playmaker for Oregon is Ethan Victorson (16.2 ppg). In the first meeting against the Panthers, the Cheesemakers limited Victorson to just 2 points. A solid defensive effort will go a long way to Monroe stretching its winning streak to four games.
