More from North and Rice Lake

All right, my article is done and the paper has been sent to the printer. Friday's Big Rivers Conference boys basketball opener between Rice Lake and Eau Claire North certainly lived up to expectations, as the game went down to the wire.
Here's a few thoughts and observations:

* Defensively, North's added height makes it very difficult on opponents. Having Andy Kleist at the top of the 1-3-1 zone is a great fit. Kleist is 6-foot-5 and has quick reactions -- he's a soccer goalkeeper and will be one of the BRC's better 'keepers next season. His height and length makes it difficult to throw passes over him and makes it easy for the three players in the middle -- two of them 6-foot-7 Tyler Brown and 6-foot-11 Evan Anderson -- to move side to side.

* North really didn't make feeding the post a priority. Brown and Anderson combined for seven field goal attempts and you could count on one hand the number of entry passes to the post. Brown scored 16 points but half came at the free-throw line. He was 4-for-6 from the field, but was quite active overall with 12 rebounds. Anderson went 1-for-3 from the field and 2-for-4 from the line. He was fouled on a pair of dunk attempts. Anderson and Brown did run one nice high-low combination. That's something that could be a big part of the offense.

* 6-foot-5 Andrew Lochmann started the game guarding Anderson, with 5-foot-10 Tim Hovde on Brown. Lochmann was very impressive, scoring 22 points with seven rebounds and four assists. You can read more on him this season's first Inside Hoops, which will appear in next Thursday's Leader-Telegram. So be sure to look for that.

*It's almost scary how similar Alex Culy is to his older brother Dan on the court. They have that same calm demeanor no matter what the score is. They also can shoot the lights out. The younger Culy hit six 3s against North.

* North mixed between man and zone in the game. After made baskets, the Huskies would put on a half-court trap and then run the 1-3-1. After misses, it usually was straight up man. North switched to straight man with some trap in the closing minutes -- clearly coach Pat Hammond didn't want to give Culy any more open looks at 3s.

- Joe Ziemer

Watch Memorial boys highlights

The Eau Claire Memorial boys basketball team faced a tough test for its first game of the season when it played super sophomore Marquis Mason and Madison East.

East won the game, 60-43, behind 37 points from Mason, who is a Marquette and Wisconsin recruit. Some video highlights are available on www.wishoops.net. While there are a few nice Memorial highlights, my favorite is a Mason dunk at about the 1:55 mark.

Enjoy:



- John Casper Jr.

Osseo-Fairchild in midseason form

November isn't over just yet, but there is at least one girls basketball team that appears ready for March.

The Osseo-Fairchild girls were beyond impressive in a 60-36 victory over Altoona on Thursday night. Although the Chieftains have a first-year coach in Matt Korger, they don't seem to have any trouble getting adjusted.

"Coach (Tony) Calo and I seem to agree on defensive philosophies," Korger said of his predecessor. "We both preach aggressive man-to-man defense."

And while the defense was tight, the offense was even better. Osseo-Fairchild was flawless in transition — something that usually eludes teams at this point of the season.

Other observations from the game:
*I can see where opposing coaches grow tired of coaching against the Gregoriches of Altoona. Both Brittany and Tiffany are tough as nails and treat every rebound or loose ball as a fast-break opportunity. Altoona is going to be a fun team to watch as the season develops.

*UW-Eau Claire women's basketball coach Tonja Englund was in the house, but I didn't see her speak to any players after the game. Could Tiffany Gregorich be a possible recruit?

*We have an early leader in the "Casper's Favorite Band" category. Altoona's band can bring it. I especially liked the "Bang on the Drum All Day" rendition after the Packers kicked a field goal in the first quarter of their 37-27 loss to the Cowboys. Of course, the song is only played after touchdowns at Lambeau Field, but it was a nice touch nonetheless.

- John Casper Jr.

All but over

This game basically is in the books. The Blugolds lead 96-35 with 1:57 to go. I'm on deadline, so I'll hustle back to the office and give y'all something to read in the newspaper Saturday. Make sure to check out the L-T for expanded coverage. Thanks for staying with me.

-Justin Harings

It's halftime

The UW-Eau Claire women's basketball team has broken the 100-point mark 11 times in its history. It looks like the Blugolds could be on their way to No. 12. UW-EC leads North Park 56-21 at halftime here at Zorn Arena.

All 16 players on the Blugolds roster already have seen floor time. Eleven of them have scored points. Most notably, Amanda Zenner has scored 15 points and Heather Witt has 13. Also, the Vikings have committed 22 turnovers. The Blugolds have made two-thirds of their field-goal attempts.

The second half starts in 8 minutes. Keep checking back to see how things unfold.

-Justin Harings

Blugolds up early

The UW-Eau Claire women's basketball team is up 26-7 on North Park University (Ill.) with 12 minutes, 27 seconds to play in the first half. Quite frankly, the score doesn't even seem that close.

The Blugolds kicked off the game with 12-point run, spurred by a pair of steals and six early points from junior Heather Witt. Senior Amanda Zenner is the Blugolds' leading scorer right now with eight points.

The transition game is where the Blugolds are doing major damage tonight. The Vikings already have showed time and time again that they can not handle the Blugolds pressure defense or contain their aggressive offense. The Vikings already have committed 11 turnovers. Something will have to change if the Vikings want to make a game of this one.

-Justin Harings

Winner gets Chicago

The University of Chicago just wrapped up a 66-45 victory over Edgewood College. Jamie Stinson led Chicago with 12 points, and Molly Hackney had 11 points and eight rebounds. The Maroons play the winner of the next game, UW-Eau Claire vs. North Park University (Ill.).

Speaking of UW-Eau Claire, the players are on the floor now. According to the scoreboard clock, we've got roughly 28 minutes before tipoff. Stay tuned.

-Justin Harings

Greetings from Zorn Arena

I've settled in courtside at Zorn Arena on the UW-Eau Claire campus, ready to bring you live updates on the women's college basketball game between No. 20 UW-Eau Claire (2-0) and North Park University (Ill.) (0-2). It'll be the second game of the 16th annual Thanksgiving Showcase. Right now, the University of Chicago is absolutely taking it to Edgewood College, 62-38, with roughly 6 minutes to play. The winner of the Blugolds-Vikings game will get the University of Chicago in the championship game at 8 p.m. Saturday. The loser plays Edgewood at 6 p.m. that day. All games are here at Zorn.

Tipoff is about half an hour away, so here are a few pregame notes to hold you until then.
*The Blugolds have won the Showcase three years in a row. They beat Morningside College (Iowa) 74-65 in last year's championship game.
*Here's some further information on North Park, which the Blugolds never have played before.
-North Park is a NCAA Division III school located in Chicago and has an enrollment of 3,100.
-The Vikings hail from the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW).
-They're 0-2 so far this season, and neither game has been close. They lost to Concordia 82-42 before losing to Edgewood 77-43. Remember that Edgewood is getting ripped by the University of Chicago, for whatever that's worth.
-Their coach is Jack Surridge, who is in his 12th season.
-The Vikings only have nine players listed on their roster -- two seniors, two juniors, one sophomore and four freshmen.

I'll check back in periodically throughout tonight's contest. Hopefully, everyone had a nice Thanksgiving and stress-free Black Friday.

-Justin Harings

Packers wrap up

Hey everyone,
I just finished up my work for the night and before I get some food and hit the road, I thought I'd share some postgame notes and quotes that you may not find in Monday's Leader-Telegram with you.
First the notes:
*The Packers now are 7-3 all-time against the Panthers.
*The Packers have won 13 of their past 14 games -- including seven of eight -- at Lambeau Field.
*Tramon Williams' 94-yard punt return touchdown was the second longest in team history. Steven Odom had a 95-yarder Nov. 10, 1974 against the Bears. Mark Lee (whose starting lineup figure I definitely have) also had a 94-yarder against the Giants on Nov. 8, 1981. Both of those came at Milwaukee County Stadium, so Williams' is the longest at Lambeau by a Packers player.
*Koren Robinson's 67-yard kickoff return to begin the second half was the team's longest this season.
*Donald Driver has caught a pass in 90 consecutive games.
There are a ton more, but I'm really hungry. Now onto the quotes. I've got plenty -- some advice, don't try to transcribe a 9-minute-plus Brett Favre press conference. It's just not worth it. I'll be saving some for a possible Packers feature in the next couple days, so to see those, you'll have to buy a newspaper or checkout leadertelegram.com.
Here are a few favorites:
*Corey Williams on his first sack of Vinny Testaverde: “I got a good get off. The old quarterback, he was holding the ball. I wasn’t expecting him to hold the ball as long as he did. ... I just tried to get it out of his hands.”
*Tramon Williams on what he was thinking during his punt return, which by the way was his first ever for a touchdown: “Don’t get caught by no big guys. That’s it. I just ran. I saw I had blockers.”
*Ryan Grant on the offense's balance: “The more balanced, the more versatile you are, it keeps defenses honest. They can’t play you one way. It’s even better to get the win.”
*A.J. Hawk on the team's good fortune this season: “Every team that’s successful, it seems like the breaks usually go their way. We’ve had that for the most part this season. A lot of them have gone our way. We need to make sure we keep that going.”
*Al Harris on why rookie Aaron Rouse calls Charles Woodson "Mr. Woodson" but doesn't call him "Mr. Harris.": “I’m just dirty.”
*Harris on whether he believed they'd be 9-1: “I did. We just trying to make you guys believe.”
*Brett Favre on Vinny Testaverde: “I thought Vinny played well – moved around great towards the end. I don’t think I could do it – or play as well as he did at 44.”
*Favre on tight end Donald Lee: “I don’t know if there’s a harder worker on this team. I don’t know if there’s a more determined player on this team. That pays off. That really pays off. I’ve seen him work over and over again at the things he feels he needs to get better at. Most importantly, is catches the ball when the ball’s thrown to him. The trust factor comes when you see guys making plays. For guys who know Donald in that locker room, they’ll tell you the same thing. He’s determined to improve. Some of the plays he made today were outstanding. He can run, he can fly. To have a tight end who can run like that, he’s a little undersized but he makes up for it with determination. He’s making my game better.”
*Charles Woodson on the team's good fortune: “Sometimes you need a little luck out there. Luck favors the prepared.” (This by the way, is very similar to "Chance favors the prepared mind," which is the favorite saying of the villains in Under Siege 2, starring Steven Seagal).

OK, that's all I've got. Thanks for hanging with me today. I'm going to get some food and hit the road. See you in the 715.

-Joe Ziemer

Put it in the books

There's less than 8 minutes left and the Packers have a comfortable 28-10 lead. I've run out of material -- I need to save something for my column -- so I'll bid y'all adieu until I finish writing. I'll check back in after I visit the locker room and finish writing.
I should not have gotten the chilli ...

-Joe Ziemer

We're through three

After a very slow first half, the third quarter mercifully flew by.
Vinny managed to get the Panthers into the end zone. It's a three-possession game!
The Packers have the ball at midfield to start the fourth and lead 28-10.
I really have nothing to add here. Vinny's old. The Panthers are bad. The Packers look good and are on their way to a 9-1 record.
The sad thing is Carolina still has a chance to win its division. If Steve Smith doesn't get healthy, the Panthers are going to be in trouble.
Donald Lee's having a big game for the Packers. Anyone miss Bubba Franks that much?
Oh snap, I just found out the High Life guy's name. It's Windell Middlebrooks. He was just on the jumbotron leading the crowd in "Roll out the Barrel."

-Joe Ziemer

Another milestone

Brett Favre just tied another one of Dan Marino's record.
After tossing an all-too-easy 12-yard touchdown to Donald Lee, Favre tied the Dolphins great with 62 career three-touchdown games.
Soulja Boy is getting a lot of play here for three reasons:
1. The kick coverage team seems to really, really, really like it.
2. The Packers offense is scoring a lot, thus leading to a lot of kickoffs.
3. The Panthers are awful.

Seriously, Vinny just threw another interception. This is the equivalent of a Butterbean undercard fight. In this case, Carolina is the insurance salesman from Toledo.

-Joe Ziemer

It's halftime

After a very long first half, we're at halftime with the Packers beating down the hapless Panthers 21-3.
Carolina came away with no points on its final drive despite getting a rather dumb late hit by Nick Barnett and a pass interference call on Jarrett Bush. Corey Williams then sacked Testaverde, forcing a fumble, which Aaron Kampman recovered.
On a related note, I've thought of a few fashion trends that have come and gone while Vinny's been playing in the NFL:
*Zubaz.
*Fanny packs
*Baseball hats with draw strings on them
*Flannel shirts -- both as a grunge look and a gangsta look.
*Starter jackets

I'll try to think of more. E-mail me with any y'all can come up with (joe.ziemer@ecpc.com).

I'm debating whether or not I should eat the halftime chilli. I often regret it somewhere around Wittenberg on the drive back to Eau Claire.

-Joe Ziemer

Checking in

Here's a couple notes/observations from a first half that's starting to drag a bit:
*Johnny Jolly returned to the game and made a tackle, but has gone back to the locker room. No word on his condition.
*Ryan Grant continues to impress. He made a real nice cut on a 23-yard run on the Packers' last possession and just now made another good cut against the grain on a 16-yard scamper. He's been the media darling the past couple weeks but deservedly so. Grant has 10 carries for 58 yards so far.
*Vinny Testaverde has not looked sharp. His receivers haven't exactly helped him out, but Vinny's living dangerously. He could have four interceptions.
*There's not as much blaze orange in the stands as I was expecting. I think the Packers should play one game a year in blaze orange jerseys.

-Joe Ziemer

Packers in front

As my buddy Paul just wrote me in a text message, "John Fox thought he was a smart guy for about 5 seconds."
Carolina tried the old fake field goal, pooch punt. It turned into a 94-yard touchdown return by Tramon Williams.
Johnny Jolly and Jarrett Bush had big blocks on that return. However, following the play, Jolly went to the locker room for x-rays on his right shoulder. They're telling us his return is questionable.
That leaves the Packers short-handed on the defensive line. Green Bay deactivated Colin Cole, Justin Harrell and Daniel Muir to keep all their offensive linemen active. If Jolly can't return, Cullen Jenkins may have to play inside more often.
It's now 7-3 by the way after the ageless wonder Testaverde joined the "I burned Atari Bigby deep" club to set up a John Kasay field goal.

-Joe Ziemer

We're ready for kickoff

Well, the Packers coverage unit just did their Soulja Boy dance, so it must be time for kickoff.
(Is it just me or has that song jumped the shark? It's only a matter of time before Chris Dodd busts that dance out at a campaign stop.).
Here's an interesting side note: the guy from the High Life commercials sang the national anthem ... in his delivery uniform from the commercial.
And after almost throwing an interception on his first pass, Vinny Testaverde was picked off by Aaron Rouse on his second attempt. This smells like a rout. I just can't see the Panthers scoring more than 14 points in this game. They have a 79-year-old man playing quarterback and no Steve Smith.
I'll be here all day, so if you have any questions/comments/suggestions, drop me a line at joe.ziemer@ecpc.com.

-Joe Ziemer

Good morning from Lambeau

Hey everyone. Good morning and greetings from Lambeau Field in balmy Green Bay, Wis. I'm all settled in and now that my fantasy football lineups have been set, I figure it's time to get at y'all with my first post of the day.
This is the second day in a row I find myself in a press box in the greater Green Bay area. This one is slightly larger, heated and has wireless Internet.
Apologies for not bringing you and extra info from the Blugolds' playoff win over St. Norbert on Saturday. I stayed the night at the Ziemer family farm in New London and one thing we don't have in the country is high-speed Internet. My patience with the Internet was exhausted about as soon as I e-mailed my gamer back to the office.
Anyway, I'll try to make it up to you with some extra insight, info and bad jokes about Vinnny Testaverde's age today.
FYI, Monty the family Collie predicted a Packers win. Then he made a bizarre and obscure joke involving Testaverde, Michael Dukakis and beeper technology.
OK, here's some info you might actually find useful -- inactives for today's game.
The Panthers have Matt Moore as their third quarterback. Also inactive are safety C.J. Wilson, guard Evan Mathis, tackle Frank Omiyale, defensive tackle Damione Lewis, defensive end Charles Johnson, linebacker Donte Curry and wide receiver Steve Smith. So, if Smith is in your fantasy football lineup, put him on the bench ASAP.
The Packers ' inactives are wide receiver Shaun Bodiford, corner Will Blackmon, safety Nick Collins, linebacker Tracy White, tight end Bubba Franks, and defensive tackles Colin Cole, Justin Harrell and Daniel Muir.
I'll check back again before kickoff. Now it's time to eat some food. Hopefully, they have fajitas.

-Joe Ziemer

OK This time I mean it.

No fooling this time, Ben Strickland just picked off Adam Weber with 56 seconds remaining to seal the game.

Again, be sure to check tomorrow's Leader-Telegram for more on the game.
-Adam Parks

Hold the phone

So there I go predicting the game is all but over. I should have known better than that.

Minnesota's Ralph Spry corralled a tipped deep ball thrown by Adam Weber, and took it to the house for a 71-yard touchdown. The ball was intended for freshman Jimmy Thompson, a Hayward product, but was tipped by UW freshman corner Aaron Henry. The ball floated high into the air where Spry ran under it and ran for the touchdown.

The Gophers are now back within a touchdown at 41-34.
-Adam Parks

Heading down

Looks like it's all locked up, but here's a few last minute updates before I head down for interviews:

-Zach Brown just may have put the game out of reach with his second touchdown of the day, a 4-yard touchdown run with 5:11 left to play. For the day Brown has 27 carries for 248 yards, more than twice his previous best of 108 yards he accomplished last weekend against Michigan.

- Steve Johnson recovered a muffed punt return by Minnesota's Harold Howell. Johnson covered up the ball at the Minnesota 15-yard line with less than six minutes to play to set up the touchdown.

- Eric Decker got the Gophers within a touchdown on a 4-yard touchdown pass, it was his fifth catch of the day. Decker, who has been shadowed by junior Jack Ikegwuonu for most of the game, has 121 yards on the day.

Be sure to check tomorrow's Leader-Telegram for more on the game.
-Adam Parks

Beckum hurt

Bad news Badgers fans, tight end Travis Beckum is lying on the Metrodome field after scoring a touchdown. Beckum was writhing in pain and kicking his feet feverently after the play. Beckum landed awkwardly on his right arm while reaching over the goal line for the score.

He walked off the field under his own power.

The score is now 34-20 Wisconsin.
-Adam Parks

Third quarter recap

With the third quarter coming to a close here's a few notes for you to digest (along with that cold slice of pizza you just grabbed off the table). The game is currently tied 20-20 with Wisconsin on the Minnesota 1-yard line. The Minnesota band is playing lBon Jovi's "Living on a Prayer". I'll let you make your own assumption as to why.

- For the second time today, the Badgers offense sputtered in the red zone. Wisconsin drove all the way to the Minnesota xx yard line before having to settle for a Taylor Mehlhaff xx-yard field goal. While Mehlhaff is probably grateful for the opportunity to flush his earlier miss from his mind, I'm sure he'd rather be kicking extra points.

-Minnesota tied the game on a touchdown run by Duane Bennett, the Gophers got a pair of second chances after a holding call and a pass interference call kept the drive alive.

- Zach Brown is at it again, this time churning out a 60-yard run courtesy of a couple of key pull blocks by Garrett Graham and Andy Kemp. His three quarter total is now 208 yards.

-There was a bit of bad news on the Brown run. Freshman guard John Moffitt was helped off the field by trainers on the play. In his stead, junior Andy Kemp was moved over to right guard and freshman Bill Nagy was inserted at left guard.
-Adam Parks

Welcome Home David

David Gilreath continues to make the most out of his return to his homestate. Gilreath returned the first punt of the second half 51 yards, setting up a 17-yard Zach Brown touchdown run off the left side. Gabe Carimi sealed off the defensive line while tight end Travis Beckum, not known for his blocking, sealed off the Gophers' Dominique Barber to open the hole.

In other news, Donovan returned to action on the scoring drive.
-Adam Parks

Halftime roundup

There was no shortage of excitement in the half's final 1:30.

After holding Minny to a three-and-out with 57 seconds to play, UM's Justin Kucek boomed a 51-yard punt only to see it returned by Wisconsin punt returner, and New Hope, Minn. native, David Gilreath 56 yards.

Backup quarterback Allen Evridge then made an appearance on UW's final series, a three-and-out, before Taylor Mehlhaff missed his second field goal of the game. Mehlhaff clanked a 46-yard try off the right upright.

A couple other observations:

- No word on why Donovan didn't come out for the team's final offensive series. The senior did dive head-first with his hands extended over his head, into the endzone for UW's touchdown, perhaps re-injuring the hand on the play. When we get more news I'll let you know.

- On Shane Carter's second-quarter interception, junior cornerback Jack Ikegwuonu was not on the field. That left UW with Minneapolis native Kim Royston, Josh Nettles, Ben Strickland and Aaron Henry as the dime cornerbacks in the package.

- Zach Brown just keeps getting better and better the more he sees the ball. The freshman is averaging 8.2 yards per carry after the first half, and has aleady amassed 106 yards rushing. He also displayed some shiftiness on his 64-yard run, faking out a pair of Minnesota would-be tacklers on the run.

- Minnesota quarterback Adam Weber has rushed for 74 yards on the day, the second-most yards by a quarterback against Wisconsin this season. Illinois' Juice Williams ran for 92 in a 26-31 loss for Wisconsin.

- Wisconsin has struggled to find a rhythm in the passing game, completing only three of nine attmepts. All three completions have gone to junior tight end Travis Beckum for 43 yards.
-Adam Parks

Donovan finds the end zone

The battle of the scrambling quarterbacks continues here at the Metrodome. This time, Tyler Donovan capped a 10 play, 70-yard drive with an 8-yard touchdown run to cut the Minnesota lead to 13-10.

Taylor Mehlhaff missed a 39-yard field goald wide left earlier in the quarter, otherwise Wisconisn could be headed into halftime knotted up with the Gophers.

There's only 1:30 left in the half, I'll check back in at halftime with some more thoughts.
-Adam Parks

Minnesota pads the lead

The Wisconsin defense bailed out Donovan, holding the Gophers to a Joel Monroe 24-yard field goal after the turnover. Minny now leads 13-3.

And just as I move to hit the post button, Zach Brown busts up the gut for a 64-yard run down to the Minnesota 23-yard line. Looks like the Badgers are back in business.
-Adam Parks

Minnesota leads

This was going to be a first-quarter recap, but since the Gophers couldn't wait to find the endzone, we'll just change it up.

Weber found Eric Decker on a slant route for a 22-yard Gopher touchdown. Minnesota now leads 10-3.

And now, since I can't type as fast as the action changes, Tyler Donovan's first pass on Wisconsin's ensuing possession was picked off by Freshman Kyle Theret. Donovan was trying to hit senior Paul Hubbard on an out route, but left the ball on Hubbard's back shoulder where Theret jumped the ball for the pick. Typical rivalry game.
-Adam Parks

Tie Game

The Gophers' Joel Monroe drilled a 47-yard field goal to knot up the game at 3-3 with 5:27 left in the first quarter. Minnesota drove 59 yards, thanks in large part to the rushing of quarterback Adam Weber, who racked up 48 yards rushing on four carries.

On a side note, there's still plenty of seats available here at he Metrodome, and not just nose bleed seats either, for anyone who wants to trek to Minneapolis and catch the second half.

Badgers take lead, starters notes

Taylor Mehlhaff opened up the scoring for Wisconsin with a 29-yard Field goal from the right hash.

On the ensuing kickoff, senior Paul Standring, UW's backup punter who's been playing on the punt and kickoff coverage units, pulled up lame on the play. He was helped off the field by trainers.

Lastly, one small surprise in the starting lineup defensively, with Culmer St. Jean getting the start at Mike linebacker instead of Elijah Hodge. Freshman Kirk DeCremer and Aaron Henry get the starts again at defensive end and cornerback respectively.
-Adam Parks

Starters update

A quick look at the offense shows Donovan is starting at quarterback and freshman Zach Brown getting another start at tailback. John Moffit gets another start at left guard and for the second week in a row, Eric Vanden Huevel is out of action. No big surprise on any of these personnel decisions, though after looking at Donovan's hand following last week's game, I've got to admit I'm impressed by his toughness.
-Adam Parks

Blog at your own risk

Alright, I'll admit it, I just jumped up when the University of Minnesota lit off some fireworks as the team ran out of the tunnel. That's what I get for trying to do some research instead of paying attention.

Lesson? Never take your eyes off the field.

But my real question is why in the world are they lighting off fireworks in the first place? Isn't it a little early to be celebrating? But then again what do I know.
-Adam Parks

We're live from Minneapolis

Welcome to your first-hand view from the press box for today's Big Ten finale between Wisconsin and Minnesota. It's about half an hour to kickoff and both teams are getting warmed up on the field.

For the second week in a row this writer is feeling a bit nostalgic up the box. Last week, if you recall, I was reminiscing about the great John Stocco sneak I witnessed during my last Wisconsin/Michigan experience. This week, the trip down memory lane shifts to my trip here a few years back when Jonathan Casillas blocked a Justin Kucek punt that was recovered in the endzone for a touchdown. I'm sure you all remember that, for me, I remember the guy in the stands in front of me losing his beer he was yelling so loud.

But enough of the trip down memory lane, here's a few notes about today's matchup:

- Tyler Donovan is suited up and was throwing during warmups. He didn't appear to be favoring his hand, but then again, it is just warmups.

-Wisconsin has dominated the Football Bowl Subdivision's (Formerly Division I-A) most-played series in recent years, winning 10 of the last 12 meetings and four of the last five at the Metrodome.

- Just in case there wasn't enough fuel in this rivalry fire, the Badgers received a verbal commitment from Brendan Kelly this week. Kelly, who hails from the Twin Cities suburb of Eden Prairie, was originally a Minnesota recruit before changing his mind earlier this month.

- UW assistant coach Kerry Cooks was an assistant for the Gophers in 2005.

- It's senior day for Minnesota, which means it's the end of the road for 16 Gophers players.

- We're now about 10 minutes to game time by the time I write this note, and there's still quite a few seats empty here in Minneapolis.
-Adam Parks

Martin was injured

I've been slowly plugging away at my game story, column and notes for tomorrow's paper, but I thought I'd take a quick break to share some of what I learned during postgame interviews following Eleva-Strum's 41-6 victory over Southwestern in the WIAA Division 7 state championship game.

* Blake Martin was pretty banged up, as were several Southwestern starters. Coach Dave Wills said his QB wasn't able to lift his arm above his shoulder, which obviously makes throwing a pass very difficult. That led to several passes that had more air underneath them than they should, and probably was the main reason he threw three interceptions Thursday after throwing only 12 all season. Starting running back Chris Brant was also injured, and the Wildcats were already without running back Nathan Reuter, which meant they were down to their third running back.

* Many of the Eleva-Strum players spoke of the bittersweet feeling that comes with any season coming to a close. While they are obviously happy for the state title, this is the last time that many of them will put on a football uniform. It's a very tight-knit group, and that was easy to see following the game.

* The Cardinals also hope to turn silver into gold in March. Eleva-Strum lost in last year's WIAA Division 4 state basketball title game to Randolph. Practice started Monday, but with virtually the entire team still playing football, coach Rich Roginski (who is also an assistant football coach) will hold off on hoops practice until Tuesday. Eleva-Strum is the top-ranked team in Division 4 in the Wisconsin Basketball Yearbook preseason poll.

- John Casper Jr.

It's over

You can put it on the board. Eleva-Strum is bringing home the first gold ball for football after a 41-6 victory over Southwestern. As expected, the game was fairly one-sided, although Southwestern put up a fight for the better part of three quarters.

I'm going to head down to the field for postgame interviews, but check back here all day for updates on the Cardinals victory as well as the other championship games.

And be sure to check tomorrow's Leader-Telegram for complete postgame coverage.

- John Casper Jr.

We've got a running clock

Daniel Van Pelt is the new favorite kicker of the press box.

That's because his extra point gave Eleva-Strum a 41-6 lead following Nick Zander's 3-yard touchdown run and enforced the running clock, a mercy rule in Wisconsin football enforced when one team has a 35-point lead in the second half.

The Cardinals are no stranger to the running clock. All but three of their games have ended with a running clock, including three of the previous four playoff games. Eleva-Strum will make it four of five if it can keep Southwestern out of the end zone here.

Eleva-Strum's last touchdown was set up by a Nick Rogness interception. The Cardinals have intercepted both of Blake Martin's last two pass attempts.

- John Casper Jr.

The nail in the coffin

It looks like Eleva-Strum is going to win its first football state championship in school history.

Daniel Van Pelt intercepted a Blake Martin pass on third-and-long deep in Wildcats territory, and Nick Rogness scored a touchdown on a 3-yard run to give the Cardinals a 34-6 lead with 11:25 left. Rogness is the fifth different player to score for Eleva-Strum today.

It seems only fitting that the scoring in this one is being spread around. I had a column in today's paper on how tight-knit this Eleva-Strum group is, and I wouldn't be surprised if the guys are asking coach Warren Behm to spread out the wealth the closer they get to the end zone.

- John Casper Jr.

Eleva-Strum adds to the lead

Are the Cardinals pulling away? Sure looks like it after another touchdown drive.

This one was set up by a 66-yard run by Nick Rogness, who took a sweep and followed a line of blockers across the field and down the sideline for a big run.

Two plays later, Levy Cleasby scored from 16 yards out on a counter. Cleasby limped off the field and was briefly attended to by the Eleva-Strum training staff but appears to be OK.

Eleva-Strum faked the extra-point attempt and Rongstad threw to Jordan Petersen for the two-point conversion, and the Cardinals lead 27-6.

- John Casper Jr.

Southwestern is hanging around

Eleva-Strum forced Southwestern to go three-and-out on its first possession of the second half, but a fumbled snap by Lance Rongstad and a sack stalled the Cardinals drive.

The Wildcats have the ball just inside Eleva-Strum territory as we move past the halfway mark of the third quarter. Eleva-Strum still leads 19-6 but this is very much anyone's game right now.

- John Casper Jr.

Eleva-Strum leads 19-6 at the half

Southwestern never seriously threatened on its last drive of the first half and we're going to the locker room with Eleva-Strum leading 19-6. Here's a prediction: The Cardinals will have an onsides kick to start the second half.

First half observations:

*Southwestern can move the ball. The Wildcats have as many first downs as Eleva-Strum and controlled the ball for 14:32 of the 24 first-half minutes. However, what Southwestern is lacking is the big play.

*Lance Rongstad is turning in a special performance. He's 3-for-5 passing with 49 yards, has seven carries for 55 yards, an interception and returned a kickoff 79 yards for a touchdown.

*The Eleva-Strum defensive line is starting to assert itself. Southwestern is averaging less than 3 yards a carry, and is getting nothing in the ground game unless it is from QB Blake Martin.

* The hot dogs still have their natural color. I enjoyed one along with WQOW's Bill "The Sports Report" Port and former man about town in Eau Claire and current Verona bachelor David Kmiecik, who is now working at WMTV in Madison.

- John Casper Jr.

Klopp gets in on the fun

One of the most underrated players on the Eleva-Strum football team has to be Mitchell Klopp. A 5-foot-10 and only 140 pounds, he doesn't look like much but the kid sure can move. He just had a nifty 12-yard TD run to give Eleva-Strum a 19-6 lead.

The Cardinals faked the extra point and appeared to get the two-point conversion. Holder Lance Rongstad flipped to Daniel Van Pelt, who threw it to a wide-open receiver, but the officials ruled that Rongstad's knee was down, thereby ending the play.

I had no idea that was the rule. Apparently if you fake the field goal, the holder can't have his knee down in high school. The general consensus in the press box is that the official blew the call. I'll see if I can find out more after the game.

- John Casper Jr.

Hold your horses

Wow. Using Reggie Bush-like cutback moves, Eleva-Strum's Lance Rongstad returned a kickoff 80 yards for a touchdown, and a Daniel Van Pelt extra point gave the Cardinals a 13-6 lead.

That has to be a blow to Southwestern, which moments before had tied the score.

According to the stats packet, that's the first kickoff return for a touchdown by Eleva-Strum this season. Granted, the Cardinals haven't had many opportunities, allowing only 11 TDs all season.

Rogness does have three punt returns for TDs, however.

- John Casper Jr.

Southwestern ties it

This time, the Wildcats finished a drive.

Using a beautiful catch by Zach Droeszler, Southwestern got the ball down to the Eleva-Strum 2, where QB Blake Martin ran it in for the score. Southwestern must not have a reliable kicker, because it went for the two-point conversion and didn't make it, meaning we're tied at 6.

Since the 5:27 mark of the first quarter, Eleva-Strum has only run three plays. With each first down, Southwestern is starting to gain more and more confidence against the heavily-favored Cardinals.

We're at the 6:04 mark of the second quarter, and Eleva-Strum is about to receive the kickoff.

- John Casper Jr.

E-S defense comes up big

Southwestern's drive went all the way inside the Eleva-Strum 20 but Jordan Petersen tipped a pass that was intercepted by Lance Rongstad, ending the Wildcats' threat.

However, the Cardinals went three-and-out, and now Southwestern has the ball at the Cardinals 47.

And by the way, we have no idea why Southwestern quarterback Blake Martin's pants are a different shade of blue (almost light purple). Dave Boehler thinks it was a laundry accident.

- John Casper Jr.

We may have a game on our hands

It's amazing how a simple false start penalty can kill a drive. A promising Eleva-Strum drive was stalled by a false start penalty and may have given Southwestern a shot in the arm. The Wildcats are in the midst of an impressive drive, and have a first-and-10 at the Eleva-Strum 19 at the end of the first quarter. It's still 6-0.

I'm no longer alone in the press box. Intrepid AP reporter Dave DeGrace and enigmatic Journal Sentinel prep writer Dave Boehler have decided to join me.

Only DeGrace was brave enough to eat one of the free hot dogs. I'm holding out until noon.

- John Casper Jr.

Eleva-Strum on the board

After losing to Gilman 42-0 in last year's Division 7 title game, Eleva-Strum quarterback Lance Rongstad mentioned to coach Warren Behm the Cardinals needed to incorporate the spread into their offensive game plan.

It's a good thing Behm listened.

The Cardinals have employed the spread a bit more the season — including for all of a playoff victory over Independence/Gilmanton — and used it almost exclusively to score on their first drive of the game. Nick Zander scored on a 9-yard run less than 2 minutes into this one, and Eleva-Strum leads 6-0. The key play of the drive was a 43-yard pass from Rongstad to Nick Rogness.

The drive wasn't perfect, however. Kevin Deetz fumbled the opening kickoff (Rongstad fell on the ball) and Rongstad had a tipped pass that was almost intercepted.

Southwestern has the ball now, using their Tim Tebow-like quarterback Blake Martin and the spread offense.

- John Casper Jr.

We're live in Madison

You're looking live at a blog from Camp Randall Stadium on the campus of the University of Wisconsin where in a few minutes the Eleva-Strum Cardinals will battle the Southwestern Wildcats for the WIAA Division 7 state championship.

We're about 20 minutes before kickoff, and be sure to come back all morning and afternoon for updates from the Camp.

In case you were wondering, Eleva-Strum is sporting its home red uniforms and black pants. I have to say they look sharp. Southwestern is wearing white tops with blue numbers and blue pants.

Eleva-Strum has the sideline below the press box, so I can't speak for the size of the crowd. I guess I could venture out into the stands but it's cold out there.

As for the state-wide media, I'm holding down the front row of the press box. It is a bit odd to be the only one up here. I showered and everything, so there's no reason for people to stay away.

If you have any questions about the game or my hygenie habits, feel free to leave a comment or send me an e-mail at john.casper@ecpc.com.

Enjoy!

- John Casper Jr.

Watch all of the state semifinal games

In its never-ending quest to offer more ways to promote high school athletics, the WIAA and When We Were Young Productions have put up complete video from every state semifinal game. Go check it out for yourself.

I've been watching Southwestern and its big QB Blake Martin. The Wildcats run a similar offense to what the University of Florida does with Tim Tebow. Should make for an entertaining Division 7 state championship game against Eleva-Strum.

Also, check back here Thursday morning for live updates from Camp Randall Stadium. I'll be blogging from the press box. I'll also see if I can add some postgame reaction later in the day.

- John Casper Jr.

Wrapping things up

We're at the 2-minute warning, and I'll tie up some loose ends from the fourth quarter before heading down to the locker room. The Packers are up 34-0.

*Aaron Rodgers is getting some playing time for the Packers. He looks good, and he's getting an opportunity to throw some passes.
*Brett Favre's final touchdown pass to Ruvell Martin was his third of the game. That's the 61st time he's had three or more TDs in his career. Only Dan Marino (62) has more.
*Koren Robinson saw some action in the fourth. He caught a couple balls and made a few solid open-field moves.
*Chester Taylor looks good filling in for injured rookie Adrian Peterson. He's been able to find some holes and break off a few lengthy runs.

As the fans head toward the exits, I'll do the same. Make sure to check out Monday's Leader-Telegram for more coverage. Thanks for sticking with me today.

-Justin Harings

We're through three

Three quarters are complete, and the Packers have this game in hand, leading 27-0. The score's not close, but there are some important things to note from the third quarter.
*First and foremost, Vikings RB Adrian Peterson looked like he suffered an ugly injury with 1:28 to go in the third. He was flipped head-over-heels on a run, and he was writhing in pain on the ground. He was putting some weight on his leg as he was helped off the field. We were told that he has a knee injury and his return is questionable. Pretty vague, but that's all they'll give us right now.
*Packers RT Mark Tauscher looked visibly injured during the third. He was hobbling around on his left ankle, and it was confirmed just minutes ago. He could return, but with the score the way it is, he likely will not.
*Brett Favre is appears to be fine after taking a scary blow to the head from Kenechi Udeze.
*The Packers' kickoff-coverage unit is amped up today. Before every kickoff, they gather in a tight circle and rip off a loose rendition of the dance that accompanies Soulja Boy's "Crank Dat."

-Justin Harings

One half in the books

We're halfway done here in Green Bay, and the Packers extended their lead to 13-0. Here are some more things I've noticed from my perch high above Lambeau Field.

*The Packers made a curious decision to end the first half. At the Vikings 12-yard line with about 9 seconds to play and two timeouts, the Packers opted to let the clock run down to 3 seconds before having Mason Crosby boot a field goal as time expired. It seemed as if they could have burned their other timeout and let Brett Favre take one more shot at the end zone.
*Ryan Grant, who sparkled in the first half, wasn't in during the 2-minute drill. We in the press box have not been alerted of any injury to him, but Brandon Jackson got the work all the same.
*The Packers' newfound rushing game has let them dominate time of possession. They ate up 8 minutes, 15 seconds on their first field-goal drive in the second quarter. They have held the ball for 19:59 -- nearly double the Vikings.
*The announced attendance is 70,945. That's the largest regular-season attendance figure in the long, storied history of Lambeau Field.
*Brett Favre reached 60,000 career passing yards during the second quarter. He's only the second player in NFL history to do so. The other was Dan Marino, who finished with 61,361 yards.

As a sidenote, Miami and St. Louis, the last two winless teams in the NFL, are leading in their respective games. Why do I mention this? During our NFL picks this week, Joe Ziemer and I ridiculed the coin for sticking with the Dolphins and Rams. If this keeps up, we may have to retract our criticism.

-Justin Harings

First-quarter observations

Here are some tidbits after one quarter of play. The Packers lead the Vikings 7-0.

*Ryan Grant looks fantastic. He's shifty, hitting the hole hard and running with a purpose against a stout Vikings rush defense. He has eight carries for 81 yards, including a tough 30-yard touchdown run. In the Packers' first drive alone, Grant had three carries for 49 yards and two catches for 11.
*His statistics aren't quite as gaudy, but Adrian Peterson continues to impress. He's got 36 yards on seven carries, and the rookie just flat runs over people. He's clearly the focus of the Vikings offense, touching the ball nearly every snap.
*After all of the controversy surrounding his grandmother's funeral, Troy Williamson is active for the Vikings. He returned the opening kickoff 24 yards.
*Those in attendance at Lambeau Field got to see a moving tribute to the late Max McGee midway through the quarter. It was set to Louis Armstrong's "What a Wonderful World."
*Former Packers running back John Brockington, who played from 1971-77, is in attendance.

-Justin Harings

Blugolds make postseason field

The NCAA Division III football tournament field was scheduled to be announced early today. And UW-Eau Claire, after a narrow victory over UW-Stout on Saturday, is ... in.

UW-Eau Claire (8-2) will visit St. Norbert (10-0) in the first round Saturday in De Pere. The winner of that game will face either Bethel (Minn.) or Concordia.

UW-Whitewater is the only other WIAC team in the field. The Warhawks (9-1) play Capital (Ohio) on Saturday in Whitewater.

The NCAA's entire DIII bracket is here.

-Justin Harings

We're live from Lambeau

After a tedious early morning drive, I finally have arrived at Lambeau Field. I'll spit out a new post when I see something noteworthy, so be sure to check back regularly throughout today's Packers-Vikings contest.

Kickoff is more than an hour away, but many players already have found their way to the field. Here are some quick pregame notes:
*Wisconsin grad Brooks Bollinger is starting at QB for the Vikings today in place of Tarvaris Jackson. Kelly Holcomb is third-string, and Koy Detmer's tenure was the team turned out to be short-lived. He was cut.
*Noteable inactives for the Vikings include WR Sidney Rice, S Mike Doss and CB Antoine Winfield. Some inactives for the Packers are S Nick Collins, T Tony Moll, TE Bubba Franks and rookie DT Justin Harrell.
*Today's game will be the 94th edition of the NFC North rivalry. The Packers hold a slight advantage in the all-time series, leading 47-44-1.
*It's no surprise, but today's game is sold out. That's the the 250th consecutive regular-season sellout at Lambeau Field (264 including playoffs).
*Aaron Kampman, the NFC defensive player of the month for October, and the eighth-ranked Packers defense will have to stop Vikings rookie phenom Adrian Peterson, who rolled up 296 rushing yards a week ago. The Packers only have allowed three rushing TDs this season.
*Here's a fun one. According to Elias Sports Bureau, Greg Jennings is only the second Packers player in the last 50 seasons with a 60-plus yard touchdown catch in back-to-back games. The last time it was done was James Lofton in 1983.

For now, though, I'm off to take advantage of the free eats. I hope it's a fajita bar.

-Justin Harings

More from the I-94 rivalry

The UW-Eau Claire football team escaped I-94 rival UW-Stout 17-14 on Saturday afternoon at Carson Park to keep alive their hopes for a berth in the NCAA Division III tournament. Check Sunday's Leader-Telegram for expanded coverage, but here's some stuff that didn't make the cut.

Todd Glaser, UW-Eau Claire coach
"I thought it was an evenly matched game. It’s a rivalry game, so that’s what you’re going to get, and we were lucky enough to get it in the end zone at the end there."
"Again, I think it’s to our upperclassmen. They never stopped believing all the way through the game. They did a great job of coming out and executing when they had to."

Mitch Schaeuble, UW-Eau Claire quarterback/punter
"Obviously, we would have like to have done better (this season), but I think it’s saying enough for this squad here that we come together and persevere over some injuries and get to 8-2 and second by ourselves."
"I think we are (deserving of a tournament bid). Our conference, to me, stands out over any other conference, and it’s just unfortunate that we can’t pick our way in."
"Our guys did a great job. We knew we had the potential to be good, and to be honest, early on -- after our starting quarterback (Kyle Paulson) went down -- it was a little frustrating to try to persevere through that and get back on the winning road. To finish 8-2 is a great achievement, and it’s something I won’t forget."

Tony Hull, UW-Eau Claire wide receiver
"The seniors — this is one hell of a game to go out on top with. I mean, Stout, home, winning the way we did. We’ll take it, and this is definitely going to be one we’re going to remember."

Duey Naatz, UW-Stout coach
"I think Eau Claire came out a little quicker than we did and played a little harder to start. It was a battle all the way through, and congratulations to them. I’m real proud of our team and their effort and their season. It’s tough because it’s a rival game where our seniors our done, but they’ll be with us forever as part of our team."
"Our kids played hard today, and they played hard all season. I’m proud of them for that. We didn’t make enough plays today, and that’s the way football goes. The team that makes the most plays wins."

The 32-team tournament will be announced at 10:30 a.m. Sunday. It will be broadcast on ESPNU. Check back here to see if the Blugolds sneaked into the field.

-Justin Harings

Blugolds fall in NCAA soccer tourney

Soccer can be a funny game. The Blugolds probably aren't laughing right now though.
Despite an almost dominant first half, host UW-Eau Claire was eliminated from the NCAA tournament Saturday with a 2-1 loss to Wartburg (Iowa) at Bollinger Fields.
Over the whole 90 minutes, the Blugolds (18-2-2) were the more dangerous team. They just couldn't convert their half chances into chances and their chances into goals. Wartburg (17-3-1) didn't have as many chances, but managed to convert two of them.
I'll have full game details in Sunday's Leader-Telegram, but here are a few notes and observations:
* Junior Allison Smith missed the game because of suspension, so Allison Muer deputized for her at sweeper. Muer normally plays midfield, but played very well at the back.
Where the Blugolds did miss Smith was on goal kicks, long clearances and set pieces. Smith normally takes UW-Eau Claire's corner kicks and free kicks. Saturday those duties were split among various players, including Muer, Smith's twin sister Amy and freshman Jamie Schiesel.
*Desperate for offense, coach Sean Yengo switched to a 3-4-3 formation with about 26 minutes remaining. He pushed Muer back into the midfield and slid Haelee Maurer and Gina Christenbury alongside Amy Smith up top. Even that move really didn't lead to the kind of offensive pressure Yengo was looking for.
*Freshman defender Andrea Hull, an Eau Claire Memorial grad, played some important minutes for the Blugolds. As UW-Eau Claire was pushing for a late equalizer, Yengo stayed with the freshman substitute at right back.
*Senior defender Anna Talbot was a very deserving choice for Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference player of the year. Talbot, who plays a stopper role in the center of the Blugolds defense, has great instincts and almost always is in the right position. She really kept the defense organized.
"It’s a great honor, obviously," Talbot said. "I didn’t see it coming at all. You don’t get an award like that unless you have a team that’s talented and supportive. My team was awesome. We’re a family. I know that wouldn’t have happened without them."

- Joe Ziemer

First half thoughts

Wisconsin did a solid job in the first half of containing Michigan standout wide receiver Mario Manningham in the first half, holding him to just one reception. Unfortunately, that catch was a 12-yard touchdown reception. Manningham beat his shadow, UW's Jack Ikegwuonu, when Ikegwuonu lost his footing allowing Manningham to find the endzone.

--Tyler Donovan made the most athletic play on UW's last offensive series of the second quarter. With pressure coming from all sides, Donovan spun away from an apparent sack twice before scrambling for the far sideline. But rather than run out of bounds the senior stopped, checked he was behind the line of scrimmage and fired a dart right over the head of Michigan's Brandon Harrison to Travis Beckum for a 26-yard gain. Beckum has 5 receptions for 97 yards and a touchdown.

Stats update:
--It's no secret where Tyler Donovan loves to go with the ball, but so far the Wolverines haven't been able to contain Travis Beckum. The results have been solid for Donovan as he's currently 9-of-18 for 163 yards and a touchdown.

--Don't forget about senior wideout Paul Hubbard, who's made the most of his three receptions, gaining 61 yards.

--As expected, the Badgers' ground attack has been a two-headed monster with Zach Brown starting and Lance Smith providing a shifty change of pace. Smith currently has a game-high, 52 yards while Brown has chipped in with 25. Tyler Donovan's shown is running prowess as well, gaining 31 yards on three carries.


--Ryan Mallett has filled in well for Chad Henne, who's been battling a nagging shoulder injury and left in the first quarter. Mallett's 6-of-9 for 100 yards and a touchdown on the game.

--Mike Hart hasn't made an appearance for U-M, so sophomore Carlos Brown carrying the rushing load with 7 carries for 27 yards

-Adam Parks

First quarter observations

Michigan head coach Lloyd Carr put on quite a show after the Badgers' first touchdown, letting the men in the black and white stipes know exactly how he felt. It wasn't clear what caused the outburst (maybe his team's pair of personal foul penalties?), but his assistants had to restrain Carr and bring him back to the sidelines.

Speaking of those penalties, the Wolverines, and perhaps more specifically Shawn Crable, certainly gift-wrapped Wisconsin's first score with two personal foul penalties--both roughing the quarterback calls. Crable's first penalty came on a first down throw by Tyler Donovan that was intercepted by Jamar Adams, the late hit, however, negated the play. Crable evidently didn't learn from the mistake and later in the drive, lunged at Badgers' quarterback Tyler Donovan on an option pitch. unlike the first call, Crable was nowhere late on the hit, but drilled Donovan with a forearm club to the helmet that drew the ire of the officials.

--Freshman corner Aaron Henry was hurt on the last defensive play of the first quarter for UW, but ran off the field under his own power.

-- The "Hudson side" of the Badgers' offensive line was without Eric Vanden Heuvel, who was questionable at best heading into the game after an injured foot forced him out of the Badgers' game against Ohio State last week. Junior Kraig Urbik moved from right guard to right tackle with Andy Kemp, returning this week from a broken hand, joining him at right guard.

--During senior day introductions, injured wide receiver Luke Swan threw away his crutches to walk onto the field with his teammates. Needless to say, the fan response was tremendous.

--The Badgers ended the quarter in style with Donovan hitting Travis Beckum for a 34-yard completion.

Where does this Menomonie team rank?

Needless to say, there have been some pretty darn good football teams at Menomonie over the years.

This was the first one I got to experience up close for a whole season, but I've admired the Indians program from afar for the last five years. And although I don't have much experience covering the team, I can't imagine a squad that got more out of less than this year's bunch, which ended its season with a 35-14 loss to Kimberly on Friday night at D.C. Everest.

Sure, Jon Heimler is a legit Division II wide receiver, Isaac Harris is a tough back to wrap up and Jared Sawle is a pure playmaker, but the rest of the team was undersized and inexperienced.

Yet, there they were. A few plays from making it back to Camp Randall Stadium and the state championship game.

"If anyone would have seen us in our first scrimmage, we were a terrible football team," Menomonie coach Joe LaBuda told me after the game. "We started the season with no returning starters on defense. When you are that young to begin with and you lose five full-time starters to injury and you still get this far, it has to do with one thing, and that's integrity. This was a great group of kids, one of the greatest groups of character I've ever had.

"We weren't the biggest Menomonie football team, we weren't the fastest Menomonie football team, we weren't the most athletic Menomonie football team, but we got to the final four based on the type of kids that we have."

- John Casper Jr.

Blugolds Women's Cross Country

You can read up on the UW-Eau Claire Women's Cross Country team's trip to the NCAA Regionals in tomorrow's Leader-Telegram but here's a few notes that didn't make the final cut:

-- While the Blugolds will understandably be familiar with the course for this weekend's NCAA Regional, they won the WIAC title there two weeks ago, the team should also have an advantage come NCAA Nationals time. The Blugolds have also seen the course in Northfield, Minn. Both courses tend to be flatter runs, which is just fine with senior Molly Warner who said she prefers the flat courses. "I tend to do better on the flats than on the hills. On a flat course I just get into a rhythm and I don’t have the hills to break up my stride."

-- There isn't much radically different in new head coach Dan Schwamberger's coaching philosophy two minor changes for the team include: measuring their workouts in minutes rather than miles and utilizing more short distance excercises.

-- Schwamberger seems to have created a solid bond with the team in just under six months. To a person the ladies genuinely seemed to like their newest coach.

-- The Blugolds top competition should come from the Washington (Mo.) the No.3-ranked team in the nation.

-Adam Parks

Badgers win 74-35

I'll have a few more details from this one once I get back to Eau Claire, but I wanted to share a few real quick thoughts.

*Bo Ryan didn't realize that Terry Gibbons was the one that handed him his last DIII loss. He talked for a while about Ken Anderson before asking recently retired UW-Eau Claire sports information director Tim Peterman how long he'd been at UW-Eau Claire. When Peterman said he'd been there for 40 years, Ryan was incredulous.

*The common theme coming from Gibbons and the Blugolds players was experience. This wasn't a game that they were going to win, but they still wanted to have a good time doing it. Although they shot 26 percent and were outrebounded by 26, it's safe to say the Blugolds had a fun time.

*It appears that the Blugolds won't have a very deep bench. If this game is any indication, the starting five will be Dan Beyer, Steve Hoelzel, Zack Ryan, Colin Boone and Rashann Goodwin. Geoff Probst and Ryan Shea are the first off the bench, but that's probably it. Amadou Fofana and Luke Meier both played eight minutes, but most of that came in the final part of the second half.

*As for Wisconsin, they are going to be solid down low. But consistent scoring is going to be a problem and teams with explosive wing players will create matchup issues. Trevon Hughes has the potential to be a very, very good player, however.

- John Casper Jr.

Halftime stats update

We're at halftime here at the Kohl Center, where the Badgers lead UW-Eau Claire 38-23.

A few quick halftime stats that caught my eye:

*The Badgers are outrebounding the Blugolds 21-6. While the Blugolds pregame notes package boasts UW-Eau Claire's average height is 6-foot-4, all but three players on the Badgers' roster are at least that tall. Joe Krabbenhoft lead the Badgers in rebounds with five. He also has a game-high 13 points.

*The Blugolds' leading scorer is Geoff Probst, who has done most of his damage behind the 3-pointe line. He's 3-of-4, including a shot-clock buzzer-beater just before halftime that drew a few oooos from the Kohl Center crowd.

*UW has a 22-4 points in the paint advantage and is shooting 55.6 percent. The Blugolds, on the other hand, are shooting 32 percent.

*The Blugolds' Dan Beyer is 2-for-7 with five points and three rebounds, but it's obvious he's the team's go-to player. He's forced a few things inside trying to get to the line, hence the low shooting percentage. He should be a quality player in the WIAC this season.

- John Casper Jr.

First half observations from the Kohl Center

We're a little past the midway point of the first half, and it's gone about as well as UW-Eau Claire had hoped. And while they aren't exactly Hoosiers-type moments, the Blugolds have done a few things that raised an eyebrow or two.

Among them:

*6-foot-7 forward Dan Beyer drilled a 3-pointer on the Blugolds first possession to give them a 3-2 lead. Trevon Hughes answered on the other end, and the Badgers have led ever since.

*6-foot-6 forward Geoff Probst drilled two 3-pointers to cut what once was a 9-point Badgers lead down to 18-16.

*A bullet of a pass from junior guard Colin Boone — a Memorial product — to Steve Hoelzel for a wide-open layup.

Nobody expected UW-Eau Claire to win this game, but the Blugolds are still getting some great experience against a very solid UW team.

- John Casper Jr

We're live from the Kohl Center

Greetings from the bowels of the Kohl Center on the campus of the University of Wisconsin for tonight's matchup between the Badgers and UW-Eau Claire.

It's about an hour before tipoff. The Blugolds made a stop at a pre-game gathering of UW-Eau Claire alumni and supporters in one of the suites before heading to the locker room. The squad appeared loose and willing to take in the atmosphere. Coach Terry Gibbons has repeatedly said how this is an experience of a lifetime for his kids, and they are treating it like on.

Here's a few quick hitters from the Blugolds pregame notes:

*The last time Gibbons faced Wisconsin coach Bo Ryan was Feb. 3, 1999. Ryan was in the last of his 15 seasons at UW-Platteville. The Blugolds won the game 68-51, handing the Pioneers their only conference loss of the season. UW-Platteville went on to win the Division III national title. The following season, the Blugolds were the national runner-up.

*The Blugolds made two cuts on their roster this week and only return 11 letterwinners, not 13 as Gibbons originally said on media day. In a somewhat surprising move, Jared Bardon, the second-leading scorer on last year's team, was cut for "performance-related reasons." The Blugolds also graduated third-leading scorer Matt Riley.

*The team's leading scorer from a season ago, Dan Beyer, is back. Beyer led the Blugolds in rebounds as well, and scored a league-high 40 points against UW-Whitewater.

*The average height of this year's team is almost 6-foot-4.

A few quick notes from the Badgers"

*The Badgers are 45-4 all-time in exhibition games and have won the last 30 straight. They have not lost since falling to the Russian National Team 87-81 on Nov. 17, 1992.

*They are coming off a 77-48 victory over Edgewood College on Sunday. Freshman Jon Leuer led all scorers with 15 points on 6-of-7 shooting.

*In the four years since the NCAA allowed Division I teams to play Divisions II and III in the exhibition season, UW has outscored its opponents by an average of 33.3 points.

*Aside from Leuer, the Badgers freshman class includes Wisconsin's Mr. Basketball Keaton Nankivil (an award he shared with current Marquette guard Scott Christopherson) and Gatorade Player of the Year Tim Jarmusz. Nankivil, a Madison Memorial product, and Jarmusz, an Oshkosh West grad, won a combined three Division 1 state titles while in high school.

*Redshirt freshman Brett Valentyn's father, Tim, played for the Blugolds from 1974-'77. Brett Valentyn is a 6-foot-4 walk-on guard from Verona.

- John Casper Jr.

Bethke making an impact

Former Eau Claire Memorial soccer standout Katie Bethke hasn't suffered any growing pains in her freshman season at the University of Minnesota. She's been a major contributor for the improved Gophers this season, leading the Big Ten in assists. All that and more is covered in Tuesday's Leader-Telegram. There's also an update on some other area players. So soccer fans, be sure to check that out.
I was in Madison last Sunday and caught Bethke and the Gophers taking on the Badgers. Minnesota won 1-0 on a Bethke assist. The impact she's making certainly will help further draw attention to soccer in this area.
I had a chance to chat with Katie, her coach and some teammates after the game. Here's some quotes that didn't make the article:

Katie Bethke on the college game:
“It’s a completely different level. The intensity is higher. Obviously, the girls are better. It’s do or die. It’s just amazing playing with these girls.”

Gophers coach Mikki Denney Wright
On Bethke's impact as a freshman:
“I thought she could do it. We talked about it and we knew she’d have to battle for it, but I knew she could contribute right away. I think that’s one of the reasons she came to Minnesota because she could contribute.”
On the Gophers' youth movement:
“I think they know coming in they’re going to contribute because our program’s still building. I think that’s really important.”
On what makes Bethke an effective forward:
“She has incredible service and then when she’s in the box, she finishes everything. She’s so composed in the box and that’s just a gift for forwards. She’s been a great compliment to our other forward, (senior Lindsey) Schwartz. They’ve been really good together.”
On what this season has meant to the Gophers:
“This is huge. I think it’s been a battle the whole way, just like we knew it’d be. But I think the character of our players has come through. We scored a sweep this weekend on the road. That’s unbelievable.”

Senior forward Lindsey Schwartz on Bethke's crossing ability:
“She does a great job. She always tries to pick someone out. She likes to wait for us to get in the box so she’s not crossing it to no one. She can usually find someone’s head or foot.”

Junior midfielder Kaitlin Wagner on how the younger Gophers have adjusted to college soccer:
“I think the upperclassmen have done a good job of showing them the ropes. They’ve been very receptive and learned from the experiences. We had a rough patch even in Big Tens and they learned from it. It shows how they can bounce back. It’s been fun having a young team. It just means the next three seasons are going to be pretty good.”

- Joe Ziemer

Quilling commits to UW-Green Bay

Eau Claire North point guard Hannah Quilling has given a verbal commitment to play basketball at UW-Green Bay on Sunday. Look for the story in Tuesday's Leader-Telegram.

Here's a few tidbits that won't appear in the story:

* Quilling said that she was really sold on the academics of UW-Green Bay. I know that every athlete says that, but it wasn't just a cliche. She was really impressed with the school.

* She also said that playing in Green Bay will allow family and friends to see her play. The Phoenix usually play road games against Marquette and Wisconsin and have two games a year with UW-Milwaukee, meaning that her friends that attend colleges across the state can check her out the next four years.

* North coach Dan Sippel said that he didn't put any additional pressure on Quilling to make up her mind before the season started, even though a uncommitted senior that attracts DI looks can be a bit of a distraction. "I wanted her to take the time and make sure this was the best decision for Hannah," he said. That's the exact attitude a high school coach should have.

* Quilling hasn't played with anyone on the current UW-Green Bay roster, but she has played against junior point guard Kati Harty, who went to school at Ashwaubenon.

* Quilling is new UWGB coach Matt Bonnett's third recruit — and all have been point guards. Algoma's Sam Zastow and De Pere's Adrian Ritchie (who is only a junior) will also play in Green Bay.

State volleyball, etc.

Here's some extra reaction from Regis' 3-1 loss to Cuba City in the WIAA Division 3 state semifinals Friday at the Resch Center in Ashwaubenon:

Regis coach Erika Johnson:
“It just seemed like we were a step behind where we needed to be the whole game.”
“These seniors, this team and this state trip have been three years in the making. Some of these seniors have been with me since they were sophomores.”
“It just wasn’t our day today. We lost to a good team. There’s no shame in that. They blocked us really well.”

Regis senior outside hitter Tessa Warner:
“We have to think of all the things we accomplished this season, like beating Stanley-Boyd, beating McDonell, beating our rivals. We just know we played our last game in the best place it could be played.”
“They had some really good blocks. They were up for everything and we just couldn’t hit through it.”

Regis senior libero Megan Smoczyk:
“We really fought to get here. We had to play a lot of tough teams. I know any of those teams would give anything to be here right now. It’s really hard because we not only let ourselves down, we let down a lot of other people.”
“This is exactly what I wanted – to have my last game at state. I’m just disappointed in the way it ended, walking out knowing I could have done a lot better than what I did.”
“We knew they were good blockers coming in. They just really showed it. It was hard for us even to go outside and hit because they blocked nearly everything. All the blocks would go straight down. It was so hard to get them up. We just weren’t ready for it.”
“It’s really disappointing, coming in beating the defending state champs to get here and beating a lot of other really hard teams. Playing our game, getting here and not playing the best we can is really disappointing.”

I do think the Ramblers were capable of beating Cuba City. It just wasn't their day. But they had a very nice season and certainly came a long way from when I saw them get beat by North 3-0 way back at the beginning of the season.
Oh, and for the three of you who were wondering, I did in fact make it to Kroll's West for my meal of cheeseburgers. I took down two plus a chocolate malt. L-T photographer Andi Stempniak decided not to take part in the meal, which can be attributed to either the vast amounts of grease and butter or my table manners.

- Joe Ziemer

Menomonie upsets opponent with venue change

Friday night's Divison 2 football game between Menomonie and Lakeland had the T-Birds listed as the home team, but it sure didn't feel like a home game to them.

The contest was originally scheduled to be played in Minocqua, since Lakeland had hosted fewer playoff games than the Indians.

However, according to Lakeland coach Don Scharbarth, Menomonie claimed to have between 2,500 and 3,000 fans attending the contest and got the WIAA to change the venue to Thom Field in Wausau. Though the sting of defeat was still fresh, Scharbarth was clearly unhappy with the situation following the game.

"You saw by the size of the crowd tonight they only brought about 1,200 people," Scharbarth said. "They pulled a fast one and got away with it and got the game moved to Wausau."

- Adam Parks

Blugolds youngsters making difference

The UW-Eau Claire women's soccer team has the potential to do some damage in the NCAA Division III tournament this season. But no matter what the Blugolds do in the coming weeks, they look like they're building a solid foundation for next year and beyond, to say the least.

Of the five players that scored in the Blugolds' 5-1 victory over UW-La Crosse in the semifinals of the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference tournament Friday morning at Bollinger Fields, three were freshmen -- Gina Christenbury, Jamie Schiesel and Liz Hunter. Freshmen Haelee Maurer, Christine Schounard, Kelsey Figg, Megan Hillesheim, Andrea Hull, Ashley McEachern and Ali Mater also saw time Friday.

Only four of 27 players on the Blugolds roster -- goalie Liz Weirick, forward Jana Huebner and defenders Abby Ofstedahl and Anna Talbot -- are seniors in terms of eligibilty.

That's bad news for the rest of the WIAC.

-Justin Harings

Regis falls at state

Regis lost to unbeaten Cuba City 23-25, 25-21, 25-16, 25-20 in the WIAA Division 3 state semifinals Friday at the Resch Center in Ashwaubenon.

The Ramblers just didn't look like the same team that had played so well throughout the playoffs. Maybe it was some state tournament nerves, but Regis just wasn't on its game.

The Ramblers looked like they had some momentum after stealing the first game, but had trouble with a very good Cuba City block.

There will be plenty more match details in Saturday's Leader-Telegram.

Not the way Regis wanted the season to end but the Ramblers had a fantastic season and represented the Western Cloverbelt Conference and the Chippewa Valley very well.

- Joe Ziemer

Blugolds women's soccer in title game

The UW-Eau Claire women's soccer team will play for the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference title once again.

The Blugolds beat UW-La Crosse 5-1 today behind goals from five different players and will play either UW-Whitewater or UW-Stevens Point in the championship game on Saturday.

- John Casper Jr.

McDonell/Regis loses at state soccer

The magical ride of the McDonell/Regis boys soccer team came to an end Friday with a 2-1 loss to Wrightstown in a WIAA Division 3 state semifinal game.

Mike Nezworski scored in the 22nd minute to put McDonell/Regis ahead early, but Wrightstown scored a pair of second-half goals for the victory.

McDonell/Regis had 11 shots but couldn't find the back of the net aside from Nezworski's goal.

For more, check Saturday's Leader-Telegram.

- John Casper Jr.

Greetings from Ashwaubenon

Well, it's already been a pretty successful day for me. I managed to lock my keys in my car in the Lambeau Field parking lot. But everything's good now and we're about an hour away from first serve at the Resch Center.

Big props to the WIAA for setting up wireless internet here. Wireless is pretty much my favorite thing in the world outside of making and eating meatloaf.

I just talked to a few of the Regis players and coaches in the hallway and they seem loose and ready to go. They'll have their hands full with an unbeaten Cuba City team. But keep this in mind: Oostburg was unbeaten when Stanley-Boyd beat it in the Division 3 state title match last season.

Anyway, I'll check back in when there's something to report here.

- Joe Ziemer

Rosemeyer's knee gets a break

Gilman quarterback Trevor Rosemeyer certainly won't return to anywhere near full strength this season after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his knee in September, but the injured standout got a much-needed week of rest in preparation for the Pirates' game against Shell Lake (10-1) in the third round of the WIAA playoffs Saturday.

Rosemeyer practiced in pads Thursday for the first time since the Pirates (9-2) eliminated top-seeded Plum City 35-21 in the second round last weekend. Pirates coach Robin Rosemeyer said that Trevor did some running with the team earlier in the week, and he added that Trevor's knee was "as good as it could be" given the situation.

But, after all, he does have a torn ACL. Trevor completed 7 of 15 passes for 71 yards without a touchdown or an interception last Saturday. He started and led the offense until the Pirates, the defending state champs in Division 7, put the game out of reach late in the fourth quarter. However, there's no question that he had little to offer in the way of mobility. He did scramble when pressured, but his hurt knee kept him from even flirting with the corner on a run.

Whatever Trevor can't offer his team with only one good knee, though, he makes up for with his leadership and knowledge of the offense. Robin said that "things just go a little bit smoother" when Trevor's under center, and the results evidence that. The Pirates' back-to-back losses -- Chippewa Falls McDonell and Owen-Withee -- were sans their starting quarterback.

With Trevor's big-play ability missing in action, the Pirates looked to running backs Matt Rudnick and Dustan Zach to carry the burden. And they just did just that, combining for 288 yards and five touchdowns on the ground.

Robin hopes his team can become more balanced offensively, but expect to see more of Rudnick and Zach if his plan doesn't come to fruition.

-- Justin Harings