Here's a few extra tidbits that didn't make their way into the game story:
-- For two seasons Memorial coach Mike Schwengler has wanted his defensemen to be a little more aggressive in the offensive end and it appears senior David Donnellan has taken his coach's desires to heart.
Donnellan was all over the ice Thursday against Eau Claire North, taking his chances against Huskies goaltender Conrad Kersten and, in particular, was especially aggressive skating the puck into the offensive zone.
According to Schwengler, the aggressive approach from Donnellan when pushing the puck into the offensive zone is a way for Memorial to combat opponents who try to pinch the Old Abes wings when they advance through the neutral zone.
"We're still having trouble regrouping in the neutral zone and we want our guy in the middle to move to one of the wings because teams with speed are pinching us," Schwengler said. "His reads are, if he doesn't see anyone in the neutral zone moving, he's going to take off and go."
-- Memorial has a tough turnaround after Thursday's game against North as the Old Abes play Rice Lake at 4:30 p.m. on Friday at Hobbs Ice Arena. The game was rescheduled following its cancellation because of Tuesday's inclement weather, though Schwengler isn't worried about the effect it might have on his team.
"We did it over Christmas over the Christmas tournament and if we're fortunate enough to make it to tourney time its something we'll have to do then."
-- Memorial's Jefferson Dahl and and Mike Miettenun both continued streaks in Thursday's win. Dahl scored a goal for the fourth-straight game while Miettenun extended his assist streak to six games.
-- North's Tim Shea didn't return to action after a first-period hit by Donnellan left the junior forward sprawled out on the ice. Shea went to the locker room and didn't suit up the rest of the game, though coach Tom Bernhardt doesn't believe he suffered any serious injury in the collision.
"It's probably a precautionary thing," Berhnardt said. "Hopefully he'll be back for us next week."
-- North sophomore Cody Matthes, who spent most of the year playing at the JV level, has seen his role vastly increase the past few games. Matthes skated a regular shift throughout the game was on North's third line Thursday with Derek Lund and Andrew Tylka, and scored his first goal of the season on a breakaway in the first period.
"He's done a good job with the JV team and he's earned some playing time with us," Bernhardt said. "He's a big, strong kid and he just needs to gain some confidence at this level and he's doing a good job for us and we're happy he scored his first goal."
-- Adam Parks
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Bracketology: WIAA style
Thanks to the huge snowstorm we received on Tuesday night, WQOW-TV 18 sports director Bob Bradovich was so desparate for something to fill his newscast, he decided to have me on to talk about projected seeds for the upcoming WIAA basketball playoffs.
Yes, he must have been quite desparate.
And aside from a technical glitch in the boys' discussion (which wasn't my fault, I must point out), I think it went well.
You can see for yourself. Here is the boys video and here is the girls video.
Yes, he must have been quite desparate.
And aside from a technical glitch in the boys' discussion (which wasn't my fault, I must point out), I think it went well.
You can see for yourself. Here is the boys video and here is the girls video.
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Bloomer making strides
Bloomer's record may not be that impressive, but the Blackhawks (4-10,3-7 Heart O'North Conference)are moving in the right direction. They've already improved their record from last season, when they lost their final 16 games and finished 3-18. In HON action, they were 0-14.
The 'Hawks are relying on a lot of youth, so there are bound to be growing pains. But there also are some positives. In Thursday's 53-37 loss to Barron, Bloomer's leading scorers were a pair of sophomores in Grady Loew (11 points) and Ian Olson (10 points).
Four sophomores -- Alex Koehler and Matt Dachel were the others -- saw action Thursday for Bloomer, which has just two seniors on the roster.
Loew and Olson certainly are two pieces to build around. Loew is an athletic 6-foot-4 wing who can handle and play in the post. Olson has great size and a soft touch -- he hit a 3-pointer against Barron.
“Two years ago we had a senior group much like Barron — kind of a similar team," Blackhawks coach Todd Marks said. "Obviously, we were young last year and we’re still young. To play a team like this, we play a brutal schedule and this exposes your weaknesses. To be successful, you have to have a strong core of veteran guys. We’re still playing a mixture of younger guys. They’re competing every night. I think we’re getting better.”
- Joe Ziemer
The 'Hawks are relying on a lot of youth, so there are bound to be growing pains. But there also are some positives. In Thursday's 53-37 loss to Barron, Bloomer's leading scorers were a pair of sophomores in Grady Loew (11 points) and Ian Olson (10 points).
Four sophomores -- Alex Koehler and Matt Dachel were the others -- saw action Thursday for Bloomer, which has just two seniors on the roster.
Loew and Olson certainly are two pieces to build around. Loew is an athletic 6-foot-4 wing who can handle and play in the post. Olson has great size and a soft touch -- he hit a 3-pointer against Barron.
“Two years ago we had a senior group much like Barron — kind of a similar team," Blackhawks coach Todd Marks said. "Obviously, we were young last year and we’re still young. To play a team like this, we play a brutal schedule and this exposes your weaknesses. To be successful, you have to have a strong core of veteran guys. We’re still playing a mixture of younger guys. They’re competing every night. I think we’re getting better.”
- Joe Ziemer
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
How the Cards match up
Just how tough are the next two-plus weeks going to be for Chippewa Falls?
Well, let’s put it this way: if the Cardinals go on to accomplish big things this season, they probably can point to this stretch as one of the defining moments of their season.
Here’s what they face:
• Friday – Rice Lake
• Saturday – at Superior
• Tuesday – at Eau Claire North
• Feb. 5 – at La Crosse Logan
• Feb. 7 – at Hudson
To keep pace with North in the Big Rivers Conference, Chi-Hi needs to beat Rice Lake on Friday. That’s something they did rather impressively earlier this season, winning by 16 in Rice Lake. But the Warriors are a more experienced and mature team now. They’re a handful for any opponent, not only for their pressing, up-tempo style of play but for their talented duo of junior guard Alex Culy and senior forward Andrew Lochmann.
“Culy and Lochmann are just both so talented,” Chippewa Falls coach Luke Madsen said. “I think they’re two of the finest players in the conference. They require an awful lot of attention. And some of their role players have really stepped up. The other thing with Rice Lake is just their style of play. It’s so different from what we see in the rest of the conference.”
Though the Cardinals are plenty athletic, they’d probably prefer to keep the game at a slightly slower tempo. Chippewa Falls can be almost nightmarish in the half court with their 1-3-1 zone. North coach Pat Hammond, who knows the 1-3-1 better than anyone, told me earlier this year that the Cards have very good personnel for it. The downside of a zone is it leaves openings on the perimeter for Culy, who can shoot with the best of them. When he’s on, Culy is capable of shooting teams right out of even the most effective zone.
“When we do play the 1-3-1, like we did a lot up there, you have to constantly be aware of where he is,” Madsen said. “I just got done watching the game tape from last night against North and he was knocking down shots from 27, 28 feet out. You have to be aware of where he is, and that opens up things for Lochmann down low. They’re so versatile.”
The Cards do catch something of a break by playing Rice Lake and Superior in consecutive games. Both teams like to press, so they can prepare for the same defensive look to some degree.
Those games likely will be at a much faster pace than Tuesday’s clash with North. The last time the teams met, Chippewa Falls won, 32-28, at home. Madsen said the Huskies are a much better team now, especially on offense.
“They are far and away the favorite,” Madsen said. “I’m not just saying that to deflect. They are very good right now. They’re much better than they were offensively.”
Conventional wisdom is to try and pressure the North guards and keep them from feeding 6-foot-7 junior Tyler Brown and 6-foot-11 sophomore Evan Anderson. But that tactic does come with a risk if the Huskies break down the extended defense.
In the first meeting, the Cards caused a lot of problems for North with their 1-3-1 and the length of players like Josh Prince, who is tough to get the ball past at the point of that defense.
“If you get out and extend on their guards, you have to keep them in front of you,” Madsen said.
- Joe Ziemer
Well, let’s put it this way: if the Cardinals go on to accomplish big things this season, they probably can point to this stretch as one of the defining moments of their season.
Here’s what they face:
• Friday – Rice Lake
• Saturday – at Superior
• Tuesday – at Eau Claire North
• Feb. 5 – at La Crosse Logan
• Feb. 7 – at Hudson
To keep pace with North in the Big Rivers Conference, Chi-Hi needs to beat Rice Lake on Friday. That’s something they did rather impressively earlier this season, winning by 16 in Rice Lake. But the Warriors are a more experienced and mature team now. They’re a handful for any opponent, not only for their pressing, up-tempo style of play but for their talented duo of junior guard Alex Culy and senior forward Andrew Lochmann.
“Culy and Lochmann are just both so talented,” Chippewa Falls coach Luke Madsen said. “I think they’re two of the finest players in the conference. They require an awful lot of attention. And some of their role players have really stepped up. The other thing with Rice Lake is just their style of play. It’s so different from what we see in the rest of the conference.”
Though the Cardinals are plenty athletic, they’d probably prefer to keep the game at a slightly slower tempo. Chippewa Falls can be almost nightmarish in the half court with their 1-3-1 zone. North coach Pat Hammond, who knows the 1-3-1 better than anyone, told me earlier this year that the Cards have very good personnel for it. The downside of a zone is it leaves openings on the perimeter for Culy, who can shoot with the best of them. When he’s on, Culy is capable of shooting teams right out of even the most effective zone.
“When we do play the 1-3-1, like we did a lot up there, you have to constantly be aware of where he is,” Madsen said. “I just got done watching the game tape from last night against North and he was knocking down shots from 27, 28 feet out. You have to be aware of where he is, and that opens up things for Lochmann down low. They’re so versatile.”
The Cards do catch something of a break by playing Rice Lake and Superior in consecutive games. Both teams like to press, so they can prepare for the same defensive look to some degree.
Those games likely will be at a much faster pace than Tuesday’s clash with North. The last time the teams met, Chippewa Falls won, 32-28, at home. Madsen said the Huskies are a much better team now, especially on offense.
“They are far and away the favorite,” Madsen said. “I’m not just saying that to deflect. They are very good right now. They’re much better than they were offensively.”
Conventional wisdom is to try and pressure the North guards and keep them from feeding 6-foot-7 junior Tyler Brown and 6-foot-11 sophomore Evan Anderson. But that tactic does come with a risk if the Huskies break down the extended defense.
In the first meeting, the Cards caused a lot of problems for North with their 1-3-1 and the length of players like Josh Prince, who is tough to get the ball past at the point of that defense.
“If you get out and extend on their guards, you have to keep them in front of you,” Madsen said.
- Joe Ziemer
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
North/Chippewa Falls Hockey notes
For all you diehard hockey fans out there, here's a few tidbits from tonight's matchup between Eau Claire North and Chippewa Falls that didn't make tomorrow's story.
North
-- North finally got a reprieve on the blue line with the return of senior defenseman David Grunst to the starting lineup Tuesday night. Grunst had been out since suffering a broken wrist against Hudson Dec. 13.
Grunst, who has been practicing, was sporting a cast on his wrist.
"For his first game back I thought he did fine," North coach Tom Bernhardt said.
His return, however, didn't keep Bernhardt from mixing up his pairings on the blue line, as forwards Derrik Dillon and Andrew Tylka continued to see time at defense.
-- Speaking of line changes, Bernhardt continued to mix and match combinations to try and spark some kind of offensive consistency. North sported a top line of Derrik Dillon-Derek Lund-Ethan Blodgett and a second line of Keillor Eggen-Ryan Iverson-Tim Shea. Joey Sigurdson and Andrew Tylka both saw regular action as well, but appeared to mix and match with members of the second line throughout the game.
Jake Kamenick saw spot action while Cody Matthes saw his most extensive action of the year in the third period.
Chippewa Falls
-- The Cardinals were without first-line center Jesse LaForest as he recovered from a concussion suffered against Rice Lake. According to coach Scott Parker, LaForest will evaluated on Thursday and Parker hopes he will be able to play next Tuesday against Medford.
-- Senior Chuck Hubbard notched his first points of the year when he assited on Justin Reed's third period goal. Hubbard, along with sophomore Josh Armstrong, saw their most extensive action of the year with injuries forcing coach Parker to bring them up from the JV squad.
- Adam Parks
North
-- North finally got a reprieve on the blue line with the return of senior defenseman David Grunst to the starting lineup Tuesday night. Grunst had been out since suffering a broken wrist against Hudson Dec. 13.
Grunst, who has been practicing, was sporting a cast on his wrist.
"For his first game back I thought he did fine," North coach Tom Bernhardt said.
His return, however, didn't keep Bernhardt from mixing up his pairings on the blue line, as forwards Derrik Dillon and Andrew Tylka continued to see time at defense.
-- Speaking of line changes, Bernhardt continued to mix and match combinations to try and spark some kind of offensive consistency. North sported a top line of Derrik Dillon-Derek Lund-Ethan Blodgett and a second line of Keillor Eggen-Ryan Iverson-Tim Shea. Joey Sigurdson and Andrew Tylka both saw regular action as well, but appeared to mix and match with members of the second line throughout the game.
Jake Kamenick saw spot action while Cody Matthes saw his most extensive action of the year in the third period.
Chippewa Falls
-- The Cardinals were without first-line center Jesse LaForest as he recovered from a concussion suffered against Rice Lake. According to coach Scott Parker, LaForest will evaluated on Thursday and Parker hopes he will be able to play next Tuesday against Medford.
-- Senior Chuck Hubbard notched his first points of the year when he assited on Justin Reed's third period goal. Hubbard, along with sophomore Josh Armstrong, saw their most extensive action of the year with injuries forcing coach Parker to bring them up from the JV squad.
- Adam Parks
Sunday, January 20, 2008
What Favre had to say
It was obviously a disappointing end to what had been a fabulous season for Packers quarterback Brett Favre. His interception in overtime for all intents and purposes cost the Packers the game and sent the Giants to the Super Bowl.
"It's very disappointing," Favre said. "We had numerous opportunities today, numerous opportunities this year. Everything seemed to fall in line for us. I give the Giants a lot of credit. They played great, not only today but the latter part of the year.
"I'm proud of this team. Happy we got to this point, gave ourselves a shot. I'm disappointed that the last pass I threw was intercepted and gave them a chance to win."
And, like in previous years, Favre had to answer questions regarding retirement. It's hard to believe that Favre's last pass in the NFL could be an interception that led to his team's elimination from the playoffs.
"I don't know," he said. "Had we won this game and gone to the Super Bowl and whatever happens in that game when it was over, I was going to go home and think about where I wanted to go from there. I don't think that's going to really change because we didn't make it. It's been a great year. I'm very disappointed. I'm not going to rush to any quick decisions. It will probably be quicker than it has been in the past. I'm not going to let this game sway my decision one way or the other."
- John Casper Jr.
"It's very disappointing," Favre said. "We had numerous opportunities today, numerous opportunities this year. Everything seemed to fall in line for us. I give the Giants a lot of credit. They played great, not only today but the latter part of the year.
"I'm proud of this team. Happy we got to this point, gave ourselves a shot. I'm disappointed that the last pass I threw was intercepted and gave them a chance to win."
And, like in previous years, Favre had to answer questions regarding retirement. It's hard to believe that Favre's last pass in the NFL could be an interception that led to his team's elimination from the playoffs.
"I don't know," he said. "Had we won this game and gone to the Super Bowl and whatever happens in that game when it was over, I was going to go home and think about where I wanted to go from there. I don't think that's going to really change because we didn't make it. It's been a great year. I'm very disappointed. I'm not going to rush to any quick decisions. It will probably be quicker than it has been in the past. I'm not going to let this game sway my decision one way or the other."
- John Casper Jr.
Postgame reaction
Some more postgame reaction after the Packers' 23-20 loss to the Giants in the NFC championship game.
Mike McCarthy, on if he felt an opportunity slipped away: We had opportunities to win the football game. We had a number of opportunities we didn't take advantage of, clearly ending with the series there in overtime. We weren't as sharp as we needed to be in a number of segments. It was a very disappointing loss.
McCarthy, on the interception in overtime: I couldn't tell you particularly about the throw. I was expecting pressure there, so I was watching the protection. We did have a weak side pressure and we were able to pick it up. Actually, when my eyes came up, I just saw the end result with the interception there on our boundary.
Eli Manning, on how it feels to make it to the Super Bowl after years of criticism: It feels good, and not just because of that. It feels good because this is what you work for. This is how you spend your time. It's been four years and a lot of preparation, a lot of games, a lot of work, and we stuck with it. We believed in ourselves, and we got to the Super Bowl.
Giants coach Tom Coughlin, on the game-winning kick: I thought about (not sending him out there.) I thought about going for it. I looked for a sign, and they were anxious to go do that. They were anxious to kick that. And that was a good sign that Lawrence felt like he could make it.
Tynes, on his night: I felt good about all the kicks. Obviously the operation on the second one was not what it should be, and I didn't make a very good attempt at it. So I didn't feel bad about it. I knew if everything worked out that I could make the kick. The last one was good snap, good hold. A little bit further, but there was a little bit of wind helping us that way.
Packers lineman Mark Tauscher, on if the game plan was to throw the ball as much as they did: We just wanted to score points. You just want to go out there and score points. All that other stuff, rushes and things like that, that's pretty secondary to putting points on the board.
Packers linebacker A.J. Hawk: We felt like we had some opportunities early that we could've gotten momentum and tried to run with it, but we didn't do that and they did a good job of holding onto the ball and making plays when they had to. They did that tonight and that's why they are moving on.
- John Casper Jr.
Mike McCarthy, on if he felt an opportunity slipped away: We had opportunities to win the football game. We had a number of opportunities we didn't take advantage of, clearly ending with the series there in overtime. We weren't as sharp as we needed to be in a number of segments. It was a very disappointing loss.
McCarthy, on the interception in overtime: I couldn't tell you particularly about the throw. I was expecting pressure there, so I was watching the protection. We did have a weak side pressure and we were able to pick it up. Actually, when my eyes came up, I just saw the end result with the interception there on our boundary.
Eli Manning, on how it feels to make it to the Super Bowl after years of criticism: It feels good, and not just because of that. It feels good because this is what you work for. This is how you spend your time. It's been four years and a lot of preparation, a lot of games, a lot of work, and we stuck with it. We believed in ourselves, and we got to the Super Bowl.
Giants coach Tom Coughlin, on the game-winning kick: I thought about (not sending him out there.) I thought about going for it. I looked for a sign, and they were anxious to go do that. They were anxious to kick that. And that was a good sign that Lawrence felt like he could make it.
Tynes, on his night: I felt good about all the kicks. Obviously the operation on the second one was not what it should be, and I didn't make a very good attempt at it. So I didn't feel bad about it. I knew if everything worked out that I could make the kick. The last one was good snap, good hold. A little bit further, but there was a little bit of wind helping us that way.
Packers lineman Mark Tauscher, on if the game plan was to throw the ball as much as they did: We just wanted to score points. You just want to go out there and score points. All that other stuff, rushes and things like that, that's pretty secondary to putting points on the board.
Packers linebacker A.J. Hawk: We felt like we had some opportunities early that we could've gotten momentum and tried to run with it, but we didn't do that and they did a good job of holding onto the ball and making plays when they had to. They did that tonight and that's why they are moving on.
- John Casper Jr.
And Lambeau Field is quiet
I don’t think I’ve ever seen 72,000 people leave a stadium so quickly.
An air of disappointment cut through the cold and engulfed Lambeau Field tonight, as the Green Bay Packers’ dream season came to a nightmarish end with a 23-20 overtime loss to the New York Giants in the NFC championship game.
“Losing in general is bad,” Packers running back Ryan Grant said. “To lose like this hurts, but they played better than us. Hats off to them.”
Lawrence Tynes made a 47-yard field goal in overtime after missing from shorter distances in regulation to give the Giants the victory. It came moments after Brett Favre threw an interception eerily similar to the one he tossed against the Eagles in the infamous “fourth-and-26” game after the 2003 season.
“I just didn’t throw it outside enough,” Favre said in his postgame press conference. “It was what we call a shake route. Donald (Driver) had slipped him more like an out route, which was fine. I just didn’t get it out far enough. It’s too bad.”
The game was a head-scratcher for a variety of reasons. For starters, the Packers dropped another game at Lambeau Field. Once invincible at home in the playoffs, Green Bay has lost three of its last five home games in the postseason.
It also was severely outplayed by a team it soundly beat earlier in the season. Granted, things change, but after the Packers stomped the Seahawks in the divisional round, nobody saw this clunker coming.
It was a coming out party for Eli Manning. While nobody is ready to anoint him as the greatest QB in the league, he certainly was the best one on the field Sunday. He completed 21 of his 40 pass attempts (more than two times what the experts thought he’d attempt) and the Giants running back tandem of Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw combined for 130 yards on a whopping 37 carries. The Giants had the ball almost twice as long as the Packers did.
“They made the plays and we didn’t,” defensive coordinator Bob Sanders said. “So hats off to them.”
Favre, in what might be his last game ever, was 19-for-35 passing for 236 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. The rushing game was non-existant. Grant finished with 29 yards on 13 carries. Aside from one Favre rush, Grant was the only Packers ball carrier.
“We just never got into a rhythm in our running game,” offensive coordinator Joe Philbin said.
Other tidbits from the game:
* The Packers fell to 10-4 all-time in NFC championship games, which includes NFL championship games from 1933-’69.
*Of the four losses in the NFC title game in club history, Sunday’s was the first at home. The previous three came at New York (1938), Philadelphia (1960) and Dallas (1995).
- John Casper Jr.
An air of disappointment cut through the cold and engulfed Lambeau Field tonight, as the Green Bay Packers’ dream season came to a nightmarish end with a 23-20 overtime loss to the New York Giants in the NFC championship game.
“Losing in general is bad,” Packers running back Ryan Grant said. “To lose like this hurts, but they played better than us. Hats off to them.”
Lawrence Tynes made a 47-yard field goal in overtime after missing from shorter distances in regulation to give the Giants the victory. It came moments after Brett Favre threw an interception eerily similar to the one he tossed against the Eagles in the infamous “fourth-and-26” game after the 2003 season.
“I just didn’t throw it outside enough,” Favre said in his postgame press conference. “It was what we call a shake route. Donald (Driver) had slipped him more like an out route, which was fine. I just didn’t get it out far enough. It’s too bad.”
The game was a head-scratcher for a variety of reasons. For starters, the Packers dropped another game at Lambeau Field. Once invincible at home in the playoffs, Green Bay has lost three of its last five home games in the postseason.
It also was severely outplayed by a team it soundly beat earlier in the season. Granted, things change, but after the Packers stomped the Seahawks in the divisional round, nobody saw this clunker coming.
It was a coming out party for Eli Manning. While nobody is ready to anoint him as the greatest QB in the league, he certainly was the best one on the field Sunday. He completed 21 of his 40 pass attempts (more than two times what the experts thought he’d attempt) and the Giants running back tandem of Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw combined for 130 yards on a whopping 37 carries. The Giants had the ball almost twice as long as the Packers did.
“They made the plays and we didn’t,” defensive coordinator Bob Sanders said. “So hats off to them.”
Favre, in what might be his last game ever, was 19-for-35 passing for 236 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. The rushing game was non-existant. Grant finished with 29 yards on 13 carries. Aside from one Favre rush, Grant was the only Packers ball carrier.
“We just never got into a rhythm in our running game,” offensive coordinator Joe Philbin said.
Other tidbits from the game:
* The Packers fell to 10-4 all-time in NFC championship games, which includes NFL championship games from 1933-’69.
*Of the four losses in the NFC title game in club history, Sunday’s was the first at home. The previous three came at New York (1938), Philadelphia (1960) and Dallas (1995).
- John Casper Jr.
Giants 3, Packers 0 (End Quarter 1)
The only score of the game came on a 29-yard field goal by the Giants' Lawrence Tynes.
The Giants accomplished one of their two primary objectives on their first drive by eating up 7 minutes, 48 seconds of clock. However, it wasn’t the bruising Brandon Jacobs that carried the load. Eli Manning completed 5 of 8 passes for 54 yards, including a key 19-yard pass to Plaxico Burress on third-and-10 from the New York 29. Jacobs was limited to 11 yards on five carries.
Other observations:
*One stat to keep your eye on as this game unfolds is how the Packers fare on first down. Granted it's been a small sample size, but two of the three times the Packers got less than 3 yards, they had to punt. The third now has them facing a third-and-5 to start the second quarter.
*Ryan Grant only has 7 yards on three carries.
*Eli Manning has plenty of time to throw, probably because the Packers are letting him do it. They may take the approach of waiting for Manning to make a mistake rather than giving up a big play early.
*The game-time temp as we enter the second quarter is minus-2 degrees. The wind chill is minus-21.
- John Casper Jr.
The Giants accomplished one of their two primary objectives on their first drive by eating up 7 minutes, 48 seconds of clock. However, it wasn’t the bruising Brandon Jacobs that carried the load. Eli Manning completed 5 of 8 passes for 54 yards, including a key 19-yard pass to Plaxico Burress on third-and-10 from the New York 29. Jacobs was limited to 11 yards on five carries.
Other observations:
*One stat to keep your eye on as this game unfolds is how the Packers fare on first down. Granted it's been a small sample size, but two of the three times the Packers got less than 3 yards, they had to punt. The third now has them facing a third-and-5 to start the second quarter.
*Ryan Grant only has 7 yards on three carries.
*Eli Manning has plenty of time to throw, probably because the Packers are letting him do it. They may take the approach of waiting for Manning to make a mistake rather than giving up a big play early.
*The game-time temp as we enter the second quarter is minus-2 degrees. The wind chill is minus-21.
- John Casper Jr.
Current temperature is minus 1
We're still 32 minutes from kickoff here at Lambeau Field, but I thought I'd pass along a few more updates.
*The current temperature is minus-1. Provided a heat wave doesn't sweep across northeastern Wisconsin, this will be the second-coldest recorded game in Packers history. The coldest, of course, was the Ice Bowl in 1967. The temperature was minus-13 at kickoff with a minus 46 wind chill. The coldest game in NFL history was the 1981 AFC Championship Game, played Jan. 10, 1982, at Cincinnati's Riverfront Stadium. The temperature was minus-9, and the wind chill plunged to minus-59 as the Bengals beat San Diego 27-7.
*The stands are almost full, except for the club seating. Those people are probably waiting it out inside before venturing to their seats.
*I'm guessing you know this already, but the Patriots await the winner of this game in the Super Bowl. New England beat the Chargers, 21-12, earlier today.
- John Casper Jr.
*The current temperature is minus-1. Provided a heat wave doesn't sweep across northeastern Wisconsin, this will be the second-coldest recorded game in Packers history. The coldest, of course, was the Ice Bowl in 1967. The temperature was minus-13 at kickoff with a minus 46 wind chill. The coldest game in NFL history was the 1981 AFC Championship Game, played Jan. 10, 1982, at Cincinnati's Riverfront Stadium. The temperature was minus-9, and the wind chill plunged to minus-59 as the Bengals beat San Diego 27-7.
*The stands are almost full, except for the club seating. Those people are probably waiting it out inside before venturing to their seats.
*I'm guessing you know this already, but the Patriots await the winner of this game in the Super Bowl. New England beat the Chargers, 21-12, earlier today.
- John Casper Jr.
A few more pregame notes
Some pregame notes courtesy of the Packers' media relations department.
*Today is the 40th postseason game in franchise history and the 16th postseason game at Lambeau Field. The Packers are 13-2 at home, losing to the Falcons and Vikings in recent years.
*Brett Favre is making his 275th consecutive start (including playoffs). He has thrown a TD pass in 17 consecutive playoffs games, an NFL record. He needs two touchdowns to tie Joe Montana on the NFL's all-time list with 14 career multi-TD postseason games.
*Ryan Grant is 78 yards away from surpassing the Cowboys' Duane Thomas' record for the most rushing yards by a player in his first two career postseason games. Grant, of course, is playing against the team that traded him to the Packers in September.
*Aaron Kampman is a sack away from the No. 2 spot for franchise postseason sacks with Sean Jones and Keith McKenzie (4).
*The Packers chose Bart Starr to serve as an honorary captain today.
The tarp is completely off the field and the stands are beginning to fill up. Looks like blaze orange is the color of choice today for many Packers fans, which should look pretty cool once the sun goes down and the sky turns black.
- John Casper Jr.
*Today is the 40th postseason game in franchise history and the 16th postseason game at Lambeau Field. The Packers are 13-2 at home, losing to the Falcons and Vikings in recent years.
*Brett Favre is making his 275th consecutive start (including playoffs). He has thrown a TD pass in 17 consecutive playoffs games, an NFL record. He needs two touchdowns to tie Joe Montana on the NFL's all-time list with 14 career multi-TD postseason games.
*Ryan Grant is 78 yards away from surpassing the Cowboys' Duane Thomas' record for the most rushing yards by a player in his first two career postseason games. Grant, of course, is playing against the team that traded him to the Packers in September.
*Aaron Kampman is a sack away from the No. 2 spot for franchise postseason sacks with Sean Jones and Keith McKenzie (4).
*The Packers chose Bart Starr to serve as an honorary captain today.
The tarp is completely off the field and the stands are beginning to fill up. Looks like blaze orange is the color of choice today for many Packers fans, which should look pretty cool once the sun goes down and the sky turns black.
- John Casper Jr.
A little Sunday afternoon reading
In case today's AFC championship game gets out of hand, here are a few stories I found on the net to keep you awake before kickoff here at Lambeau.
Green Bay Press-Gazette writer Pete Dougherty broke down the Giants. Basically, he thinks the Giants are suited to pound the ball on the ground, but will need something from Eli Manning, and they may not get it. On defense, expect New York to change up its blitzes but look for Brett Favre to spread the field as best he can to take advantage of the Giants' banged-up secondary.
From the same paper, Rob Demovsky has a look at Ryan Grant's background. I didn't realize he was an assistant high school football coach during the year he was on injured reserve with the Giants.
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's Tom Silverstein has more on Wisconsin native and Giants starter Rich Seubert, and the parrallels with the Packers' Mark Tauscher. The New York Times has another story on Seubert as well.
Also from the times, a satirical mad-libs like blog entry on the legend that is Brett Favre.
From a national perspective, here's an interesting look at preparing for cold-weather games from ESPN.
- John Casper Jr.
Green Bay Press-Gazette writer Pete Dougherty broke down the Giants. Basically, he thinks the Giants are suited to pound the ball on the ground, but will need something from Eli Manning, and they may not get it. On defense, expect New York to change up its blitzes but look for Brett Favre to spread the field as best he can to take advantage of the Giants' banged-up secondary.
From the same paper, Rob Demovsky has a look at Ryan Grant's background. I didn't realize he was an assistant high school football coach during the year he was on injured reserve with the Giants.
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's Tom Silverstein has more on Wisconsin native and Giants starter Rich Seubert, and the parrallels with the Packers' Mark Tauscher. The New York Times has another story on Seubert as well.
Also from the times, a satirical mad-libs like blog entry on the legend that is Brett Favre.
From a national perspective, here's an interesting look at preparing for cold-weather games from ESPN.
- John Casper Jr.
More on Rich Seubert
As promised in today's Leader-Telegram, here's a few more tidbits on Giants offensive lineman Rich Seubert, a Wisconsin native making his Lambeau Field debut today.
I called Seubert on Thursday night after a family member gave me his number. I really wasn't expecting him to give me an interview considering he'd probably had to answer the same questions over and over again. But he was very friendly and willing to talk.
He said it was a dream to have this be his first game at Lambeau Field.
"This is what you dream about as a kid," he said. "Coming back home, playing for all the marbles. It's great. I wouldn't have it any other way."
Seubert wasn't sure on Thursday how many tickets he'd be able to get his hands on. Players are allotted four tickets each. Some of the Giants younger players probably didn't need all of theirs, and others with family members that weren't too keen on sitting in the freezing temperatures probably had a ticket or two to spare.
"I'll probably get them a gift or something," Seubert said when asked how he'll repay his teammates for their tickets.
Other media reports estimated he'd have between 50 and 60 family members and friends in the stands.
"My parents obviously will be there," he said. "Some aunts and uncles. Friends. There were some people that new better than to ask or got tickets from someone else."
Seubert's story is certainly an inspirational one. Overlooked out of high school, he went to Western Illinois. He started at tight end before moving to tackle his junior season and was all-conference as a senior. He signed with the Giants as an undrafted free agent in 2001 and became a full-time starter in 2002. He started the first six games of 2003 before fracturing his right fibula, tibia and ankle when an opposing player stepped on his leg. He missed all of the 2004 season but returned in 2005 for four games. He was a reserve in 2006 before returning to the starting lineup full time in 2007.
He has the third-longest tenure on the Giants, trailing only Amani Toomer and Michael Strahan.
He's also been around for previous playoffs failures. In 2003, the Giants blew a 24-point third-quarter lead but had a chance to win the game on a 41-yard field goal attempt. The snap was low and wide, and holder Matt Allen threw a desparation pass to Seubert, who was an eligible receiver on the play. Seubert was interfered with by Chike Okeafor, but the officials didn't call a penalty. The Giants were called for an illegal man downfield and lost the game.
They also lost wild card games in 2006 and 2007, but seem to have it rolling this year.
"I think we're all just in it for each other," Seubert said. "Nobody in the locker room really wants to go home."
Seubert will come to Eau Claire in April for a charity trap shoot at the Eau Claire Rod and Gun Club. You can read more about it here.
- John Casper Jr.
I called Seubert on Thursday night after a family member gave me his number. I really wasn't expecting him to give me an interview considering he'd probably had to answer the same questions over and over again. But he was very friendly and willing to talk.
He said it was a dream to have this be his first game at Lambeau Field.
"This is what you dream about as a kid," he said. "Coming back home, playing for all the marbles. It's great. I wouldn't have it any other way."
Seubert wasn't sure on Thursday how many tickets he'd be able to get his hands on. Players are allotted four tickets each. Some of the Giants younger players probably didn't need all of theirs, and others with family members that weren't too keen on sitting in the freezing temperatures probably had a ticket or two to spare.
"I'll probably get them a gift or something," Seubert said when asked how he'll repay his teammates for their tickets.
Other media reports estimated he'd have between 50 and 60 family members and friends in the stands.
"My parents obviously will be there," he said. "Some aunts and uncles. Friends. There were some people that new better than to ask or got tickets from someone else."
Seubert's story is certainly an inspirational one. Overlooked out of high school, he went to Western Illinois. He started at tight end before moving to tackle his junior season and was all-conference as a senior. He signed with the Giants as an undrafted free agent in 2001 and became a full-time starter in 2002. He started the first six games of 2003 before fracturing his right fibula, tibia and ankle when an opposing player stepped on his leg. He missed all of the 2004 season but returned in 2005 for four games. He was a reserve in 2006 before returning to the starting lineup full time in 2007.
He has the third-longest tenure on the Giants, trailing only Amani Toomer and Michael Strahan.
He's also been around for previous playoffs failures. In 2003, the Giants blew a 24-point third-quarter lead but had a chance to win the game on a 41-yard field goal attempt. The snap was low and wide, and holder Matt Allen threw a desparation pass to Seubert, who was an eligible receiver on the play. Seubert was interfered with by Chike Okeafor, but the officials didn't call a penalty. The Giants were called for an illegal man downfield and lost the game.
They also lost wild card games in 2006 and 2007, but seem to have it rolling this year.
"I think we're all just in it for each other," Seubert said. "Nobody in the locker room really wants to go home."
Seubert will come to Eau Claire in April for a charity trap shoot at the Eau Claire Rod and Gun Club. You can read more about it here.
- John Casper Jr.
Greetings from Lambeau Field
We're coming to you live from Lambeau Field on the edges of Green Bay, where in four hours the New York Football Giants and Packers will play for the NFC championship.
I don't think I need to tell you this, but it's cold. Not as cold as it was in Eau Claire this weekend, but still pretty cold. According to weather.com, it's minus 2 degrees. But the sun is out and it's not too windy, so even though the wind chill is a reported minus 21, it doesn't feel too bad.
Granted, I was only outside for about 10 minutes and I'm now sitting in a comfy press box, but still.
The tarp is still on the field here at Lambeau. There's not much activity in the stands. The NFL on Fox studio sits barron surrounded by several cars, not sure if they are sponsors of the pregame show or if they are in place to keep the tarp from blowing away.
Check back throughout the day for more updates.
- John Casper Jr.
I don't think I need to tell you this, but it's cold. Not as cold as it was in Eau Claire this weekend, but still pretty cold. According to weather.com, it's minus 2 degrees. But the sun is out and it's not too windy, so even though the wind chill is a reported minus 21, it doesn't feel too bad.
Granted, I was only outside for about 10 minutes and I'm now sitting in a comfy press box, but still.
The tarp is still on the field here at Lambeau. There's not much activity in the stands. The NFL on Fox studio sits barron surrounded by several cars, not sure if they are sponsors of the pregame show or if they are in place to keep the tarp from blowing away.
Check back throughout the day for more updates.
- John Casper Jr.
Thursday, January 17, 2008
Flying under the radar
As coach Norman Dale so eloquently told his Hickory Huskers basketball team during one of the first practices of the season, there's more to the game than scoring.
How true that is.
There are a plethora of talented girls basketball players in the Eau Claire area. Some of them, like Rice Lake's Casey Weber, are also among the most prolific scorers in their respective conferences. The senior recently became the school's all-time leading scorer and leads the Big Rivers Conference with a 21.8 points per game average.
But there are others that may not get the same recognition simply because they don't put up the same numbers. Whether it is fair or not, many of the names you see our writeups in the Leader-Telegram are because of how many points they score. Unless we are physically at the game, it's often hard for us to gauge the impact of a particular player on the game unless she lights up the scoreboad.
That means that there are a handful of players that are somewhat flying under the radar in that they may not make headlines, but that doesn't mean they can't play.
Perhaps the best example is Flambeau's Beth Alberson. She scores around 14 points a game, which would place her in the top 10 in most conferences. But consider this: Flambeau rarely plays its starters in the second half, meaning Alberson is doing all of her damage in the first 16 minutes of the game. If she played a full game like most other players, she'd be averaging 28 points a game.
Anyone on Osseo-Fairchild is probably overlooked as well. Remember the Eleva-Strum football team? They had so many talented players and only one ball to share among them. Therefore, the stats took a bit of a hit. Same thing is going on with the Chieftains. There are several Osseo-Fairchild players — Letaya Mulhern, Katey Wrobel, Hailey Hart and Laura Olson — that could probably go for 20-25 points a night. But because they have that balance, the Chieftains should be a tougher out in the state tournament because they don't have one go-to player.
There are other players that have a bigger impact on the defensive end, like Mondovi's Anna Cole. Or those that may have a big scoring average, but often aren't appreciated for all the little things they do, like North's Hannah Quilling.
There certainly is more to the game than scoring.
- John Casper Jr.
I'm sure I'm just scratching the surface.
How true that is.
There are a plethora of talented girls basketball players in the Eau Claire area. Some of them, like Rice Lake's Casey Weber, are also among the most prolific scorers in their respective conferences. The senior recently became the school's all-time leading scorer and leads the Big Rivers Conference with a 21.8 points per game average.
But there are others that may not get the same recognition simply because they don't put up the same numbers. Whether it is fair or not, many of the names you see our writeups in the Leader-Telegram are because of how many points they score. Unless we are physically at the game, it's often hard for us to gauge the impact of a particular player on the game unless she lights up the scoreboad.
That means that there are a handful of players that are somewhat flying under the radar in that they may not make headlines, but that doesn't mean they can't play.
Perhaps the best example is Flambeau's Beth Alberson. She scores around 14 points a game, which would place her in the top 10 in most conferences. But consider this: Flambeau rarely plays its starters in the second half, meaning Alberson is doing all of her damage in the first 16 minutes of the game. If she played a full game like most other players, she'd be averaging 28 points a game.
Anyone on Osseo-Fairchild is probably overlooked as well. Remember the Eleva-Strum football team? They had so many talented players and only one ball to share among them. Therefore, the stats took a bit of a hit. Same thing is going on with the Chieftains. There are several Osseo-Fairchild players — Letaya Mulhern, Katey Wrobel, Hailey Hart and Laura Olson — that could probably go for 20-25 points a night. But because they have that balance, the Chieftains should be a tougher out in the state tournament because they don't have one go-to player.
There are other players that have a bigger impact on the defensive end, like Mondovi's Anna Cole. Or those that may have a big scoring average, but often aren't appreciated for all the little things they do, like North's Hannah Quilling.
There certainly is more to the game than scoring.
- John Casper Jr.
I'm sure I'm just scratching the surface.
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
More boys hoops notes
Just wanted to pass along some more notes that I couldn't squeeze into this week's Inside Hoops:
*Independence's win over Alma Center Lincoln on Tuesday was its first since beating Cochrane-Fountain City in the Dairyland playoffs two seasons ago.
*Gilman picked up its first win of the season Tuesday thanks to a career-high 27 points from Josh Petska, who had been averaging around six points per game. Then Friday Jason Kulesa, who had been averaging 6.5, scored 27 for the Pirates.
*Eric Blumer had been averaging just 3.0 points per game before notching a career-high 12 to help Elk Mound beat Cadott, 54-42, on Monday.
*Brothers Joel and Eric Effertz combined for 41 of Ladysmith's 43 points Tuesday. Joel had 23, while Eric added 18. It wasn't enough, though, as the Lumberjacks fell to Hayward, 47-43.
Kudos should go out to stats guru Tim Peterson, who digs up these notes for us each week in addition to compiling scoring leaders.
- Joe Ziemer
*Independence's win over Alma Center Lincoln on Tuesday was its first since beating Cochrane-Fountain City in the Dairyland playoffs two seasons ago.
*Gilman picked up its first win of the season Tuesday thanks to a career-high 27 points from Josh Petska, who had been averaging around six points per game. Then Friday Jason Kulesa, who had been averaging 6.5, scored 27 for the Pirates.
*Eric Blumer had been averaging just 3.0 points per game before notching a career-high 12 to help Elk Mound beat Cadott, 54-42, on Monday.
*Brothers Joel and Eric Effertz combined for 41 of Ladysmith's 43 points Tuesday. Joel had 23, while Eric added 18. It wasn't enough, though, as the Lumberjacks fell to Hayward, 47-43.
Kudos should go out to stats guru Tim Peterson, who digs up these notes for us each week in addition to compiling scoring leaders.
- Joe Ziemer
Elmwood-Spring Valley, round 2
Here’s a quick breakdown on Saturday’s Dunn-St. Croix showdown between Elmwood and Spring Valley which will tip at 2:30 p.m. in Spring Valley:
* Probable starters for Elmwood (10-1, 8-1 DSC): Cody Maves, sr., 6-0, G; Steven Pax, jr., 5-10, G; Isaac Hartung, sr., 6-1, F; Michael Brunner, sr., 6-4, F; Ryan Bechel, jr., 6-0, F.
* Pax and Brunner are returning starters, while Maves saw heavy action off the bench last season.
* Pax is second in the Dunn-St. Croix in scoring at 13.5 points per game. Brunner is sixth at 12.5.
* The Raiders’ depth was put to the test this season after losing a ton of talent – Lucas Wolf, Ryan Mountain, Cody Rose, Tyler Bechel – to graduation.
“We’re a different team,” Elmwood coach Jon Hinzman said. “That was the biggest thing, trying to find out who we were. We lost some really good ballplayers. We’ve definitely been tested. Sometimes, we’re still trying to find out who we are.”
* Probable starters for Spring Valley (9-2, 8-1): Tyler Bosshart, jr., 5-9, G; Dylan Webster, fr., 6-0, G; Mitch Webster, sr., 6-3, F; Rick Ingli, sr., 6-5, F; Corey Blaedorn, jr., 6-3, F.
* Bosshart, Mitch Webster and Ingli are returning starters.
* Mitch Webster leads the team in scoring at 12.6 points per game – fifth in the conference.
* Hinzman on the game: “It’s going to take us being focused, getting rebounds and knocking down free throws. That will be a big part of the game – rebounds and free throws. We have to play good defense. Tyler Bosshart’s a good ballplayer and they’ve got some size inside, so we have to make sure we come ready to play.”
* Elmwood loves to push the tempo and get up and down the floor. Spring Valley isn’t opposed to running but the Cardinals also play their share of half-court games. If both teams want to play transition basketball, this one could get very entertaining.
“I think the kids are comfortable pushing the ball,” Spring Valley coach Rob Bosshart said. “Depending on the lineup we have out there at a specific time, that’s what we want to do. If they want to run, it could be an exciting game. But if you want to run, you have to rebound and play defense.”
* Defense and rebounding were among the first words out of both coaches’ mouths Wednesday when I asked them about the upcoming game. Another thing they were in complete agreement on was how interesting the Dunn-St. Croix has been this season without one dominant team.
Bosshart: “It does make it tougher. You don’t have any night where you feel like you can relax in your preparation. On the other side, it’s exciting because you have to play well, which is what you want to do anyway. It’s exciting to go home and check the scoreboard and see who beat who. It’s been a fun league to follow.”
Hinzman: “It’s been exciting. There’s no true standout team, which makes it fun and exciting. At the same time, it makes you better because you’re challenged every night.”
That's all for now. See you Saturday in Spring Valley.
- Joe Ziemer
* Probable starters for Elmwood (10-1, 8-1 DSC): Cody Maves, sr., 6-0, G; Steven Pax, jr., 5-10, G; Isaac Hartung, sr., 6-1, F; Michael Brunner, sr., 6-4, F; Ryan Bechel, jr., 6-0, F.
* Pax and Brunner are returning starters, while Maves saw heavy action off the bench last season.
* Pax is second in the Dunn-St. Croix in scoring at 13.5 points per game. Brunner is sixth at 12.5.
* The Raiders’ depth was put to the test this season after losing a ton of talent – Lucas Wolf, Ryan Mountain, Cody Rose, Tyler Bechel – to graduation.
“We’re a different team,” Elmwood coach Jon Hinzman said. “That was the biggest thing, trying to find out who we were. We lost some really good ballplayers. We’ve definitely been tested. Sometimes, we’re still trying to find out who we are.”
* Probable starters for Spring Valley (9-2, 8-1): Tyler Bosshart, jr., 5-9, G; Dylan Webster, fr., 6-0, G; Mitch Webster, sr., 6-3, F; Rick Ingli, sr., 6-5, F; Corey Blaedorn, jr., 6-3, F.
* Bosshart, Mitch Webster and Ingli are returning starters.
* Mitch Webster leads the team in scoring at 12.6 points per game – fifth in the conference.
* Hinzman on the game: “It’s going to take us being focused, getting rebounds and knocking down free throws. That will be a big part of the game – rebounds and free throws. We have to play good defense. Tyler Bosshart’s a good ballplayer and they’ve got some size inside, so we have to make sure we come ready to play.”
* Elmwood loves to push the tempo and get up and down the floor. Spring Valley isn’t opposed to running but the Cardinals also play their share of half-court games. If both teams want to play transition basketball, this one could get very entertaining.
“I think the kids are comfortable pushing the ball,” Spring Valley coach Rob Bosshart said. “Depending on the lineup we have out there at a specific time, that’s what we want to do. If they want to run, it could be an exciting game. But if you want to run, you have to rebound and play defense.”
* Defense and rebounding were among the first words out of both coaches’ mouths Wednesday when I asked them about the upcoming game. Another thing they were in complete agreement on was how interesting the Dunn-St. Croix has been this season without one dominant team.
Bosshart: “It does make it tougher. You don’t have any night where you feel like you can relax in your preparation. On the other side, it’s exciting because you have to play well, which is what you want to do anyway. It’s exciting to go home and check the scoreboard and see who beat who. It’s been a fun league to follow.”
Hinzman: “It’s been exciting. There’s no true standout team, which makes it fun and exciting. At the same time, it makes you better because you’re challenged every night.”
That's all for now. See you Saturday in Spring Valley.
- Joe Ziemer
Saturday, January 12, 2008
Packers 42, Seahawks 20 (Final)
GREEN BAY -- Brett Favre gave way to Aaron Rodgers late, and the Packers find themselves in the NFC championship game against either the Dallas Cowboys or the New York Giants.
I'll hustle down to the locker room, but check Sunday's Leader-Telegram for much, much more. Thanks for sticking with me.
-Justin Harings
I'll hustle down to the locker room, but check Sunday's Leader-Telegram for much, much more. Thanks for sticking with me.
-Justin Harings
Packers 35, Seahawks 20 (End Q3)
GREEN BAY -- The Packers still are beating the Seahawks -- not that anyone in the stadium can really see it.
The snow flurries that started innocently enough in the first quarter rapidly evolved into this bonafide snow storm that has left Lambeau looking more like the inside of a snowglobe than a stadium. They've got the shovels out on the field now, but I can't imagine the official spotter is having much fun.
It's easy to see that these aren't the same Packers that started the game as wide-eyed youngsters. It's starting to become business as usual for the Packers, what with their methodical ground game and good-when-needed passing attack.
*Earlier in the game, Brett Favre became only the second QB in NFL history to throw for 5,000 yards in the postseason, joining Joe Montana. He also made a vintage Favre play in the second, twirling away from the pursuing defenders and underhanding a pass to TE Donald Lee while falling on a critical third-and-5.
*Ryan Grant, who just scored his third TD of the game to make it 42-20, earlier set the Packers' single-game postseason rushing record.
-Justin Harings
The snow flurries that started innocently enough in the first quarter rapidly evolved into this bonafide snow storm that has left Lambeau looking more like the inside of a snowglobe than a stadium. They've got the shovels out on the field now, but I can't imagine the official spotter is having much fun.
It's easy to see that these aren't the same Packers that started the game as wide-eyed youngsters. It's starting to become business as usual for the Packers, what with their methodical ground game and good-when-needed passing attack.
*Earlier in the game, Brett Favre became only the second QB in NFL history to throw for 5,000 yards in the postseason, joining Joe Montana. He also made a vintage Favre play in the second, twirling away from the pursuing defenders and underhanding a pass to TE Donald Lee while falling on a critical third-and-5.
*Ryan Grant, who just scored his third TD of the game to make it 42-20, earlier set the Packers' single-game postseason rushing record.
-Justin Harings
Packers 28, Seahawks 17 (Halftime)
GREEN BAY -- So this is the team that went 13-3 and earned the No. 2 seed in the NFC playoffs.
Carrying over momentum from the end of the first quarter, Brett Favre threw a touchdown pass to Greg Jennings and Ryan Grant added another to give the Packers, who looked like they were in over their head at the beginning, some breathing room.
After those first two fumbles, Grant has recovered well. He's got 14 carries for 91 yards and two touchdowns. Favre is 15-for-19 for 133 yards and two scores.
The halftime entertainment is the University of Wisconsin marching band. It was then that the slippery surface down on the field showed. An overzealous and unfortunate band member took a nasty fall while attempting to make a jump at the goal post in the north endzone. I'm not sure how deep the UW band goes at tuba or who's next on the two-deep roster.
-Justin Harings
Carrying over momentum from the end of the first quarter, Brett Favre threw a touchdown pass to Greg Jennings and Ryan Grant added another to give the Packers, who looked like they were in over their head at the beginning, some breathing room.
After those first two fumbles, Grant has recovered well. He's got 14 carries for 91 yards and two touchdowns. Favre is 15-for-19 for 133 yards and two scores.
The halftime entertainment is the University of Wisconsin marching band. It was then that the slippery surface down on the field showed. An overzealous and unfortunate band member took a nasty fall while attempting to make a jump at the goal post in the north endzone. I'm not sure how deep the UW band goes at tuba or who's next on the two-deep roster.
-Justin Harings
Packers 14, Seahawks 14 (End Q1)
GREEN BAY -- And after all that, it's a tie game.
It took two Ryan Grant fumbles and a two-touchdown deficit to get the favored Packers to round into form and bring the score to 14-all. But now, after a whirlwind first quarter, they've clearly got the momentum. After Brett Favre hit Greg Jennings from 15 yards out and Grant atoned for his mishaps with a late first-quarter touchdown, the Packers are in the driver's seat.
*The 28 points scored in the first quarter tied an NFL postseason record for points scored in the first quarter. Oakland and Houston set the mark in 1969.
*After injuring his knee early in the first, Seahawks No. 1 WR Deion Branch is doubtful to return.
*Today's attendance is 72,168. That's the largest crowd ever to see a game at Lambeau Field.
*The flags around the top of Lambeau Field are at half-mast in honor of Chippewa County Deputy Jason Zunker, who died Jan. 5 after being struck by a vehicle while on duty.
-Justin Harings
It took two Ryan Grant fumbles and a two-touchdown deficit to get the favored Packers to round into form and bring the score to 14-all. But now, after a whirlwind first quarter, they've clearly got the momentum. After Brett Favre hit Greg Jennings from 15 yards out and Grant atoned for his mishaps with a late first-quarter touchdown, the Packers are in the driver's seat.
*The 28 points scored in the first quarter tied an NFL postseason record for points scored in the first quarter. Oakland and Houston set the mark in 1969.
*After injuring his knee early in the first, Seahawks No. 1 WR Deion Branch is doubtful to return.
*Today's attendance is 72,168. That's the largest crowd ever to see a game at Lambeau Field.
*The flags around the top of Lambeau Field are at half-mast in honor of Chippewa County Deputy Jason Zunker, who died Jan. 5 after being struck by a vehicle while on duty.
-Justin Harings
Live Updates: Blugolds women vs. UW-Whitewater
Greetings from Zorn Arena on the campus of UW-Eau Claire, where there's another big game going on between undefeated UW-Whitewater and UW-Eau Claire, the top two women's basketball teams in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.
To keep the blog somewhat in order, I'll only post updates in this particular entry rather than clog the page with both Packers and Blugolds blogs.
By the way, although the Packers game begins shortly, there is still an energetic atmosphere here at Zorn. There's a middle school band rocking out and the stands are somewhat filled, about what they'd be for a Wednesday night game. It would have been nice to see what this place would have been like if the game didn't conflict with the Packers.
A few other quick notes:
*Eau Claire Memorial star forward Katie Pospishil is in the house with several teammates. Many of the UW-Eau Claire women's basketball players were at Friday night's game between Memorial and Chippewa Falls, and all talked to Pospishil after the game (she is being recruited by UW-Eau Claire). It's nice to see her and her teammates return the favor.
*UW-Whitewater coach Keri Carollo is eight months pregnant and is still coaching. Carollo said at media day in November she planned to coach as long as possible, and it sure looks like she's living up to her word.
*Colfax graduate Rachel Woolever is a junior guard for the Warhawks, and averages about 11 minutes a game. She should see some action today.
UW-Eau Claire 25, UW-Whitewater 16, 6 minutes left in first half: It's been your typical game of runs so far. The Blugolds scored the first six points of the game only to have Whitewater score the next eight. Now the Blugolds are starting to assert themselves again. The officials are letting the players play, which is giving the game a real nice flow.
UW-Eau Claire 29, UW-Whitewater 19, Half: The Blugolds are picking up right were they left off defensively against UW-Superior. UW-Whitewater is shooting 22 percent from the floor and 23 percent on 3-pointers. The Blugolds also have a 24-15 advantage in rebounding.
But this game is far from over. Whitewater isn't 14-0 for nothing, and they certainly have the firepower to come back. Heidi Sonntag, who makes 59 percent of her 3-point attempts, played only six minutes in the first half and missed three shots.
Freshman Hannah Mesick leads UW-Eau Claire in scoring with eight points, while Heather Witt and Amanda Zenner each have seven. The Blugolds are shooting 46 percent in the first half but have 10 turnovers which have led to seven Whitewater points.
UW-Eau Claire 35, UW-Whitewater 28, 15:43 left: Sonntag didn't waste much time in asserting herself in the second half. She had a 3-pointer a little more than 2 minutes into the half as the Warhawks have cut into the Blugolds lead just a little bit. They are also having much more success in their full-court press defense, as the Blugolds have four turnovers so far.
UW-Whitewater 42, UW-Eau Claire 39, 7:40: We have a game here. The Warhawks scored 14straight points and held the Blugolds without a field goal for almost seven minutes, erasing an 11-point deficit and briefly taking a three-point lead. The Blugolds got six points from Hannah Mesick to reclaim the lead.
UW-Whitewater 55, UW-Eau Claire 53, 2:58: Just when it looked as though UW-Whitewater was going to run away with it, an inspiring few plays from senior Michelle Burns have brought the Blugolds back to life. After hitting a 3-pointer to cut the lead to three, Burns grabbed a pass out of the air on defense, which led to a free throw by Heather Witt. Sonntag answered with a 3-pointer at the other end, but Burns wasn't done. In one of the best post shots you'll ever see, Burns scored on a scoop layup while falling to the ground. Whitewater was called for a foul and she made the free throw, to bring it back to a two-point game.
UW-Eau Claire 63, UW-Whitewater 60, Final: Hannah Mesick may have led the Blugolds in points with 16, but this game belonged to Michelle Burns. The senior made big play after big play down the stretch and willed UW-Eau Claire to victory. Her three-point play with 1:26 left gave the Blugolds the lead for good, and although she missed two free throws down the stretch, she did everything else possible to help UW-Eau Claire beat the No. 2 team in the country.
I'll have more on the game later. For updates on the men's game, check here.
- John Casper Jr.
To keep the blog somewhat in order, I'll only post updates in this particular entry rather than clog the page with both Packers and Blugolds blogs.
By the way, although the Packers game begins shortly, there is still an energetic atmosphere here at Zorn. There's a middle school band rocking out and the stands are somewhat filled, about what they'd be for a Wednesday night game. It would have been nice to see what this place would have been like if the game didn't conflict with the Packers.
A few other quick notes:
*Eau Claire Memorial star forward Katie Pospishil is in the house with several teammates. Many of the UW-Eau Claire women's basketball players were at Friday night's game between Memorial and Chippewa Falls, and all talked to Pospishil after the game (she is being recruited by UW-Eau Claire). It's nice to see her and her teammates return the favor.
*UW-Whitewater coach Keri Carollo is eight months pregnant and is still coaching. Carollo said at media day in November she planned to coach as long as possible, and it sure looks like she's living up to her word.
*Colfax graduate Rachel Woolever is a junior guard for the Warhawks, and averages about 11 minutes a game. She should see some action today.
UW-Eau Claire 25, UW-Whitewater 16, 6 minutes left in first half: It's been your typical game of runs so far. The Blugolds scored the first six points of the game only to have Whitewater score the next eight. Now the Blugolds are starting to assert themselves again. The officials are letting the players play, which is giving the game a real nice flow.
UW-Eau Claire 29, UW-Whitewater 19, Half: The Blugolds are picking up right were they left off defensively against UW-Superior. UW-Whitewater is shooting 22 percent from the floor and 23 percent on 3-pointers. The Blugolds also have a 24-15 advantage in rebounding.
But this game is far from over. Whitewater isn't 14-0 for nothing, and they certainly have the firepower to come back. Heidi Sonntag, who makes 59 percent of her 3-point attempts, played only six minutes in the first half and missed three shots.
Freshman Hannah Mesick leads UW-Eau Claire in scoring with eight points, while Heather Witt and Amanda Zenner each have seven. The Blugolds are shooting 46 percent in the first half but have 10 turnovers which have led to seven Whitewater points.
UW-Eau Claire 35, UW-Whitewater 28, 15:43 left: Sonntag didn't waste much time in asserting herself in the second half. She had a 3-pointer a little more than 2 minutes into the half as the Warhawks have cut into the Blugolds lead just a little bit. They are also having much more success in their full-court press defense, as the Blugolds have four turnovers so far.
UW-Whitewater 42, UW-Eau Claire 39, 7:40: We have a game here. The Warhawks scored 14straight points and held the Blugolds without a field goal for almost seven minutes, erasing an 11-point deficit and briefly taking a three-point lead. The Blugolds got six points from Hannah Mesick to reclaim the lead.
UW-Whitewater 55, UW-Eau Claire 53, 2:58: Just when it looked as though UW-Whitewater was going to run away with it, an inspiring few plays from senior Michelle Burns have brought the Blugolds back to life. After hitting a 3-pointer to cut the lead to three, Burns grabbed a pass out of the air on defense, which led to a free throw by Heather Witt. Sonntag answered with a 3-pointer at the other end, but Burns wasn't done. In one of the best post shots you'll ever see, Burns scored on a scoop layup while falling to the ground. Whitewater was called for a foul and she made the free throw, to bring it back to a two-point game.
UW-Eau Claire 63, UW-Whitewater 60, Final: Hannah Mesick may have led the Blugolds in points with 16, but this game belonged to Michelle Burns. The senior made big play after big play down the stretch and willed UW-Eau Claire to victory. Her three-point play with 1:26 left gave the Blugolds the lead for good, and although she missed two free throws down the stretch, she did everything else possible to help UW-Eau Claire beat the No. 2 team in the country.
I'll have more on the game later. For updates on the men's game, check here.
- John Casper Jr.
Inactives announced
The inactives lists for were announced moments ago, about the same time Mason Crosby, Jon Ryan and Rob Davis took to the field. No team had any shakeups in their starting lineup, so the list of inactives isn't exactly star-studded.
For the Packers, the third quarterback is Craig Nall. The inactives are WR Shaun Bodiford, CB Will Blackmon, LB Desmond Bishop, T Orrin Thompson, TE Ryan Krause, DT Conrad Bolston and DT Daniel Muir.
For the Seahawks, the third quarterback is Charlie Frye. The inactives are WR Logan Payne, FB David Kirtman, TE Ben Joppru, DE Jason Babin, G Mansfield Wrotto, T Ray Willis and WR Courtney Taylor.
By the way, if you've thought about coming to a Packers playoff game at Lambeau, you won't be disappointed by the atmosphere. The game is still an hour away, but the stadium is filling out and there is still a constant stream of fans flowing toward the stadium. This is my fifth Packers game at Lambeau Field this season, but it's pretty clear already that this one is going to be a completely different, amped-up experience.
-Justin Harings
For the Packers, the third quarterback is Craig Nall. The inactives are WR Shaun Bodiford, CB Will Blackmon, LB Desmond Bishop, T Orrin Thompson, TE Ryan Krause, DT Conrad Bolston and DT Daniel Muir.
For the Seahawks, the third quarterback is Charlie Frye. The inactives are WR Logan Payne, FB David Kirtman, TE Ben Joppru, DE Jason Babin, G Mansfield Wrotto, T Ray Willis and WR Courtney Taylor.
By the way, if you've thought about coming to a Packers playoff game at Lambeau, you won't be disappointed by the atmosphere. The game is still an hour away, but the stadium is filling out and there is still a constant stream of fans flowing toward the stadium. This is my fifth Packers game at Lambeau Field this season, but it's pretty clear already that this one is going to be a completely different, amped-up experience.
-Justin Harings
Hello from Lambeau
Greetings from Lambeau Field in snowy Green Bay, where the second-seeded Green Bay Packers are preparing to host the third-seeded Seattle Seahawks in the NFC divisional playoffs. Thanks to a faulty fax machine back at the office (or my inability to correctly work a fax machine), I've been in tucked away in the press box since 12:30 p.m. We've each been given a thick playoff guide, so I should be able to impress you with a few interesting nuggets throughout today's game. The winner gets the winner of Sunday's NFC playoff game between the top-seeded Dallas Cowboys and the fifth-seeded New York Giants.
Kickoff is in about an hour and a half, so the inactive lists should be announced soon. As soon as I know, you'll know.
-Justin Harings
Kickoff is in about an hour and a half, so the inactive lists should be announced soon. As soon as I know, you'll know.
-Justin Harings
Thursday, January 10, 2008
North girls playing for tournament time
The Eau Claire North girls basketball team has won five Big Rivers Conference championships this decade.
It has zero state tournament appearances.
North's star guard Hannah Quilling wants that to change. So while the Huskies' 57-52 overtime victory over Memorial on Tuesday night may have thrust them back into the BRC race, that's not why Quilling was excited.
"I think I can say for myself as well as any one of the girls in the locker room that we couldn’t care less about the conference," Quilling said. "We won it too many years in a row to have nothing happen with it.
"Tournament time is what we are playing for. We couldn't care less if we go 0-12 in the conference. We need to be ready for the tournament. That is what we are playing for."
While going 0-12 may not be the best way to get ready for the tournament, playing tough competition is. And that's exactly what North has done. The Huskies have played La Crosse Logan, Marshfield, Ashwaubenon and Middleton. They play D.C. Everest on Tuesday. The BRC is loaded this season, and any one of five teams could emerge as the champion.
"It's all about confidence," Quilling said. "We need to know that we can play with these teams and win these close games."
North isn't the only BRC team to play a tough schedule. Memorial and Chippewa Falls have played many of the same teams that North has, meaning the entire BRC should be tournament-tested come March.
- John Casper Jr.
It has zero state tournament appearances.
North's star guard Hannah Quilling wants that to change. So while the Huskies' 57-52 overtime victory over Memorial on Tuesday night may have thrust them back into the BRC race, that's not why Quilling was excited.
"I think I can say for myself as well as any one of the girls in the locker room that we couldn’t care less about the conference," Quilling said. "We won it too many years in a row to have nothing happen with it.
"Tournament time is what we are playing for. We couldn't care less if we go 0-12 in the conference. We need to be ready for the tournament. That is what we are playing for."
While going 0-12 may not be the best way to get ready for the tournament, playing tough competition is. And that's exactly what North has done. The Huskies have played La Crosse Logan, Marshfield, Ashwaubenon and Middleton. They play D.C. Everest on Tuesday. The BRC is loaded this season, and any one of five teams could emerge as the champion.
"It's all about confidence," Quilling said. "We need to know that we can play with these teams and win these close games."
North isn't the only BRC team to play a tough schedule. Memorial and Chippewa Falls have played many of the same teams that North has, meaning the entire BRC should be tournament-tested come March.
- John Casper Jr.
Wednesday, January 9, 2008
Nonconference tests are key
For all the wins Eleva-Strum reeled off en route to the Division 4 state tournament last season, none taught the Cardinals as much as one home nonconference loss to Eau Claire Regis did. The Ramblers’ defense exposed a lot of glaring offensive deficiencies.
“Last year’s loss probably was the reason why we got back to state,” Cardinals senior Lance Rongstad said. “We learned so much about our team that we weren’t doing well.”
This season Eleva-Strum went to Regis and picked up a win in a very entertaining game between two teams with a lot of talent. This time around the Cardinals are hoping that some positive reinforcement can give them a boost.
“Last year we turned it into a positive loss when we played down at our place,” Eleva-Strum coach Rich Roginski said. “This year I’m hoping it’s a positive win and it will keep propelling us like the loss did last year.”
The annual meetings between Eleva-Strum and Regis have turned into a great barometer for both teams and a great friendly rivalry for the area. Both teams have tremendous coaches and great winning traditions. Playing each other only makes them better. It’s probably no coincidence that both finished their seasons at the state tournament last year.
“I think by design we’ve always played Eleva,” Regis coach Bill Uelmen said. “Fortunately, they’ve always had very good teams there. Historically, the past five years since I’ve been back and playing them, they’ve always been very good games. It’s got to help us and it’s got to help them. They probably haven’t seen a lot of zones and that’s what we played. They can probably take something away from this game. I’m hoping our kids can take something away other than the loss.”
Two more teams that may look back on a big nonconference test come March are New Richmond and Eau Claire North. Both schools have a good chance of making some postseason noise in their respective divisions – the Huskies in D1 and the Tigers in D2 – and last week’s meeting gave them an excellent chance to see where they stand. Though New Richmond came away with a one-point win, the game was an excellent learning experience for both teams.
“I likened this game to a playoff game,” New Richmond coach Rick Montreal said. “These are the kind of games you’re going to see in March. The level of competition being real substantial, and the intensity and atmosphere I thought we were going to see tonight. New Richmond brought a great amount of people down to support us. It was such a great venue. It prepares you for the games down the road. That’s what I hope we got out of this.”
Not only do games like those two make both teams better, they’re great for basketball in the area. Anyone who came to watch either game saw a lot of talent on display and was treated to an entertaining game. So big kudos to all four schools for scheduling those kind of nonconference games. More schools should follow suit. How about a two-day event where North and Memorial would play Altoona and Regis at Zorn Arena?
- Joe Ziemer
“Last year’s loss probably was the reason why we got back to state,” Cardinals senior Lance Rongstad said. “We learned so much about our team that we weren’t doing well.”
This season Eleva-Strum went to Regis and picked up a win in a very entertaining game between two teams with a lot of talent. This time around the Cardinals are hoping that some positive reinforcement can give them a boost.
“Last year we turned it into a positive loss when we played down at our place,” Eleva-Strum coach Rich Roginski said. “This year I’m hoping it’s a positive win and it will keep propelling us like the loss did last year.”
The annual meetings between Eleva-Strum and Regis have turned into a great barometer for both teams and a great friendly rivalry for the area. Both teams have tremendous coaches and great winning traditions. Playing each other only makes them better. It’s probably no coincidence that both finished their seasons at the state tournament last year.
“I think by design we’ve always played Eleva,” Regis coach Bill Uelmen said. “Fortunately, they’ve always had very good teams there. Historically, the past five years since I’ve been back and playing them, they’ve always been very good games. It’s got to help us and it’s got to help them. They probably haven’t seen a lot of zones and that’s what we played. They can probably take something away from this game. I’m hoping our kids can take something away other than the loss.”
Two more teams that may look back on a big nonconference test come March are New Richmond and Eau Claire North. Both schools have a good chance of making some postseason noise in their respective divisions – the Huskies in D1 and the Tigers in D2 – and last week’s meeting gave them an excellent chance to see where they stand. Though New Richmond came away with a one-point win, the game was an excellent learning experience for both teams.
“I likened this game to a playoff game,” New Richmond coach Rick Montreal said. “These are the kind of games you’re going to see in March. The level of competition being real substantial, and the intensity and atmosphere I thought we were going to see tonight. New Richmond brought a great amount of people down to support us. It was such a great venue. It prepares you for the games down the road. That’s what I hope we got out of this.”
Not only do games like those two make both teams better, they’re great for basketball in the area. Anyone who came to watch either game saw a lot of talent on display and was treated to an entertaining game. So big kudos to all four schools for scheduling those kind of nonconference games. More schools should follow suit. How about a two-day event where North and Memorial would play Altoona and Regis at Zorn Arena?
- Joe Ziemer
Saturday, January 5, 2008
Stout men not doing so hot
Let a team make 10 3-pointers in the first half alone, and chances are the score won't be in your favor.
That's what's happening to UW-Stout at halftime of its game against UW-Platteville. The white-hot Pioneers are shooting 57.6 percent from the floor and have a 51-31 lead at halftime. Josh Langenfeld leads all scorers with 15 while Curt Hanson has 14 and Charlie Lohoff has 11.
UW-Stout is led by Jerrel Enerson-Matthews' 12 points.
The Blue Devils are currently mired in a seven-game losing streak in which they have allowed an average of 81.4 points per game. Unless something dramatically changes, it looks as though that will continue.
- John Casper Jr.
That's what's happening to UW-Stout at halftime of its game against UW-Platteville. The white-hot Pioneers are shooting 57.6 percent from the floor and have a 51-31 lead at halftime. Josh Langenfeld leads all scorers with 15 while Curt Hanson has 14 and Charlie Lohoff has 11.
UW-Stout is led by Jerrel Enerson-Matthews' 12 points.
The Blue Devils are currently mired in a seven-game losing streak in which they have allowed an average of 81.4 points per game. Unless something dramatically changes, it looks as though that will continue.
- John Casper Jr.
Stout women hold off Platteville
Chalk this one up to the UW-Stout defense.
Facing a must-win situation if they have any illusions of finishing in the thop half of the conference, the Blue Devils turned up the defensive pressure when they had to, held UW-Platteville without a field goal over the final 8 minutes of the game and came away with an 80-68 victory at the Johnson Fieldhouse.
Julia Hirssig, who only played three minutes in the first half, responded in the second by scoring 15 of her team-high 17 points and grabbing 10 of her 11 rebounds to help the Blue Devils pull away. Seven of Hirssig's points came at the free-throw line as she really established herself in the paint during the Blue Devils' decisive run.
UW-Stout won despite turning over the ball 28 times. It helped that it shot 47.3 percent from the floor and held UW-Platteville to just 30 percent.
- John Casper Jr.
Facing a must-win situation if they have any illusions of finishing in the thop half of the conference, the Blue Devils turned up the defensive pressure when they had to, held UW-Platteville without a field goal over the final 8 minutes of the game and came away with an 80-68 victory at the Johnson Fieldhouse.
Julia Hirssig, who only played three minutes in the first half, responded in the second by scoring 15 of her team-high 17 points and grabbing 10 of her 11 rebounds to help the Blue Devils pull away. Seven of Hirssig's points came at the free-throw line as she really established herself in the paint during the Blue Devils' decisive run.
UW-Stout won despite turning over the ball 28 times. It helped that it shot 47.3 percent from the floor and held UW-Platteville to just 30 percent.
- John Casper Jr.
Stout women lead UW-Platteville at halftime
Behind seven points from Danielle DeWitt and Shelby Churchill, the UW-Stout women's basketball team has a 38-33 halftime lead over UW-Platteville here at Johnson Fieldhouse.
The Pioneers, who have three juniors and no seniors on the roster, are suffering from the field. They're shooting 26.8 percent (11-for-41). Lisa Grantman has 11 points to lead Platteville.
This is the first of two home games for the Blue Devils before they embark on an arduous road trip. Stout plays at UW-Stevens Point on Jan. 16 and UW-Whitewater on Jan. 19. Both teams are ranked in the top 25 and have a combined record of 22-1.
- John Casper Jr.
The Pioneers, who have three juniors and no seniors on the roster, are suffering from the field. They're shooting 26.8 percent (11-for-41). Lisa Grantman has 11 points to lead Platteville.
This is the first of two home games for the Blue Devils before they embark on an arduous road trip. Stout plays at UW-Stevens Point on Jan. 16 and UW-Whitewater on Jan. 19. Both teams are ranked in the top 25 and have a combined record of 22-1.
- John Casper Jr.
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