GAME OF THE WEEK (Oct. 20–Oct. 26)
WIAA FOOTBALL PLAYOFFS
DIVISION 4:
#7 East Troy (5–4) at #2 Platteville (7–2), Friday, 7 p.m.
The Hillmen closed out the regular season with a dominating 35–6 victory at previously unbeaten Lancaster last Friday to earn a share of this year’s Southwest Wisconsin Conference title. Senior halfback Luke Fugate (1,363 yards, 21 TDs) rushed for 137 yards and three TDs in the win. The Trojans tied for fifth in the 10-team Rock Valley Conference after a season-ending 30–21 loss to Brodhead/Juda.
#8 Big Foot (5–4) at #1 River Valley (6–2), at Spring Green, Friday, 7 p.m.
DIVISION 5:
#7 Westby (3–6) at #2 Lancaster (8–1), Friday, 7 p.m.
Lancaster hit a speed bump in Week 9 with a 35–6 loss to Platteville. The Flying Arrows will look to regroup in Friday’s opening round. Lancaster blanked The Norsemen 21–0 in a non-conference game on Sept. 10. Junior fullback Evan Gates (1,603 yards, 22 TDs) rushed for 202 yards and three scored in that game. Westby snuck into the playoffs finishing 3–2 in the Coulee Conference after beginning the season 0–4.
DIVISION 6:
#8 Brookwood (5–4) at #1 Darlington (9–0), Friday, 7 p.m.
The second-ranked Redbirds shutout Iowa–Grant 47–0 to close out the regular season last Friday and clinch another outright SWAL title. Darlington has allowed just 45 points this season, including just six in the past four games.
#5 Mineral Point (5–4) at #4 Fennimore (6–3), Friday, 7 p.m.
The Pointers beat Southwestern 35–21 on the final night of the regular season to clinch a playoff berth. Fennimore, which finished tied for the second in the SWAL, closed out the regular season with 27–7 non-conference victory over Orfordville Parkview. The Golden Eagles held on to defeat the Pointers 21–20 on Sept. 2 in the first conference game of the year.
#6 Cuba City (4–5) at #3 Markesan (9–0), Friday, 7 p.m.
The Cubans clinched a playoff berth with a 42–0 victory of Boscobel. Undefeated Markesan was the undisputed champion of the Trailways Conference Large division.
#7 Waterloo (4–5) at #2 Pecatonica/Argyle (9–0), Friday, 7 p.m.
The undefeated Vikings rallied for 14–7 overtime victory over Shullsburg last Friday night to clinch the outright Six Rivers Conference title. Waterloo finished second in the five-team Capitol South Conference.
DIVISION 7:
#5 Iowa–Grant (5–4) at #4 Highland (6–3), Friday, 7 p.m.
The Panthers and Cardinals will lock horns in an intriguing first-round match-up between neighboring schools that conceivable could one day be co-op partners. The Panthers finished tied for second in the SWAL after at 47–0 loss to undefeated Darlington last week. The Cardinals finished tied for second in the Six Rivers Conference with Shullsburg and Black Hawk.
#6 Wauzeka/Seneca (6–3) at #3 Black Hawk (7–3), at South Wayne, Friday, 7 p.m.
The Warriors closed out the regular season with a 46–12 victory over River Ridge to finish in a three-way tie for second-place in the Six Rivers Conference. The Bluegolds went 4–2 and finished third in the seven-team Ridge & Valley.
#7 Potosi (5–5) at #2 Shullsburg (8–2), Friday, 7 p.m.
The seventh-seeded Chieftains won their final four games of the season after a 1–5 start to earn a berth in the D7 playoffs. Potosi closed out the year with a 14–0 non-conference shutout at Cashton a week ago. Shullsburg fell narrowly short in a 14–7 overtime loss to Six Rivers champion Pec/Argyle last Friday, a game that could have given the Miners a share of a split conference title. Coach Scott Mayte’s Shullsburg team dominated coach Mark Siegert’s Chieftains 34–6 on Sept. 9.
PREP VOLLEYBALL: This week’s area regional playoff games
DIVISION 2:
#4 Platteville (18–21) at #1 Mount Horeb (26–8), Thursday, 7 p.m.
The Vikings twice defeated the Hillmen this year, first at the Middleton Invitational, 25–20, 25–20, on Sept. 17 then again in a closer match at the Madison Edgewood Tournament on Oct. 1, 20–25, 25–10, 15–12. Platteville overcame a 2–1 deficit to visiting Dodgeville in Tuesday’s regional quarterfinals to win in five sets. Mount Horeb had a first-round bye.
#3 River Valley (26–13) at #2 Richland Center (27–9), Thursday, 7 p.m.
The Blackhawks will face the Southwest Wisconsin Conference champion Hornets for a third time this season. The teams split the previous two matchups with the SWC champs winning in five sets at Richland Center on Sept. 29 and the host Blackhawks taking the regular season finale in three in a make-up match last Saturday afternoon. River Valley survived a first-round scare from Monroe in Tuesday’s opening round, winning the decisive fifth set 15–11 to advance. Richland Center defeated seventh-seeded Sauk Prairie 3–1.
UPDATE: Regional Final: #2 Richland Center (28–9) at #1 Mount Horeb (27–8), Saturday, 7 p.m.
DIVISION 3:
#4 Cuba City (19–17–1) at #1 Mineral Point (24–4), Thursday, 7 p.m.
The Cubans advanced to face the Pointers with a sweep of fifth-seeded Fennimore on Tuesday night. SWAL champion Mineral Point swept eighth-seeded Lancaster. The two teams split their regular season meetings. The Cubans upset the Pointers in four sets at Cuba City on Sept. 8, before the Pointers returned the favor in four sets on Oct. 6 at MPHS.
#3 Darlington (17–4–2) at #2 Iowa–Grant (17–9), at Livingston, Thursday, 7 p.m.
The Redbirds defeated the Panthers in five sets on Oct. 13 in the team’s only meeting during the regular season, but I–G earned the second seed in the regional and thus Darlington will have to travel to Livingston for tonight’s regional semifinal. Darlington finished tied for second in the SWAL with Cuba City at 9–3, behind Mineral Point (11–1 SWAL). Iowa–Grant finished tied for fourth at 7–5.
UPDATE: Regional Final: #4 Cuba City (20–17–1) at #2 Iowa–Grant (18–9), Saturday, 7 p.m.
DIVISION 4:
#5 Potosi (12–14–1) at #1 Benton (24–1–1), Thursday, 7 p.m.
The Zephyrs breezed through the regular season to win their first conference title since 1988, twice defeating the Chieftains to go 12–0 in the Six Rivers West. Top-seeded Benton swept Cassville 25–10, 25–14, 25–10 in Tuesday’s opening round, while fifth-seeded Potosi went on the road and upset fourth-seeded Belmont in four sets in the regional quarterfinals.
#3 Southwestern (16–8) at #2 River Ridge (17–3–1), at Patch Grove, Thursday, 7 p.m.
Southwestern swept sixth-seeded Barneveld in the opening round, after tying for fifth in the SWAL during the regular season. The Wildcats advanced to the 2015 Division 4 state championship match, but were hit heavy by graduation losses in the offseason. River Ridge went 10–2 in conference play to finish second in the Six Rivers West behind Benton.
UPDATE: Regional Final: #3 Southwestern (17–8) at #1 Benton (25–1–1), Saturday, 7 p.m.
PREP CROSS COUNTRY: WIAA Sectionals
A cross country teams will compete this Saturday in sectional meets with a berth in next weekend’s WIAA State Championships in Wisconsin Rapids on the line. The top two teams (both boys and girls) at each sectional, as well as the top five individuals not on qualifying teams advance to state.
WIAA Division 2 Platteville sectional (at UW–Platteville Memorial Park), Saturday, 11 a.m.
Participating teams: Brodhead/Juda, Dodgeville/Mineral Point, Edgerton, Edgewood, Evansville, Lodi, McFarland, Monroe, Mount Horeb, Platteville, Prairie du Chien, Richland Center/Ithaca, River Valley, Southwestern/Benton/Cuba City, Beloit Turner,
WIAA Division 3 Fennimore sectional, Saturday, 11 a.m.
Participating teams: Albany, Belleville, Boscobel, Cassville, Darlington, Fennimore, Iowa-Grant, Kickapoo/La Farge, Lancaster, Madison Country Day/Abundant Life Christian, Marshall, New Glarus/Monticello, North Crawford, Parkview, Pecatonica/Argyle, Riverdale, Saint Ambrose, Waterloo, Wauzeka-Steuben and Wisconsin Heights/Barneveld.
