GAME OF THE WEEK (Aug. 11–17)
OLYMPICS: Darlington native Michael McPhail takes aim at Olympic medal, Friday, Aug. 12 (at 2016 Summer Olympics, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil), 7 a.m.
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL — In a sport where millimeters and fractions of a point separate the competitors, Sgt. 1st Class Michael McPhail hopes his aim is true as he takes his shot at bringing home a gold medal for himself, his family and his country during his second turn at Olympic competition.
The 34-year old Darlington native will begin his quest for an Olympic medal early Friday morning when he participates in the Men’s 50-Meter Prone Rifle 60-shot qualification round in competition at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games. The event is scheduled to start at 7 a.m. CST with the finals to be held at 9 a.m. CST. McPhail’s quest for an Olympic medal is this week’s McDonald’s Swnews4u.com Game of the Week.
McPhail, the son of Dennis and Joyce McPhail of Darlington, has been locked on target the past two years in international competition, and is among the favorites to appear on the award stand in Rio.
During his debut at the 2012 London Games, McPhail narrowly missed a shot at earning a medal after finishing ninth overall in the Men’s 50-Meter Prone Rifle competition. He ended the qualification round in a nine-way tie for fourth-place, and then placed sixth in a five-shot shoot-out to miss qualifying for the finals by .3 of a point, which amounts to about two millimeters of space on the target.
Since 2014, McPhail– a member of the elite U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit (USAMU) at Fort Benning, Ga.– won two gold medals at the 2014 Spanish Grand Prix, three gold medals in World Cup shooting events, a silver medal at the 2015 Pan American Games and, most recently, took top honors at the USA Shooting National Championships held at his home range.
Along the way McPhail also tied the World Record shooting a score of 632.3, and has established himself as one of the top 10 shooters in the world rankings.
McPhail is stationed at Fort Benning with his wife, Kari, who is a graduate of Black Hawk High School, and their two children Addison, 5, and Mason, six months.
PREP GOLF: Darlington Quadrangular, Friday, Aug. 12, at Darlington Country Club, 9 a.m.
Summer is nearly over and that means the beginning of the prep falls sports season. The 2016 girls golf season begins Friday, Aug. 12 when the ladies of southwest Wisconsin tee it up for the first time this “fall” at the Darlington quadrangular. The Redbirds will host Southwestern/Cuba City/Benton, Lancaster and Mount Horeb at the Darlington Golf and Country Club at 9 a.m.
PREP FOOTBALL: preseason scrimmages
Area football teams will take part in preseason scrimmages this weekend in a variety of events throughout the region. The regular season will begin next Friday, Aug. 19. Here is a list of area scrimmages and times.
Monroe scrimmage, Friday, 5 p.m. — Platteville, Monroe, Evansville, New Glarus
Viroqua scrimmage, Friday, 5 p.m — Belmont, Boscobel, Cassville, De Soto, Richland Center, Viroqua
Fall River scrimmage, Friday, 5 p.m. — Black Hawk, Dodgeland, Markesan, Johnson Creek, Fall River, St. John’s Academy
Lancaster scrimmage, Friday, 5:30 p.m. — Lancaster, Darlington
River Valley scrimmage, Friday, Aug. 12, 5:30 p.m. — River Valley, Cuba City, Poynette, Beloit Turner
Dodgeville scrimmage, Friday, 6 p.m. — Dodgeville, Iowa–Grant, Pecatonica/Argyle, Belleville
Prairie du Chien scrimmage, Friday, 6 p.m. — Fennimore, Mineral Point, Prairie du Chien, Westby, La Crosse Aquinas
Potosi scrimmage, Friday, 6 p.m. — Potosi, Seneca/Wauzeka
Ithaca scrimmage, Friday, 7 p.m. — Highland, Ithaca
Southwestern scrimmage, Saturday, 9 a.m. — Southwestern, Benton/Scales Mound
Melrose–Mindoro scrimmage, Saturday, 10 a.m. — River Ridge, Cashton, Kickapoo, Melrose–Mindoro
Wonewoc–Center scrimmage, Saturday, 10 a.m. — Shullsburg, Royall, Wonewoc–Center