GAME OF THE WEEK (Oct. 29–Nov. 4)
WIAA STATE CROSS COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS
Saturday, Oct. 31, at Ridges Golf Course, Wisconsin Rapids, noon
The 103rd running of the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association Boys Cross Country Championships and the 43rd Annual Girls Cross Country Championships will take place Saturday, Oct. 31, at The Ridges Golf Course in Wisconsin Rapids. Ticket price for the meet is $6.
The boys and girls will run a 5,000-meter course. It’s the second year the girls will be racing at that distance. The event begins with the Division 3 girls race at noon, followed by Division 2 at 12:40 p.m. and Division 1 at 1:20 p.m. The Division 3 boys race will begin at 2 p.m., followed by Division 2 at 2:35 and Division 1 at 3:10 p.m.
A number of area teams and individuals will be taking part. The four-time defending Division 3 state champion Darlington boys qualified for state for an eighth straight season. The Redbirds are led by senior Jaden Komprood, who finished second at last Saturday's D3 Darlington Sectional with a time of 16:56. Darlington sophomore Erin Wolf placed seventh in the girls' sectional race to qualify for state.
"We got out a little bit too slow and then found ourselves in a hole that we had to dig out of. We know that we need to get out in the race quicker and still make our moves during the race,” said Darlington head coach Arnie Miehe. “I was impressed with our push during the third mile. We were behind and the guys did what it took to get things done.”
Sectional runner-up Boscobel earned a return trip to state finishing second to host Darlington. Senior Dakota Kauffman claimed his second straight individual sectional crown with a winning time of 16:32 to lead the Bulldogs back to state. Seth Laxton (6th, 17:35) and Jordan Molzof (9th, 17:39) also finished in the top 10 at sectionals for Boscobel.
Boscobel junior Mackenzie Kauffman placed second in the girls race with a time of 19:49.9 to qualify for state, but the Lady Bulldogs (81( finished third as a team behind Albany (41) and Lancaster (76) and just missed out on qualifying as a team.
“It was such an emotional day, the girls ran an awesome race and we came up just short," said Boscobel head coach Skyler Reynolds. "Then the boys also had an awesome race and they qualified. We talked all year long about competing hard and worrying about ourselves. I think our runners did that.”
The Lady Arrows will be making their first trip to state in 20 years. Lancaster last qualified for state cross country in 1995, placing sixth in Division 2. This year's team is led by freshman Lydia Murphy, who place fourth out of 110 runners with a time of 20:11. Sophomore Maddie Hampton finished ninth at 21:43.
"Qualifying for state on Saturday was an amazing feeling," said Lancaster coach Taylor Reynolds. "We knew it would be a battle going up against some of the very best teams in the state including Albany, Boscobel and Darlington, who were all ranked in the top 10 in the state for all or most of the season."
Platteville senior Vince Momot will be making his third straight trip to state in Division 2 and he will be joined by junior teammate Vince Iselin. Momot finished third out of 102 runners at last Friday's WIAA D2 Monroe Sectional with a time of 15:29.4. Iselin was close behind, placing sixth with a time of 16:41.3.
AREA STATE CROSS COUNTRY QUALIFIERS
DIVISION 2 BOYS: Platteville: Vince Momot, sr.; Dan Iselin, jr.
River Valley: Dustin Hatfield, jr.
DIVISION 2 GIRLS: Dodgeville/Mineral Point: Brittany Rhyner, sr.
DIVISION 3 BOYS: Darlington: Jaden Koomprood, sr., Sean Barbee, sr., Payton Heinberg, fr., Tanner Evenstad, so., Blake Cwynar, Connor Hackett, jr., Trae Schilling, fr.
Boscobel: Dakota Kauffman, sr., Seth Laxton, sr., Jordan Molzof, jr., Noah Toye, jr., Dakota Kull, fr., Jack Latham, so., Angel Navarez, jr.
Riverdale: Brian Mathews, jr.
DIVISION 3 GIRLS: Lancaster: Lydia Murphy, fr., Maddie Hampton, so., Brianna Hampton, sr., Megan Volkmann, so., Crystalyn Mish, fr., Nicole Wolf, sr., Felicia Holmes, so.
Boscobel: Mackenzie Kauffman, jr.
Darlington: Erin Wolf, so.
PREP VOLLEYBALL: WIAA sectional semifinals
DIVISION 4: Southwestern (24–1, ranked 2nd in D4) vs. River Ridge (22–1, ranked 6th in D4) at North Crawford High School, Thursday, 7 p.m., WGLR (97.7 FM)
Senior Bridgett Myers had 25 kills,12 assists and five digs to lead sixth-ranked River Ridge to a 25–11, 25–11, 25–17 sweep of Seneca in Saturday's WIAA Division 4 regional final. The Six Rivers West champion Timberwolves improved to 21–1 on the season and will now face second-ranked and once-beaten Southwestern (24–1) in a D4 sectional semifinal Thursday night at 7 p.m. at North Crawford H.S. Southwestern senior Michelle Budden had 32 kills and six blocks to lead the Wildcats to a 23–25, 25–12, 25–13, 25–13 regional final victory over Benton. A year ago, Southwestern ended the River Ridge's season in a D4 sectional semifinal on their way to the D4 state championship game.
DIVISION 3: Cuba City (29–6, ranked 8th in D3) vs. Wisconsin Heights (27–8, ranked 9th in D3), at New Glarus, Thursday, 7 p.m., KIYX (106.1 FM)
The Cubans and Vanguards will meet in a sectional semifinal rematch from a year ago. Heights outlasted Cuba City in five sets last year on the Cubans' home court. Coach Kari Lawson's Cuba City team swept Mineral Point last Saturday, 25–15, 25–17, 25–19 last Saturday to win the regional title. Wisconsin Heights swept Iowa–Grant, 31–29, 25–18, 25–12 to advance.
DIVISION 2: Platteville (33–4, ranked 3rd in D2) vs. Wisconsin Dells (31–3, unranked), at Richland Center, Thursday, 7 p.m., Xtreme 107.1 FM
This is the third area sectional semifinal rematch from a year ago. Last season, the Hillmen beat the Chiefs in straight sets, 25–16, 25–22, 25–12, on the way to their first state tournament appearance since winning the D2 title in 1994. Platteville has not lost since Aug. 29 in the championship game of the 20-team UW–Whitewater Warhawk Open to fellow D2 sectional qualifier Merrill. The Hillmen have rattled off 23 straight wins, and 32 in their last 33 matches, to claim a second straight Southwest Wisconsin Conference title and a third straight regional crown.
PREP FOOTBALL: WIAA Level 2 playoffs
Friday night forecast: 46 degrees, mostly cloudy, wind S 6 mph
DIVISION 4
(3) Columbus (9–1, ranked 3rd in D4) at (2) River Valley (9–1, ranked 8th), Friday, 7 p.m.
The Blackhawks are coming off a 42–7 victory over Brodhead/Juda. The third-seeded Cardinals defeated Beloit Turner 24–9 in last week's opening round.
DIVISION 6
(4) Mineral Point (8–2) at (1) Darlington (10–0, ranked 1st in D6), Friday, 7 p.m., WEKZ (93.7 FM)
The Redbirds (ranked number one in Division 6) blanked Pardeeville 42–0 in Level 1. Mineral Point earned the rematch with their SWAL rivals with a wild 41–40 victory over fifth-seeded Dodgeland. Darlington thumped the Pointers 57–21 on Sept. 11 at Mineral Point.
(4) Iowa–Grant (6–4) at (1) Pecatonica/Argyle (10–0, ranked 2nd in D6), Friday, 7 p.m., WGLR (97.7 FM)
This is also a rematch from earlier in the season. The top-seeded Vikings defeated the Panthers 34–12 in on Aug. 28 in Week 2 non-conference game. Since then Pec/Argyle has won eight more games to remain unbeaten, including a 44–0 first-round shutout of Kickapoo/La Farge. Coach Gary Allen's Panthers defeated fifth-seeded Whitehall 36–13 last Friday.
DIVISION 7
(4) Hillsboro (8–2) at (1) Bangor (10–0, ranked 3rd in D7), Friday, 7 p.m.
The Scenic Bluffs Conference foes will meet for a second time this year. The Cardinals defeated the Tigers 42–14 on Oct. 2 en route to winning the SBC title. A week ago top-seeded Bangor flattened Weston, 60–0. Hillsboro held off a stern test from fifth-seeded De Soto 22–15.
(6) Highland (5–5) at (1) Ithaca (10–0, ranked 4th in D7), Friday, 7 p.m., WPVL (1590 AM)
The Cardinals rallied from an 18–0 halftime deficit to defeat third-seeded Wild Rose 28–26 in last week's opening round. Freshman Drew Hennessy caught the game-winning 25-yard TD pass from John Ross Linschied with 39 seconds left to put the Cardinals ahead. Top-seeded Ithaca defeated seventh-seeded Casthon 32–7 a week ago.
(4) Potosi (8–2, ranked 8th in D7) at (1) Cambria–Friesland (10–0, ranked 6th in D7), Friday, 7 p.m., Xtreme 107.1 FM
The Chieftains crushed fifth-seeded Johnson Creek 46–7 and had the running clock in the first half. Potosi, a D7 Level 4 playoff qualifier a year ago, has won eight straight games since an 0–2 start. Undefeated Cambria–Friesland blanked Rio 44–0 a week ago.
(3) Cassville (7–3) at (2) Burlington Catholic Central (10–0, ranked 2nd in D7), Friday, 7 p.m.
The third-seeded Comets destroyed Randolph last week 54–6, but they will face a much tougher challenge in Level 2. The second-seeded Hilltoppers are ranked second in Division 7. They defeated Cassville's Six Rivers foe Black Hawk 49–22 last week. Cassville defeated the Warriors 27–12 on Sept. 24.
