Winter sports practice for basketball and wrestling began last week with games scheduled to tip-off for most area teams this week or the following week.
    Darlington and Black Hawk kicked off the 2011-12 winter sports season with a non-conference boys’ basketball game at Darlington on Tuesday, November 22.
    Below is a list of the upcoming games for the area basketball (all games start with a junior varsity game at 6 p.m. followed by a varsity game at 7:30 p.m. unless otherwise noted) and wrestling teams:

Boys’ Basketball
    Shullsburg opens the boys’ basketball season with a non-conference game at Darlington on Tuesday, Nov. 29.
    The Miners host Lancaster in their home opener on Friday, Dec. 2, and they open Six Rivers West play at Belmont on Friday, Dec. 9.
    Belmont opens the season with a non-conference game at home against Wauzeka on Tuesday, Nov. 29. The Braves will also play host to Black Hawk on Thursday, Dec. 1, and they open Six Rivers West play at home against Shullsburg on Friday, Dec. 9.
    The Warriors have a non-conference game at Warren (Ill.) on Tuesday, Nov. 29, and they begin Six Rivers East play at Albany on Friday, Dec. 9.
    After hosting Black Hawk and Shullsburg in non-conference games, Darlington opens SWAL play with a key early-season tilt at Cuba City on Thursday, Dec. 1.
Girls’ Basketball
    Belmont opens up the girls’ basketball season with a non-conference game at Fennimore on Saturday, Nov. 26. The Lady Braves open Six Rivers West play at Potosi on Friday, Dec. 16, and they don’t have a home game until Tuesday, Dec. 20, when they host Albany in a non-conference affair.
    Black Hawk begins their quest for a fourth consecutive state tournament run at New Glarus for a non-conference game on Monday, Nov. 28. The Lady Warriors home opener will be against Potosi on Monday, Dec. 12, and their Six Rivers East opener will be at home against Monticello on Friday, Dec. 16.
    The newly-formed Benton/Shullsburg co-op kicks off with a non-conference game at Galena (Ill.) on Monday, Nov. 28. The co-op will host Argyle in their home opener at Benton High school on Thursday, Dec. 1, and they open the Six Rivers West season at defending Division 5 state runner-up River Ridge on Thursday, Dec. 8.
    Last but not least, Darlington starts the season on the road at Hazel Green for their SWAL opener against Southwestern on Friday, Dec. 2.

Wrestling
     The prep wrestling season begins on Thursday, Dec. 1, with Darlington hosting Boscobel in a SWAL match, starting at 6:45 p.m. and Black Hawk hosting Madison East in a non-conference affair at 7 p.m.
    Belmont/Platteville starts the season at Lancaster in a SWC dual meet on Friday, Dec. 2, starting at 7:30 p.m.
    The Redbirds and Braves will also be in action along with the Warriors at the annual Black Hawk Wrestling Invitational in South Wayne on Saturday, Dec. 3, beginning at 9 a.m.