By Mike Ramczyk
Sports Editor
Two high school football teams at similar places in their development will face off in a Southern Lakes Conference contest Friday night.
And by the time the dust settles, one of them will have their first win of the season.
Union Grove is so close to victory, and after last Friday’s 14-8 loss at Burlington, the Broncos are poised for a breakout game against 0-3 Westosha Central.
Westosha Central and Un-ion Grove, both winless through three games, will play each other at Union Grove, beginning at 7 p.m.
The Falcons, under first-year head coach Tyson Mengel, fell 14-2 at Elkhorn last week. Their offense has been anemic all season, and the Broncos’ defense should be up for the challenge.
Union Grove presents some different dilemmas on both sides of the ball that the Falcons have to prepare for.
Kyle Dohjola and J.K. Witfoski have become quite the duo, hooking up for 275 yards and three touchdowns.
Union Grove’s leading rusher, Tate Koester, has only amassed 136 yards rushing in three games, but he has a 6.5 yards-per-carry average.
The Falcons simply can’t match up with the bigger, more physical Broncos. Expect a blowout on Union Grove’s brand new football field.
PREDICTION: Union Grove 35, Westosha Central 10
FOOTBALL WEEKEND
Elks in driver’s seat
Despite a big loss to East Troy in nonconference action, the Elkhorn football team is sitting pretty in the Southern Lakes Conference.
But defeating Delavan-Darien Friday will be no easy task. The high-powered Delavan offense put up a whopping 70 points on East Troy and followed that up with a 30-point performance in a near upset of defending Division 4 state runner-up Big Foot.
Though Wilmot downed Delavan last week, the Comets still put up 24 points.
Delavan quarterback Jesse Collins has been tearing it up through the air and on the ground, and Elkhorn’s leading rusher, Braden Mann, is injured.
PREDICTION: Elkhorn 27, Delavan-Darien 25
Burlington (3-0, 1-0 SLC) at Lake Geneva Badger (2-1, 1-0 SLC), 7 p.m.
This is the biggest game of the conference season so far.
Last week’s Badger-Waterford showdown was supposed to be big time, but the Badgers eventually crushed Waterford by three touchdowns.
Now, Badger must follow that up with another home game against a talented rival.
Burlington’s senior-led offensive line gives it a toughness like no other, but Badger is the only team that can match it.
These games are usually close, but Badger has won the last four meetings. The Demons haven’t beaten Lake Geneva since re-joining the SLC in 2009. That won’t change Friday.
PREDICTION: Badger 35, Burlington 24
Wilmot (1-2, 1-0 SLC) at Waterford (1-2, 0-1 SLC), 7 p.m., Friday
The revenge tour will continue for Waterford opponents.
For the last two years, the bigger, more physical Wolverines have beaten up on the rest of the conference. However, the Panthers are riding the momentum of a big win over Delavan.
PREDICTION: Wilmot 20, Waterford 10
Other area picks
Big Foot 50, Parkview 21
Whitewater 30, Edgerton 23
Jefferson 41, East Troy 27
Palmyra-Eagle 28, Clinton 14
Williams Bay 45, Randolph 14
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