Early season battle will likely determine who wins conference crown
By Mike Ramczyk
Sports Editor
They were always the two biggest, baddest kids on the block in the Southern Lakes Conference.
Burlington and Lake Geneva Badger. Tradition stacked on history with a side of rivalry.
For years, the two schools have been the biggest in terms of enrollment in the area, and for years, the Demons had their way on the football field with the Badgers.
Back in the Don Dalton days of the 1990s with players like Ryan Dussault, Mike Shepherdson, Mike Deans and Tony Romo, Burlington never lost to Badger. And the games usually weren’t close.
But then it was experiment time. Burlington left for the Southeast Conference and quickly became the whipping post more often than not for state powers like Oak Creek, Franklin and Kenosha Tremper.
Finally, after 12 grueling, yet progressive years, the Demons returned home, to the SLC. But it was 2009, and these weren’t mom and dad’s Badgers.
Under new coach Matt Hensler, Badger became an annual conference contender. Since Hensler’s debut in 2006, the Badgers have made the playoffs every year, culminating in a Division I state semifinal appearance last season.
The high-powered, misdirection-driven veer offense is Badger’s bread and butter, and Burlington hasn’t figured it out in recent years. Badger is riding a four-game win streak over the Demons since Burlington returned to the SLC.
What better time to break the streak than now?
Burlington is loaded with an experienced offensive and defensive line and boasts a 3-0 record, which included an upset victory over Racine Horlick and a defensive shut-down of one of the league’s most high-powered offenses in Union Grove.
But Badger (2-1, 1-0 SLC) has knocked off West Allis Hale (a bigger school) on the road and crushed two-time defending conference champ Waterford last Friday.
Turnovers could make the difference this Friday, when the Demons travel down Highway 36 only about 14 miles to take on the Badgers. Badger had four in their first game but has cleaned things up since.
The Demons, led by junior quarterback Brad Burling, have been very protective of the football. Showing maturity on the field with his game management and big-play ability, Burling’s one interception is the team’s only turnover in three games.
Badger leads the conference with nearly 300 rushing yards per game, but Burlington has shown it can stop the run. The Demons have allowed only 78 yards per game, but they haven’t faced an offense the caliber of Badger.
“We know we need to play better than we did last week, and we are all working hard to improve every day,” said Burlington coach Hans Block. “I look forward to seeing this hard work put to the test at Badger.”
Buddies or foes?
The ties run deep with these teams.
Badger assistant coach Ed Krien gets to face brother Bill – the Demons defensive coordinator – Friday.
Also, many of these players either went to class together in grade school or have known each other for years.
Burlington senior Luke Dahl, for instance, who leads the Demons in receiving, grew up in Lyons, which is made up of the Badger and Burlington school districts.
“Badger is going to be really tough,” said Dahl, who sat out Tuesday’s practice with a shoulder injury but should play Friday. “If we put our best football together, we have a good chance to compete. Both defenses are good, and it will come down to turnovers and big plays.”
Dahl said the team’s strength is its depth at running back, but he said the passing game is dangerous as well.
Badger’s Andrew Allen leads the conference in rushing (133 yards per game), and the offensive line averages 250 pounds, led by 6-foot-8, 275-pound DI recruit Logan Tenney.
“We need to be disciplined in our assignments and we need get off blocks and tackle well,” Block said.
Defensively, Matt Reynolds and Andrew Cychner are menacing at linebacker. Burlington counters with Neal Peterson (167 yards rushing) and Dahl (145), and the Demons welcome back fullback Luke Gannon, who was cleared to play this week.
Burlington is very good, but the Badgers are on another level. Lake Geneva was everyone’s preseason conference champ for a reason, and winning in Lake Geneva is nearly impossible.
PREDICTION: Lake Geneva Badger 21, Burlington 14
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