The final Friday night of regular season high school football was worth all the hype.
There was plenty of history made, a ridiculously impossible comeback and a considerable upset.
Catholic Central won its first conference title since 2010, and Union Grove earned its first playoff berth since 2009.
Lake Geneva Badger picked up its defensive intensity to puzzle Waterford and knock the Wolverines from the unbeaten ranks.
And Delavan-Darien, a team everyone left for dead, pulled off one of the most exciting, improbable comebacks in area football history.
On the flip side, Burlington missed the playoffs by losing, even though the Demons began the season 2-0 and were probably the favorite at home. I’m sure it will be difficult for the Demons, who boast tons of talent, to wonder what might’ve been as their football brethren battle it out in the playoffs.
Union Grove coach Craig McClelland capped off an impressive rookie campaign with a playoff appearance, and the once-dismal program is officially turned around.
But the most intriguing coach is Delavan’s Bret St. Arnauld, whose video blew up on YouTube and our SLN Walworth County Facebook pages over the weekend.
Titled “delavan-darien post game,” St. Arnauld delivers a loud, passionate speech, saying “I’ve never seen a game like that in my entire life” and “never quit, never die.”
The guy is a great coach, and his post-game speech will give you chills. Minutes later, Delavan was selected as an extra playoff qualifier despite a 3-4 SLC record.
Five Southern Lakes teams are in the postseason, and Catholic Central has a legitimate shot at state.
Though the Toppers are 9-0 and ranked second in the WFCA coach’s poll in Division 7 and fourth in the Associated Press Small School division, they still only received a No. 2 seed.
That’s not right, because the top seed, Cambria-Friesland, isn’t ranked in the top 10 or honorable mention of the AP poll.
Both teams are 9-0, but Catholic Central is also ranked No. 2 in the WFCA poll, and Cambria is sixth.
Catholic Central coach Tom Aldrich told me the whole story Thursday morning. He said three teams in the Toppers’ playoff bracket voted for Cambria-Friesland as the No. 1 seed, while the other three (two from Cambria’s conference) voted for Catholic Central.
So much for conference loyalty, huh?
Since it was a 3-3 tie, Catholic Central and Cambria were asked to vote again, and each voted for each other. So there was a coin toss. Since Cambria appears first in the alphabet, they got heads and won the toss.
Aldrich said Catholic Central deserved the top seed, since the Toppers have beaten Division 4, 5 and 6 opponents all season and have a rich tradition of eight state titles and more than 20 conference championships.
The Toppers will have to travel to Cambria in a potential Level 3 playoff game, and I’m guessing they will be eager to show how much more dominant the MCC is than the Trailways South. That game will get ugly, as I don’t see Cambria having a chance.
It goes without saying that this weekend will be amazing because the real season begins, as seven divisions will duke it out for the right to play at Camp Randall Stadium.
Locally, Central has the best chance at the coveted gold ball, but Waterford and Badger are both bigger schools in Division 2 and should both make a run.
Delavan is in Division 3, and their 47-40 double-overtime victory last weekend could inspire them to knock off top-seeded Kewaskum Friday night.
The Comets were down 34-6 in the fourth quarter and even took a 40-34 late in regulation.
Sprinkle in a recovered fumble for a touchdown, and the Comets experienced the most epic comeback.
It’s the best time of year, so get out to a game, wear gloves and a hat and have the hot chocolate flowing.
It’s going to get frigid fast.
PREDICTIONS
Last week: 1-4
Season: 40-13
GAME OF THE WEEK
(6) Wauwatosa West (7-2) at (3) Waterford (8-1)
It seems like every year the Wolverines earn a 3 seed and host a Woodland Conference opponent.
Just like South Milwaukee last year, West comes from the Woodland Conference.
At 7-2, Tosa West finished a game behind Greendale, a perennial power, and New Berlin Eisenhower, in the Woodland West.
Kobe Vines and Paris Howell have both run for more than 800 yards this season.
If the Wolverines can get past Tosa, they’ll have to play defense on the road at Greendale and then at arch-rival Waukesha West, who has ended Waterford’s season the playoffs the past two seasons.
While the defense will be fine, I wonder how the offense will get back on track after only managing 120 yards in a loss at Badger last weekend.
Sam Allen, Johnny McCormick and Dyln Ross will all need to play much better than they did in Week 8.
I’m pretty sure they will, and that’s why the Wolverines will roll.
PREDICTION: Waterford 28, Wauwatosa West 14
(7) Union Grove (6-3) at (2) Greenfield (7-2)
The Broncos, still elated to make their first postseason since 2009, didn’t sound satisfied after Friday night’s win.
An explosive, balanced offense combined with a clutch pass defense and stout run defense allowed the Grove to knock off host Burlington in a playoff-like, winner-take-all atmosphere.
Greenfield also recently had one of those, as it beat rival Greendale to win the Woodland Conference.
A once-downtrodden program has been resurrected by Wisconsin Football Coaches Hall of Famer Joe Koch, who has taken three teams to the state championship game and won one (won with Dominican in 90s, state runners-up with Oak Creek twice).
Greenfield rushes for 217 yards per game, with 122 coming from Ezekial Banks, who has scored 14 touchdowns.
Union Grove’s Matt Nelson and Joe Peterson are one of the best quarterback-receiver hookups in the area, and the running of TJ Cadd (356 yards, 8 TDs) can keep defenses guessing.
Koch’s pedigree seems too strong, though, and teams have been able to run on the Grove this season.
It won’t be like the 400 yards Badger put up against the Broncos, but look for the Greenfield offense to eat clock and keep Grove’s big-play passing weapons off the field.
PREDICTION: Greenfield 34, Union Grove 21
(7) Black Hawk (5-3) at (2) Catholic Central (9-0)
Poor, poor Black Hawk.
After getting inexplicably whitewashed in the seeding meeting, the Toppers received a No. 2 despite winning every game by double digits against much larger schools.
Black Hawk runs for 179 yards per game, led by Jacob Quinn’s 944 yards and 12 touchdowns.
Unfortunately for Quinn, the aggressive Central defensive front should mostly gobble him up like Thanksgiving dinner Friday night.
Cole Kresken finished the regular season with 1,276 yards rushing and 20 touchdowns, with an eye-raising 9.2 yards per carry.
Black Hawk’s Michael Flanigan has thrown for six scores but also misfired with six picks.
This one could be over by halftime.
PREDICTION: Catholic Central 50, Black Hawk 21
Other area predictions
Lake Geneva Badger 35, Watertown 21
Kewaskum 38, Delavan-Darien 30
Greendale 24, Wilmot 21
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