No more Mr. Nice Guy
This week, I am forced to make a few tough decisions.
Do I alienate my home town and alma mater by going with my gut?
How do I pick between two teams that I cover on a regular basis?
Also, do I pick against another one of my hometown teams for the sake of winning?
The answers are yes, easily and heck no.
Week 8 of the high school football season is upon us, and the ever-changing, always-competitive Southern Lakes Conference continues to shock and impress.
From top to bottom, teams are tough. There are no bottom-feeders. On any particular Friday night, any team can win.
I honestly believe the last-place team (Union Grove) could knock off the first-place teams (Burlington, Wilmot) on its best day.
That’s exciting for fans, parents and players but a nightmare if you’re trying to play master handicapper like me.
Last week was another debacle of epic proportions with my predictions.
I finally picked the Grove and they lost, Elkhorn got back on the playoff radar, East Troy pulled off an upset victory and state powerhouses like Muskego and Mukwonago were upset in the toughest conference around (Classic 8).
In the SLC, Burlington, Wilmot and Waterford made me look smart, however. That is always a challenge, so thanks, fellas.
The Demons edged Delavan on a last-minute touchdown. The Panthers beat Badger on a last-second, walk-off field goal (I was only four points off on my pick), and the Wolverines feasted on a game Westosha squad.
Fast forward to Friday night.
Elkhorn and Wilmot will be turned up to volume 100 for Homecoming games. Also, Waterford can clinch a playoff spot.
Unfortunately, the Grove, Delavan and Central are all mathematically eliminated from playoff contention with one win apiece. You must win four conference games to qualify.
The marquee matchup pits first-place Wilmot (4-1 SLC) at home against fellow first-place squad Burlington.
It’s the classic battle of pass versus run, finesse versus brute strength and power versus speed.
Stay tuned for my picks, and remember to come on out to the games and tweet score updates to me, sports editor Mike Ramczyk, on Twitter @mikeramczyk17.
I will retweet, I’m a nice guy and following me will be well worth your time. I’m not Men’s Wearhouse, but I guarantee it.
Really, Wisconsin?
All I have to say is: Really, Wisconsin Badgers?
Game five of the 2014 was truly pathetic for Bucky Saturday in a 20-14 loss at Northwestern.
Once again, Tanner McAvoy proved he’s just a safety and not also a quarterback, going 4-for-10 for a putrid 24 yards before being benched.
In classic Joel Stave ball-control-issue fashion, the 6-foot-6 statuesque gunslinger, who has no reason to be bad with his God-given size and throwing ability, tossed three interceptions to seal Wisconsin’s fate.
Per usual, Melvin Gordon didn’t get the pivotal touches in crucial moments, and the fate of the Badgers was in Stave’s hands. Stave hasn’t played all season, and it’s no secret the only good quarterback in Wisconsin history was Russell Wilson.
Wisconsin can still right the ship because its schedule is weak, but a national playoff appearance and even a Rose Bowl berth are now fantasies.
First-place Packers
After a 19-7 loss at Detroit, Aaron Rodgers broke it down for fans.
On his weekly radio show on ESPN 540 AM, he told Packer Nation to R-E-L-A-X.
Since, that baaaad man has gone out and thrown seven touchdowns with zero interceptions in two beat-downs of the Chicago Bears and Minnesota Vikings.
The jury is still out on the NFC North, though, but Packer backers have to be encouraged. The fast-paced, no-huddle offense is finally working, Eddie Lacy appears to be in 2013 Rookie of the Year form and Jordy Nelson is the best receiver in the NFL.
Not Calvin Johnson. Not Brandon Marshall. Not even Julio Jones or A.J. Green.
Nobody combines route running, hands, speed, run-after-the-catch, football savvy and smoothness quite like Nelson.
That’s why Nelson is second in the league in receiving yards and can score from anywhere on the field.
With games upcoming at Miami, vs. Carolina and at New Orleans, Green Bay could easily get to 6-2 entering the bye week.
Then, the Packers get to take out all their frustrations on their good buddy, Chicago, on national television Sunday night, Nov. 9.
Realistically, Green Bay will lose at New Orleans and be 5-3 before the Bears.
The only red flag is still the defense. Yes, they looked like world beaters against the far-from-unstoppable Christian Ponder, who somehow was the seventh overall pick in the draft.
But it’s no secret the Packers can’t stop the run game or slow down elite teams to save their lives.
Luckily, they shouldn’t be tested until New Orleans.
Enough of all this small talk, let’s get down to business:
PREDICTIONS
Last week: 6-5
Season: 50-23
GAME OF THE WEEK
Racine St. Cat’s (6-1, 5-0) at Burlington Catholic Central (6-1, 5-0)
This one is for all the marbles.
The winner takes the Metro Classic championship, and the loser will land in second.
While both teams will make the playoffs, St. Cat’s simply doesn’t compare to the Hilltoppers right now.
Sure, St. Cat’s is on a six-game win streak, but its defense can be had. A 24-22 victory over Racine Lutheran is very telling.
Catholic Central beat that same Lutheran bunch, 38-6.
The Toppers have pitched two shutouts this season, including a 28-0 victory over Thomas More last week.
Catholic Central is getting stellar defense from Cole Kresken, Jeff Stemper and the stingy defensive line.
Offensively, Kresken leads the run game with 824 rushing yards this season in only six full games.
St. Cat’s counters with Ernest Cobb, who has 813 rushing yards. In the air, Andrew Smith has thrown for more than 800 yards, and receiver Titonaro Bumpus has dominated with 498 yards.
The Angels score 36 points per game, but they haven’t faced a defense like that of the Toppers.
Also, the Topper Bowl will no doubt be rocking and rolling.
PREDICTION: Catholic Central 27, St. Cat’s 17
Burlington (4-3, 4-1 SLC) at Wilmot (5-2, 4-1 SLC)
All good things must come to an end, and Friday night it will either be Wilmot’s four-game win streak or Burlington’s streak of three games.
Everything is pointing against the visiting Demons. Wilmot is probably the toughest place to play in the conference, and the fan base gets very loud.
Also, it’s Homecoming, and nothing has more potential for an instant riot than a high school kid at a Homecoming pep rally or football game.
The Panthers dismantled a tough Waterford squad and edged Lake Geneva Badger this season.
Burlington, on the other hand, is the most resilient team in the league, as it has overcome double-digit deficits three times this season.
The Demons can pour it on and have the defense hold or beat you in a close contest.
This will be a classic game of finesse versus power, as Brad Burling (1,338 passing yards, 614 rushing) leads Burlington and Ethan Scott (452 rushing yards) leads Wilmot.
It’s triple-option against spread, but the Panthers have the defense to slow down an explosive Burlington squad.
Wilmot got beat at home by a similar team, Delavan, but I believe that experience will help the Panthers defend Burling.
PREDICTION: Wilmot 28, Burlington 24
Lake Geneva Badger (3-4, 3-2) at Elkhorn (5-2, 3-2)
The Badgers have struggled to play a complete game all season, but that’s understandable with a junior quarterback and only 10 seniors on the roster.
Elkhorn, on the other hand, dominated in all facets with a 35-7 drubbing of the Grove last week.
New quarterback Dylan Peterson didn’t pass much, but his one completion went for a 71-yard touchdown to Matt Ambelang.
On the ground, former QB Keaton Verhoeven, who played under center all season, gained 68 yards and a score as a running back.
Also, leading rusher Keenan Leahy (630 yards) racked up 124 rushing yards.
It’s Elkhorn’s Homecoming game, and it hasn’t beaten Badger in seven years.
Now’s as good a time as any to make history.
PREDICTION: Elkhorn 28, Badger 21
Union Grove (3-4, 1-4) at Waterford (4-3, 3-2)
The Wolverines don’t need much motivation against their Racine County rivals.
Both teams have plenty of talent, but Waterford must win one of its final two games to make the playoffs. The Wolverines are three-time defending conference champs and have played like it the last two weeks.
The offense is back on track after a slow start. Dylan Malecki has passed for 778 yards, and Johnny McCormick is a big-play threat at wideout.
Waterford’s bread and butter, defense, has held its last two opponents to seven and seven points.
The Broncos will be pumped to play their rival, and sophomore Matt Nelson could make some big plays.
But Waterford is on a mission to get back to the postseason.
PREDICTION: Waterford 20, Union Grove 10
Westosha Central (1-6, 1-4) at Delavan-Darien (3-4, 1-4)
The Falcons hung tough with mighty Waterford last week.
But the offense just isn’t there. Josiah McDermit showed some life with 102 passing yards against Waterford, but Central could only muster 59 on the ground.
Delavan, who has lost four straight after a 3-0 start, started to show it still has worlds of talent against Burlington.
Fabias Shipman ran for 179 yards, and Jesse Collins added 107.
Expect Collins, the reigning SLC player of the year, to dominate Central both by passing and running.
PREDICTION: Delavan-Darien 35, Westosha Central 14
Other area picks
Arrowhead 34, Muskego 31
Catholic Memorial 29, Mukwonago 16
Williams Bay 45, Fall River 21 (Homecoming game for WB)
Evansville 40, East Troy 30
McFarland 21, Whitewater 17
Big Foot 75, Beloit Turner 12
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