Talk about unexpected.
Last week, every single one of my Southern Lakes Conference football predictions was wrong.
And while I had a brief moment of inner sobbing, and maybe outer, it was a good thing and actually made me happy.
With victories from Lake Geneva Badger, Westosha Central, Elkhorn and Wilmot, all considered underdogs based on records or home-field advantage, it’s telling proof that parity is at an all-time high in the SLC.
With Elkhorn in first place at 2-0, six teams are tied for second place, and literally anything can still happen with five conference games to play.
While we thought Waterford, Elkhorn and Delavan were the clear-cut favorites, a case can be made for each team, especially a Badger squad that traditionally improves as the season goes on due to the complex nature of its intricate offense.
But don’t sleep on Wilmot. A team people may have given up on because of a 1-2 start is regaining its form as defending SLC champion.
The Panthers played mistake-free football in Friday’s 18-0 dominance of Waterford, and Wilmot’s rushing attack and defense are top notch.
The featured game this Friday is of course Burlington and Waterford, and it’s not because those are two of the main schools I cover.
It may sound cliché, but you can throw out the records when these two hook up.
Though Waterford has won the last six contests including a 28-14 playoff victory in 2006, the games have been close.
Four of the six have been decided by eight points or less.
Adam Bakken and Waterford pride themselves on defense, but the Demons are averaging 29 points per game. Something must give.
The schools are roughly six miles from each other, so expect a raucous crowd. Bragging rights and an inside track to the top of the conference awaits the winner.
Badgers back on track
In state news, it looks like the Wisconsin Badgers have figured out their quarterback situation. Tanner McAvoy stepped up with a nice game in Week 2 to lead Bucky to a convincing victory. He’s all we got because strong-armed Joel Stave is nursing that strong arm with an injury and will be out for some time.
Wisconsin has a few more cupcakes before opening Big Ten play at Northwestern Oct. 4.
Don’t sleep on the Madison boys. McEvoy will only get better. He was a starting safety last year, and the QB position isn’t exactly easy.
Plus, Gary Anderson will figure out eventually that Melvin Gordon is the most dynamic football player in the country and must touch the ball 30 to 40 times per game.
Expect McEvoy and Gordon to lead Wisconsin to a 9- or 10-win season, and don’t be surprised if Wisconsin finishes the season with 11 straight wins and challenges for the four-team playoff to determine the national champion.
All is good in the land of green and gold, but Sunday sure produced its fair share of gasps and curse words.
Mighty Green Bay fell behind, 21-3, at home to the lowly, yes lowly, Jets.
Geno Smith was looking like Gino Toretta circa 1990s Miami Hurricanes, world beating the hapless Packers in the first half by ground and air.
To the rescue, in true Brett Favre-like form, came Aaron Rodgers. The best quarterback in the NFL engineered 21 unanswered points before the game was knotted at 21-21.
Finally, Rodgers fired a dart over the cornerback and out of the safety’s reach to Jordy Nelson, who cut to the middle and sprinted 50 yards to pay dirt for the game-winning score.
Expect Eddie Lacy to start having bigger games this Sunday at Detroit and Sept. 28 at Chicago. It’s a tough two-game stretch, but at worst the Packers should split.
I’m enjoying the different defensive looks, and guys like Mike Daniels and Morgan Burnett are coming into their own.
No worries, Packers fans. The team is still really, really good.
Fantasy football happenings
So far, some first-round draft picks are dropping the ball to say the least.
Jamaal Charles, Lacy, Drew Brees, Adrian Peterson (I won’t go there) and others have guys like me and the rest of the armchair quarterbacks furious.
All players taken in the first round in most standard fantasy football leagues, injury, lack of production and legal issues have taken these guys out of your lineups.
On the flip side, Calvin Johnson is as dominant as ever, Marshawn Lynch has been consistent and LeSean McCoy keeps wowing his speed and elusiveness.
As evidenced by Monday night’s victory over the Colts, Philadelphia running back Darren Sproles is the type of player you need on your squad. Saddle up the troops and offer your buddy a trade right now.
All the 5-foot-7 burner did Monday night was catch six balls for 135 yards, score a touchdown and run for 25 yards. He also had return yardage, which helps in some leagues.
Sproles’ skill set of interior rushing, superior pass-catching and lightning quickness makes him worth getting in Points Per Reception, or PPR leagues.
Other key pickups this week are Kirk Cousins, Terrence West, Antonio Gates, Steve Smith and Packers’ rookie Davante Adams. Go get them.
PREDICTIONS
Last week: 5-5
Season: 26-13
Friday’s games
(all games at 7 p.m.)
Burlington (1-3, 1-1 SLC) at Waterford (2-2, 1-1)
Travel down Highway 36 from Burlington toward Waterford, I like to hop on Highway W and visit Rochester on my way.
After a short conversation on the phone with your spouse, you’re already on Field Drive and at Waterford Union High School.
On the way, at Burlington’s Wal-Mart, walk over to the men’s clothing section. The racks are equally flooded with green Wolverine and orange and black Demon gear.
With only about six miles separating the towns, the kids know each other well through youth sports and growing up.
It’s a heated rivalry, as both student sections compete against each other for the best chant throughout each and every sporting event.
Waterford coach Adam Bakken has played against Steve Tenhagen and Delavan-Darien the past three seasons, and now it’s a new face but a similar offense.
While Bakken bested Tenhagen’s team handily in 2011 and 2012, Delavan lost, 35-28, to Waterford last year.
The Comets featured the reigning SLC player of the year, Jesse Collins. Burlington’s Brad Burling is turning into a Collins-like talent this year.
Burling leads the SLC in passing and rushing among quarterbacks, much like Collins did last year.
Expect the Wolverines to have a solid plan of attack defensively, but Waterford is coming off a scoreless performance offensively.
On the flip side, Burlington is coming off a 28-6 defeat to Badger. Penalties, turnovers and rainy conditions slowed down the prolific passing Demons.
Burlington’s defense is much improved, as it allowed only 42 points in the last eight quarters compared to 85 in its first eight.
That trend will continue, but winning on the road in Waterford is very difficult. Under Bakken, Waterford is 16-3 at home and has won eight straight dating back to Week 1 of 2013.
Those three losses came to Homestead, Waukesha West and Wilmot, three teams ranked at the time.
Keep an eye on Waterford’s ground game. If it doesn’t get going, the Demons have the advantage.
PREDICTION: Waterford 24, Burlington 21
Wilmot (2-2, 1-1) at Elkhorn (4-0, 2-0)
The Elks are riding high off a comeback victory against rival Delavan-Darien.
That game taught us that the Elks can grind out victories behind their big, tough offensive line.
Then there’s Wilmot, fresh off a flawless 18-0 performance over defending SLC co-champ Waterford.
The Panthers, under first-year coach Erick Kaiser, ran the triple option to perfection.
Don’t expect a lot of passes, if any, in this one. Just smack-you-in-the-mouth, good, old-fashioned football.
Wilmot quarterback Bryce Kothe is learning the complex offense quite nicely, and the Panthers seem on the rise.
While Elkhorn is undefeated and is very good rushing the football with Keaton Verhoeven and Keenan Leahy, the Elks haven’t faced a team with this combination of size and speed.
PREDICTION: Wilmot 17, Elkhorn 14
Westosha Central (1-3, 1-1) at Lake Geneva Badger (1-3, 1-1)
In case you haven’t noticed, the Badgers are back in a big way.
A dominating performance at Burlington may have been the catalyst for the young Lake Geneva boys, who tend to improve as the season progresses.
The veer offense was in full effect with 232 rushing yards, but a pleasant surprise was the play of junior quarterback Isaac Ziervogel, who completed 5-of-8 passes for 120 yards and ran for 58.
Don’t sleep on Central quarterback Dylan McDermit, who accounted for nearly 100 total yards in last week’s 18-11 win over Union Grove.
And despite the 1-3 record, the Falcons defense has only allowed 21 points per game.
While last Friday may have been the confidence boost it needed, Westosha is still in rebuilding mode under first-year head coach Tyson Mengel.
PREDICTION: Lake Geneva 35, Westosha Central 7
Delavan-Darien (3-1, 1-1) at Union Grove (2-2, 0-2)
For everyone that’s ready to jump off the Comet bandwagon after last week’s home loss, think again.
I implore you.
Delavan still has the most explosive and versatile offense in the league, and with weapons like Collins (796 passing yards), Fabias Shipman (443 rushing) and receivers Jake Benzing (297) and Ethan Cesarz (282), the Comets can score on any play from any point on the field.
Elkhorn found a way to shut down Collins last week, but the Broncos have had difficulty with dual-threat QBs (Burling, McDermit).
The home crowd will be rocking, and second-year coach Jordan Hein’s program has improved by leaps and bounds from a year ago, but this just isn’t the week.
PREDICTION: Delavan-Darien 34, Union Grove 23
Racine Lutheran (3-1, 1-1 MCC) at Catholic Central (3-1, 1-1)
This will be an extremely tough test for the Hilltoppers.
Catholic Central has won two straight, but Lutheran is ranked in the latest Associated Press Small Division state rankings. The Toppers aren’t in these rankings, but they are No. 5 in Division 7 according to the Wisconsin Football Coaches Association.
What does that all mean?
It means on paper Lutheran is recognized in the state as a better team. After all, the Crusaders rallied from a 24-7 deficit to almost beat Racine St. Cat’s, another AP-ranked team, before losing 24-22.
St. Cat’s and Lutheran are ranked along with Lake Country Lutheran, a team that blew out Central at the Topper Bowl.
However, the Toppers are on a roll. Everyone is healthy, and Cole Kresken and Jeff Stemper are shining in the running game. Meanwhile, quarterbacks Ben Heiligenthal and Spencer Wilker have both been effective, with Heiligenthal getting the majority of the reps.
Catholic Central has a tendency to play really well at home.
Lutheran, a Division 6 school, features quarterback Drake Dahms, who has thrown for 541 yards in four games. Also, running back Shamaj Williams has averaged 142.5 yards per game, but he has been shut down in two games.
The Toppers gave up 196 rushing yards last week, but held Martin Luther to 35 passing yards in a 26-14 final.
After learning what not to do against a quality team (Lake Country), expect a much closer game this time around.
PREDICTION: Catholic Central 31, Racine Lutheran 30
Other area picks
Muskego 63, Kettle Moraine 14
Oak Creek 30, Franklin 27
Racine St. Cat’s 41, Kenosha St. Joe’s 34
Whitewater 27, East Troy 23
Big Foot 35, Palmyra-Eagle 19
Randolph 40, Williams Bay 26
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