The Eau Claire Express began playing in the Northwoods League in 2005, and each season, the team has put some talented players on the field.   Now, one of those players, Jordan Zimmermann, will be realizing the dream of playing in the majors.

As we’ve been reporting all through spring training, Zimmermann has pitched very well for the Washington Nationals…well enough to be named that team’s fifth starter.   It’s pretty amazing that less than three years removed from pitching at Eau Claire’s Carson Park, Zimmermann will take the mound next month at Nationals Park in Washington, D.C.

Express manager Dale Varsho is just one person who’ll be feeling a lot of pride that day.  Varsho not only managed Zimmermann in Eau Claire during the summer of 2006, but he also coached Zimmermann on the Marshfield American Legion team a few years prior.

Zimmermann was one of the Northwoods League’s best pitchers in 2006, and more than a few major league scouts came to Carson Park and other NWL venues that season to check out the hard-throwing right-hander.    That season helped Zimmermann take another step on what’s been an incredible journey: from Auburndale H.S., to UW-Stevens Point, the Express, and now, the Nationals.    He’ll be the first Express player to join the roster of a major league team–and more are sure to follow.

So, the next time you find yourself with a free night during the summer, and the Express happen to be playing in town…stop out at Carson Park.   You might just be watching a future major leaguer in action.

-BOB BRADOVICH

Posted under Hometown Sports

Once again, the WIAA State Boys Basketball tournament delivered plenty of excitement.    Hopefully, all of our TV and online viewers enjoyed the action as much as I did being on the statewide broadcast.

All four teams from this corner of the state dropped their opening round games, but that’s no indictment of the level of basketball played in these parts.    It’s more a matter of the tourney draw, since Fall Creek, Blair-Taylor, and Northwestern all lost to the eventual state champs, while EC North dropped a game to the eventual Division 1 state runner-up.   Of those four, ECN and Northwestern had the best shots of winning their games…but it didn’t help the Huskies that 6-11 junior Evan Anderson played only 19 minutes because of foul trouble…while the Tigers went scoreless over the final 3:26 of their game, missing a layup, committing two turnovers, missing two free throws, while being on the wrong end of two crucial calls.   Still, start to finish, Northwestern vs. Wisconsin Lutheran was probably one of the best games of the entire tourney.

The other: Bay Port’s near upset of Madison Memorial in the Division 1 semifinals.   The Pirates are coached by EC Regis grad Nate Rykal, and I spoke with a number of people who say he’s an inspiration to all “outstate” coaches by showing how to play tough against metro teams with tremendous talent.  Speaking of toughness, I also heard a few stories about former UWEC standout Frank Schade, who coaches at Oshkosh North, and it’s clear that his competiveness and toughness are part of how his Spartans play.

Another theme I heard through the week was how the caliber of HS basketball has gotten better over the last 10-15 years…I couldn’t agree more.     I’ve seen some amazing state tournament plays over the years, but nothing quite like Madison Memorial junior (and UW recruit) Vander Blue’s jaw-dropping dunk early in the Spartans’ championship game win over Racine Horlick.   Beyond that, I thought the overall skill level of the players was excellent, there was a lot of “team ball” (check the assist totals from every game), plus each coaching staff seemed to do a very good job of having their kids prepared.                

In case you didn’t see it, here’s the All-Tournament team, as voted on by the media members in attendance:

Vander Blue, Madison Memorial (tourney MVP)
Flavien Davis, Wisconsin Lutheran
Mitch Tordoff, Monroe
Jeronne Maymon, Madison Memorial
Jamil Wilson, Racine Horlick
Jake Thomas, Racine St. Catherine’s
Jimmy Whitehead, La Crosse Aquinas
Jake Hottenstine, Bay Port
Jordan Hendricks, Benton
Steve Tecker, Northwestern
Tank Johnson, Oshkosh North
Michael Droessler, Benton

The “Brado Awards” are a bit more subjective:

BEST COLLEGE-READY GAME
Vander Blue, Madison Memorial.   There are plenty of guys with upside, but with his outside shooting ability, ball-handling skills, and ridiculous vertical leap, Blue looks like he could be a force in the Big Ten right now…

BEST INDIVIDUAL PERFORMANCE IN A LOSING EFFORT
Steve Tecker, Northwestern.   For most members of the media, Tecker’s the guy they’ve been reading about on message boards for years.   Now that they’ve seen him in person, they realize they’ve seen one of the top talents in the class of 2009-10.   Tecker has been terrorizing the Heart O’North for a few seasons, but now it’s crystal-clear he could be a star in any conference in this state.

BEST PURE SHOOTERS
Jake Thomas, Racine St. Catherine’s & Mitch Tordoff, Monroe.   There are a few others worthy of consideration, but these two guys should get the green light to launch 3′s whenever and from wherever they want., no matter how many they’ve missed.  

MOST DECEIVING APPEARANCE
Bay Port’s Jake Hottenstine, Marcus Ruh, Branden Tachick.   These three will probably get carded well into their 30′s, but don’t let their choir-boy appearance fool you into thinking they can’t play.   Hottenstine’s fast-break jam in the face of a few Beloit Memorial players may have been the 2nd-best throw down in the tourney.   The three combined for 49 of the Pirates’ 62 points in the quarterfinals, and 44 of Bay Port’s 60 in a near-upset of Madison Memorial in the semi’s.

FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH
It’s one thing to look young when you’re 17-18 years old…but another when you’re into your fifth or sixth decade.   I don’t think any coach in the tourney displayed more energy on the sidelines than Pat Hammond (we’ll ballpark him at around 62).    Frank Schade (late 50′s) still looks like he could compete at any athletic endeavor and do it quite well.   And when was the last time you saw anyone look so happy about turning 50 as did the Storlie twins, Rick and Randy?  

BEST CHEERING SECTION
Madison Memorial.   Maybe it’s the annual appearances at the state, or that it’s a mere 10 minute drive from the high school to the Kohl Center.  Either way, no school had a larger, louder, or more coordinated student section.    Then again, since everyone loves to back a winner, it can’t hurt having two Division I college recruits on a team.   Honorable mention goes to tiny Benton (student population: 86).   Judging by the large number of green shirts in their crowd, it sure looked like the school had its all-class reunion in the seats during its games.

BEST PEP BAND SONG
Final Countdown…and it’s not even close.  Is there a school pep band in the state that does not play this 1980′s quasi-classic from hair-band Europe?    However, one song making a push is the semi-obscure “Vehicle” by Ides of March, a song which made it to #2 on the Billboard charts in 1970.   (you may know the opening lyric, “Well, I’m a friendly stranger in a black sedan…”)    Fortunately, this is a song played by pep bands and not sung…and it’s a song that lets the brass section show its stuff.

BEST SONG SUNG BY A CHEERING SECTION
“Yogi Bear,” EC North–but I’ll admit to a strong personal bias.   I’ve loved this song all school year for its complete randomness, as well as the fact that none of the kids singing it were even born when the Yogi Bear cartoon was popular on TV.   It’s a catchy tune, no doubt…just ask Leader-Telegram sports writers John Casper and Joe Ziemer, who, like me,  were humming or singing it all week long.    Honorable mention goes to the Aquinas rendition of “Zombie Nation,” but they had help from two trumpet players and part of the percussion section.

Now that it’s all over, we can glance ahead to next season.   Fall Creek, Blair-Taylor, and Northwestern all return the majority of their starters, so it won’t be much of a surprise if we see all three back in Madison next March.   North will return 6-11 Evan Anderson, along with emerging talent Tyler Sonsalla, but the Huskies will have to replace 4-year starter Tyler Brown, 3-year starter Andy Kleist, plus Nate Robertson, who was a steady and athletic player this past season for the Huskies.  Beyond that, will head coach Pat Hammond return for a 27th season at North?

We’ll have time to ponder those questions before practice begins next November.   In the meantime, News 18 Sports will turn our attention to the spring, and all the action that comes with that season.   Again, thanks very much for watching.

-BOB BRADOVICH

Posted under Hometown Sports

For a second straight year, all teams don’t get the opportunity to spend their 25 minutes on the floor at the Kohl Center.   The Nicholas Johnson Pavillion is an outstanding practice facility, and with 2 arena-style baskets and 3 other baskets on each sideline, teams get plenty of opportunities to shoot the basketball.   There’s a fair amount of space behind each arena-style basket, so it at least approximates what players will deal with on the Kohl Center floor–but it’s not the same.

That’s one concern for Fall Creek head coach Rick Storlie.  He figures his Crickets will have some butterflies at the start of Thursday morning’s game with Racine St. Catherine’s, but a couple buckets early should help Fall Creek calm down.   Scoring against the Angels won’t be easy–RSC is holding opponents to about 42 points per game, and that average is even lower through the postseason.   Most of the state-wide media members I spoke with at the shootaround don’t give the Crickets much of a chance.     Still, I remember a very similar situation in the Division 3 bracket of the 2001 tournament…when a team from Glenwood City suprised a lot of courtside observers by winning a championship.   Ladysmith did likewise in 2003.   That was the last time a local squad won a D3 title, and it was also the last time a public school grabbed the gold in Division 3.   So many state tournament games boil down to turnovers and shooting percentage–if the Crickets can be strong with the ball and hit some shots…they can hang around.

North faces similar issues in its Division 1 matchup with Racine Horlick.  Rebels star Jamil WIlson was the most athletic player I saw at the shootaround (but I wasn’t on hand early enough to check out Madison Memorial…Northwestern’s Steve Tecker was 2nd).   Not only that, Wilson has played with both Tyler Brown and Evan Anderson in past summers.    The consensus among Huskies players and coaches is that Wilson will get his points–he’s too good of a player to stop   North needs to keep  other guys from going off…guys like 6-5 Antwon Oliver, 6-6 Nick Stark, or 5-10 Devontae Mullen.   The Huskies haven’t seen a team as athletic as Horlick this season–but the Rebels haven’t seen a team as tall as North, nor have they seen a 1-3-1 like the one Pat Hammond plays.   Again, this is a game that most statewide media members have picked against the team from the Chippewa Valley.   But if the Huskies are intimidated, I didn’t see any indication of that Wednesday.

Speaking of Chippewa Valley connections, there are a few among the 20 teams at this year’s tourney.   Oshkosh North head coach Frank Schade starred at UW-Eau Claire before graduating in 1972, while Bay Port head coach Nate Rykal is an Eau Claire Regis alum.   Northwestern head man Dan Cowley is a Chetek H.S. grad…he told me Wednesday that when he goes back to his home town, he’s now coaching against the sons of some of his former Bulldogs teammates.   Wisconsin Rapids Assumption head coach Gary Weisenbeck graduated from Durand….and we of course know the story of the Storlie brothers from Taylor.   For the record, my story on the Storlie’s (and the Harmon brothers) will air during halftime of Blair-Taylor’s game Friday mornng.   I can honestly say I’ve never seen two guys so happy even with their 50th birthdays looming on Friday.

With that, I’ll wrap up for a little more prep for the two games I’m calling Thursday: Fall Creek vs. Racine St. Catherine’s, as well as Eau Claire North vs. Racine Horlick.   I’ll also have postgame reaction from both matchups during our sportscasts at 6 & 10 PM.

Thanks for watching the games, either on TV or online!

-BOB BRADOVICH

Posted under Hometown Sports

If you’re a hard-core college hoops fan, you’ll probably spend more time watching the NCAA tourney this week…and that’s okay.   You’ll be seeing plenty of guys who once starred in the WIAA Boys State Basketball Tournament, such as:

WISCONSIN
Marcus Landry (Milwaukee Vincent)
Keaton Nankivil (Madison Memorial)
Tim Jarmusz (Oshkosh West)
Trevon Hughes (St. John’s NW Military Academy)

MARQUETTE
Wesley Matthews (Madison Memorial)

NORTH DAKOTA STATE
Mike Nelson (Madison Memorial)

MINNESOTA
Devron Bostick (Racine St. Catherine’s)

MICHIGAN STATE
Korie Lucious (Milwaukee King)

NORTHERN IOWA
Adam Koch, Jake Koch (Ashwaubenon)

The point being, there’s been a lot of talent on the floor of the Kohl Center during the WIAA state tourney over the last few years…and that’s definitely the case this season.   So, when you have a chance, flip over to our station (or, if you prefer online viewing, check out our website) to watch some HS hoops, and my guess is you’ll be impressed with the talent level on the court at any one time.

The 2009 WIAA State Boys Basketball Tournament is loaded with good players.   Consider the Division 1 quarterfinal between Eau Claire North and Racine Horlick.  The Huskies have 6-11 junior Evan Anderson (verbally committed to Wisconsin), 6-7 senior Tyler Brown (full ride from Division I Central Michigan), as well as 6-6 Andy Kleist, a hot prospect among several WIAC schools.   The Rebels, meanwhile, have high-scoring senior Jamil Wilson (20.7 ppg, just signed to play college hoops at the University of Oregon), along with Antwon Oliver, who’ll likely take the prep school or junior college route to a 4-year college program.  

That’s just one of the intriguing Division 1 quarterfinal matchups to watch.  Oshkosh North’s 6-5, 285-pound forward Tank Johnson (18.7 ppg) leads the Spartans against always-tough Milwaukee Washington, featuring Antone Byrd (20.2 ppg) and Quevyn Winters (18.1 ppg).   Madison Memorial is absolutely loaded, with Marquette recruit Jeronne Maymon (18 ppg), Wisconsin recruit Vander Blue (15.5 ppg), Tre Creamer (10.1 ppg), and talented freshman Junior Lomomba (8.7 ppg)–who is the nephew of former Wisconsin Badger Hennssy Auriantal.   The Spartans, however, will be tested in the quarterfinals by Germantown, led by 6-8 senior Ben Averkamp, a Loyola (IL) recruit who averages 18.9 points and 12 rebounds per game.   Bay Port, coached by Eau Claire Regis grad Nate Rykal, is the lone unbeaten team in the field…the Pirates play Beloit Memorial in the quarterfinal, a team that gave Madison Memorial a couple tough battles this season.

The Division 2 semifinal between unbeaten Northwestern and Wisconsin Lutheran should be a doozy…both teams are balanced, but are paced by an extremely talented junior.    Steve Tecker (21.9 ppg, 6.8 reb/gm, 3.4 assists/gm) leads the TIgers in scoring and assists, while he’s 2nd on the team in rebounding…the Vikings have Flavien Davis (15.7 ppg, 7.5 reb/gm, 3 assists/gm).  The other semi also figures to be a good matchup: Xavier has three players averaging in double figures, while Monroe is led by Mitch and Bryan Tordoff, who combine to average 28 points/game.

Division 3 features plenty of talent as well.  HS hoops fans in our area know all about about Fall Creek’s talented junior tandem of 6-6 Jordan Reetz (18.7 ppg, 8.3 reb/gm, 4.1 assists/gm) and 6-5 Luke Tweed (13.6 ppg, 5.8 reb/gm), but can the Crickets 5-man rotation contend with the depth of perennial power Racine St. Catherine’s?  The Angels feature 9 seniors, including South Dakota recruit Jake Thomas (15 ppg), and they’ve held their opponents to 41 points or less in each of their last seven games.   La Crosse Aquinas is led by ultra-quick senior guard Jimmy Whitehead, while Roncalli (once again) has a number of guys who can fill it up from behind the arc, led by sophomore Ben Stelzer (19.3 ppg, 47.6% 3-pt FG (92-193)).

Division 4 is always balanced and competitive, and this year is no different.  Can Blair-Taylor’s youth come through against a Benton team that likes to launch it from the perimeter?   Can St. Mary Central (14-11) continue its remarkable postseason run against a solid team from Wisconsin Rapids Assumption?

There are plenty of questions to be answered over the remainder of the week, and plenty of memories to be recorded.   If you like feature stories, there’s none better than the Storlie brothers.  Twins Rick (Fall Creek) and Randy (Blair-Taylor) always plan a family reunion for the boys state tournament–but this is the first time both will be coaching teams at the tourney.   Both will also celebrate their 50th birthdays on Friday.   The Storlie’s are part of a feature story I did on brothers within the coaching brotherhood–that story will air at halftime of Friday’s 9:00 A.M. game (Blair-Taylor vs. Benton).   If you want to watch the story again online, go to the “WIAA State Hockey & Basketball” section on the sports page of our website: www.wqow.com

That’s also the place you can go for live, streaming video of every single tournament game.   Or, you can watch it in the more traditional way: on TV, at WQOW 18.   I recommend a large-screen TV….   

I’ll write more from Madison, after Wednesday’s shootarounds at the Nicholas-Johnson Pavillion.   I’m thinking there will be a few young guys throwing down some monster dunks during their 25 minutes on the floor.

Enjoy the action!

-BOB BRADOVICH

Posted under Hometown Sports

If you didn’t see Championship Saturday, you missed what may have been the best single day of action in the 34-year history of the girls state basketball tournament.   For the first time since the four-division format began in 1991, all four title games were decided by five points or less.

Durand gave Grafton a battle in the Division 2 championship, but the Panthers came up just a few points short.   Most of the Durand players felt that they simply ran out of time, and I’m inclined to agree.    The Panthers had to play without starter Samantha Schoeder for much of the second quarter when she picked up her 3rd personal foul, which had an impact both offensively and defensively.   Credit Durand, and especially point guard Samantha Hoyt, for refusing to give up until the final buzzer sounded.  Hoyt was a well-deserved selection on the All-Tournament Team, and should be a very good addition to the Michigan Tech team next season.   The Panthers lose two starters (Hoyt & Amber Doverspike), as well as senior regular Danielle Bauer, but head coach Todd Poeschel has some talented players to build around.   Durand’s most recent state tournament trip was 1997–but I’d be surpised if it took the Panthers another 12 seasons to make it to Madison.

Fall Creek and Siren weren’t able to get to the championship games in their respective divisions, but this year’s trip to state should be a huge boost to both programs, especially since both the Crickets and Dragons returning a lot of talent.  

All three local teams competed hard, and should be proud of their accomplishments.   Beyond that, all three brought large, loud, and loyal fan sections to Veterans Memorial Coliseum at the Alliant Energy Center.   Thanks to everyone who watched the games on TV or else online–we on the broadcast crew worked hard to bring you outstanding coverage.

Speaking of the broadcast crew, a group from Nancy Flanagan’s Durand H.S. broadcasting class got to see our hard working group up close.   Prior to the Panthers’ game with Notre Dame, I took the class on a brief tour of the production truck and the satellite uplink truck.   Much like I enjoy seeing the looks on players’ faces when they take the court for the first time for their game at state, it was fun to watch and listen as the broadcasting students got a glimpse at what goes on behind the scenes of the statewide telecast.

We’ll be doing another telecast this week…we hope you can join us!

-BOB BRADOVICH

Posted under Hometown Sports

Greetings once again from the Doubletree Hotel in Madison, my residence from Wednesday through Sunday morning, as I cover my 13th consecutive WIAA state girls basketball tournament.    There were a fair amount of media members on hand today for the shoot around,  but I have to hand the “Hardest Working Man In the Media Business” Award to Rob Hernandez of the Wisconsin State Journal, who did a live blog all day from the Alliant Energy Center, while also working on preview articles and shooting still pictures and video.   (There’s irony…the print media shooting video, and the broadcast media writing blogs)  

Then again, it’s not like the rest of us were slacking.   My day, following the drive from Eau Claire, was spent multi-tasking: talking to the six coaches from the three games I’ll be calling Thursday & Friday, shooting video of our local teams on the court (Fall Creek, Durand, Siren), then interviewing coaches and players on camera.    When I wasn’t talking to our teams, I was helping out fellow WIAA network broadcaster Bryon Graff (sports director at WAOW in Wausau) as he was chatting with the Amherst and Marshfield teams.   For the record, Bryon, yes, I am having FUN in Madison (I’m responding to a question posed on his blog)…and we both know there’s more to come.

Shoot Around day is always busy, but very enjoyable, mainly because I get a chance to catch up with plenty of people.    Wisconsin Badgers women’s basketball coach Lisa Stone and her assistants were on hand, partly to maintain strong connections with the HS coaches, but also because Lisa’s daughter Allie is a junior guard for Verona.   I am still amazed that the little girl I remember tagging along with her mom at UWEC games and practices is now a high school junior.    Badgers assistant Kathi Bennett told me a lot about her memories of living in Eau Claire when her father, Dick, used to coach boys hoops at Memorial…Kathi can recall being enrolled at a ballet class at the McPhee Center, but she’s not 100% sure if the dance training helped her footwork for basketball.   Another UW assistant, Otties Epps,  has area connections as well, having started his playing career at Mount Senario, before finishing up at UW-Stout, where he later joined the Blue Devils coaching staff under Eddie Andrist…so it was great to talk WIAC hoops with Otties.

It’s also a reunion of sorts with all the other guys on the broadcast crew, many of which are back year after year, because we all share a love of high school sports.   It’s always a pleasure chatting with long-time network stats guy Don Kerr, who’s a walking encyclopedia of WIAA basketball tournament history.   Don is literally the right-hand man of the play-by-play guys these two weeks, because he sits directly to the right of us as we call the games, and he does a tremendous job of getting us the correct stats at exactly the right time.   Ace camera guy Dan Gibbons is an acquaintance from way back in the day I attended grad school at the UW and interned at Madison’s ABC affiliate, where he worked on the production crew.   Graphics guru Mark Stencel (who has some cool stuff ready for these next two weeks) is back for his annual stint on the WIAA telecasts, before he returns to his native Chicago and his other gig as the graphics coordinator for WGN-TV’s telecasts of the Chicago Cubs.   Randy Winter takes a break from his full-time job as WAOW’s news director to spend his days in the truck as the on-line producer.   (I’ve been teasing Randy in these past two weeks, that if we televise the end of the world, he’d be the guy talking into our earpieces that we have two more commercials to squeeze into the broadcast before Armageddon).   Alan Pierce directs most of the games from the truck–he’s directed events ranging from the Olympics to NASCAR, NFL, NBA, and just about everything in between.  As I’ve mentioned before, it’s a top-notch group of pros who gather each March, put in extremely long days over the span of three weeks, all to deliver one of the highest quality high school tournament broadcasts seen anywhere in the country.   I’m honored to be a part of this group, which is one of many reasons I always look forward to this time of year.

The main reason: having a courtside seat for the state tournament.   I’m excited for all of tomorrow’s matchups…before I retire for the evening, I’ve got a few more names and numbers to memorize for my play-by-play call at 6:30 P.M.     

See you on the broadcast Thursday.   Or, if you can’t get to a TV, check out the live streaming video on our website.   You may be watching on your computer at the very same time as former Packers head coach Mike Sherman…I passed along our website address (www.wqow.com) his daughter, Emily, who’s an assistant for Green Notre Dame.  Since her dad can’t attend the tournament, he can follow the action online.  

For any deranged Packers fans looking to multi-task during the GB Notre Dame vs. Durand matchup Friday afternoon, I don’t think the technology exists (yet) that’ll enable you to watch girls HS hoops online while also taking part in a live chat with Mike Sherman…so you can grill him about some of the moves he made when he was Green Bay’s Head Coach & General Manager.

-BOB BRADOVICH

Posted under Hometown Sports

Here are a few random facts I’ve picked up in my broadcast preparation for the 2009 WIAA State Girls Basketball Tournament.   These items may make it even more enjoyable for you as you watch the tournament live on WQOW 18 or else on line at www.wqow.com:

FIRST TIME EVER – Siren is making its inagural trip to state, but it gets even better for this Dragons team…they’re the first team from the high school that’s ever made it to state in any WIAA team sport.  Do you think there’s a bit of a buzz this week in Siren and all around Burnett County?

COACHES FOLLOWING LEGENDS – Fall Creek’s Arnie Skrukrud and Durand’s John Pollock were two of the best this area’s ever seen, or the state, for that matter….now, their successors, Jason Martzke of the Crickets and Todd Poeschel of the Panthers, each in their third seasons at the helm, have the two programs back at state–coincidentally, each for the tenth time.   Meanwhile, on the other side of the state, former St. Norbert College standout Lisa Immel has Oostburg back in the tournament, despite the departures of six talented seniors as well as legendary coach Tom DePagter.

FAMILY TRADITION- Siren has sisters Janey & Carley Emery, plus Ashley and Amber Guevara, while siblings Samantha and Justina Schoeder play for Durand.   DePere’s Claire and Erin Steffen suffered through the death of their mother to brain cancer, who passed away on Christmas, while Claire was trying to come back after a summer ACL injury.   Brookfield Central junior center Jesse Thomas has a fairly athletic and accomplished older brother: former Wisconsin Badgers and current Cleveland Browns offensive lineman Joe Thomas, who once played for the Lancers boys basketball team in the WIAA state tournament.   Green Bay Notre Dame assistant coach Emily Sherman played on the last Tritons team to make it to state–Emily is the daughter of former Green Bay Packers head coach & general manager Mike Sherman.   Notre Dame’s Chantel Divilbiss is the daugher of current UW-Green Bay women’s basketball assistant coach Mike Divilbiss.

COACHING CONNECTIONS – In the early 1990′s, Angie Halbleib was setting state tournament scoring records for Middleton, playing for head coach Jeff Kind.   The Cardinals, still coached by Kind, have a Division 1 quarterfinal matchup with Verona…which is coached by Angie Murphy, the former Angie Halbleib, who actually still teaches at Middleton H.S. but coaches the Wildcats.   Angie is also a former color commentator on the WIAA network.    St. Mary Central assistant Jubilee Johnson is a former Flambeau athlete, who played for remarkably successful Falcons head coach Ted Alberson.   Those two sat on opposite benches in last year’s Division 4 state championship game.

I CAN’T WAIT TO SAY THIS REALLY FAST ON THE BROADCAST -  At some point in the quarterfinal game between De Pere and Brookfield Central, there’s a good chance that the Redbirds’ Chantel Divilbiss will be matched up against the Lancers Maggie Mattiaci.  

-BOB BRADOVICH

Posted under Hometown Sports

March is a month in which I could claim a second residence: the Doubletree Hotel in Madison, near the Kohl Center.   Not that I’m complaining, mind you…I get an up close and personal view of three consecutive weeks of exciting state tournament action.

This past week’s WIAA State Hockey Tournament had its share of magical moments.   Once again, the local teams represented our part of the state very well.   Not a whole lot of my media bretheren were expecting Rice Lake to advance to the boys semifinals, let alone have a shot at getting to the finals, but the Warriors proved they belonged with a 1-0 win over Verona, and then opened even more eyes by playing Fond du Lac tough until the very end (the Cardinals got the go-ahead goal near the end of a four-minute power play with about six minutes left in the third period, and then put it away late on an empty-net goal).   There was some sadness in the large Rice Lake contingent after that semifinal loss, as the fans mixed with the players in a large room in the lower level of the Alliant Energy Center, but I also saw a tremendous amount of pride in the group, and for good reason.   A senior class that suffered through a one-win season when they were freshmen, perservered and got to skate at a state tournament…someplace the Warriors program hadn’t been since 1980.  Congrats to Rice Lake coach Keith Paulsen and his staff for their hard work–Keith is the kind of guy who’s always accessible and willing to talk to the media, but his single-minded focus and determination is always apparent.   Those qualities have served he, his staff, and his players well this season, and hopefully those kids can take what they’ve learned at the rink and adapt those lessons into life skills as well.

There’s always a different dynamic when it comes to girls’ sports, and St. Croix Valley Fusion head coach Matt Cranston understands that, especially with two daughters on his team.   The Fusion clearly worked very hard to claim the program’s first-ever state championship, but this group enjoyed itself on the way…the coaching staff clearly found the right balance between keeping players focused and allowing them to have fun.   The Fusion’s blend of talent and enthusiasm for the game was unbeatable in the 2008-09 season.    Their state title celebration had to be especially sweet, considering that their hearts had been broken by two straight sectional final losses in the past two years.  Again, as it was with the Rice Lake boys, the life lessons are there to be learned.

Dealing with winning and losing goes with the territory when it comes to high school sports.   Eau Claire North basketball fans have to know that very well.   Husky Nation felt the thrill of an overtime win at Hudson in boys hoops Saturday afternoon, but then that evening, experienced the bummer of a third sectional final loss in girls hoops to Marshfield over the last six years.   

Before I head back to the cozy confines of the Doubletree Hotel, there’s the matter of getting ready for the girls state tournament broadcast.  That process actually started months ago, when we started working on the stories that run during halftime and between games on the network.   We at News 18 have some good vignettes this year: Bill Port recaps the day that the girls basketball team from the Hope School of inner-city Milwaukee spent a day at Osseo-Fairchild H.S.; while Stephen Kelley sat down with McDonell H.S. volleyball coach Kat Roesler and her father Steve, to talk about what it’s been like for her to take over the program after the untimely death of her mother, Debbie.    I did two stories for the broadcast: I spoke with Eau Claire coaches Greg Van Grunsven and Pat Hammond, along with players Andrew Kasmarek and Tyler Brown, about the “Coaches Versus Cancer Classic” organized by Van Grunsven for the most recent ECN-ECM game.   I also caught up with the Storlie twins, Rick and Randy, whose Fall Creek and Blair-Taylor teams have both advanced to the sectional semifinals in their respective divisions.   In case you don’t catch those stories during the broadcasts, we’ll have them all available on our special “WIAA State Hockey & Basketball” page on our website, along with all the other stories produced by our affiliate stations.

At the moment, I’m taking a break from preparing my play-by-play sheets for this week’s games.   That’s always an interesting process…right now, I’m dealing with names and stats on pieces of paper…but those words and numbers will come to life in just a few days to weave another series of stories, creating special moments that for some of us, we’ll be talking about for years to come.   

Wednesday is a travel day, but it’s also a great opportunity to spend some time with the teams before the games start.   All the teams get to spend some twenty minutes on the court getting acclimated to the surroundings and soaking in the realization that their hard work has paid off with a trip to state.   I’m looking forward to seeing the three local teams on that day: two proud programs (Fall Creek and Durand) that haven’t been to state in a while, along with a team from Siren that’s carrying the hopes and dreams of a small town on its collective back–no other Dragons team in any sport has ever made it this far.

Thursday is game day: at 9:00 A.M., the action tips off, and it doesn’t end until Saturday night.   As always, WQOW 18 is your exclusive home for live television coverage from start to finish of this state tournament.   This year, there’s something new: if you can’t make it to Madison and you’re not able to find a TV, don’t worry, we’ll have live streaming video available on our website–again, look for the  special “WIAA State Hockey & Basketball” page.

On behalf of all the many people within the company as well (as the talented group of free-lancers) for whom these tournament broadcasts are truly a labor of love, I thank you for watching during these three weeks of March.   Much like it is with the athletes, the hard work put in is always well worth it.

-BOB BRADOVICH

Posted under Hometown Sports

Division 1

Last year, I flipped a coin to predict which team was going to win the Division 1 Marshfield Sectional…and a 1994 quarter came up with Eau Claire North–the team that wound up going to Madison.   I used my traditional prognosticating abilities for the other divisions, and went 1-5 when it came to forecasting which other teams would advance out of the local sectionals.

So…with Division 1 being even more up for grabs than last season, I go back to my collection of loose change.   The first quarter I remove from the jar is dated 1992, which is ironic.  That was the first WIAA State Boys Basketball Tournament I witnessed in person.  Interestingly enough, Eau Claire North (featuring the likes of Brian Schwechel, Nate Schurman, and Mister Harshman) was part of the Division 1 field.   Can the Huskies make it back to Madison?    Possibly, but it wouldn’t surprise me one bit if either Hudson, Chippewa Falls, or either of the two Wausau schools won the sectional.   Beyond that, River Falls and Memorial could pull off a few upsets along the way.

The 2007-08 Huskies had some ups and downs during the regular season, but after surviving a regional final at the Doghouse with Hudson, North dominated in two sectional wins.   This year, the Huskies are capable of doing the same, but they’ll have to win two difficult road games just to get to the sectional semi at Memorial.   The road begins at Chippewa Falls, where North hasn’t won in the last two seasons.   The Cardinals can shoot the ball from the perimeter, which is a must against the Huskies’ 1-3-1 zone defense.   If the shots are falling from the corners and from up top, then Chi-Hi can win.   With heads representing the higher-seeded team, what does does the quarter say?  Tails: so North advances past Chippewa.   Memorial makes the trip to River Falls, where the Old Abes have won this season….but the ’92 quarter comes up heads, so it’s the Wildcats moving on.    The coin does not forecast an upset in Superior, where the Spartans will defeat Menomonie.    In the regional finals, the ’92 quarter says heads for Hudson over North, and tails in predicting a River Falls win at Superior.    The Raiders-Wildcats rivalry moves to Memorial for their sectional semifinal matchup, and the coin comes up heads…Hudson moves into the sectional final.   In the bottom part of the bracket, the coin forecasts Marshfield over Antigo, D.C. Everest beats Rhinelander,  Wausau East defeats Merrill, Wausau West over Marshfield, Wausau East knocks out Everest, with East avenging last season’s sectional semi loss to West.   In the sectional final at the Marshfield H.S. Fieldhouse, it’s Hudson defeating East.   Other sectional winners: Milwaukee Hamilton (Racine Horlick has tremendous talent with Jamil Wilson leading the way, but it’s tough to pick against a Tom Diener-coached team), Madison Memorial, Germantown, Bay Port, Beloit Memorial, Oshkosh North, and Milwaukee Washington.

Division 2

The coin goes back into the jar, and I go back to picking games based on what I’ve seen, either in person, or on video.   There was a time when I thought no team would come close to knocking out Northwestern, and while I think the Tigers still have the most talent in the area sectional, Altoona is playing its best basketball of the season, Rice Lake is a dangerous team and has a win over Superior on its resume, while sharp-shooting Jack Taylor leads Black River Falls.    Still, I think this is a bracket where the seeds will hold true, with the 4 #1 teams advancing to the sectional (although I’d take Altoona  over Rice Lake if the regional final were someplace other than Spooner).   In the sectional semi’s, Northwestern goes down to the wire to eliminate Rice Lake, while BRF does likewise against Adams-Friendship.   The all-Tigers sectional final at UW-Stout is a high scoring affair, but Northwestern has a little too much talent for BRF, so that group of Tigers is headed to Madison.   Other sectional winners: Whitefish Bay, Waupun, East Troy.

Division 3

Regis won this sectional the past two seasons, and the Ramblers are one of a number of teams that could take the title this year.   As a #3 seed, Regis will have an awfully tough road just to get out of its regional.   The Ramblers should be able to get past #6 seed Colfax, a team that started the Dunn-St. Croix with seven straight wins, but has since gone 4-8.   The Vikings are aggressive and athletic, but that won’t be enough to beat Regis on its home court.   All the other games in the quarterfinals should go to the higher seeds, but I think the 5-4 game with Eleva-Strum and Osseo-Fairchild will go right down to the wire.   Form should also hold true in the regional semi’s, although Regis at Mondovi will be the exception.   I like the Buffaloes’ athleticism (a more talented and athletic version of Colfax), but the Ramblers are playing very good basketball right now, and after seeing them dismantle Marshfield Columbus in the Cloverbelt Playoffs, I like their chances, even on the road at Mondovi.   That takes us to the regional finals, where Regis will face Luck at Menomonie.  The Cardinals have perhaps the most talented player in the entire section, in 6-4 senior Brennan Olson, who has outstanding leaping ability, a solid low post game, plus the ability to hit the mid-range jump shot.   Both these teams have playoff experience, having made the trip to Madison last year (Luck in Division 4), but I think the Ramblers’ balance will allow them to move forward, and defeat another solid team out of the West Lakeland, Grantsburg, in a sectional semifinal.  In the lower part of the bracket, I see Ladysmith and Hurley advancing to a regional final, with the Lumberjacks winning that matchup.   Maybe the only regional final more competitive than Regis-Luck will be the one between Colby and Fall Creek, a rematch of the previous Saturday’s game in the Cloverbelt Playoffs, won by the Hornets.   I like Colby’s 1-2 punch of guard Jordan Rahm and center Wade Sebold, who lead a group of good athletes that haven’t lost all school year in either football or basketball.   The Hornets are also one of the better passing teams I’ve seen all year.   All that being said, I still think the Crickets have had a crash course in dealing with close games over the latter part of the season.   Fall Creek’s dropped four of its last five, but all four of those losses have come away from home against quality competition (Regis, Black River Falls, Altoona, and Colby).    I don’t know exactly why, but I think the Crickets can learn from that experience, and the next time around, can beat Colby on a neutral court.    Ladysmith will be another tough opponent, but I think Fall Creek’s fans will fill the Chippewa Falls gym and lift the Crickets to a win.   That will set up a third meeting this season between Fall Creek and Regis.  Just like the first two games, I’d expect this game to come down to the wire.   The Ramblers aren’t a deep team, but they’re deeper and more balanced than the Crickets.   Fall Creek was able to have an outstanding season even after starter Matt Steinke and top reserve Shannon Herick went out with ACL injuries (in the same game!), but eventually that catches up with a team.   The Crickets will be a force in 2009-10, with all five starters returning, but this season, the edge goes to Regis, as the Ramblers advance to state for a third consecutive season.   Other sectional winners: Dominican, Roncalli, and Cuba City.

Division 4

In the Spooner sectional, keep an eye on #2 seeds McDonell and Cornell.   The Macks are one of two Division 4 teams in the Western Cloverbelt, but finished in a very respectable tie for 4th.   The Chiefs, meanwhile, surprised a lot of people by bouncing back after a sub-.500 2008-09 season to take the title in the East Lakeland.   It wouldn’t surprise me to see these two meeting in a sectional semi, but McDonell defeating Clayton is a more likely scenario than Cornell bumping off Blair-Taylor.   In the upper part of the bracket, an interesting regional final could pit Rib Lake vs. Prentice….two schools that co-op for football.   Still, I think the eventual winner comes from the bottom part of the bracket, and I say that’s Blair-Taylor.

In the Onalaska sectional, there’s another #2 seed to watch: Spring Valley.  The Cardinals finished strong, winning 10 of their last 13 games, with two of those losses coming to Division 3 Mondovi, and the other at Division 2 Amery.   Since the rest of my predictions have been reasonably “safe” picks, I’m going out on a limb to say Spring Valley takes out #1 seeds Gilmanton, Assumption, and Hillsboro on its way to state.   Other sectional winners: Randolph, Suring.

Again, these are mere predictions, written on a blog and most definitely, not in stone.   Suprising things can and do definitely happen during the “Magic of March.”   I have no crystal ball, just some opinions that have formed over another season of covering HS basketball.  I look forward to the action, and we at News 18 Sports will do our absolute best to get it all covered through the state tournament.

Sometimes, my predictions are spot on, other times they’re a bit off.   Reviewing my hockey picks, I was 1-4 picking the local sectional winners (thank you St. Croix Valley Fusion).   In girls hoops, all 8 of my Division 1 picks and all 4 of my Division 3 picks are still playing.   In Division 4, I’m down to 3 teams left after Barneveld’s loss, and it’s not looking good in Division 2 with two of my picks (Altoona & Columbus) already out. 

Have you heard that these games aren’t played on paper?  I figured you had….

-BOB BRADOVICH

Posted under Hometown Sports