I’ve always said, high school sports are your best entertainment value.  It’s especially true in the spring, when most events are free of charge.  So, I’ll make my semi-annual push to boost attendance by saying, if you’re looking to spend a few quality hours outdoors in the next few weeks, go check out a game.

The high school baseball and softball postseasons are already underway, and there are plenty of local teams whose dreams of making it to state are still intact.   Which ones will be playing at Fox Cities Stadium and Goodman Diamond?

Baseball and softball aren’t the easiest sports to pick, because one bad inning can help put an end to a strong team’s season.  Likewise, a team with a so-so record can get hot when the games matter most.  Nevertheless, here are my opinions:

BASEBALL

Division 1
Eau Claire North would have been my preseason pick to get to state, and while I’m sticking with the top-seeded Huskies, they don’t figure to have an easy time of it.  Chippewa Falls, despite a late-season fade, has a solid hitting lineup top to bottom and a bona-fide ace in Justin Jaquish.  Eau Claire Memorial has made strides all season and won’t be an easy out, while River Falls, Hudson, and Stevens Point are both solid clubs who could go on a postseason run.  Still, I like how the Huskies are hitting the ball of late, they’re playing well defensively, and with Greg Button returning to form on the mound, North has pitching depth–a requirement for getting through the sectional.

Regional finals: ECN over New Richmond, River Falls over Marshfield, SPASH over Hudson, CF over ECM
Sectional semifinals: ECN over RF, CF over SPASH
Sectional final: ECN over CF

Division 2
Altoona takes the state’s #1 rating in the Division 2 coaches poll into the postseason, but there’s no easy path to Fox Cities Stadium for the Railroaders.  Bloomer could await in a regional final, Prescott in a sectional semifinal, and Spooner in a sectional semifinal.  It wouldn’t surprise me if any of those four teams made it through, but if I have to pick one, I’ll go with Altoona, on a hunch. Keep an eye on Amery in the upper part of the bracket.

Regional finals: Spooner over Hayward, Amery over Cumberland, Somerset over Prescott, Altoona over Bloomer
Sectional semifinals: Amery over Spooner, Altoona over Somerset
Sectional final:  Altoona over Amery

Division 3
Elk Mound has won this sectional in back-to-back seasons and is one of four #1 seeds, so you have to include the Mounders in any discussion of favorites.  Still, this is a section in which I think there’s very little separating the #1 seeds from the #2′s & #3′s.  With that in mind, I’m going to forecast sectional semifinal matchups between #3 Turtle Lake/Clayton and  #2 Hurley, along with a game between #2 Boyceville and #2 Fall Creek.   With Ryan Bloom, the Bulldogs have the most dominant pitcher in that foursome, so I’ll say Boyceville gets through and makes it to state.

Regional finals: Turtle Lake/Clayton over Grantsburg, Hurley over Chequamegon, Boyceville over Elk Mound, Fall Creek over Mondovi
Sectional semifinals: Turtle Lake/Clayton over Hurley, Boyceville over Fall Creek
Sectional final: Boyceville over Turtle Lake/Clayton

Division 4
McDonell’s won this sectional in the last two seasons, and with Kyle Cody on the mound, the Macks have one of the best pitchers in the section. McDonell is always well-prepared for the postseason under head coach Eric Wedemeyer.   The same can be said for Bruce’s Larry Villard.  Still, I’m going to go out on  limb in this section and say Gilman gets through–although I’m not really sure if picking a #1 seed is “going out on a limb.”

Regional finals: Shell Lake over Northwood, Mellen over Drummond, McDonell over EC Immanuel Lutheran, Gilman over Bruce
Sectional semifinals: Shell Lake over Mellen, Gilman over McDonell
Sectional final: Gilman over Shell Lake

SOFTBALL

Division 1
Unlike baseball, there’s no limit on innings pitched by an individual.  Therefore, a team with a star pitcher can send that ace to the circle each and every game of the postseason.  There’s no better ace in the local sectional than Kendra Bowe of Chippewa Falls.  The Cardinals can also hit the ball and generate runs.  Hudson has a solid team, so does D.C. Everest, while EC North is capable of winning a few games, but I don’t see anyone standing in the way of the Cards and a third straight state tournament appearance.  Of all my baseball & softball sectional picks, I’m most confident in this one.

Regional finals: CF over Superior, Hudson over ECN, DCE over Wausau West, Merill over Antigo
Sectional semifinals:  CF over Hudson, DCE over Merill
Sectional final: CF over DCE

Division 2
If things go to form, and I think they will, we’ll have a matchup of local powers Baldwin-Woodville and Rice Lake in the sectional final.  Both programs loaded up their schedules for this season, so don’t be deceived by the Warriors’six losses: 2 came to BRC champion Chippewa Falls, while the others were to Southern Door, Kaukauna, and Minnesota powers Anoka & Woodbury.  B-W’s late season-schedule included consecutive wins over Hudson, Menomonie, & St. Anthony (MN), by a combined total of 21-1.   If the Blackhawks have an edge, it’s in the circle: pitcher Abby Klopp is 15-0 (with an absurd ERA of 0.08), while the Warriors’ staff has been just a bit unsettled this season.

Regional finals: G-E-T over West Salem, B-W over Ellsworth, Rice Lake over Northwestern, Medford over Mosinee
Sectional semifinals: B-W over G-E-T, Rice Lake over Medford
Sectional final: B-W over Rice Lake

Division 3
There are some solid teams in this group, but it’s going to be tough to knock off unbeaten Grantsburg, one of the better softball programs in the state.  On top of that, the Pirates will be hosting the sectional final.

Regional finals: SCC over Prescott, Bloomer over Elk Mound, Hurley over Ladysmith, Grantsburg over Cameron
Sectional semifinals: Bloomer over SCC, Grantsburg over Hurley
Sectional final: Grantsburg over Bloomer

Division 4
Thorp, McDonell, & Regis finished 1-2-3 in the Western Cloverbelt, they’re arguably the three strongest teams in the sectional, and all three happen to be on the same side of the bracket.  Making it even tougher to pick just one is the fact each team split with the other two.  On a hunch, I say the Cardinals come through.  Over in the Boscobel sectional, I’m picking Pepin, a perennial power.

Regional finals: Frederic over Shell Lake, Northwood over Drummond, McDonell over Regis, Thorp over Gilman
Sectional semifinals: Northwood over Frederic, Thorp over McDonell
Sectional final: Thorp over Northwood

Regional finals: Pepin over C-FC, New Lisbon over Cashton, Highland over De Soto, Belmont over River Ridge
Sectional semifinals: Pepin over New Lisbon, Highland over Belmont
Sectional final:  Pepin over Highland

Your thoughts? Your picks?  Feel free to post those in the comments section, below.

-BOB BRADOVICH

Posted under Hometown Sports

Kyle Green’s first meeting with the Eau Claire media was in a McPhee Center classroom, which was appropriate for a prospective Division III basketball coach.  Of all the NCAA levels, D-III is the one in which the word “student” in the phrase “student-athlete” has the most meaning.  So, beyond the logistical considerations, the symbolism was quite appropriate.  All five of the men’s basketball coaching candidates handled themselves well in that forum and that classroom, but Green displayed the  ”it” factor–an indefinable quality that set him apart–so it wasn’t too much of a surprise that he was the candidate who got the offer.

Green’s second meeting with the Eau Claire media was in the McPhee Center gymnasium, which was obviously an appropriate venue in which to formally introduce UWEC’s new men’s basketball coach.  Once again, Green’s “it” factor was on display: he managed to thank nearly everyone in attendance (UWEC administrators, his family, two of his former Hamline teammates, the media) and one who wasn’t (Green’s immediate predecessor Terry Gibbons).   Before and after his time at the podium, Green worked the room like a seasoned politician, yet never came off as anything but genuine and enthusiastic.

Consider Green’s response to a question I posed about Zorn Arena, which was a perfect opportunity for him to start lobbying for a new (and sorely needed, in my mind) facility:

“I’m a social studies major, and love history, there’s so much that’s gone on in that arena, NCAA tournament games, past women’s championships that have been played there, so many big shots. When I walk into that gym, I get excited about it. It’s bricks and mortar, the new building is just bricks and mortar, it doesn’t have any character, it doesn’t have any tradition, there’s nothing behind it. Zorn Arena has all those things.”

Only after spending plenty of time honoring the tradition of the building (and indirectly, the rich history of the Blugolds program) did Green make his pitch for some Zorn revamping and/or remodeling:

“Certainly, you’d love to make some adjustments with amenities and upgrades, but you don’t want to lose the charm and the character that’s there.”

Charm and character are also great qualities to have in a head coach, and Green seems to possess both.  The positive vibe around his hire may even be influencing sophomore Dustin Kalien to stick around for another season at UWEC, rather than transfer.  Beyond the current players, I’ve heard plenty of people talking Blugolds hoops–people whom I haven’t seen in Zorn Arena in years.

Maybe the best thing going for Green right now is his record with the Blugolds, with that “0″ in the loss column.   This honeymoon period will eventually come to an end, but it’s hard to imagine Green could have handled these early, mainly ceremonial, duties any better.

-BOB BRADOVICH

Posted under Hometown Sports

“So who’s getting the Blugolds job?”

It’s a question I’ve been hearing around town ever since Terry Gibbons announced on March 31 that he was retiring as UWEC’s men’s basketball coach.   The buzz in the community surrounding the search has been pleasantly surprising, and seems to indicate that at least a portion of the fan base that had vacated Zorn Arena may be interested in coming back.

Regarding the answer to the question, we definitely know it’s not going to be Nelson Whitmore, who was selected as one of six finalists but withdrew his name from consideration, deciding to stay with his current employer, Hamline University.

That leaves five qualified, experienced candidates, all of whom presented themselves quite well (at least to the media) during the interview process, and all of whom were convinced that the Blugolds could return to national prominence at the NCAA Division III level.   Still, UWEC won’t be hiring all five…

Each finalist has his strengths:  Brian Miller and Todd Adrian were very prepared and enthusiastic, and they currently coach at colleges with high academic standards.  Jim Whitesell has the most head coaching experience, and in that 24 years, has been a rebuilder while also graduating his players–he also seemed the most realistic about what it would take to get the UWEC program back on track.  Kyle Green may have been the most personable and the most energetic, which is not surprising, given his reputation as an outstanding recruiter.  Eric Gardow has tremendous passion for restoring the pride to the  UWEC progam, and is the only finalist who has both a direct connection to the Blugolds program and professional coaching experince.

A few weeks ago, athletic director Scott Kilgallon said his job was to hire the best coach, but added that “fit” (with the university and its people) was the most important consideration in the decision.  Kilgallon also said it’s pretty common in the decision process to talk about a composite candidate; i.e., a mythical person who embodies all of the best attributes of the respective finalists.

Still, much as we know Whitmore won’t be the next UWEC coach, everyone’s well aware there’s no Adrian-Gardow-Green-Miller-Whitesell composite roaming the campus.  Only one of the five very qualified candidates will get the offer.

Comedian Jerry Seinfeld once opined that one of the great times in life is the time between the time you get the job and the time you actually have to start the job.   Which of the five, Adrian, Gardow, Green, Miller, or Whitesell, will get to have that great time?

We’ll know in good time–according to Kilgallon, within the next week or so.

-BOB BRADOVICH

Posted under Hometown Sports

April, being the first month of the Major League Baseball season, gets plenty of media attention, but I’ve resisted the temptation to blog about trends, preferring to wait until we have a sufficient sample size of data.

One month into the season is a good time to at least begin the process of assessing where teams are headed…but remember, it’s still very, very early in the season, and plenty of things can happen.  Last year, the San Francisco Giants went 13-9 in April, and followed that with some mediocre months (May: 14-14, June: 13-14, August: 13-15), along with two outstanding ones (July: 20-8, September: 18-8).  The sum total (92-70) was enough to get San Francisco into the postseason…and once a team makes it into the playoffs, anything is possible–even a World Series title.

Right on track: Yankees (16-9), Rangers (16-12), Angels (16-12), Phillies (18-8), Rockies (17-9)
I would have expected these teams to be at or near the top of their respective divisions, and there’s been nothing up to this point that would indicate any of these clubs not being in contention going forward.

This can’t last, can it?: Rays (15-13), Indians (19-8), Cardinals (16-12), Marlins (17-9)
I’m inclined to think Joe Maddon & Tony LaRussa are good enough managers to push the right buttons that keep both Tampa Bay and St. Louis in the race from start to finish, especially with each team having enough pitching.  If Cleveland starts moving back toward .500, it probably won’t be manager Manny Acta’s fault, but I’m of the believe that the Indians’ fast start (and their 12-2 home record) are nothing more of a statistical aberration.  Their roster is simply not that good.  Still, it’s a great start for a team that was a woeful 69-93 in 2010.  Florida is the Cleveland of the NL…I’m not sure how the Marlins are doing this, nor how long will it last.

Remain calm…all is well!: Red Sox (12-15),  Braves (14-15), Giants (13-14)
Boston is finding ways to lose games, but if Carl Crawford can get untracked at the plate, while pitchers Daisuke Matzuzaka & Clay Buchholz find consistency, the Sox will get back in the race.  The Braves have a +20 run differential, but they rank 17th in runs and 28th in batting average–if and when the bats get going, Atlanta will  move back into division contention.  The Giants’ pitching is just too good for this team not to be a factor in the NL West.

Well…we’re waiting!: Reds (14-14), Brewers (13-14)
Cincinnati and Milwaukee have been teasing their respective fan bases through the month of April, but just when it looks like the Reds & Brewers will make a move, they both stumble.  Milwaukee made enough offseason moves to show that it was serious about contending, but the returns on all those investments have not yet been realized.  While Shawn Marcum (3-1, 2.21 ERA) has been a nice addition to the pitching staff, it remains to be seen what effect Zach Greinke will have when he finally makes his appearance in the rotation.  A sub-.500 record is fairly perplexing given what Ryan Braun (.356, 10 HR, 23 RBI) and Prince Fielder (.330, 6 HR, 26 RBI) have done through 27 games.

You’re going the wrong way! Twins (9-18), Tigers (12-16), White Sox (10-19), Mets (11-16)
All of these teams are seriously underperforming, but Minnesota’s malaise is most concerning.   The Twins have been outscored by 64 runs, which is by far the worst run differential in MLB.  If Joe Mauer can get healthy, that should help, but Minnesota’s digging a pretty big hole for itself and doesn’t show many signs of getting out–the Twins are a lifeless bunch heading into the second month of the season.

Dare to be mediocre: Orioles (13-13), Blue Jays (13-15),  Royals (15-13), Athletics (14-14), Mariners (13-16), Nationals (13-14), Pirates (13-15), Cubs (12-15), Dodgers (14-15).
They’re all hovering around the .500 mark, and will likely do so for the remainder of the season.

Good seats soon to be available: Astros (11-17), Diamondbacks (12-15), Padres (11-17).
It’s mathematically possible for these three teams to be contenders, but realistically, it’s probably already time to think ahead to next year.

Agree with these observations?  Disagree? Feel free to post your comments.  I’ll check back in next month.

-BOB BRADOVICH

Posted under Hometown Sports