Week 7 Preview

Legend
Must See- great game between two strong teams
Check it Out – Potential upset or just could be a good game
Homer Specials – Only the parents care
Blow Out City – Not for the faint of heart

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Classic 8 (Discuss)
Arrowhead survived a lackluster first half performance in which they trailed Waukesha South at halftime 19-13 before rallying with 28 unanswered points in the second half to win easily 41-19. Catholic Memorial showed that they were the real deal in trouncing Waukesha West 28-7 by outgaining the Wolverines in total yardage 394-183. These two teams remain unbeaten in the conference, and overall. They meet in Week 8, but neither figures to be challenged until then.

Waukesha West and Kettle Moraine appear headed to the playoffs as they will be both be favored in at least 2 of their remaining 3 conference games. It will be an uphill battle and take an upset for Mukwonago to sneak in.

Kettle Moraine (2-2, 3-3) at Catholic Memorial (4-0, 6-0)

Catholic Memorial has been literally destroying its opponents this year outscoring them 306 – 54 and averaging 414 yards of offense per game while surrendering only 185 yards per game. The Crusaders are led by QB Jack Fleming, who has thrown for 6 TDs, and ran for 14 more on an offense that has had three players (Fleming, Ryan Baez, Andy Jaynes) that have all scored at least 8 rushing touchdowns.

But Crusaders BEWARE. Can you say TRAP GAME? Memorial cannot get caught looking ahead to the conference title showdown game with the Warhawks of Arrowhead, the top ranked team in the state. Watch out for the speed of the Kettle Moraine offense, let by QB Mike Butterfield, who was ranked 27th in the list of the top 100 prospects in the state of Wisconsin by WisconsinPreps.com. Butterfield could pose some problems for the Crusader defense, but it is unlikely that the Lasers defense can stop Memorial if they remain focused on the task at hand.

Mukwonago (2-2, 2-4) at Waukesha South (0-4, 2-4)

Arrowhead (4-0, 6-0) at Waukesha North (1-3, 2-4)

Waukesha West (2-2, 3-3) at Milwaukee Pius (1-3, 2-4)

Greater Metro (Discuss)
Brookfield Central came up on the short end of the round robin part of the schedule between the Lancers, Marquette, and West Allis Hale. Despite outgaining the Hilltoppers last week, Central committed 4 turnovers and lost 10-6 at home. This sets up a potential conference title game this Friday when West Allis Hale travels to Hart Park to take on Marquette. If Marquette wins, they would essentially have a 2 game advantage over the rest of the conference.

Sussex Hamilton is still holding on to a good chance at making the playoffs with both Brookfield East and Wauwatosa East remaining on their schedule. They need to win 2 of their remaining 3 games to get in. Menomonee Falls is in the same boat, but will find it much tougher facing both Marquette and Brookfield Central in 2 of their remaining 3 games. To make the playoffs, the Indians must find a way to win one of those games.

West Allis Hale (4-0, 5-1) at Marquette (4-0, 5-1)
The Hilltoppers have a tough task facing them coming off an emotional victory at Brookfield Central last Friday. With no rest for the weary, they face their second straight conference unbeaten in West Allis Hale. With a victory, Marquette will almost certainly assure itself a Greater Metro Conference title. Falter, however, and they will need help just to share the title.

Hale has been a steady team in 2008, but far from dominating. They have won their last three games by an average of 12 points against teams with a combined record of 5-13. They will need to bring their A game against a Marquette defense that has given up just 26 points in their last 5 games, and only surrendered 13 points in the conference season.

Marquette will also get their lead running back Brock LaFace back from injury and illness this week, but don’t expect him to carry the load. Coach Dick Basham has used a running back by committee approach, led by senior Mike Hoffman in recent weeks. They also got their passing game going against Brookfield Central last week in their 10-6 victory.

Brookfield Central (3-1, 5-1) at Menomonee Falls (2-2, 3-3)

Sussex Hamilton (2-2, 3-3) at Brookfield East (0-4, 1-5)

Wauwatosa East (1-3, 2-4) at West Allis Central (0-4, 1-5)

North Shore (Discuss)
With their upset of previously unbeaten Cedarburg last Friday, the Port Washington Pirates put themselves right back into the discussion of the conference championship race. Homestead is still the overwhelming favorite. However, Port Washington must hope that the team they just beat in Cedarburg can pull them upset in the last week of the season against Homestead. If that happens, and the Pirates can stay out of trouble the next three weeks, we could have a three way tie at the top of the North Shore.

Whitefish Bay looks in line for a playoff berth, having to win just one more game in the conference, and Nicolet still on the schedule.

Whitefish Bay (3-1, 4-2) at Homestead (4-0, 6-0)
Homestead made the jump to number 1 in the WHSF website rankings for the area this week after remaining unbeaten in dominating fashion over Milwaukee Lutheran 63-20. The Highlanders had a 21-0 lead in the first quarter before letting Lutheran get back in the game with 20 unanswered points. That may just have been the wakeup call that Homestead needed in their ho-hum season, as they ran off their own streak of 42 unanswered points finishing with 518 yards of total offense.

Whitefish Bay will try to ride the arm of highly touted QB Jimmy Sherburne to be competitive in the game. Sherburne can beat you with his arm and his legs, running out of the spread offense. Against Homestead, however, he will have a very difficult time without any other threat on an offense that “goes as Jimmy goes”.

Nicolet (0-4, 1-5) at Grafton (1-3, 1-5)

Port Washington (3-1, 4-2) at Germantown (1-3, 1-5)

Milwaukee Lutheran(1-3, 2-4) at Cedarburg (3-1, 5-1)

Wisconsin Little Ten (Discuss)
By all accounts, the conference title already belongs to Wisconsin Lutheran, and it should. They are unbeaten both in the conference and overall and have beaten Hartford, considered the only serious competition for the Vikings inside the conference. They continued to roll over Watertown last Friday by a merciful score of 34-7.

The real battle in this conference is for the playoff berths. In a top heavy conference, West Bend East, West Bend West, and Beaver Dam all have realistic playoff aspirations.

Beaver Dam (2-2, 3-3) at Hartford (3-1, 5-1)
Beaver Dam running back Devin Kellenberger has rushed for over 1000 yards this season and 16 touchdowns, but that is about all the Beavers have had to hang their hat on this year. One wonders where they would be without him. They travel to an always rowdy atmosphere at Hartford Union this Friday to take on a team out to prove who the real Oriole football squad is.

After being manhandled by Wisconsin Lutheran 34-0 two weeks ago in the conference showdown of the year, Hartford bounced back to handily defeat West Bend East 42-6. Will the real Hartford Orioles please stand up?

West Bend West (3-1, 4-2) at Wisconsin Lutheran (4-0, 6-0)

Slinger (1-3, 2-4) at Oconomowoc (0-4, 0-6)

Watertown (1-3, 1-5)at West Bend East (2-2, 2-4)

Southeast (Discuss)
In what may have been the game of the year in Southeastern Wisconsin, the battle of Racine unbeatens went deep into the fourth quarter before Horlick pulled out a 35-28 victory over Deon McClain and Park. By staying unbeaten, the Rebels put themselves in perfect position to win the conference title. The championship is theirs if they can win 2 of their last three games.

Park, Kenosha Bradford, and Kenosha Tremper are locks for the playoffs. Franklin must win their remaining three games, but all three are winnable having already played the top 4 teams in the conference. Burlington has an outside chance to qualify for the playoffs, but must win 2 of their remaining 3 games. Easier said than done, however, as they must come away with an upset against either Racine Park or Racine Horlick.

Racine Horlick (6-0) at Kenosha Bradford (4-2)
Many of the HS Football pundits in the area still think that Kenosha Bradford may be the best team in the Southeast Conference. And that may be all well and good, but their record shows them no better than fourth, and they may fall further than that taking on the conference leader and undefeated Horlick Rebels led by standout QB Steve Morris.

Horlick has not been as dominating as other top ranked Southeastern Wisconsin teams this year, but they have soundly beaten the teams they are supposed to, and have managed victories against very good Kenosha Tremper and Racine Park teams. Steve Morris is as dangerous a weapon as there is, and he proved it last Friday in leading his team to a come from behind win against previously unbeaten Racine Park.

Bradford, meanwhile, has lost their two games by 4 and 3 points against Kenosha Tremper and Racine Park respectively. The Red Devils are solid on both sides of the ball. Tremper, Bradford, Park, and Horlick could probably play a round robin season between themselves and all finish at .500. Expect another thriller at the top of the Southeastern Conference.

Racine Park (5-1) at Burlington (3-3)

Franklin (2-4) at Racine Case (0-6)

South Milwaukee (1-5) at Oak Creek (2-4)

Muskego (2-4) at Kenosha Tremper (5-1)

Woodland (Discuss)
For the fourth straight week, Greendale, Pewaukee, and New Berlin Eisenhower remain in a three way tie at the top of the Woodland conference. That will change this week, however, when Eisenhower travels to Greendale where they haven’t won since 2004. The winner of that game will share the lead with Pewaukee, who, barring a natural disaster will cruise over winless Wauwatosa West.

St. Francis, Whitnall, and Greenfield are all in good shape to qualify for the playoffs. Cudahy has an outside chance, but must beat either Greenfield, or St. Francis in the next two weeks.

New Berlin Eisenhower(5-0, 5-1) at Greendale (5-0, 6-0)
Without Pewaukee on their schedule, the Greendale conference season likely comes down to this game on Friday against the Lions. Eisenhower, however, isn’t as fortunate, as they need to get by Greendale this Friday to set up a matchup with Pewaukee on next week to decide the Woodland conference title.

Led by QB Chris Ridgway, the Panthers have a potent offense that has not scored less than 34 points in a game all year. Coach Bob Stoltz calls the plays from the sideline by using hand signals to all the skill position players on offense as they line up in a five wide spread formation without a huddle. Greendale has ridden this approach to an unbeaten record, has clinched a playoff berth, and can all but assure at least a share of the conference title with a win on Friday.

Eisenhower will have plenty to say about that, however. Having only one non-conference loss to perennial state powerhouse DC Everest by a mere 3 points in the season opener, the Lions have beaten their last five opponents by an average of 33 points per game. 10 players have scored offensive touchdowns for the Lions, and 4 of those players have scored 6 or more times. That does not include QB Niko Koshak, who has thrown 15 touchdown passes to 5 different receivers.

Look for lots of fireworks from these two offenses in a game that may not end until Sunday morning.

Whitnall (3-2, 3-3) at Brown Deer (1-4, 2-4)

Cudahy (2-3, 2-4) at Greenfield (3-3, 3-3)

St. Francis (3-2, 4-2) at New Berlin West (1-4, 1-4)

Pewaukee (5-0, 6-0) at Wauwatosa West (0-6, 0-6)