GAME OF THE WEEK (Oct. 8–14)
Prep football:
Lancaster (4–3, 3–0 SWC) at Prairie du Chien (5–2, 3–0), Friday, 7 p.m., WGLR (97.7), WPRE (980 AM, 104.3 FM)
Friday night forecast: 53 degrees, clear, wind NW 3 mph
Don't bury the Arrows just yet. Four weeks ago Lancaster suffered a 41–16 non-conference loss at Gale–Ettrick–Trempealeau to fall to 1–3 on the season. The Arrows also lost their starting fullback, sophomore Evan Gates, in that game to a season-ending broken collar bone.
Fast forward to Friday night and the suddenly-surging Arrows will travel to Prairie du Chien to compete for at least a share of this year's Southwest Wisconsin Conference title in this week's Swnews4u.com McDonald's Game of the Week. Friday's winner will take sole possession of first-place in the SWC with one game to play and assure itself at least a share of the conference title. Lancaster has won five straight SWC titles.
The Arrows have won three straight to open conference play and clinched a 23rd straight playoff berth with a 20–13 Homecoming victory over Dodgeville last Friday night. Senior Nic Wood, who moved from halfback to replace Gates as the Arrows' starting fullback, posted his fourth straight 100-yard rushing game with a game-high 277 yards on 38 carries. He also scored the eventual game-winning touchdown on a magnificent 33-yard run with 8:53 left in the game where he broke a number of tackles near the line of scrimmage then stiff-armed one final defender at the 10-yard line en rout to the end zone.
Wood has rushed for 664 yards and nine touchdowns in conference play on 83 carries. The rest of Lancaster's ball carriers have accounted for 80 yards rushing and four TDs on 47 carries during that time. Wood leads the conference with 943 yards and 11 touchdowns on 116 carries in seven games this year. He also has a team-high 12 receptions for 145 yards. Junior Tanner Reuter has rushed for 165 yards and two TDs on 27 carries. He has also caught nine passes for 154 yards and one TD.
Wood and the Lancaster offensive line will have to be at its best again Friday at Prairie du Chien. Senior center Mikhail Anderson suffered a knee injury in Friday's win over Dodgeville, but is expected to play against the Blackhawks. Sophomore lineman John Wagner also exited Friday's game with a shoulder injury. His status for this week's game is unknown.
The Blackhawks, who are coming off a 53–0 rout of winless Richland Center, are led by three-year starting quarterback Brogan Potter and three-year starting receiver Casey Hoganson. The duo connected for pair of TD passes last week and Potter leads the league with 1,183 yards passing and 14 touchdowns in seven games. He has completed 62 of 108 passes and has only thrown four interceptions, none in three SWC games. Hogenson leads the team with 19 receptions for 416 yards and eight touchdowns. Senior Peyton Hall has rushed for a team-high 516 yards and 11 TDs on 79 carries.
OTHER WEEK 8 PREP FOOTBALL MATCHUPS
SWC
Platteville (2–5, 1–2 SWC) at Dodgeville (0–7, 0–3), Xtreme 107.1 FM
Platteville muist win its final two games to qualify for the playoffs.
Richland Center (0–7, 0–3) at River Valley (6–1, 2–1), Friday, 7 p.m.
The Blackhawks, ranked eighth in Division 4 by WisSports.net, qualify for the playoffs with a win and remain in the running for a share of the SWC title depending on what the Lancaster–Prairie du Chien does next week.
SWAL
Fennimore (3–4, 2–3 SWAL) at Darlington (7–0, 5–0), Friday, 7 p.m., www.south78radio.com
Darlington, ranked number one in Division 6 by WisSports.net, can clinch a share of the SWAL title with a win. Fennimore must win its final two games to make the playoffs.
Cuba City (6–1, 4–1) at Iowa–Grant (5–2, 4–1), Friday, 7 p.m., WPVL (1590 AM)
The winner is still in the running for a share of the SWAL title depending on what Darlington does in its final two games.
Boscobel (3–4, 1–3 SWAL) at Mineral Point (5–2, 3–2), Friday, 7 p.m.
Mineral Point needs to win one of last two games to make the playoffs.
Southwestern (1–6, 1–4) at Riverdale (1–6, 0–5), Saturday, 2 p.m.
SIX RIVERS
Pecatonica/Argyle (7–0, 6–0 Six Rivers) at Cassville (5–2, 5–1), Friday, 7 p.m.
The undefeated Vikings, ranked second in Division 6, can clinch the outright Six Rivers title with a win. The Comets, ranked eighth in Division 6, can pull into a first-place tie with Pec/Argyle, but the odds are steep. The Vikings have outscored their seven opponents 309–61 this season. They are fresh off a 54–12 victory over last-place River Ridge. Cassville defeated Benton/Scales Mound 27–12 last week.
Potosi (5–2, 5–2) at Black Hawk (5–2, 4–2), South Wayne, Saturday, 2 p.m., KIYX (106.1 FM), WEKZ (93.7 FM)
The Chieftains, ranked ninth in Division 7, and the Warriors have both qualified for the playoffs.
Belmont (2–5, 2–4) at Benton/Scales Mound (3–4, 2–4), Friday, 7 p.m.
Both teams need to win their final two games to qualify for the playoffs.
Shullsburg (3–4, 2–4) at Highland (2–5, 2–4), Friday, 7 p.m.
Both teams need to win their final two games to qualify for the playoffs.
Royall (1–6) at River Ridge (0-7), Friday 7 p.m. (Non-conference)
SCENIC BLUFFS
Necedah (3–4, 2–2 SBC) at Hillsboro (5–2, 2–2 SBC), Friday, 7 p.m.
RIDGE & VALLEY
Weston (3–3, 3–1 RVC) at Ithaca (7–0, 4–0 RVC), Friday, 7 p.m.
Ithaca is ranked fourth in Division 7.
North Crawford (1–6, 1–4) at Wauzeka/Seneca (0–7, 0–4), Friday, 7 p.m.
Cambria–Friesland (8–0) at Kickapoo/La Farge (2–5), non-conference, Friday, 7 p.m.
Prep Volleyball:
Platteville (29–4, 8–0 SWC) at River Valley (29–4, 7–1), Thursday, 7:15 p.m.
Coach Lindsay Neal's Hillmen, ranked fourth in Division 2 by the WVCA, can clinch the outright Southwest Wisconsin Conference title with a victory, but Lisa Roelke's Blackhawks, ranked eights in D2, are looking to even the season series and force a split of this year's SWC title. The two teams shared last year's crown, but Platteville went on to defeat River Valley in a WIAA Division 2 regional final on the way to the D2 state tournament. A month ago, the Hillmen delivered the first blow of this season with a 3–1 victory over the Blackhawks at Platteville High School.
The Hillmen have won 19 straight matches since a 2–0 loss to Merrill in the championship game of the UW–Whitewater Warhawk Open on Aug. 29. They have also won 28 of 29 matches since starting the season 1–3. Platteville swept both Dodgeville and Lancaster last week to improve to 8–0 in SWC play, then went 5–0 at Saturday's Madison Edgewood Invitational. Senior Morgan Stecklein leads the Hillmen with 289 kills, 232 digs and 99 aces.
The Blackhawks swept both Prairie du Chien and Dodgeville last week to keep pace with the Hillmen then went 5–0 on Saturday to win the Portage Invitational. River Valley is led by seniors Alyssa Mueller (338 kills, 56 blocks, 32 aces) and Kylie Hoffman (327 kills, 35 blocks, 19 aces).
Prep Cross Country:
Albany Invitational, Baertschi Farm, Albany, Saturday, 9 a.m.
Nineteen teams will travel will take part in Saturday's Albany Invitational at Baertsch Farm. Teams include Oregon, Platteville, Brodhead, Cassville, Edgerton, Evansville, Monona Grove, Monroe, Mount Horeb, New Glarus, Pecatonica, Poynette, Wisconsin Heights, Belleville, Madison Country Day, Beloit Turner, Iowa–Grant, St. Ambrose Academy and Albany.
