I like to think we were slightly ahead of the Trevon Hughes story at Lake Country Publications when we ran our story "Raising the Guard" during his sophomore year with the University of Wisconsin basketball team two years ago.

The voyage has been a circuitous one for Hughes, from Queens, NY to a small military academy in Delafield, where Hughes became a standout in the Wisconsin prep basketball scene.

Now a senior, the St. John's graduate has become a focal point of the Badgers offense, guiding Bucky to an outstanding start, surefire berth in the NCAA Tournament and recent big-time win over Michigan State, which came into the Kohl Center undefeated in league play Feb. 2.

It's not just the local paper that's taking notice now. Hughes, one of 11 finalists for the Cousy Award, given anually to the nation's best point guard, has been a key reason why the Badgers have stayed afloat despite an injury to top post player Jon Leuer.

As has been the Wisconsin calling card through the years, the Badgers seldom make mistakes and entered the latter half of last week leading the nation with 9.2 turnovers per game. That's more than a full turnover better than the next-closest school in a major conference. The point guard also leads the team with 15.5 points per game.

The Hughes story has become fodder for many national publications. USA Today ran a piece prior to that Michigan State game that briefly touched on Hughes' sometimes-tumultuous trip as an eighth grader to another part of the country. Though Hughes looks back on the experience at St. John's as a crucial component of his maturation, the story relayed a story of how his mother brought Hughes to the area under the pretense of a football camp, then stocked his room with supplies and told her son he was there to stay.

"Once my mom left, everything changed," Hughes said in the article, penned by Marlen Garcia. "It was like a movie where at first people act real polite when someone is around. Once the grownup leaves, it was a whole new saga."

Mother Twanna Hutchinson talked more in-depth about how she chose St. John's and what prompted her to move her son cross country in a beautiful piece written by Luke Winn of CNNSI.com.

"I think [Trevon] decided to stay in Wisconsin, because he'd made a name for himself there, almost like a celebrity," Hutchinson also said in the article, which ran Jan. 13. "It was like a home away from home."

Hughes was also featured in a recent episode of Big Ten Network offering "The Journey," a captivating documentary profiling life in the Big Ten Conference for the 11 men's basketball teams. Hughes gave a mini-tour of the St. John's campus and showcased some of the landmarks in his upbringing.

Coach Brian Richert relays a story on the program about how he had to kick Hughes out of the historic St. John's gym many times, but the guard kept coming back. Several years later, it looks like a good thing he did.

The BTN frequently runs repeats of "The Journey," so check it out if you get the opportunity. One of the better college sports success stories from the Lake Country area, there is no doubt Hughes' story is engaging on a behind-the-scenes level, as well.

The WIAA submitted a new layout for the WIAA basketball postseason Monday, which would divide schools into five divisions and re-distribute the wealth a bit when it comes to the state tournament. Each division will get four participants at the annual Madison gathering, which is sure to frustrate Division 1 teams used to 8 representatives in the current model and sure to elate smaller schools that will gain a greater competitive balance.

The governing body of state high school athletics released tentative sectionals under the proposal, and there is reason to believe local basketball programs would be disappointed with the new layout, which could be implemented as soon as the 2011 postseason barring a June vote of the WIAA Board of Control.

Some losers

Pewaukee – It’s tough enough playing in Pewaukee’s current Division 2 sectional, which includes heavy hitters Wisconsin Lutheran, New Berlin Eisenhower, Whitefish Bay, Catholic Memorial and others. Consider how it would look in the new layout: those teams plus Whitefish Bay, Wauwatosa East, Milwaukee Washington, Nicolet and Milwaukee Pius XI. For the Pirates, that’s a very tough road to hoe on the boys side. On the girls side, it’s marginally easier, though Pius and Eisenhower have both produced superb teams over the past few seasons. The Pirates have developed an excellent basketball program and should feel elite enough to reach state each season – this definitely makes that quest tougher. Even in the difficult sectional, the Pewaukee boys reached the sectional final last year before losing to Wisconsin Lutheran (pictured), the eventual champs.

The Milwaukee Area – Fans of Milwaukee City Conference boys basketball will be dismayed to see every Division 1 school in the same sectional, battling for the same spot at state. The litany of traditional powerhouses such as Hamilton, King, Vincent and Bradley Tech have occasionally appeared in separate D1 sectionals, but with only four D1 sectionals, it’s hard to imagine geography allowing that to happen again. Of course, many will point out that City teams seldom bring strong attendance to the state-tourney games, and a lack of those teams in Madison will probably make the WIAA a financial winner. Many Waukesha County programs appear in a different sectional, however.

Division 1 – The biggest schools will say they represent a larger population of high school students and thus deserve more representation at state. They also represent the highest quality of basketball and are likely to bring in larger fan bases at state (though those points are at least debatable). It might be true, but this layout treats every school as equal. If the plan passes, the bigger schools will simply have fewer opportunities to reach state than they have had in the past.



Some winners

St. John’s – The Division 3 and Division 4 pool of schools represent 50 percent of schools in the enrollment category of 200 to 600 students. That pool is divided in half to form these two divisions, and this represents a jump down for the Lancers, who play in Division 2 against some of the aforementioned tough schools in Pewaukee’s sectional presently. There will be plenty of talented programs in D3, such as perennial powers Racine St. Catherine and Whitefish Bay Dominican, but for a St. John’s team that should return the majority of its talent, it’s a move away from several challenging D2 schools.

Private schools – Initial versions of the plan called for modifications for private schools, which would be forced to “play up” a division if fitting certain circumstances. Several local private schools, including Catholic Memorial, would suddenly be facing schools well more than twice their size. With language addressing private schools removed from this version, those programs can breathe a little easier – their enrollment figures will be taken at face value if the plan passes.

The rest of the state – The bottom line is that every school will have to win the same number of games to reach state, and that’s going to sit well with a lot of people and probably contribute to this plan’s passing. Without the complication of the “private school issue” that’s sure to get examined again, the plan is straightforward and offers digestible modifications, in contrast to the complex “district” concept presented in football. The plan will likely be warmly received by everyone except those in Division 1, who figure to lose a previous advantage.

Quickly: name the last five Super Bowl winners.

Pittsburgh was last year, of course, preceded by the New York Giants shocking the Patriots. Before that, the Colts over the Bears. Before that … was that New England? Or Pittsburgh over the Seahawks? They all sort of run together. I know the Rams got a few of them, and the Packers certainly won in 1997 and lost to the Broncos in 1998.

Now name the winner of the Super Bowl following the 1972 season. That’s easy. The Miami Dolphins.

It’s an answer the majority of sports fans should know, because the 1972 Dolphins remain the only NFL team to complete a perfect season. The Patriots came precariously close two years ago before falling in the Super Bowl, and I think New England may have ruined it for everyone by not following through.

The Indianapolis Colts are favored to win a second championship in the past five years when they challenge the New Orleans Saints next weekend in Super Bowl XLIV. I’m hoping for a good game, and I’m sure I’ll enjoy the familiar Super Bowl celebration, one of friends, Doritos, frothy beverages and hopefully an excellent football game.

But without much of a local angle, it won’t leave much of a lasting impact on me. It’s too bad – because this could have been a game that put Peyton Manning and the Colts on the verge of absolute greatness, instead of just another title that will fade from memory in less than a decade.

You think I’m crazy, don’t you, using the phrase “another title” like it’s some meaningless benchmark along the way. But hear me out.

After wins in 14 straight games, Indianapolis essentially laid down in its final two games, resting its starters as the New York Jets rallied for a victory Dec. 27, then allowing the Buffalo Bills to walk all over them in a 30-7 regular-season finale. It wasn’t the same team that rattled off 14 straight victories and put itself in a luxurious position where losing in the final two games carried no consequences in the postseason picture.

Onlookers will say it’s a good decision – the rested Colts churned out fairly convincing wins over Baltimore and the Jets to reach the Super Bowl, and the ultimate goal is to hoist that Lombardi trophy, right? Nobody wants to be the Patriots, who went for the full undefeated glory and didn’t get the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, right?

I feel differently. Looking at pro sports on a holistic level, I wonder about the ultimate aim of participants. Sure, it’s to win a championship – but doesn’t being remembered play into that? The 1972 Dolphins will be remembered by even passive football fans, because they’re the only ones to cash in on the rare opportunity that pro football affords – the actual possibility of finishing without a loss.

As sports fans, we gravitate toward greatness, and we want to bear witness to it as it unfolds. Every year, somebody wins the Super Bowl – but only once in history has a team gone undefeated. The Colts put themselves in position to be more than just another team, but they passed on it, because the risk of injury jeopardizing a run toward the title was more important that sheer greatness.

There will be many who disagree with me, saying that teams have a responsibility to their fan bases to make a championship the one and only goal. They’ll say “greatness” can be perceived as a selfish, superfluous aim, especially after one team seemingly went for it and lost (never mind that the Patriots lost thanks to some ridiculous heroics by Eli Manning, David Tyree, Plaxico Burress and others).

As a fan of sports, that’s disappointing. I wasn’t there when I saw the Dolphins taste perfection, and I have a feeling I’ll never see it in my lifetime. It’s just not something teams in the NFL want.
 

With a scowl on my face, I watched Brett Favre’s postgame interview after his team dismantled the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday and earned a berth in the NFC Championship Game. As a lifelong Packers fan, it pained me to watch the local version of Benedict Arnold spew out how great the experience with the Minnesota Vikings has been and how it’s been everything he thought it would be.

Like so many Packers fans during the Favre saga, I’ve gone from joy to disappointment to anger, and I was hoping an early exit from the playoffs would befall the Old Gunslinger. Instead, I watched in horror as his team continued to ride the Favre Renaissance and took one step closer to the Super Bowl.

I found myself thinking, "I hope at the end of this, if he does win a Super Bowl, he looks back and feels hollow inside." Apparently driven by revenge against Packers general manager Ted Thompson and feeling a driving desire to prove people wrong, I wanted him to glance back at the tattered remnants of his legacy in Wisconsin and be forced to consider that maybe all this wasn’t worth it.

If the motivation is spite, then the accomplishment offers an opportunity to say "I told you so." Great. Then what? Is that single moment worth fracturing a career’s worth of memories and accomplishments to a deeply loyal and loving fan base?

But a couple days later, I re-evaluated my outlook somewhat. I thought about the satisfaction I would feel if Favre lost to the New Orleans Saints on Sunday and fell short of the Super Bowl. Wasn’t that the exact same thing – an "I told you so" moment that offers a fleeting moment of fulfillment, and then ... what exactly?

Nothing gets accomplished. The Packers have already moved on, the Favre legacy has already been torn apart, and it would ensure that I have no vested interest in the Super Bowl two weeks from now.

The truth is, at 40 years old, Favre is enjoying virtually unprecedented success for an NFL quarterback his age. He’s been outstanding, even if his motivation has poisoned how I view him, with more production than anyone expected and a lack of home-stretch ineffectiveness that the nay-sayers foresaw.

One last Super Bowl would be an extraordinary opportunity for theater, especially pitted against another great in Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning, whose prime may also be one or two years away from past.

It’s true that Favre is worth some of the ire, but I think I’m far more irritated with former Packers fans who have essentially traded in their allegiance to the Green and Gold for irrational loyalty to the player. People call in to sports talk radio defending Favre’s actions, seemingly eager to rub it in the face of Packers Nation on behalf of Favre.

I can’t understand how this vocal minority finds no fault with Favre’s selfish behavior and believes his departure from the organization was a direct detriment to the team’s past and present championship chances. But they’re out there, and shutting those people up is important to me. But is that worth rooting against Favre, whose colorful career probably should be appreciated by any football fan, regardless of team allegiance?

I recognize that the more he wins wearing purple, the longer it will take for the Green Bay-Favre relationship to heal, although I do think over time it will heal. The generations after mine will know Favre the way I know Bart Starr, as one of the greatest to ever play and someone that can be happily called a Packer. In the biggest of pictures, making the Super Bowl with another franchise will only heighten Favre’s legend, not completely change the way the world associates him with Cheeseheads. So is it really so bad if he succeeds? It’ll be a fun ride, if nothing else, to watch the aging wonder compete for another Super Bowl more than a decade after his last one.

Sigh. No matter the logic I can give you and give myself, I’m probably going to root against Favre on Sunday. I can’t stand him, after all. But there is a tiny part of my Packers-loving heart that wants to see Favre go out a winner. That’s what he brought to Packers football.

The Olympics are nearing, and I've been working on a series for Lake Country Publications called "Visions of Vancouver: Our Communities and the Olympic Games." Topics so far have included a Waukesha speedskater headed to compete in the Games and a Mukwonago snowboarder looking to overcome the financial challenges of the economy.

I also wanted to try my hand at curling for the next step in that series, and my story "Curls of Wisdom" will run in our Thursday publications. Good news for you: you can read the unedited version of the story right here. Enjoy my foray into the sport of curling...

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Remarkably, I didn’t fall down.

That was the chief concern harbored by co-workers and friends when I reported back on my curling experience, and I was happy to say I had, in fact, kept my feet Jan. 14 when I attended an open night at the Kettle Moraine Curling Club in Hartland.

Even when instructor Pat Van Till fitted me with a flat-soled slider for my shoe, allowing me to slide farther upon delivery of the “stone,” I held on to my balance. Maybe those balance games on the Wii Fit have been paying dividends.

If I didn’t make a fool of myself that way, I figured I would instead slide all the stones out the back of the target area or “house,” with an inappropriate volume of violent force. The momentum of the stone comes from legs, Van Till told me, and not the arm, but I have a bowling background and expected my right arm to revert into a natural pushing or throwing mode.

Not so! Though I left plenty of stones short of the mark, I was delighted when two or three made their way into the target area, leaving me feeling like maybe I could play this game, after all.

“It’s a lot like golf,” Pat’s husband and club vice president Ken Van Till told me. “It takes you 15 minutes to learn how to play and you spend the rest of your life trying to perfect it.”

So rather than wait around for the inevitable depreciation of skills, I quickly tried my hand at sweeping and quit while I was ahead, deferring to the more-than 35 participants who showed up for the weekly open night. I spent the rest of the night learning about the game that the Van Tills – residents of North Lake – obviously love very dearly.

A popular sport

When I told friends I wanted to try curling, the endeavor was met with equal parts fascination and amusement. On the one hand, the game looks like an icy version of shuffleboard, with maybe some lawn bowling mixed in, except two players are furiously sweeping the ice with brooms. That hardly sounds like an Olympic sport.

On the other hand, the game has a substantial base of popularity in Wisconsin. Its 24 clubs – including Milwaukee, Wauwatosa, Racine and Hartland – are the most of any U.S. state, and this particular club on Oakwood Rd. boasts a membership of 200. With several weekly leagues of varying experience and seriousness, not to mention a program with Carroll College and occasional visits from high school gym classes, the club seldom sees down time.

Curling took a long hiatus from Olympic status until returning as a medal sport in 1998, and the United States won its first medal – a bronze – at the last Winter Olympics in Torino, Italy. The game harbors a fitness component, but modifications to the delivery can be made to accommodate aging or injured players, and the Van Tills said one club member was still playing into her 90s.

“Some clubs are younger than ours, but we have a spread of ages,” said North Lake resident Jimmy Hulen, 36, in his second year of curling. “I’m the youngest by half (the age of the next-oldest player) on my Wednesday team, but it’s awesome. One of the guys is 80, and he’s the most fun to hang out with. I feel younger hanging out with these guys.”

Social circles

Each of the circular tables in the back of the club has eight chairs, and there’s a very specific reason why.

As competitive as the game can be, the socialization aspect is equally key to the curling experience. Pat Van Till said the four-person teams are downright required to sit with their opponents after a match and eat or drink together – with most sustenance provided by the club’s full kitchen and bar.

“It’s a very social thing,” Stu Bachmann of Merton said. “When you join here, Pat makes sure that everyone gets to meet everyone. If we have a new couple join, she makes sure she introduces people and makes you come back. You’re supposed to visit with your opponents.”

Said Delafield’s Bob McClain, “At some clubs, I’ve heard the winners buy the drinks, and it keeps the beginners coming back.”

That’s not the case at the Kettle Moraine club, where annual dues cover curling as well as beverages and club activities. Plush couches and gorgeous new wooden lockers were beyond my pre-conceived expectations, let alone a full kitchen.

It’s a tenet entrenched in the game itself, which specifically calls for fair play, sportsmanship and camaraderie.

Stone’s throw

When I was learning how to play, I didn’t realize I was being trusted with such expensive equipment. Ken said two curling stones cost upwards of $750, mainly because all of the world’s stones are constructed of rock from a specific quarry in Scotland.

It was in Scotland that the game was born, in the 16th century.

“Did Ken kind of tell you about the origins of it?” Hulen asked me. “Basically in Scotland, they played a game to roll a rock as far as you can down the lake. But Seamus was bigger than Peter and could always throw the rock farther, so Peter said, ‘Forget it, I’m drawing circles on the ice and whoever’s closer to here … that’s how we do it.’”

As Hulen said, the game is pretty simple – closest to the middle wins. But the strategy of where to place a stone, “guarding” other pieces already in the target area and reading the ice like a golfer reads a putting green creates a game more akin to chess than darts.

“Two good sweepers can make an average player look really, really good,” Hulen said. “People play a lot of different styles of game.”

My style: try not to fail miserably, so I count this visit as a success. Next time, I may try my hand at an actual game. I’m going to need a lot more Wii Fit for that.

Pictured: Yup, that's me, looking ... not very good at this. Photo: Russ Pulvermacher.

Two 5-0 teams battle for tentative conference supremacy in a showdown at Arrowhead on Friday, with the Warhawks battling Catholic Memorial. Tip time is 7:30 p.m., and you can follow the action with my live blog right here. Sign up for a reminder email and enjoy the show.

So it wasn't exactly my favorite Monday morning ever. After enduring a positively demoralizing 51-45 Packers loss in the first round of the playoffs Sunday, I receive the news that the Wisconsin Badgers basketball team – fresh off a great weekend win over No. 4 Purdue – will be without top inside player Jon Leuer for most of the season after he broke his wrist.

It wasn’t until later in the day that the Milwaukee Bucks declared Michael Redd out for the season yet again.

Brutal.

What, no offseason Yovani Gallardo elbow injury or a broken bone for Marquette’s Lazar Hayward?

As a huge Brewers fan, I'm used to disappointment, and these new developments can be added to my long list of saddening sports moments.There have been some great ones in this market, too -- the 2008 MLB Playoffs, the 2000 Final Four and the 1996 Super Bowl among them -- but this week, I prefer to wallow in a bit of self-pity and remember those achingly painful moments in time.

1. The 2007 NFC Championship game. When the Dallas Cowboys fell to the New York Giants in the other half of the NFC semifinals, I completely believed the Packers were going to the Super Bowl. Brett Favre had enjoyed a renaissance season, the Packers had played near-perfect football and now hosted a home game in the merciless cold at Lambeau Field for the right to reach the Super Bowl. But the team struggled most of the game, and Favre’s infamous interception in overtime led to a Lawrence Tynes field goal that sent New York into a remarkable Super Bowl appearance. Instead of a Super Bowl, the Packers were left mired in a seasons-long quarterback controversy.

2. The Wisconsin Badgers 2006-07 tournament. They won 30 games for the first time in school history, held the top ranking in the AP poll for one week and flirted with a one-seed in the NCAA tournament. It was a team that had been building for years as a possible standout, and everything was swimming along until late season setbacks against Michigan State and Ohio State. They looked mediocre in the Big Ten tournament, then nearly became a laughingstock upset in the first round of the Big Dance to a 15-seed. It all ended with a second-round loss to UNLV, pushing an early-season title contender to an early exit.

3. Super Bowl XXXII. Truth be told, I only rank it up here because it’s a big game, but I was more than pleased to have won the previous season's Super Bowl and wasn't feeling particularly greedy. But it was a pretty big upset when John Elway finally got his first ring at the expense of the Packers, beating Green Bay in San Diego, 31-24.

4. Fourth and 26. All you have to do is type this expression into Google, and you’ll find that it has its own Wikipedia page – that’s how famous this play became. On Jan. 11, 2004, the Packers seemed to have the Philadelphia Eagles beaten in the NFC semifinals, backing up Donovan McNabb and friends into the dicey “4th and 26” situation with 1:12 to play, no timeouts and a 17-14 deficit. But McNabb converted to Freddie Mitchell on a terrible broken coverage, allowing David Akers to tie the game with a field goal. In overtime, Brian Dawkins intercepted Brett Favre and another Akers field goal clinched victory for the NFC Championship-bound Eagles.

5. The Milwaukee Brewers 2002 season. It wasn't the most disappointing because the Brewers lacked all expectations, but finishing 56-106 was the biggest blow on a franchise that had quickly become among baseball's worst. This season represents the low point in an absolute flurry of losing, complete with bad managers (Davey Lopes and Jerry Royster, who once had a mid-game argument on the mound with pitcher Mike DeJean) and a flubbed All-Star game that famously ended in a tie. Milwaukee lost 94 games one year earlier and both of the succeeding two years, leaving me in a constant state of misery.

6. The 2009 Wild Card loss. The most disappointing aspect of this week's game was the poor defensive showing after an outstanding season that featured the best run defense in team history and a league Defensive Player of the Year. Realistically, the Packers should have lost the game (a missed Arizona chip shot in the final seconds?) prior to overtime, and the fact that the team forced only one punt is largely to blame for the offense never having the chance to take a lead. A fluky way to lose in overtime hurts plenty, as well.

7. The 2001 Eastern Conference Finals Game 7. “Milwaukee Bucks, you are the talk of the city right now.” I remember talk show host Bill Michaels saying so, after the Bucks had climbed so close to the NBA finals. But conspiracy theories by Ray Allen, combined with a lackluster game seven performance against Philadelphia, left the Bucks out of the championship picture. With their 108-91 loss in that final game, my interest in NBA basketball went with it. Because after that, the Bucks have been super, super bad.

8. The Milwaukee Bucks 1998 Draft. The Milwaukee Bucks needed a big man, and made a shrewd draft-day deal with Dallas to acquire the rights to Robert “Tractor” Traylor, in exchange for Pat Garrity and ... you know what’s coming ... Dirk Nowitzki. Needless to say, that may have been the worst trade in team history. I know, I know, circumstances dictated that the Bucks probably would not have gotten Nowitzki no matter what happened, but it still looks like a black eye on the franchise.

9. The Milwaukee Brewers 2006 season. They had just finished at .500 the previous year for the first time in 14 seasons, and everyone expected a winning record at least, with a possible playoff push in the future. But injuries to two of the top four pitchers and several position players made it an uphill battle, and while the 75-87 finish was disappointing, it paled to the realization that the winner of the division (and eventual World Series champion Cardinals) went just 83-78. Before the season, many fans would have been disappointed if the Brewers won just 83 games. Fortunately, two years later, Milwaukee made this season a memory.

10. The Milwaukee Brewers 1998 Draft. I was smart enough in high school to start following the minor league system, and it was hard not to be excited about the 1998 draft, which would be one of the last for general manager Sal Bando. The Brewers took hugely promising right-hander J.M. Gold, then stole what many saw as a first-round talent in the second round by getting Nick Neugebauer. Both pitchers were hyped incessantly during their rise through the organization, but arm troubles plagued them and neither ever made a big-league impact. Not a single worthwhile nugget came from the draft except for a flameout once-prospect named Bill Hall who was eventually put on the team in September 2002 just to get a cursory look. He added his own issues to the table much later.

I'm going to go eat some ice cream.

Pictured: Aaron Rodgers reacts to the events of Sunday's game against Arizona. (AP)

The flowchart in my head would probably have complex equations all over the place -- you'd need to be a math person to figure them all out.

There would be a series of "if/then" statements, as well. If team up x points + x minutes remaining, then sit starters. If team up x points and opponent is in xth place in the standings and x title is on the line, then do not sit starters.

Coaches on all levels seem to face scrutiny for choosing when to sit and start key players. The NFL is a prime example -- consider the fire Indianapolis Colts head coach Jim Caldwell has faced for resting his starters with an undefeated season on the line. On the other side is Packers coach Mike McCarthy, who drew some criticism for leaving his starters in play against Arizona until the fourth quarter -- even though the Packers' playoff destiny had been etched in stone at that point.

The issue exists in high school athletics, too, though the factors are altered. At this level, fairness to the other team and to the kids at the end of the bench become crucial components in decision-making.

The problem is that the flowchart in my head doesn't exist. No matter when a coach removes his starters from a one-sided game, there always seems to be grumbling that the decision came too late, that the winning team essentially embarrassed the opponent by playing starters too long. It's a tightrope of timing that has to be frustrating. Take St. John's Military Academy's basketball team last year, which thrashed numerous opponents on its way to a two-loss season. It wasn't the Lancers fault that the schedule stacked up with lesser teams, and yet they had to cater to the opponent and not "embarrass" them by leaving starters in.

Coach Brian Richert expressed his frustration with that reality -- after all, he needed all the time he could to prepare his starters for the postseason, which promised to be a much harder test. He said he owed it to those kids to give them every opportunity on the floor, and he had to keep preparation in mind above the potentially hurt feelings of an opponent. His response to the problem was a beefed-up schedule that lessened the possibility of a lopsided game this year.

But in every conference, there are mismatches. That's one less game coaches can use their starters full-tilt and one less opportunity for the team to develop together. Instead, coaches walk that tight rope, letting starters play as long as they possibly can before the situation becomes too demoralizing for the opponent.

Surely, there are coaches who take it too far, but without some concrete wisdom suggesting when starters absolutely should be removed from a game, it seems only right to give coaches facing the situation the benefit of the doubt. Strategizing in sports comes with enough pressure as it is, and most coaches will also factor in the feelings of an opponent -- but it's a very inexact science, and it's certainly an added burden.

Basketball is unquestionably my favorite high school sport to cover for a variety of reasons -- brevity in length, for one thing, but also the chance for unparalleled drama. There is nothing quite as exciting as the moments late in a tied game, with the possibility for a momentum shift at any second.

I haven't seen as many buzzer beaters as I would like in my limited time covering high school athletics, beginning in 2004. But I have seen a couple pretty good ones lately. Earlier this year, I thought I would try to chronicle all of Greater Milwaukee's buzzer-beaters in a somewhat-weekly "Top of the Key" roundup, and that turned out to be too much of a hassle.

Instead, a brief description of the five most memorable buzzer-beaters that I have witnessed in my brief history of high school sports coverage shall suffice.

The crazy eight. It was the wildest eight-second stretch I’ve ever seen. In 2005-06, the Greendale boys were hosting New Berlin West. The Vikings appeared to have the game won after hitting a shot to go up 2 points with eight seconds left, and Panthers leading scorer Kyle Johnsen was whistled for a technical foul thereafter.

West’s Josh Fabian missed both technical free throws, though, despite his team going 9-for-9 from the line to that point in the game. With the Vikings retaining possession and 3 seconds to play, they inbounded to Fabian – who missed two more free throws.

The game still appeared over when Greendale’s Juston Calvert rebounded the second miss and heaved a desperation half-courter that fell well short. But instead of the game ending, Calvert was whistled for traveling, meaning West needed to inbound near midcourt to work off the final second.

Before that could happen, West top scorer Jason Averkamp was whistled for an off-the-ball foul – his fifth of the game. That turned the ball over to Greendale, which inbounded from the same spot. Johnsen took a pass in the corner, and he buried a game-winning 3-pointer at the buzzer, giving the Panthers a 52-50 victory. How can a team give up the go-ahead score, commit a technical foul and deliver an ill-fated half-court heave in the final 8 seconds of the game … and still win?

The desperation winner. Before he was a guard for Marquette University, Dwight Buycks led a Bay View team looking for the state tournament in 2005-06. In the sectional final at a sparsely-populated South Milwaukee High School, the Redcats allowed Milwaukee South to overcome a sizeable deficit and take the lead late in the game.

The Cardinals appeared to have the game in hand, but Buycks released a bomb from the far-end free throw line that banked in and created a massive uproar, with Bay View taking the 64-62 victory.  It’s by far the most improbable buzzer-beating shot I’ve seen, and it vaulted Bay View into the sectional final against Milwaukee King (where the Redcats lost).

I always thought it was a shame so few people came to see City Conference basketball, as they missed opportunities like that one. I had a tough call that night -- I still regret not being able to see the Muskego boys against Brookfield Central at the same time. Muskego's Brad Starken fired in 30 points, including a 30-foot 3-pointer at the buzzer to force the first of two overtimes. Central wound up prevailing.

Olewinski makes it a double. He couldn’t convert on a shot to win the game in the first overtime, but Pewaukee senior Mike Olewinski turned the feat at the end of the second extra session, burying a rhythm jumper to give his team a 55-53 win over fellow unbeaten league foe New Berlin West earlier this season.

The story here has been the continued success of the Pirates, who opened the season 8-0 despite graduating all five starters from the previous year. Last year's team lost an overtime heartbreaker in the sectional final.

Barr exam. Two seasons earlier, Alex Barr hit a jumper at the buzzer in New Berlin West’s gym to give Pewaukee a 39-37 win in a defensive battle. Hey, the game doesn’t have to be pretty – it just has to end well to be memorable. Apparently, every time I watch the New Berlin West boys team play, drama follows.

Recent memory. When Ben Mills hit a shot with 15 seconds to play in overtime this week, that wasn’t technically a buzzer-beater, but it did give Arrowhead a 67-66 lead in one of the more memorable games in recent memory.

Menomonee Falls missed two chances to re-take the lead at the OT buzzer, and it was a dynamite victory for a Warhawks team ranked No. 1 in the state by the Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association. Falls, led by premier sophomore JP Tokoto, led by as many as 9 points in the fourth quarter before AHS stormed back, forced overtime and won the game on Mills’ putback in the Wisconsin Basketball Yearbook Shootout.

The battle was held at the Al McGuire Center, which has been the home to several last-second heroics in its short history.

Add your own buzzer-beating memories in the comments.

Pictured: Kettle Moraine teammates mob Dan Kelm after he hits a game-winning shot against Arrowhead last year.

Oh, you're one of those people.

That's my reaction when I attend a high-school sporting event and hear a parent badmouth the home-team coach. I see a person who can't separate his or her child's success from their own, and someone with zero perspective.

Maybe that’s not entirely fair. I work with coaches pretty regularly, so my bias will admittedly lead me to side with the coach over the parent. I'm not yet a parent myself, and I've never known what it's like to watch my child put so much effort into something. I can’t empathize with those who openly criticize a coach and complain about a child’s playing time or role on the team.

Earlier this week, two-time state player of the year Jeronne Maymon quit the Marquette men’s basketball team, and many shocked Marquette supporters were quick to point the figure in a number of directions. Fans of state boys hoops know the name Tim Maymon well, since Jeronne’s father has been a very present figure in the recruitment process and his son’s career. Too present, people like myself would say.

I thought Marquette coach Buzz Williams handled Maymon’s departure with grace. Take this line, which really stood out to me…

“I want all of the sons of the parents on our team to be great, and I think that J-May was progressing that way. … I hate that it didn't work out for a longer period of time, but I understand their dissatisfaction. But our team is never going to be about one son; it's always going to be about all the sons."

Amen.

I recently attended a high school sporting event and witnessed a parent all-out accost the coach after the game. Surrounded by other students, other parents and fans filtering out of the building, the parent began with an accusatory tone and escalated from there. The parent felt their child was the victim of a "personal vendetta" by the coach, which is truly hard for me to wrap my head around.

Personal vendetta! It’s like an episode of The Sopranos. (Can you imagine being Anthony Jr's football coach? That would add a whole new level to the parent problem).

Even if I’m unqualified to say so, I just wish people could ask themselves, “does what I’m thinking/saying make sense” or, more importantly, “Is this the right time and venue to address it?” I’ve learned if there is something I truly want to address, the best way is to do so calmly, eloquently and long after my initial frustration has passed. Furthermore, is it just impossible for parents to assume the best way to overcome a dissatisfying situation is more work, more patience and more resolve?

"When you're a parent, you want your best for the kids, and it’s the hardest thing in the world to look at and watch it," one athletic director said. "You would hope common sense would prevail and that would be the end of it. I understand the emotions behind it; I don’t understand the level of emotion. If not athletics, it might be the theater or at a job. The hardest thing to do as a parent is watch your kid fail or not get the opportunity."

The AD I spoke to said he deals with at least two unhappy parents a week, and he has even been accosted physically on more than one occasion in the past. That really made my jaw hit the floor. I don’t want to devolve into the basic “It’s just a game” rhetoric, because I do realize to high school kids, it’s a very important part of their lives and will be for a long time. But getting borderline violent about it seems astoundingly over the top.

I was talking with a colleague about his young elementary-aged daughter, who is pretty undersized on her basketball team and didn't even take a shot in a game last year. He expressed how awesome it was to see her make her first "career" basket this week and the jubilation that washed over her face. I wish parents of high school and college kids could think back to moments like that one, when the simplest things and just the joy of competing was enough to make both the parent and the kid smile.

I don’t think this problem is particularly new – maybe more intense in recent years, but teams have always had one or two parents who take things too far. But it's a problem, all the same. Just keep repeating Buzz's words to yourself. It’s never going to be about one son. It’s always going to be about all the sons.

Pictured: Former state star Jeronne Maymon left the Marquette program this week.

Oh, you're one of those people.

That's my reaction when I attend a high-school sporting event and hear a parent badmouth his or her kid’s coach. I see a person who can't distinguish their child's success from their own, and someone with zero perspective.

Maybe that’s not entirely fair. I work with coaches pretty regularly, so my bias will admittedly lead me to side with the coach over the parent. I'm not yet a parent myself, and I've never known what it's like to watch my child put so much effort into something. I can’t empathize with those who openly criticize a coach and complain about a child’s playing time or role on the team.

Earlier this week, two-time state player of the year Jeronne Maymon quit the Marquette men’s basketball team, and many shocked Marquette supporters were quick to point the figure in a number of directions. Fans of state boys hoops know the name Tim Maymon well, since Jeronne’s father has been a very present figure in the recruitment process and his son’s career. Too present, people like myself would say.

Marquette coach Buzz Williams handled Maymon’s departure with grace. Take this line, which really stood out:

“I want all of the sons of the parents on our team to be great, and I think that J-May was progressing that way. … I hate that it didn't work out for a longer period of time, but I understand their dissatisfaction. But our team is never going to be about one son; it's always going to be about all the sons”

Amen.

I recently attended a high school sporting event and witnessed a parent all-out accost the coach after the game. Surrounded by other students, other parents and fans filtering out of the building, the parent began with an accusatory tone and escalated from there. The parent felt their child was the victim of a “personal vendetta” by the coach, which is truly hard for me to wrap my head around.

Personal vendetta! It’s like an episode of The Sopranos. (Can you imagine being Anthony Jr's football coach? That would add a whole new level to the parent problem)

Even if I’m unqualified to say so, I just wish people could ask themselves, ‘Does what I’m thinking/saying make sense,’ or more importantly, ‘Is this the right time and venue to address it?’ I’ve learned if there is a grievance I truly want to address, the best way is to do so calmly, eloquently and long after my initial frustration has passed. Furthermore, is it just impossible for parents to assume the best way to overcome a dissatisfying situation is more work, more patience and more resolve?

“When you're a parent, you want your best for the kids, and it’s the hardest thing in the world to look at and watch it,” one athletic director said. “You would hope common sense would prevail and that would be the end of it. I understand the emotions behind it; I don’t understand the level of emotion. If not athletics, it might be the theater or at a job. The hardest thing to do as a parent is watch your kid fail or not get the opportunity.”

The AD I spoke to said he deals with at least two unhappy parents a week, and he has even been accosted physically on more than one occasion in the past. That really made my jaw hit the floor. I don’t want to devolve into the basic “It’s just a game” rhetoric, because to high school kids, it’s a very important part of their lives and will be for a long time. But getting borderline violent about it seems astoundingly over the top.

I was talking with a colleague about his young elementary-aged daughter, who is pretty undersized on her basketball team and didn't even take a shot in a game last year. He expressed how awesome it was to see her make her first “career” basket this week and the jubilation washed over her face. I wish parents of high school and college kids could think back to moments like that one, when the simplest things and just the joy of competing was enough to make both the parent and the kid smile.

I don’t think this problem is particularly new – maybe more intense in recent years, but teams have always had one or two parents who take things too far. But it's a problem, all the same. Just keep repeating Buzz's words to yourself. It’s never going to be about one son. It’s always going to be about all the sons.

Pictured: Jeronne Maymon, who left Marquette's basketball team this week.

That's my reaction when I attend a high-school sporting event and hear a parent badmouth the home-team coach. I see a person who can't separate his or her child's success from their own, and someone with zero perspective.

Maybe that’s not entirely fair. I work with coaches pretty regularly, so my bias will admittedly lead me to side with the coach over the parent. I'm not yet a parent myself, and I've never known what it's like to watch my child put so much effort into something. I can’t empathize with those who openly criticize a coach and complain about a child’s playing time or role on the team.

Earlier this week, two-time state player of the year Jeronne Maymon quit the Marquette men’s basketball team, and many shocked Marquette supporters were quick to point the figure in a number of directions. Fans of state boys hoops know the name Tim Maymon well, since Jeronne’s father has been a very present figure in the recruitment process and his son’s career. Too present, people like myself would say.

I thought Marquette coach Buzz Williams handled Maymon’s departure with grace. Take this line, which really stood out to me…

“I want all of the sons of the parents on our team to be great, and I think that J-May was progressing that way. … I hate that it didn't work out for a longer period of time, but I understand their dissatisfaction. But our team is never going to be about one son; it's always going to be about all the sons."

Amen.

I recently attended a high school sporting event and witnessed a parent all-out accost the coach after the game. Surrounded by other students, other parents and fans filtering out of the building, the parent began with an accusatory tone and escalated from there. The parent felt their child was the victim of a "personal vendetta" by the coach, which is truly hard for me to wrap my head around.

Personal vendetta! It’s like an episode of The Sopranos. (Can you imagine being Anthony Jr's football coach? That would add a whole new level to the parent problem).

Even if I’m unqualified to say so, I just wish people could ask themselves, “does what I’m thinking/saying make sense” or, more importantly, “Is this the right time and venue to address it?” I’ve learned if there is something I truly want to address, the best way is to do so calmly, eloquently and long after my initial frustration has passed. Furthermore, is it just impossible for parents to assume the best way to overcome a dissatisfying situation is more work, more patience and more resolve?

"When you're a parent, you want your best for the kids, and it’s the hardest thing in the world to look at and watch it," one athletic director said. "You would hope common sense would prevail and that would be the end of it. I understand the emotions behind it; I don’t understand the level of emotion. If not athletics, it might be the theater or at a job. The hardest thing to do as a parent is watch your kid fail or not get the opportunity."

The AD I spoke to said he deals with at least two unhappy parents a week, and he has even been accosted physically on more than one occasion in the past. That really made my jaw hit the floor. I don’t want to devolve into the basic “It’s just a game” rhetoric, because I do realize to high school kids, it’s a very important part of their lives and will be for a long time. But getting borderline violent about it seems astoundingly over the top.

I was talking with a colleague about his young elementary-aged daughter, who is pretty undersized on her basketball team and didn't even take a shot in a game last year. He expressed how awesome it was to see her make her first "career" basket this week and the jubilation that washed over her face. I wish parents of high school and college kids could think back to moments like that one, when the simplest things and just the joy of competing was enough to make both the parent and the kid smile.

I don’t think this problem is particularly new – maybe more intense in recent years, but teams have always had one or two parents who take things too far. But it's a problem, all the same. Just keep repeating Buzz's words to yourself. It’s never going to be about one son. It’s always going to be about all the sons.

Pictured: Former state star Jeronne Maymon left the Marquette program this week.

I used to be a pretty proud member of the student cheering section at Kaukauna High School, and I remember how much fun that could be. My cohorts and I knew a lot about the top players in the conference -- and thus, we knew precisely which players to ridicule in an effort to give our Galloping Ghosts the edge.

It was kind of empowering, in a way, to get on a player's case and try to have any influence we could on the floor action. I confess to using the same tactics in college -- especially at women's games when a fan was more likely to be heard.

That can be a rush for a high school kid, so I try not to judge when I see that behavior today -- fans specifically singling out one or two players in an attempt to garner their team the advantage.

But I have to admit, it makes me wince. It's hard enough being a high school kid, let alone one subjected to public humiliation, trying to succeed in a difficult game while enduring (or trying to shut out) the taunting simultaneously. Without trying to sound like an aloof sportswriter hollowly preaching the moral high ground, I often just wish the student sections would let it go.

Which brings me to St. John's Northwestern Military Academy. I battled last Tuesday's snow storm to watch the Lancers battle Milwaukee Hamilton, one of the best teams in the state with probably the best junior class in the state. Hamilton won the contest, but it served as a reminder of how unique and awesome the St. John's experience can be.

A sidebar: I'm not all that familiar with the St. John's campus, having attended only two games at the fieldhouse before, so trying to find parking (where there is no lot) in the dark and driving snow storm proved to be a challenge. That's saying more about my challenged directional ability than the campus parking situation -- but in my twisting and turning to get to the fieldhouse once I stashed my car in a (hopefully legal) parking spot, I wound up smack dab in the middle of a cemetery. I felt pretty irreverent and ridiculous, thinking how strange that despite the high-profile nature of the game, the setting wasn't really typical for a high school contest.

And that's true in more ways than one. There isn't much seating to speak of at the St. John's fieldhouse, and there certainly wasn't a crowd that would befit a clash between two teams figuring prominently in the state-title discussion. But the building has a tremendous amount of character, with a gigantic American flag on one end ... and the wall of cadets on one sideline.

It's intimidating enough playing in that building, with all its history, let alone with a student section filled with young men in military uniform and the rest in matching red shirts that proclaim their importance as "The 6th Man." I was told by one fellow onlooker that all cadets not on duty are required to attend the game, which would explain the sizable turnout in the middle of the wintry chaos.

Like your average student section, there are premeditated chants, choreographed antics and lots of volume. But the cadets do not latch onto opposing players, do not often criticize the officiating and manage to turn the place upside down with an entirely positive vibe.

It's partly the discipline that comes with the academy lifestyle, and it's partly the leadership of those on staff who insist on this level of behavior, and it's comforting to know that it can happen that way. It's hard to imagine a wall of 100-some teenage boys screaming in unison and not having something negative to say, but these guys truly know how to give their team an advantage without being brutal to the opponent.

When Pewaukee eliminated St. John's from the playoffs last year, the lasting image in my head is the enormous traveling party of cadets rumbling in the stands, providing the same high-road enthusiasm. St. John's is awfully good this year, and it would be something else to see those cadets on TV again with the Lancers playing at the Kohl Center in Madison.

(Pictured: St. John's fans cheer on the Lancers at last March's regional contest at Pewaukee).

Local angles

Kettle Moraine girls 38, Divine Savior Holy Angels 34. DSHA is 0-3, but their losses had come against state behemoths Milwaukee Vincent and Milwaukee Pius before running into the Lasers. The Dashers perpetually have one of the best teams in the area, making this an early signature win for the Lasers. The Classic 8 should be an incredible showdown this year, with at least five teams (Mukwonago, Waukesha South, Kettle Moraine, Pius, Arrowhead) showing potential to knock off anyone else.

Pewaukee girls 50, Greendale 43. Mary Merg's hot shooting nearly rallied the Panthers late, but the Pirates landed an early conference confidence-boost against a team that brings back a lot of experience and expectations. Starting three sophomores, Pewaukee has jumped out to an unbeaten start and will clearly be a factor in the run for the Woodland Blue title. Jordyn Swan (pictured) has led the team in scoring.

Milwaukee Hamilton boys 64, St. John's 53. The young Lancers challenged a pair of strong City Conference schools and came up short both times, losing to Bay View on Thursday after falling to state-ranked Hamilton in the St. John's gym Tuesday. Coach Brian Richert is hoping for as many challenges as possible prior to the WIAA Division 2 postseason. Sophomore guard Isaiah Gray is starting to show his immense potential.

Big games

New Berlin Eisenhower girls 63, Wisconsin Lutheran 50. Anna Hahn (junior) and Nicole Bauman (sophomore) will make Ike a state-title favorite next year, if not this year. Wisco is a good team, entering the year in the D2 top ten along with the Lions, and the resounding outcome is a sign that the Lions mean business.

Menomonee Falls boys 56, Marquette 36. Possibly a conference-title game in the Greater Metro, JP Tokoto broke out of an early-season mini-slump with 19 points, helping his team dominate last year's conference champs. The GMC doesn't appear as strong as usual on paper, so if Marquette can't hang with Falls in league play ... will anyone?

Whitefish Bay Dominican boys 38, Milwaukee King 35. Coach Paul Wollersheim obviously has another Knighs team capable of making a run in the Division 3 tournament, with the defensive battle going to the little guy over the perennially awesome Generals.

Surprises

Greendale girls 39, Cudahy 32. It hasn't been the easiest schedule for the Packers in the Woodland, but an 0-3 start is definitely surprising. The door is open for local team Pewaukee, despite an inexperienced roster, to take control of the Woodland Blue Division.

Racine Horlick boys 59, Kenosha Tremper 58. Sure, the defending state runners-up have lost four starters, but the overtime win over a team with at least two pretty talented seniors shows Horlick won't go away quietly, even when missing its top player with disciplinary suspension.

Buzzer beaters

Racine Horlick boys 59, Kenosha Tremper 58, OT. Terrence Anderson tied the game in regulation for Tremper, but Eric Papelbon was fouled and hit a free throw in the final seconds to win it for Horlick.

Homestead 43 girls, Kenosha Tremper 41. Siena Mitman hits a layup with 2.5 seconds left to lift the Highlanders.

Union Grove 57 boys, Burlington 54, OT. Nathan Radke's 3-pointer in the final seconds of regulation forced overtime for Union Grove, and the Broncos never trailed in overtime.

The big game of the week pits St. John's Northwestern Military Academy's boys basketball team against visiting Milwaukee Hamilton on Tuesday, beginning at 7 p.m. Check the Preps Alcove on Twitter for live updates from the contest, which features one of the state's best Division 2 teams against one of the best from D1.

In the same vein as my weekly football roundups, I'll try my hand at weekly hoops roundups highlighting some of the biggest games in the area.

Local angles

Arrowhead boys 59, Milwaukee Washington 58. Unquestionably the outcome of the week in the Lake Country area, as Washington entered the season among the state's top-ranked teams. The Warhawks are now as high as No. 2 in some polls after the victory at the City vs. Suburban Classic, held at Wisconsin Lutheran college. Ben Mills (pictured) gave everyone an early glance as to why he's a Division 1 recruit, finishing with 23 points -- including two with the slam dunk in the picture.

Pewaukee boys 58, Wauwatosa West 56. The Pirates are supposed to be in somewhat of a down year after graduating five seniors, but it's clear the expectations and level of success will remain fairly high. Tosa West is one of the favorites in the Woodland Black, and the Pirates nonethless held on for an enriching victory against a team with three returning starters.

Menomonee Falls boys 88, Oconomowoc 39. Cooney was missing some players due to suspension, so this wasn't really a fair fight. The Indians are supremely talented and had their way with a team that still expects to make noise in the Wisconsin Little Ten.

Mukwonago boys 70, Hartford 60. Ty Bauschek will be a force to reckon with in the Classic 8 all season long, and his 27 points helped the Indians defeat the Orioles for the second straight year. MHS fell by a lopsided margin to Washington in the season-opener, but there isn't much shame in that -- this win demonstrates they really have a strong team.

Mukwonago girls 40, Brookfield Central 33. It's back to the top of the heap for the MHS girls basketball team, as the "upset" of Brookfield Central re-affirms their status as a state powerhouse. The Indians have loaded up the schedule this year to get as many tough looks as possible, and Central figured to be among the toughest in the early season. MHS will get input from returning veterans as well as quality freshmen and sophomores.

Muskego girls 50, Kettle Moraine 36. Like Mukwonago, the Lasers have a schedule packed with challenging opponents -- including six games against teams ranked in the state's preaseason top 10. Muskego was the highest-ranked of the lot and proved too tough to handle behind seven 3-pointers from Katie Ellerson. The Lasers are pretty deep, though, and will be battle-tested by year's end.

Big games

Milwaukee King boys 65, Menomonee Falls 62 (OT). The recruitment of sophomore JP Tokoto has already become something of a circus, and one has to wonder if the young talent can maintain an elite level of play with the bullseye so completely on his back. Traditionally strong King got the upper hand here in the City vs. Suburban Classic, with Wisconsin coach Bo Ryan in attendance.

Dominican boys 58, Catholic Memorial 55. A late charge by Dominican netted 22 fourth-quarter points and tripped up the Crusaders in the battle of strong private-school programs. Both of these teams will be discussed a lot in the coming weeks, both as contenders for elite status and as examples in the ongoing debate over a fifth division and the "urban vs. rural" private-school debate therein. Derek Schell led CMH with 22 points.

Milwaukee Vincent girls 40, Divine Savior Holy Angels 37. The three-time defending state champs had their hands full with the Greater Metro heavyweight but persevered in the NY2LA Classic at Milwaukee Pius. A 54-43 win over Nicolet the following day proved to harbor less tension. Tynika Rodgers hit the game-winning 3-pointer with one second left.

Surprises

Nicolet boys 62, Marquette 43. Nicolet, led by Myles Henry, is a very nice team, but I definitely didn't foresee a blowout against one of the favorites in the Greater Metro.

New Berlin Eisenhower girls 63, Cudahy 38. Likewise, the outcome isn't as much of a surprise as the score. Eisenhower has a lot of talent, but Cudahy sophomore Taylor Gradinjan (14 points) might be one of the best players in her class in the state. She couldn't prevent a lopsided loss, however.

Nicolet girls 59, Muskego 57. I have to admit, I had never heard of Nicolet's Ashley Green until this game. She dropped in 34 points and instantly put herself on the state radar by helping the Knights knock off one of the preseason favorites to win the gold ball -- a team that went 16-0 in conference last year.

Buzzer beaters

Martin Luther boys 54, Union Grove 53. Nathan Wingfield jumper wins it.
Milwaukee Vincent girls 40, Divine Savior Holy Angels 37. Tynika Rodgers hits 3-pointer to win.
West Allis Central boys 64, Kettle Moraine 55. Pat Zemanovic of KM forces overtime with layup.

-- did I miss anything? E-mail me at jradcliffe@jcpgroup.com and straighten me out!

Student blogger Michael Fox has a fairly personal connection to the Arrowhead boys basketball team -- brother Andy is a senior point guard for the squad that has been ranked in the top five of some preseason state polls. He gives a glance at the season in preview:

The last shot taken by the Arrowhead Warhawks last season was a desperation 25-footer by junior captain Andy Fox, and it fell short, catching the front end of the rim and hitting the floor in a silent gym. The opposing Menomonee Falls fans toppled and tripped their way on the court to meet their hero, freshman sensation Jean-Pierre Tokoto, while all the Arrowhead fans were stuck watching their Big 3 junior players (Fox, Russ Finco, and Ben Mills) slowly walk off the floor holding back the tears.

A season later, the Warhawks look stronger, better, and more experienced than ever before. The Hawks are returning five starters from arguably the best team in school history, being the first team to win the conference outright by posting a 17-5 record overall, and a 12-2 record in conference play. Senior Michael Skarie and junior Charlie Fischer return to the starting lineup with the aforementioned three, and the Warhawks return a total of 11 letterwinners.

The keys to being successful this season for the Warhawks will be the play of their big senior trio. 

Andy Fox is coming off an outstanding last 2 games in which he averaged 17.5 points and 5.5 assists, along with 3.5 steals and 4.5 rebounds. He finished the season putting up 12.2 points per game, 5.5 assists, 2.1 steals, and 3.7 rebounds. But it’s not about the numbers with Fox. Don’t get me wrong, they are prolific stats, but it’s about the way he plays the game. If you have ever watched an NBA game and seen Steve Nash play, you know what I am talking about. Nash runs the offense effectively, he knows the game more than any person on the floor, and he knows what’s happening on the floor at all times. Like Nash, Fox knows his player’s tendencies, he knows where Finco likes the ball to be passed to him when he shoots, and he knows how Ben Mills wants his entry passes. 

When Fox plays his game and controls the pace how he wants it, he has the ability to get teammates the ball in places where they can hit the open jumper, make a layup off a cut, or throw down a two-handed monster dunk. Fox is also a coach on the court. He leads the team in fashions that others simply can’t, and that is the mark of a true point guard.

Russ Finco, a first-team all-conference choice last year, is an avid scorer who knows how to get to the rim and free-throw line. Finco led the team in free throws attempted at 113 last season -- that’s almost 40 more than the second-most. He had a free throw percentage of 73.5 percent, second highest on the team. He led the team with 16.2 points per game having put up 35 once last year against Milwaukee Custer and had at least 20 points in eight games last season. When Finco finds his hot spot, he is unstoppable. But when he struggles, the team can as well. Finco is coming off a tough ending to the season where he was 2-for-27 in the last two games of last season. He only scored 7 points in those games. If Finco can constantly hit jumpers and get to the rim under control, the Warhawks will have much on offense.

Seven-foot center Ben Mills will be the second player in Arrowhead history to make it to Division 1 college basketball on a scholarship, recently signing with Boise State, where he will most likely redshirt as a freshman. He posted 13.8 points and a team-high 9.1 rebounds per game last year. He also made his presence felt inside by averaging a team-high 1.9 blocks per game. He says he’s been working out almost every day at velocity sports performance and that he’s trying to get a lot stronger so he can play the college game effectively. But for the Hawks, his secret weapon could be his range. Mills only took 11 3-pointers last year, but he took a lot of midrange jumpers right around the top of the key. It helps that he can play the perimeter well, because that opens up a lot of room in the middle for the speedy guards in Fox and Finco to get to the hoop without a big man looming around them. And if the opposing big man does stay camped in the lane, Fox and Finco can kick it out to “Big Ben,” who can hit a jumper as good as half the guards on a loaded Hawks team.

With all that being said, the Hawks still boast a great advantage in their bench. Shut down defenders Blake Mattson (forward) and Charles Rushman (guard), as well as forward swingman Ryan May all return as juniors. Also, it is hard to overlook the defensive presence from returning senior forward Michael Skarie. Skarie started last season for the Hawks for the majority of the season and is the hardest working player on the floor. Another player who will have a lot of potential to have a major impact this season is returning wing guard Charlie Fischer. Fischer was fourth in scoring on the team, putting up 7 points per game last season. Fischer will have a lot of opportunities to be a major scorer in certain situations this year due to his amount of experience. This will be Fischer’s third year on varsity and his second year starting.

The Warhawks' toughest matchups will be the same as last year; their conference rivalry with Catholic Memorial will still be alive and kicking. The Crusaders are returning starting senior guards Derek Schell and T.J Bray, and they are ranked 9^th in Division 2. Bray just happens to be the returning conference player of the year. These two teams will meet twice this year; their second game will be a great season finale coming in the second-to-last game of the conference season.

Another team the Warhawks will face is 8th-ranked Menomonee Falls. The Indians ended a dream season last year for the Warhawks by stopping them in the regional final by a mere three points. Falls will have preseason all-state candidate returning in Tokoto, who single-handedly beat the Hawks last year by putting up 19 points, 12 rebounds, 3 steals and 3 blocks. These two teams play in late December at the Al McGuire Center in the Wisconsin Basketball Yearbook shootout and could possibly meet once again in the playoffs.

The Warhawks have possibly the toughest schedule in the state this year. They open up their season in the City/Suburban Challenge against Milwaukee Bay View and third-ranked Milwaukee Washington. The Hawks will then face Falls and Wisconsin Lutheran, ranked sixth in Division 2, in the Wisconsin Basketball Yearbook Shootout. Arrowhead then finishes the regular season with games against  CMH and strong Division 1 team Marquette. 

In my opinion, if the Hawks can get all-state caliber play from their senior trio all season long and the 13-deep roster contributes, it will be a successful year, one that will end in another Classic 8 title and could send the Warhawks on a euphoric wave to the state tournament in Madison.  

Today (Nov. 18) marked the release of the Lake Country Publications basketball preview, released in the Mukwonago Chief and Sussex Sun (with issues of the Kettle Moraine Index, Lake Country Reporter, Oconomowoc Focus and WaukeshaNOW to receive copies tomorrow). This marks the beginning of my favorite season -- the weather is crummy, but nothing beats the winter when it comes to high school sports.

For me, an annual rite is perusing through the Wisconsin Basketball Yearbooks, which are on sale at select bookstores and Sentry grocery stores around the state. The hoops gurus take a stab at ranking the top players in the state and also the best teams, and several area teams were given mention.

We reprint some of that material in our section. Here's a look at how the Yearbook sees local teams in their respective conferences, using surveys submitted by coaches and their own estimates:

BOYS

Arrowhead -- 1st in Classic 8 (Defending league champions return five starters, led by 7-foot-1 senior center Ben Mills and senior guards Russell Finco and Andy Fox.)

St. John's Military Academy -- 1st in Midwest Classic Central (The Lancers return three starters from a club that won 20 games a year ago, including top-ranked junior Kevin Mays and promising sophomore Isaiah Gray. Add Muskego transfer D.J. Mlachnik to the mix, and the Lancers are poised for more success.)

Oconomowoc -- 2nd in Wisconsin Little Ten behind Wisconsin Lutheran (Two all-Little Ten Conference performers return for coach Kurt Melton in seniors Paul Williams and Tanner Wensman). PICTURED: Wensman last season. Photo, Russ Pulvermacher

Pewaukee -- 2nd in Woodland Blue behind New Berlin West (The Pirates tied New Berlin Eisenhower for the North Division title last season and return three premier backcourt players in Tyler Hanson, Mike Olewinski and Pat Bacon.)

Lake Country Lutheran -- 3rd in Midwest Classic North (Though the Lightning lack size, guard play figures to be an asset behind the return of Matthew Babel, Mitch Carlson and Jake Bahr.)

Mukwonago -- 4th in Classic 8 (A potent one-two punch led by senior guard Ty Bauschek and junior wing Derek Hasanoglu will be difficult to contain.)

Hamilton -- 4th in Greater Metro (The Chargers' title hopes suffered a severe blow when senior Kameron Cerroni went down with an ACL injury during the football season. Seniors Brett Meinecke and Brian Gryszkiewicz top an experienced group of returning players.)

Kettle Moraine -- 7th in Classic 8 (The Lasers aim for an upper-echelon finish for the fourth straight season in the Classic 8.)

GIRLS

Mukwonago -- 2nd in Classic 8 behind Milwaukee Pius (undefeated conference champion returns three all-conference choices but loses conference Player of the Year Krissy Fehly.)

Pewaukee -- 2nd in Woodland Blue behind Cudahy (seniors Hannah Frett and Shannon Kalamarz will ascend from complimentary players to go-to options and will battle with Cudahy's Taylor Gradinjan, perhaps the league's best player as just a sophomore).

Hamilton -- 3rd in Greater Metro (could be conference's most improved team ... returns second-teamer Steph Kirchner and boasts a tall front line behind new coach Dan Carey.)

Oconomowoc -- 3rd in Wisconsin Little Ten (one of league's most experienced teams, including first-teamer Lindsey Gosh, and will present matchup problems with their size.)

Kettle Moraine -- 4th in Classic 8 (good chance to outperform last year's fourth place effort with large wealth of returnees, including first-teamer Sam Pfeifer and second-teamer Anna Luterbach)

Lake Country Lutheran -- 4th in Midwest Classic North (good balance on offense, though the team will need a secondary scorer to assist Emily Dufek, a returning first-teamer)

Arrowhead -- 5th in Classic 8 (returns three starters and brings a big front line back, along with considerable depth.)

JR Radcliffe provides updates from the Arrowhead-Marquette football game Saturday, with kickoff at 7 p.m. The winner of the Level 4 game will advance to the state-title game in Madison next week.

Nick Doehling and Josh Stuver (74) celebrate a touchdown in Arrowhead's 44-41 win over Marquette in double overtime two years ago. Photo, Russ Pulvermacher.

In 2007, Arrowhead met Marquette in one of the craziest WIAA playoff games imaginable. The Level 3 battle went to the Warhawks on their way to the state championship, and the firmly-etched memories will bubble to the surface when the two teams meet with a state berth on the line Saturday.

But in case you need a refresher, here's some original coverage from that day, as it appeared in the Lake Country Reporter on Nov. 6, 2007.

Wow! Warhawks Win a Thriller
By CHUCK DELSMAN

It wasn't just a WIAA Division 1 Level 3 high school football playoff game. It was a happening.

And that might be the biggest understatement of the year.

Words cannot do justice to what took place Saturday at Arrowhead when the state's No. 2-ranked AHS varsity football team hosted Milwaukee Marquette before the largest-ever crowd for any AHS event.

Somehow, after four highly-competitive quarters and two overtimes, the undefeated Warhawks (12-0) found a way to defeat talented Marquette, 44-41, in perhaps the greatest game ever played at Arrowhead in the 51-year history of the school.

Just ask any of the nearly 6,000 fans that were treated to a game that had more twists and turns than a Steven Spielberg thriller.

In the end, it was the Warhawks that survived and earned the right to move on to the state semifinals against fifth-ranked Verona (12-0) this Saturday.

"This was just a great, great high school football game between two outstanding teams tonight," veteran Arrowhead coach Tom Taraska said after the epic battle. "What can I say? We beat a very, very talented football team tonight in Marquette. We hadn't seen a team this year anywhere close to being as good as they were. I'm just glad it's over. We're not done. We've got to play next week, so now we have to get our feet back on the ground and get ready for another big challenge."

Saturday's drama didn't end until Warhawks senior quarterback Dan Kieffer rolled to his left, cut back and bulled his way into the end zone from the 5-yard line on 3rd-and-goal. The Hilltoppers (10-2) had the first possession in the second overtime and settled for a 22-yard field goal by senior Pat Hughes, giving them a 41-38 edge before Kieffer's scamper.

Thrill-topper

On the winning play, there did not appear to be much of a hole for Kieffer. The play started left with senior running back Jake Ferris running behind the quarterback, looking for a pitch. Kieffer then quickly changed directions, stopped and went straight ahead, plowing in for the game-winning score.

"I really didn't see a hole on that play," Kieffer said. "I just put my head down and kept going. This is the most exciting game I've ever been a part of."

Had it not been for some good fortune two plays earlier, Kieffer and the Warhawks would not be advancin to the semifinals this week.

After Marquette took its lead in the second overtime, Arrowhead fumbled on first down and would have lost the game had Marquette recovered. Fortunately, sophomore running back Brian Crook recovered the ball and kept the AHS hopes alive.

The Warhawks lost five yards on the play, but Ferris ran 10 yards to the 5-yard line on second down, setting up the final score.

"It's just an unbelievable feeling right now," senior linebacker Connor Lenz said. "Even though we were down, we had confidence we could win the game. Marquette was very good. But we just never gave up and the coaches told us to keep believing in ourselves. We made hte plays at the end when it counted."

Defense never rests

Not only did the offense come through at the end, but so did the defense, by holding the Hilltoppers to just a field goal in the second overtime.

Marquette benefitted from a facemask penalty on first down and suddenly had a 1st-and-goal from the 4-yard line. But from there, the Hilltoppers, who had success moving the ball against the normally stellar AHS defense all night, slowed down. They failed to gain a single yard on their next three plays before the kick.

Lenz, Adam Lochmann ad Chris Pendergast combined to tackle Marquette running back Ben Miller on the critical third down play from the 3-yard line for a 1-yard loss.

Arrowhead trailed for the first time all season when the Hilltoppers took a 7-0 lead with 3 minutes, 36 seconds to play in the opening quarter. The Warhawks tied the game in the second period but fell behind at halftime, 14-10. In fact, they never had the lead until they scored 14 straight points in the second half to grab a 24-21 advantage early in the fourth quarter.

AHS scored those two touchdowns on a 76-yard pass from Kieffer to Calvin Ramsey and on a 2-yard run by Ferris, capping an eight-play drive.

The lead was short lived, and the final six minutes of the fourth quarter turned out to be incredible.

Regulation whirlwind

Marquette scored on its next possession when quarterback Brian Mulcahy, who played brilliantly for the Hilltoppers, tossed a 12-yard scoring pass to end Evan Lemkuil to regain a 28-24 edge with just 2:24 to play, putting all kinds of pressure on the Arrowhead offense.

Like they did most of the night, the Warhawks delivered when the heat was on.

On the ensuing kickoff, Arrowhead marched 67 yards in eight plays, scoring on a 33-yard pass from Kieffer to Ramsey to give the Warhawks a 31-28 lead with just 55 seconds to play.

AHS looked like a winner at that point as Marquette took possession of the ball at their own 37-yard line with 48 seconds to go. Mulcahy completed three huge passes in pressure-packed situations to give his team a shot to tie the game when they drove down to the AHS 25-yard line.

With two seconds to play, Hughes booted a 42-yard field goal to send the game into double overtime.

In the first OT, AHS had the ball first and scored on third down on an 8-yard pass from Kieffer to end Chris Roets, who made a leaping catch in the end zone. Marquette then tied the score with a touchdown of their own on a 5-yard run by Miller.

AHS was led offensively by Ferris, who rushed for 164 yards on 23 carries. Kieffer, who missed on his first three passes of the game, rallied to complete 5 of his last 6 passes for three touchdowns and 146 yards.

On defense, the Warhawks got big games from Lenz, Joey Balthazor, Pendergast, Eric Herbert and Cory Pinkner.

After Kettle Moraine defeated Middleton in the boys volleyball state quarterfinals, the Lasers will face Nicolet in the semifinals Saturday, beginning at noon. Check back for the continuation of my live blog from WIsconsin Lutheran College.

Rob Reischel covers the Middleton boys volleyball team for the Middleton Times-Tribune, and he offered some thoughts about Kettle Moraine's first-round foe Friday in the WIAA boys volleyball state tournament.

JR: Michael Owen. Is that all I need to say when talking about Middleton volleyball? There aren't too many hitters with that kind of size (6-7) and ability.

RR: Owen is terrific, no doubt. Teams gameplan around him, yet he's still destructive. I'd be stunned if he wasn't a first-team all-state kid. But Middleton has a lot more than just Owen. Senior middle blocker Will Kraus could be an all-state kid. Senior setter Nick Wong is outstanding and kind of holds things together. In all, there's 12 seniors on the 14-person roster. Despite Owen's skill-set, Middleton is reasonably balanced.

JR: Last year Middleton took the first set against Marquette in the state semifinals before losing in four, and that was after dominating Wauwatosa East. How good was last year's team -- did it feel like a team on the brink of a state title? How does this year's team compare?

RR: Most coaches would tell you Middleton was the second best team in the state last year. The Cardinals beat Marquette early in the year and had several chances to win the critical third game against the Hilltoppers in the state semifinals. This year's Middleton team is probably a slight notch below that 2008 team ... but I don't think the state has a team as good as last year's Marquette squad, either. With Marquette and New Berlin on the other side of the bracket, Middleton certainly feels it has the firepower to reach the state finals.

JR: Kettle Moraine started to make its rise at a Kaukauna Invitational earlier this year, and Middleton was one of the teams the Lasers defeated along the way. Any idea what the stumbling blocks were in that tourney?

RR: Here's what Middleton coach Ben White told me about the Cardinals' first meeting with Kettle Moraine: "They attacked us outside and down the line and they had a lot of success. I also know they have a great middle attack and a very aggressive setter who likes to hit over in two. Kettle Moraine likes to jump serve and they like to swing hard. It will be our goal to keep them off balance with tough location serves and to extend the rallies."

JR: Bold prediction time!

RR: Two of the hottest teams in the tournament collide, but I like Middleton's experience and understanding that this is their best chance at making some noise here for the next few years. Middleton in 4.

I had the privilege of checking in with Bill Michaels during Sports Central on Thursday, chatting about the football postseason. Check out the audio here and get all kinds of prep football substance at JSOnlinePrepsPlus.com.

Also, this is your home for live coverage of Arrowhead and Verona as the two football teams square off in the state quarterfinals Saturday, beginning at 4 p.m. Sign up for an email reminder to follow the action as it unfolds.