Marginal talent makes NFL mock draft a challenge

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Anyone trying to complete an accurate NFL mock draft could have a full-time job just following all of the draft rumors.
Who will trade up? Everybody wants to trade down. Is there any player worth trading up for?
This NFL draft class clearly gets no respect. It is being viewed as a yawner compared to last year’s star-studded class that churned out a handful of star NFL quarterbacks. This year’s class is thin on glamour players, but has plenty of beef in offensive and defensive linemen that can be future foundations for their teams.
Here’s our run at the first round of the NFL Draft.

1. Kansas City: Luke Joeckel, offensive tackle.
The Chiefs are trying to rebuild on the fly. There’s an ugly parting of the ways coming with tackle Brandon Albert, so they’ll draft his replacement in Joeckel.

2. Jacksonville: Eric Fisher, offensive tackle.
The Jags haven’t had a Pro Bowl caliber tackle since the days of Tony Boselli. The only prayer Jacksonville has of being competitive is keeping Blaine Gabbert and Maurice Jones-Drew healthy and productive. Giving them a big, nasty tackle to lead their blocking is the best way to achieve that.

3. Oakland: Sharrif Floyd, defensive tackle.
General Manager Reggie McKenzie is trying to rebuild a stronger, more fundamentally sound Raider team. Getting an anchor like Floyd for the defensive line would give them a run stuffer they could build the defense around.

4. Philadelphia: Dion Jordan, defensive end.
The Eagles are another team trying to rebuild their defense. Don’t be surprised if former Oregon coach Chip Kelly uses his first choice as Eagles head coach by taking one of his former Ducks players. Jordan has awesome pass rushing tools, though he never became a dominating player in college.

5. Detroit: Ezekiel Ansah, defensive end.
The Lions are the hinge team for the rest of the draft. They could go in several directions with their pick and teams that follow in the draft will have to adjust. The Lions have pronounced needs at offensive tackle, defensive end and cornerback and they could try to fill any of those spots here. If Ansah is still available, he’s the best value to fit one of their main needs.

6. Cleveland: Dee Milliner, cornerback.
There’s been some hype about Milliner’s injury status, but that won’t frighten off Cleveland. They are looking for another shutdown cornerback to go with Joe Haden. It won’t make the Browns’ defense great, but it will give them an area of strength to build upon.

7. Arizona: Lane Johnson, offensive tackle.
If Detroit doesn’t take Johnson, Arizona will. That is unless Arizona steps up to trade for Kansas City’s Brandon Albert. The Cards’ offensive line is horrible and getting a fixture at tackle would be a big step in revamping their offense.

8. Buffalo: Ryan Nassib, quarterback.
Buffalo has a tradition of unpredictable draft choices. Nassib wasn’t even viewed as a first rounder until recently. He’s more in the classic, pocket quarterback mold and Buffalo desperately needs a quarterback to build around. They are hoping Nassib is this year’s version of Ryan Tannehill.

9. New York Jets: Barkvious Mingo, outside linebacker.
Owning the ninth and 13th picks, the Jets could go in a number of directions. If the Jets go defense, Mingo is a good fit here. He’s got pass rushing skills, which the Jets sorely need.

10. Tennessee: Chance Warmack, guard.
The Titans’ wishes are answered, with both premier guards still on the board. The Titans need to get running back Chris Johnson back to peak level and the best way to achieve that is by bringing in this powerhouse blocker.

11. San Diego: Jonathan Cooper, guard.
The Chargers will snap up whichever guard the Titans don’t take. The San Diegoans would love to see one of the top tackles drop this far, but it won’t happen and they don’t show the inclination to trade up. The Chargers offensive line needs to be upgraded, and this is a fine place to start.

12. Miami: Xavier Rhodes, cornerback.
Cornerback and offensive tackle are the two immediate needs for the Fins. If they pull the trigger on the Branden Albert trade, the tackle need is solved. Rhodes is a tall, physical corner. The Dolphins face some pass-happy opponents and Rhodes would help the Dolphins deal better with them.

13. New York Jets: Tavon Austin, wide receiver.
Teams like Carolina and St. Louis were hoping Austin would drop to them. The Jets’ offense badly needs playmakers and Austin is a darter who would immediately become the Jets’ best slot receiver.

14. Carolina: Star Lotulelei, defensive tackle.
With Austin off the board, the Panthers have their pick of the top defensive tackle prospects. Lotulelei’s stock dropped because of fears about a heart abnormality, but the Panthers will take their chances on this massive lineman. He is one of the better interior line prospects of the past several years.

15. New Orleans: Jarvis Jones, outside linebacker.
The Saints have everything they need on offense, so they’ll pay heavy attention to the defense in this draft. Jones is a highly talented defender with a tremendous upside. He can rush the quarterback and he’s also fully capable of dropping into pass coverage. Linebackers who are complete players are rare these days.

16. St. Louis: Kenny Vaccaro, strong safety.
The Rams were hoping Austin would still be available, so they could plug him in immediately as Danny Amendola’s replacement. There isn’t another receiver worthy of being taken this high, so the Rams address their other main need, safety. The Rams have invested heavily in cornerback. This strengthens their pass coverage over the middle of the field.

17. Pittsburgh: Sheldon Richardson, defensive tackle.
Poor salary cap management has left the Steelers with numerous holes to fill in their starting lineup. They take care of one of those needs by taking Richardson. The Steelers’ defensive front has been ravaged over the past two years and this starts the restocking process.

18. Dallas: Sylvester Williams, defensive tackle.
Williams is another fast riser on draft boards. He’s got the potential to be a beast against the run, if he lives up to that potential.

19. New York Giants: D.J. Fluker, offensive tackle
The Giants have let their offensive line age and wither without finding suitable replacements. Fluker is huge, even by NFL standards. There are questions about his quickness, but he’s got the brawn the Giants are looking to add.

20. Chicago: Tyler Eifert, tight end.
The Bears are looking for more assets in their passing game. Eifert’s addition would give the Bears the best tight end they’ve had, possibly since the days of Mike Ditka. Eifert might not drop this far, because there are several teams looking to add an elite tight end to their passing attack.

21. Cincinnati: (trade) Geno Smith, quarterback.
The Bengals are a team without a glaring need, assuming they re-sign tackle Andre Smith. Geno Smith does a major free fall until this spot, when a team like Philadelphia trades up out of the second round to nab Smith.

22. St. Louis: Cordarrelle Patterson, wide receiver.
Patterson is a receiver with all the physical tools. His stock has dropped in recent weeks as his attitude and ability to learn offenses have come into question. The Rams can’t be choosy at this point. Patterson is clearly the second best receiving option in the draft.

23. Minnesota: Desmond Trufant, cornerback.
The Vikings face Calvin Johnson, Brandon Marshall and the Green Bay Packer receivers twice each season. Even before losing Antoine Winfield the Vikings needed to upgrade their cornerbacks. Don’t be surprised if Trufant’s a starter by his second season.

24. Indianapolis: Bjoern Werner, defensive end.
With the free agent departure of Dwight Freeney, the Colts have a glaring need for a pass rushing defensive end. They’ll be choosing between Werner and Datone Jones, with Werner winning out. Werner has the motor and instincts to provide the pass rush the Colts desire.

25. Minnesota: Mante Te’o, inside linebacker.
Certainly Te’o comes with baggage. But the Vikings think that they can shelter him from bad outside influences. The Vikings have a desperate need for an inside linebacker. If Te’o proves he can handle the mental aspects of the pro game, he could be a starter from Day One.

26. Green Bay: Matt Elam, safety.
Finding a safety to work along with Morgan Burnett has been necessary ever since Nick Collins’ career-ending injury. The Packers finally address the situation. There are two blue chip safeties, Elam and Eric Reid. We’re guessing the Packers lean toward Elam’s reliability.

27. Houston: DeAndre Hopkins, wide receiver.
One of the worst kept secrets of the draft is that the Texans need a wide receiver to go with Andre Johnson. DeAndre Hopkins appears to be the favored choice of the Texans, though Justin Hunter from the University of Tennessee might slip into this slot.

28. Denver: D.J. Hayden, cornerback.
The Broncos are thinking about converting Pro Bowl corner Champ Bailey to safety and Hayden would be a quality successor to Bailey’s cornerback role.

29. New England: Justin Hunter, wide receiver.
The Patriots are so unpredictable, they could go just about anywhere and trading up certainly isn’t out of the question. With the veteran wide receivers they lost since the end of the season, restocking the position makes too much sense to pass up Hunter.

30. Atlanta: Jamar Taylor, cornerback.
The Falcons don’t have many needs, but cornerback is the most glaring. Though several corners will have already been taken, it’s a deep draft at that position and they would get a good one in Taylor.

31. San Francisco: Jonathan Cyprien, safety.
The 49ers lost their best safety in the off-season and they don’t waste any time in grooming a successor in Cyprien. He’s an NFL ready safety who should be able to contribute right away.

32. Baltimore: Eric Reid, safety.
The off-season purge done by the Ravens has left a number of immediate needs on the team. They could go with an inside linebacker like Kevin Minter or a wide receiver to replace Anquan Boldin. But after losing Ed Reed and Bernard Pollard, the Ravens need to snap up one of the first round safeties. Reid is a hitter, so he’ll fit right in with the Ravens’ tradition at safety.

Middle Border Conference cuts baseball schedule in half

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Mother Nature left the Middle Border Conference athletic directors no choice.
On Thursday it was announced that the MBC athletic directors had decided to only count the second round of conference baseball games toward the MBC standings. The second round of MBC baseball is scheduled to begin next week. Just one MBC game has been played to this point. The athletic directors decided that any games from the first half of the schedule that do get played will count as non-conference games.
This is the second sport where the MBC schedule has been chopped in half. It was decided earlier in the week that the girls soccer schedule would be similarly split, with only the second round games counting toward the conference standings.
It has also been decided that any MBC softball games that aren’t played in the first round of the season will now be played as two five-inning games on the date of the second meeting between the teams involved. Only one game has been played so far, meaning nearly all the softball games will be played as double-headers.
The Dunn-St. Croix Conference has also made alterations to its schedules. The D-SC has a large and small division. In a typical year large teams play each other twice and play small opponents once, all counting toward the conference championship. The conference has eliminated the “crossover” games between small and large divisions. So eight games per each division (everyone plays each other twice), to determine the conference champs. The D-SC softball teams will play all games in two five-inning double-headers.
In talking with coaches and athletic directors who have been in the area for more than 30 years, this is an unprecedented spring. Nobody can remember a winter that has held on this long and that has done this much damage to a spring sports season.
There are many spring teams that are now facing the harsh reality that they may not be able to complete half of their scheduled events. There are a number of teams that have already had double-digit cancellations. This week’s snowstorm means it will likely be a week or more until any grass playing surfaces will be ready for game use.
Time has become as limiting a factor as the weather in how many games will be played this season. The WIAA has had its spring tournament schedules set for nearly a year and it would be practically impossible to push back the starts of any of the sports’ tournaments.
In the case of softball, there is already less than a month left in the regular season. Softball begins tournament play on Thursday, May 16. Track is next, with regionals on May 20. Golf is just behind that on May 21. Baseball begins regional tournament play on May 24 and girls soccer is the final sport to begin its playoffs, on May 30.

Baseball sparks spring fever

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The opening of the Major League Baseball season seems to hold greater importance to fans in the area this spring. It isn’t that the Minnesota Twins are headed to the World Series, or anywhere close for that matter.
People are so desperate for any sign of springtime that people who wouldn’t normally rejoice over baseball’s beginning are clutching onto it as their first sign of spring fever.
The Major League Baseball season should be intriguing. Some of the old guard like the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox have slipped to the second tier, while new teams like Toronto and Washington have become the fashionable choices as World Series contenders.
Here is one person’s view of how the 2013 Major League Baseball season will shake out.

American League Central
1. Detroit. 2. Kansas City. 3. Cleveland. 4. Chicago White Sox. 5. Minnesota.
Detroit will be the most heavily favored division contender in baseball. The Tigers might coast through the first three-quarters of the season like they did last year, but they have enough juice to win this division by 30 games. Adding Victor Martinez and Torii Hunter and deleting Delmon Young? Did any team have a better winter than that?
Kansas City is the best of the rest, which ain’t saying much. Minnesota will spend one more year at the bottom before starting its move upward next season.

American League East
1. Tampa. 2. Toronto. 3. Baltimore. 4. Boston. 5. New York Yankees.
The biggest advantage Tampa has over Toronto is managing. Toronto’s every day lineup is the best in the division, but I’ll take Tampa’s starting rotation over the mega-million rotation put together by Toronto. Tampa’s rotation is young and good and getting better. Toronto’s rotation has peaked. Baltimore, Boston and New York will be a step back. Baltimore was a contender last year purely due to the brilliant managing done by Buck Showalter. Can he perform his smoke-and-mirror act for another season?

American League West
1. California. 2. Oakland. 3. Texas. 4. Seattle. 5. Houston.
This is the season the Angels fulfill their promise. They aren’t perfect, but they have fewer holes than their counterparts. Oakland has some impressive pieces, especially Yeonis Cespedes and some young pitchers. Texas took a step back, letting too much talent go in the off-season. Seattle might compete in the A.L. East, but the Mariners will be 20 games out in this division. And the Mariners will still be 30 games better than Houston.

National League Central
1. Cincinnati. 2. St. Louis. 3. Milwaukee. 4. Pittsburgh. 5. Chicago Cubs.
Cincinnati has amassed enough talent to win this division comfortably. The team with the most possible upside to threaten Cincinnati is Pittsburgh. But we might wait another decade for the Pirates to recognize their abilities. St. Louis will sink like a rock if either Matt Holliday or Carlos Beltran misses an extended stretch of time. Milwaukee’s signing of Kyle Lohse makes them a threat to St. Louis, but the Brewers are still 10 games behind Cincinnati.

National League East
1. Washington. 2. Atlanta. 3. Philadelphia. 4. New York Mets. 5. Miami.
Washington has the future every team dreams about. With Stephen Strasburg, Bryce Harper, Gio Gonzalez, Jordan Zimmermann, etc., the Nationals are set to be a top contender for the rest of the decade. Atlanta will be nipping at the Nationals’ heels most of that time too. There’s a substantial dropoff with each the next three teams. Philadelphia has three starting pitchers and an aging lineup. The Mets have David Wright and a bunch of below average pitchers. The Mets look like all-stars compared to Miami, which is an embarrassment to baseball.

National League West.
1. San Francisco. 2. Los Angeles Dodgers. 3. Arizona. 4. San Diego. 5. Colorado.
Every year I downgrade the Giants and they keep coming back. Bruce Bochy is a magician, to win 90-plus games with that roster. The Dodgers spent tons of money, but they still don’t have a team that will scare anyone. The Diamondbacks are a sleeper. There’s a good young team lurking there, with plenty of fire. San Diego is another team that’s starting to mature. Colorado has a decent offense with Troy Tulowitzki, Carlos Gonzalez, etc., but the Rockies have a dreadful pitching staff that will serve as an anchor that keeps weighing them down.

American League Championship Series:
Los Angeles Angels over Detroit

National League Championship Series:
Washington over Cincinnati

2013 World Series:
Washington over Los Angeles Angels

Weather limits high school sports options

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As every day that passes with snow heaped on athletic fields, tracks and tennis courts around Wisconsin, scheduling options for spring sports become more and more limited.
This is the week we are beginning to see a significant number of games being postponed due to the unplayable conditions. In the Middle Border Conference, for example, there are 13 varsity games scheduled between baseball, softball and soccer this Thursday. It’s highly unlikely that any of those games will be played.
And it isn’t until next week that the schedules really kick into high gear. There are days in the upcoming weeks when there are 15 or more outdoor events scheduled.
The weather is working coaches and athletic directors into a corner. There are a limited number of days that games can be played, because the WIAA has its tournament dates set. With every day that the snow makes fields unplayable, it further closes the window on the possibility of playing full schedules.
What are the alternatives? Middle Border Conference athletic directors are voting this week on whether to cut the baseball, softball and soccer seasons in half.
Under this plan, they would be using the second half of the schedule for conference games. If any of the first half games can be played, they would count as non-conference games.
There has been limited resistance to this plan by some coaches, but most are being realistic. Unless a heat wave sweeps through the area, it could be weeks before fields are ready for use. The week of April 15 is becoming a popular guess, or more likely a hope, for the target of when all fields will be ready for use.
Geography plays into the situation too. A conference like the Middle Border has schools that are 75 miles north of the southernmost schools, when you consider the distance from Amery or Osceola to Durand or Ellsworth. That distance can make a difference in snow cover and how quickly fields can be ready. Full access to fields for an entire conference has to be taken into consideration when these decisions are made. It’s even more drastic for the MBC soccer conference, which brings in schools like Hayward, Superior, Barron and Spooner.

By trading Harvin, Minnesota Vikings create massive need

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The trade of Percy Harvin had to happen. He had become such a pouty, whiny child that the Minnesota Vikings had no other option then boot him out of their playpen.
The trade of Harvin also creates a massive divide in the Vikings’ hopes to improve upon the major upturn they generated in the 2012 season.
By trading Harvin, the Vikings don’t have another number one receiver on their roster. In honesty, they don’t have a number two receiver on the roster either. If the Vikings can’t sign free agents Mike Wallace, Greg Jennings or Wes Welker to replace Harvin, their chances of continuing their progress will be stunted. And there are no guarantees with any of those three receivers either.
There are only three blue chip receivers in free agency. Wallace is the gem that has general managers drooling. He’s young, fast and a game-breaker. But he also showed in Pittsburgh last year that he can be a bit of a pouter too. The expected $10-12 million per year windfall coming his way should cheer him up.
If the Vikings are looking for a similar cog to Harvin, Welker is the closest replacement. He’s been better than Harvin at taking the short passes and creating big plays. Welker is one of the grittiest receivers in the NFL, but he’s taking a pounding through his career. How long his body will hold up is the big question every prospective team has to gauge.
Jennings has been an outstanding receiver for Green Bay, but it hasn’t been in the past two years. Injuries have taken their toll. He’s better suited to be a second receiving option now, but the Vikings don’t have that luxury. If they sign Jennings it will be as a top receiver, and they’ll have to wrap him in bubble wrap in hopes of keeping him injury free.
Give the Vikings credit for trying to clean up their roster of malcontents and trouble makers. Harvin stood out so negatively because the Vikings do have a positive mojo going. Adrian Peterson is one of the best leaders the team could ask for. Harvin seemed to be a festering scab on whatever success the Vikings experienced last season. The Vikings are no longer the Party Barge gang, getting rid of rotten apples like Randy Moss and Bryant McKinnie. Coach Leslie Frazier is trying to do things right, building a team of respect. Harvin didn’t respect the coaches and nobody on the team respected Harvin.

Our area dominates state hockey

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The western section of the state again reigns supreme in Wisconsin hockey.
Eau Claire Memorial is the WIAA boys hockey state champion. The only team that could stop Superior from reaching the state championship game was, you guessed it, Eau Claire Memorial.
The western side of the state was even more dominant in girls hockey. Hayward, the champion of the northwestern section of the state, earned its first state championship. The Hurricanes had to beat the top-ranked team in the state, Onalaska, another representative from the western side of Wisconsin.
What does this say about hockey in our area? That it is far and away more advanced than hockey programs in the other areas of the state.
There are a number of reasons for this success. Strong youth hockey programs ranks as one of the key reasons. There is a long-range dedication to teach young skaters the proper techniques and disciplines required for consistent success in the upper levels of the sport. The dedication to teaching the right things will be reflected this weekend, when many youth teams from all over our area compete in their state tournaments.
If you look at the successful boys varsity programs in the area, it is amazing how many of the top teams are coached by former players who came through their programs. That continuity won’t guarantee success, and a graduate of your program isn’t required for a winning program. But hockey, more than nearly any other sport, is filled with tradition. Families that started in hockey tend to stay in hockey. Success in any sport takes dedication and hockey has a special dedication from all the families involved, that includes weekend after weekend of traveling to tournaments through the youth hockey years.
Scheduling is another key aspect of the success of the western Wisconsin hockey programs. It took time for Wisconsin programs to gain respect from Minnesota hockey. Once that respect was earned, Wisconsin programs began scheduling more and more against Minnesota programs. Many programs from our area compete against the best from both states, finding opponents that are on their level from both states.
This has also caused a boost in some of the newer and less successful programs. They no longer have to schedule opponents that they can’t compete with equitably at this time. It allows their kids to have success and grow in the sport, instead of constantly having their enthusiasm for the game crushed. For the long-term viability of the sport, those programs need to grow and experience success too.

Wrestling sectionals should be drama packed

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Whether it is in Division 1 or Division 2, the local WIAA wrestling sectional tournaments on Saturday should keep fans on the edge of their seats.
The Division 1 sectional will be wrestled at Marshfield, starting at 10 a.m. Somerset will be the site for the Division 2 sectional meet, with an 11 a.m. start time.
Here are previews of those tournaments.

Division 1 Sectional at Marshfield
From the New Richmond regional, you’ll see lots of Menomonie and Hudson wrestlers leading the state contenders. From the eastern regional held in Merrill, you will see a whole lot of Wausau wrestlers leading the state contenders.

106 Pounds: Wausau West senior Bee Lor (42-2) and Eau Claire North freshman Justin Pederson come in as the regional champions. They’ll be tough to beat, but D.C. Everest sophomore Manning Denk will make it tough for both of them.

113 Pounds: New Richmond junior Shane Blackman is the major favorite after reaching state last season. He’s 28-3 and he’s the only wrestler in the bracket who doesn’t have double-digit losses this season.

120 Pounds: This weight class is packed. Quinn Miracle (33-3) of Chippewa Falls was a state placewinner last year. Wausau East’s Nick Diny (39-3) was at state last year too. Stevens Point junior Kolten Pope (28-3) will be a threat, and there are several other strong candidates.

126 Pounds: Nobody wants to mess with undefeated Colen Baine of Wausau West, who won the 120-pound state championship last year. Merrill senior Garret Schmelling and Hudson freshman Sawyer Massie have a good chance to get the second state bid out of this bracket.

132 Pounds: When wrestling fans list the names of the top grapplers in the state, Joe Umlauf’s name often gets mentioned. The Wausau West junior is undefeated and ready to take the next step after finishing second in the Division 1 126-pound state bracket last year. Menomonie sophomore Logan Schlough (39-3) will make sure Umlauf gets a good test at the sectional meet.

138 Pounds: This is one of the wide-open brackets. Leading the pack is Wausau West senior Brook Whitehead (38-5), but a number of possibilities could get the state berths here.

145 Pounds: While D.C. Everest sophomore Joe Ziolkowski brings the best record (42-2) into the bracket, he’ll have his hands full trying to get out of the sectional. Hudson’s Austin Koski (33-7) is a strong threat too. New Richmond senior Abe Anderson has state experience and Menomonie freshman Mason Stokke is coming on fast.

152 Pounds: This is another class where Wausau West is the favorite. This time it’s junior Travis Hettinga, who is 40-2. He was fourth at state at 145 pounds a year ago. Eau Claire North’s Matt Schroeder and Menomonie’s Cole Bartz could also make some noise here.

160 Pounds: There’s quality and depth in this class. Hudson’s Dima Hawksford (35-3) has had a season worthy of a state appearance. So has Merrill’s Mason Reinhardt (41-2), who took fifth at state at 145 pounds last year. Those plans could be upset by Eau Claire North’s Deion Sonsalla (23-2) or Wausau West’s Jared Mataczynski (36-9).

171 Pounds: Merrill junior David Pophal (40-3) has the inside track for a state berth. Every other wrestler in the class has a minimum of eight losses.

182 Pounds: Hudson’s Derek Schindler (37-1) has shredded the area opposition this season and he’s in a great position to continue that success at the sectional level. Merrill junior Ben Hintze (38-6) could meet Schindler in the finals.

195 Pounds: Senior Eric Peissig (42-0) has been the leader for Menomonie all season after reaching state at 170 pounds last year. His success should continue in the sectional meet. Rhinelander’s Connor Johnson (37-2) and Merrill’s Alex Klug (40-4) might be slugging it out for second place.

220 Pounds: Merrill’s Tyler Schmidt (38-0) has unfinished business at state after going one-and-done there last year. Hudson junior Eliot Motu and Menomonie junior DJ Oas have a chance to get the other state bid.

285 Pounds: This is an intriguing bracket with several strong candidates. Menomonie’s Jared Baldwin (38-4) and Wausau West’s Ryan Fay (36-9) are the regional titlists. Rhinelander’s Bryce Bilogan and Hudson’s Mathias Tobin (32-10) could pull off an upset here.

Division 2 Sectional at Somerset
Ellsworth and Amery reached the team sectional championship match on Tuesday and those Middle Border Conference powers should have plenty of wrestlers in the hunt for state tournament bids on Saturday.

106 Pounds: Expect the same finals battle that occurred in the Amery regional. Amery freshman Hunter Marko and St. Croix Falls junior Drew Wheeler are the class of this weight bracket. It would not be surprising to see both these wrestlers on the podium at the state meet.

113 Pounds: There is good depth in this weight class. Osceola’s Mitch Hustad, Rice Lake’s Jimmy Smith and Amery’s Andrew Smith all have the ability to win the sectional title. But don’t count out Stanley-Boyd’s Brett Benson or Bloomer’s Brady Simonson.

120 Pounds: Ellsworth defending state champion Jens Lantz sets the bar for this weight class. He’s in the handful of wrestlers who are the best high school wrestlers in the state. Leading the competition will be Neillsville’s Jared Boon, Rice Lake’s Luke Schroeder and St. Croix Falls’ James Klassen.

126 Pounds: This is another class with a clear-cut favorite. It seems like Neillsville’s Phillip Opelt has been a top contender for most of the past decade. At 42-1, Opelt looks ready to make a big splash at Madison. Medford senior Gunnar Peterson is another entrant who should be able to punch a ticket to Madison.

132 Pounds: Stanley-Boyd senior Robert Csukker is another veteran wrestler who is a threat to be a state placewinner every year. The rest of this weight class is wide open. One of the great things about sectional meets are the wide open classes like this, where there are opportunities for young wrestlers to step up and make a name for themselves.

138 Pounds: This is a class that has several legitimate contenders. Somerset senior Bobby LeRoy leads the group and Ashland’s Travis Oliphant is another wrestler capable of reaching the state podium. Ellsworth’s Dan Langer and Luck’s Tristan Brewer also have the credentials to make it to state.

145 Pounds: Baldwin-Woodville senior Tyler Weyer is among the elite wrestlers in the area and among the 145-pounders in the state. Chetek’s Johnny Chamberlain has come on fast this season and Amery senior Mitch Nichols has put together an excellent season.

152 Pounds: Here’s another class with wide open possibilities. Ellsworth’s Logan Kemmerer is coming back fast from an injury, as is St. Croix Central’s Brian Gibb. Stanley-Boyd’s Ronny Ponick will be a factor, as will Medford’s Aaric Spencer.

160 Pounds: This may be the deepest weight class in the Somerset sectional. Somerset’s Gabe Flandrick finished second at state last year. His opening draw is St. Croix Central’s Cody Nyhagen, who has lost just twice this season. Ellsworth’s Gable Frandsen, Neillsville’s Mitchell Pohlman and Ashland’s Cory Kontny are also state caliber wrestlers. Several top wrestlers won’t make it out of this bracket.

170 Pounds: Abbotsford-Colby senior Zach Peissig is the leading contender in a very balanced class. St. Croix Central’s Carl Moll and Ellsworth’s Henry Holdorf have put together big seasons too. Somerset sophomore Max Praschak is a dark horse after tearing through the competition at the Amery regional.

182 Pounds: Undefeated St. Croix Falls junior Joe Rademacher is a machine, but he doesn’t have any guarantees in this class. St. Croix Central senior Kyle Aaby, Melrose-Mindoro’s Danny Dobbs and Spooner’s Lucas Hagberg have 30-plus wins and are legitimate state threats.

195 Pounds: This is a class with no clear favorite. Every entrant has at least seven losses. Don’t be surprised if Ellsworth senior Jacob Murphy emerges; so could Hayward’s Austin Egge.

220 Pounds: The opposite of the 195 class. This bracket is filled with state-capable wrestlers. That group is led by undefeated Austin Roberts of Rice Lake. Aaron Harder of Medford, Kenny Gates of Amery, Dylan Kimber of Chetek-Prairie Farm and Dillan Bunde of Black River Falls are full capable of getting to state and having an impact there.

285 Pounds: Medford senior Nick Berger (42-2) leads a class where the wrestlers have a 60-pound weight range, or more. Chetek-Prairie Farm’s Cole LaLiberty, St. Croix Central’s Austin Edison and Ellsworth’s Brody Kemmerer show the variety of shapes and sizes seen in this class.

Middle Border Conference wrestling tournament should be entertaining

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Wrestling fans should find a great deal of entertainment in this Saturday’s Middle Border Conference Wrestling Tournament, which will be held in New Richmond.
Ellsworth had its closest call in years in the MBC dual meet season, beating Amery 32-28 to decide the dual match title. The battle for the conference tournament title could be just as close.
Heading into the meet, it appears there should be at least two or three quality wrestlers in each weight class in the tournament.
Here’s a breakdown of each weight class, though there will be some jockeying of rosters before the final rosters are set on Saturday morning. Wrestling is scheduled to begin at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday.

106 Pounds: Amery freshman Hunter Marko is one of the top-ranked 106-pounders in the state and he went through the MBC dual season without a loss. He’s a clear favorite, though Osceola’s Mitch Hustad (6-1) and New Richmond’s Seth Leavens (5-2) could also make some noise here.

113 Pounds and 120 Pounds: Much of the 113- and 120-pound intrigue is based on where Ellsworth will use defending state champion Jens Lantz. In either class, Lantz will be the favorite. His best competition will likely be found if he moves down to 113, where Amery’s Andrew Smith went 7-0 in his conference duals. Another variable in these classes is where New Richmond uses junior Shane Blackman. His only conference loss was to Lantz, but he missed the last three rounds of matches due to injury.

126 Pounds: New Richmond’s Derek Dowd and Prescott’s Alex Stuhl both went through the MBC dual season with 6-1 records and it wouldn’t be surprising to see them tangle in the finals. But Amery’s Johnny Benitez is coming on fast and he could also end up in this championship match.

132 Pounds: New Richmond’s Abe Anderson and Ellsworth’s Brad Cain look to be the leading candidates to get into the finals here. Durand’s Hunter Adler went 4-2 in the MBC dual season and he’s the Panthers’ best chance to get a wrestler into the finals this year. Amery’s Bennett Paulson could also be a threat here.

138 Pounds: Somerset’s Bobby LeRoy and Ellsworth’s Dan Langer appear to be on a collision course to meet in the 138 finals. Langer could also have Langer at 145 and slide Tristen Mueller into this class.

145 Pounds: Baldwin-Woodville’s Tyler Weyer may be the most clear-cut favorite in the tournament. Weyer has manhandled his competition all season and there’s every reason to believe that will continue on Saturday. His best competition will likely come from Prescott’s Troy Urman.

152 Pounds: Amery’s Mitch Nichols has improved steadily through his career. As a senior, he went 6-1 and has a great chance at a conference title.

160 Pounds: This could be one of the most entertaining and talented classes of the tournament. Somerset’s Gabe Flandrick and Ellsworth’s Gable Frandsen are both standouts. The questions come on where Ellsworth will use its top wrestlers. Ellsworth’s Logan Kemmerer has been out the past month with a knee injury. If he’s good to go on Saturday, he will likely step in here, causing a ripple effect of Ellsworth wrestlers changing weight classes. Ellsworth could also use Max Peterson here, but he’s more likely to drop to 152 pounds.

170 Pounds: Whether Ellsworth has Frandsen or Henry Holdorf here, they are the tournament favorite. Somerset’s Max Praschak and Amery’s Chaz Hegna are the best possibilities to be the other wrestler competing in the 170-pound finals.

182 Pounds: Again, this is a class Ellsworth should control. Holdorf looks like a good bet here, with Baldwin-Woodville’s Joe Nawrocki a possibility to make the finals.

195 Pounds: Amery’s Eli Newton and Baldwin-Woodville’s Ben Mikla have both put together strong seasons at 195. Ellsworth has several options to plug in here, with Jacob Murphy being the most likely candidate.

220 Pounds: Amery’s Kenny Gates and Osceola’s Victor Lowney have both had breakout seasons and neither last lost an MBC bout. If they reach the finals, this could be quite an action-packed match.

285 Pounds: There is good depth in the 285-pound class this season. Osceola’s Thor Reimer went through the conference season without a loss. He’s a big, physically imposing wrestler. B-W senior Coleman Roskam is more of a technician, but was able to amass a 6-1 record in the conference this season. Ellsworth’s Brody Kemmerer is another wrestler heavyweight who is a threat to come out at the top of this bracket.

Wrestling is a sport with its own language and lifestyle

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More than any other sport, wrestling has its own language and a unique approach to its sport.
I’ve been listening to wrestling coaches for nearly 30 years, as they talk about moves like “The Oklahoma Choke,” “The Grapevine,” “High Crotches,” and many other terms. While I don’t know all the gyrations required to apply every hold, I’ve grown to recognize most of them through the years. I wouldn’t say I’m fluent in the wrestling language, but I hope I can be an able interpreter for those even less fluent in the vernacular of the sport.
It doesn’t take a degree in wrestling to recognize someone who excels in wrestling. The standouts usually show themselves pretty quickly in matches, and they aren’t always the biggest or most muscular of the combatants.
I don’t know if there’s another sport where experience is as important as it is in wrestling. That wrestling runs through some families, where the little wrestlers come out of the womb in singlets, is one of the biggest advantages possible. If kids are hearing the language of wrestling from birth, it becomes as commonplace to them as speaking English to most of us.
Going to youth wrestling tournaments is entertaining because some of the little tykes just out of diapers (hopefully at least) are being taught the proper techniques for running an arm bar or locking an opponent into a cradle hold. Some look like they are barely out of the cradle. But you’ll never see anyone take things more seriously than some of the parents at these meets.
It’s got to be tough for kids who didn’t start wrestling that young to join the sport. I can imagine what goes through a kid’s mind the first time they are told to goose their opponent to make him flatten out, but I’d rather not. It’s not a sport for the delicate psyche. I don’t know if I could have been convinced in middle school to roll around on the mat with some sweaty kid who had four bean burritos for lunch. If that doesn’t test a kid’s fortitude (intestinal and otherwise), nothing will.
I’ve really learned to enjoy watching a good wrestling match between two top quality opponents. It really becomes a chess match of sorts, with even the slightest move being made to try getting an advantage, or countering a move made by the opponent. There are matches where there are only three or four attempts made in the entire six minutes, but you have to wait for those moments, because they make it all worthwhile.
We are heading into the meat of the wrestling schedule. The dual meets and invitationals will continue through the rest of January. February is the biggest month of the year for Wisconsin wrestlers. That’s when the WIAA tournaments are held, beginning with the regional tournaments on the first weekend of the month. For the wrestlers, a year’s worth of work will decide how far they advance, with the goal of getting to Madison to compete in the ultimate showcase, the WIAA state tournament.

MBC boys basketball race should sizzle

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The Middle Border Conference is top heavy this season with teams that could end up claiming the conference championship at the end of the season.
There are already five teams that look ready to slug it out as top contenders in the MBC and others have the possibility of stepping up to that level.
Durand, Somerset, New Richmond, Baldwin-Woodville and Prescott all have shown in the early stages of the 2012-13 season that they are worthy of being considered contenders. Ellsworth, Amery and Osceola are all younger teams with new coaches. They’ll have to learn quickly to keep pace with the top squads in the conference.
Here’s a synopsis of each of the contenders.

Durand: The Panthers are fresh from winning the MBC football title and they look equally as strong in basketball. Senior Jake Weber is one of the best guards in the area. Drew Minturn and Colton Berger are big bodies who can control the paint. The Panthers are deep in talent and they can all shoot from the outside.

Somerset: Like Durand, the Spartans certainly carry some momentum from their success in football. Also like Durand, the Spartans have an excellent mix of perimeter and post talent. In the post the Spartans are led by Gaelin Elmore and Reggie Larson, who can bang bodies with the best of them. With guards Tyler Ledbeter and Jack Emmert the Spartans have guards who are skilled ball handlers and shooters.

New Richmond: The defending conference champions seem to get written off at the start of every season, only to rise to the top when the dust settles. The backbone of the Tigers’ attack is their defense, which is downright stingy. Senior Joe Deppe has developed into one of the top offensive players in the conference. How much support he has in the scoring column will likely decide the Tigers’ fate.

Baldwin-Woodville: The Blackhawks have a new head coach, with former assistant coach Duane Jourdeans taking over the program. Jourdeans has talent to work with. Logan Weyer is one of the finer shooters in the conference as a sophomore. Idris Aileru can be a shot-blocking factor when he’s on top of his game. With athletes like Derek Weyer, Matt Wlodyga and Gerad Gerrits, the Hawks can put plenty of pressure on their opponents.

Prescott: The Cards are an intriguing team. Clay Seifert is another of the young, rapidly rising scorers in the conference. Nick Jacobsen is a brute in the middle, but he also has a scoring touch. How well Prescott fills in around them will determine whether the Cards can stay in the race long-term.