Mauston, WI
Sports
Wonewoc-Center Volleyball Sweeps Kickapoo in Season Opener
12 months
The Wonewoc-Center Wolves volleyball team began their defense of a State Championship with a 3-0 sweep of Kickapoo Tuesday night. It was the first game for new head coach Lindsey Dryer who got a victory in her debut. The Wolves trailed much of set one but finished on a 4-0 to win the set 25-23 capped off by a Bella LeMoine ace. Set 2 was tight but Wonewoc-Center pulled it off 26-24. The 3rd set was all Wolves as at one point they scored 12 straight points to nab the set 25-16 and won the match. Senior Emma Mildbrand had numerous aces in the victory for Wonewoc-Center. The Wolves will face Necedah next Thursday.
Local Prep Football Scores from Friday 8/23
12 months
by WRJC WebMaster
in Sports
Bangor 35 Melrose-Mindoro 7 (Thursday)
Hillsboro 41 Boscobel 12
Pardeeville 48 Necedah 0
Ithaca 35 Riverdale 14
Royall 12 Clear Lake 7
Wauzeka-Steuben/Seneca 31 Cashton 12
Cochrane-Fountain City 34 Brookwood 6
Neillsville/Granton 33 New Lisbon 16
Saint Croix Central 41 Mauston 7
Nekoosa 20 Poynette 0
Westfield 41 Wautoma 8
Adams-Friendship 18 Waterloo 14
Portage 40 Wisconsin Dells 7
Berlin 42 Omro 0
Laconia 42 Ripon 7
Richland Center 14 Tomah 13
HS Football Preview –2024 Hillsboro Tigers
1 year
Hillsboro Tigers
2023 Record: 4-6 (3-3 Ridge & Valley 11 Man Football Conference)
Head Coach: Eric Auel
Mike’s 2024 Projected Record 6-3 (4-3 Scenic Bluffs Conference)
Players to Watch: QB/DB Miles Ravenscroft RB/DB Isaac Thyne TE/LB Joseph Cairns WR/DB Jaden Burnette RB/LB Caden Clark OL/LB Ryan McCoic
Team Preview: Hillsboro has to replace its all everything running back linebacker Isaiah Stokes which won’t be easy but things are still looking up for the Tigers under veteran head coach Eric Auel. Miles Ravenscroft will lead the team at the quarterback position and will be one of the most athletic quarterbacks in the conference. 6’3 Joseph Cairns (8-141 3tds) will be a big target to throw to at the tight end position. Isaac Thyne (47-177 1td) and Caden Clark are expected to get a bulk of the carries out of the backfield. Clark had a great freshman year defensively for the Tigers notching 65 tackles and 1sack. Carins and Ryan McCoic each had a pair of sacks last season for Hillsboro. Replacing Stokes won’t be easy but I believe Hillsboro will be a playoff team for the 2nd straight year as they head back to the Scenic Bluffs Conference renewing a lot of great rivalries.
Key to Success: Spreading things out. Hillsboro will not replace Isaiah Stokes with one player it will take a team effort on both sides of the ball. Expect Miles Ravenscroft to carry the ball himself a lot this season but they’ll need Thyne and Clark to run the ball hard as well. Expect Clark to lead the defense this season as only a sophomore but they’ll need others to step up as well.
Game to watch: Week 1 Friday August 23rd home at Boscobel 7pm
These two teams have been conference rivals the past few seasons in the now defunct Ridge & Valley 11 man football conference. Hillsboro has been one of the few teams Boscobel has been able to defeat. Boscobel has just 27 wins in its last 27 seasons. Hillsboro will try to start their season on the right foot and get a victory over their former conference rivals.
Hillsboro Tigers Games on WRJC Radio: Week 1 Friday August 23rd Hillsboro at Boscobel Week 5 Friday September 20th Royall at Hillsboro Week 8 Friday October 11th Cashton at Hillsboro 7pm NOW92.1FM WRJC.com
Next Preview: Let the season begin
Thanks to Wissports.net for statistics and player information.
HS Football Preview –2024 Royall Panthers
1 year
Royall Panthers
2023 Record: 5-5 (2-4 Scenic Bluffs Conference)
Head Coach: Josh Board (1st Year 0-0 Record)
Mike’s 2024 Projected Record 5-4 (5-2 Scenic Bluffs Conference)
Players to Watch: QB/DB Carter Uppena RB/LB Jackson Bender TE/LB Garrett Dragan OL/DL Sampson Degner OL/DL Dylan Velazquez OL/DL Karter Olson
Team Preview: The Royall Panthers will be under the direction of new head coach Josh Board who takes over for Kole Huth. Huth is still on the staff but was relegated to assistant duties after taking an administrative position with Royall. Board has some talent to work with including prolific rusher Jackson Bender. Bender ran for nearly 1300 yards and 15touchdowns last year. Royall will have to find complimentary backs after graduating Colin McKittrick and Gunnar Wopat. Carter Uppena will be a 3rd year starting quarterback for Royall although the numbers have not been spectacular he is a steady hand with a lot of experience at the QB position. The interior line will also be a strong suit for Royall as Karter Olson, Dylan Velazquez, and Sampson Degner all return. Garrett Dragan is coming off an ACL injury and if healthy could help Royall either on the line, at tight end, or in the backfield. Karter Olson led the defense in tackles (106) and Interception (2) last season will lead the defense. Royall has a nice blend of young and old player and has a chance to have a strong season if they stay healthy.
Key to Success: The Defensive backfield. Royall’s one weakness is they lack a lot of team speed and experience at the receiver and defensive back positions. Royall got burned defending the pass last season and could be a weak spot again this year. If they can solidfy the defensive backfield they have a chance to be a lot better than last season.
Game to watch: Week 7 Friday October 4th home vs Ithaca 7pm
Royall and Ithaca have played each other a lot in the big 3 sports and have formed a nice little rivalry. Former head coach and current assistant coach Kole Huth is an Ithaca native adding some more intrigue to this matchup. I also believe this game could be between to upper echelon conference teams.
Royall Panther Games on WRJC Radio: Week 3 Friday September 6th New Lisbon at Royall Week 5 Friday September 20th Royall at Hillsboro Week 6 Friday September 27th Bangor at Royall Week 9 Friday October 18th Royall at Cashton (All 7pm)
Next Preview: Hillsboro Tigers
Thanks to Wissports.net for statistics and player information.
HS Football Preview –2024 New Lisbon Rockets
1 year
New Lisbon Rockets
2023 Record: 6-4 (3-3 Scenic Bluffs Conference)
Head Coach: Jarod Ulrich (2nd Season 6-4 Record)
Mike’s 2024 Projected Record 2-7 (2-5 Scenic Bluffs Conference)
Players to Watch: QB/LB Brayen Morey RB/LB Austin Berndsen QB/WR/DB Hunter Kennedy TE/DL Evan Macrafic RB/LB Braden Miller WR/DB Josh Homan
Team Preview: Coach Jarod Ulrich had a very successful first year as head coach of the New Lisbon Rockets leading them to a 6-4 mark and nearly taking down Cochrane-Fountain City in the playoffs. Roads might be a little rockier in his 2nd year as the Rockets struggle with injuries and inexperience. Brayen Morey is back to lead the team on both sides of the ball. Morey threw for over 700 yards and 7 touchdowns at quarterback last season and led the team in tackles with 106 including 7 tackles for a loss. Morey will not have the ground game or the line he had a season ago to support him offensively. The Rockets must replace Jake Cox, Carson Welter, and Dylan O’Brien who combined to run for nearly 2,000 yards last season. Austin Berndsen returns to the team and might be its top ball carrier. New Lisbon will try to throw the ball a little more this season with the experience of Morey. Josh Homan has looked good in camp at the receiver position and should be a favorite target for Morey. Evan Macrafic is dealing with a thumb injury but will also be a receiving threat when healthy. New Lisbon is not a very big team and might struggle to protect and run the football this year. I see New Lisbon taking a step down this season with the injuries and inexperience.
Key to Success: Getting Healthy. New Lisbon is banged up in a big way to start the season. New Lisbon can ill afford to lose a player just to have enough kids to field a football team at the moment. If New Lisbon gets healthy they could make a run at the post season once again.
Game to watch: Week 3 Friday September 6th at Royall 7pm
Royall and New Lisbon have had some great matchups over the years on the gridiron. New Lisbon has a chance to make a statement and claim themselves as a playoff team if they can knock of Royall in the conference opener for each team.
New Lisbon Rocket Games on WRJC Radio: Week 2 Friday August 30th Pardeeville at New Lisbon 7pm Week 3 Friday September 6th New Lisbon at Royall 7pm Week 4 Friday September 13th Cashton at New Lisbon 7pm Week 7 Friday October 4th Necedah at New Lisbon 7pm
Next Preview: Royall Panthers
Thanks to Wissports.net for statistics and player information.
HS Football Preview –2024 Necedah Cardinals
1 year
Necedah Cardinals
2023 Record: 0-9 (0-6 Scenic Bluffs Conference)
Head Coach: Ismael Torres (2nd Season 0-9 Record)
Mike’s 2024 Projected Record 0-9 (0-7 Scenic Bluffs Conference)
Players to Watch: QB/DB Eli Horack WR/LB Remington Poulter RB/DL Jaren Hansen RB/LB Shawn Ard WR/LB Phillip Heintz OL/DL Nevada Faulkner
Team Preview: The Necedah Cardinals are in the midst of a really tough stretch of football. They are not the first team to endure this kind of stretch and won’t be the last team. Numbers are up and there is nowhere for this team to go but up after back to back 0-9 seasons. Last year’s team was extremely young and should all be a little bigger faster and stronger than last season. Eli Horack will have more experience at the QB position and expects to make a big jump from his freshman to sophomore year. Jaren Hanson is a big strong kid who might get some carries in the backfield and looks to anchor the defensive line. Shawn Ard was the leading tackler last year and provides speed in the offensive backfield. Nevada Faulkner is another strong kid who can help out in the trenches. I think coach Ismael Torres has this team headed in the right direction. The number of players has went up for Necedah from last year to this year which isn’t an easy task for a team that has lost 20 straight games. I unfortunately see that streak reaching 29 straight losses this season. I hope I am wrong and this team cracks the win column.
Key to Success: Confidence! It’s still a relatively young team that has lost a lot in the past couple season. There is talent out there however and if some of these talented kids can gain some confidence they could pick up a win or two this season.
Game to watch: Week 2 Thursday August 29th vs Melrose-Mindoro (at Mauston) 7pm
Melrose-Mindoro is another team in kind of a rebuild mode. If Necedah plays well they have a chance to win this game and end a long losing streak. The game will be played at Mauston due to construction in Necedah and be played on a Thursday night.
Necedah Cardinals Games on WRJC Radio: Thursday August 29th vs Melrose-Mindoro (at Mauston) Friday October 4th Necedah at New Lisbon 7pm both games on NOW92.1FM and WRJC.com
Next Preview: New Lisbon Rockets
Thanks to Wissports.net for statistics and player information.
HS Football Preview –2024 Mauston Golden Eagles
1 year
Mauston Golden Eagles
2023 Record: 5-6 (5-1 South Central Conference)
Head Coach: Dustin Vickerman (3rd Season 9-12 Record)
Mike’s 2024 Projected Record 5-4 (5-2 South Central Conference)
Players to Watch: QB/S Tyler Link RB/LB Hayden Gyllin RB/LB Eli Rader TE/LB Bryan Kastner OL/DL Espyn Sweers
Team Preview: Mauston is another local team that got hit hard by graduation but there is still plenty of talent on this team to compete at a high level in the revamped South Central Conference. Hayden Gyllin ran for over 500yards and 4 touchdowns last year and led the team in tackles on defense with 65. Tyler Link was one of the top passers in the state last year throwing for 2183 yards and 24touchdowns. Espyn Sweers led the team in sacks last year with 5. Bryan Kastner and Eli Rader also are key returners from last year’s team that was one half away from being conference champions. The concern for Mauston as normal is size. Mauston struggled at times in its ground game last year and struggled to stop the run defensively. Link has had some monster passing seasons but must work with a new receiving corp. Cayden Walz and Tyler Hartje will have to step up their game to help this Mauston team. I believe Mauston has enough talent to finish in the upper half of the conference and keep their playoff streak alive.
Key to Success: Development of receivers. Brock Massey, Alex Suhr, Andrey Tougas, Brady Baldwin, and Kyle Dahl made a deep talented receiving group for Mauston a season ago but they all have departed due to graduation. QB Tyler Link will have to find new talent to throw to or hope Mauston can reignite their rushing attack. Cayden Walz and Tyler Hartje hope to take over some of the slack from last years talented group of pass catchers.
Game to watch: Week 8 Friday October 11th home vs Wisconsin Dells 7pm
There is never a lot of love loss in this rivalry, its two team that don’t really care for each other at least while they’re on the football field. I expect both these teams to be in the upper half of the conference and this should be a great clash.
Mauston Games on WRJC Radio: Hopefully all of them
Next Preview: Necedah Cardinals
Thanks to Wissports.net for statistics and player information.
HS Football Preview –2024 Brookwood Falcons
1 year
by WRJC WebMaster
in Sports
Brookwood Falcons
2023 Record: 2-7 (1-5 Scenic Bluffs Conference Conference)
Head Coach: Jeremy Mack
Mike’s 2024 Projected Record 2-7 (1-6 Scenic Bluffs Conference)
Players to Watch: QB/LB Brennan Mack QB/WR/DB Braeden Pasch RB/LB Marshall Doll FB/LB Jackson Cunitz WR/LB Carter Arbuckle WR/LB Hunter Zimmerman
Team Preview: Brookwood has struggled the last few seasons but brings back some solid talent that could help them improve. Mashall Doll, Jackson Cunitz, and Eli John should all see carries in the backfield and should have a chance to be very successful if they can get some good blocking. Brennan Mack and Braden Pasch will battle it out for the quarterback position whoever is not lining up at quarterback should still see plenty of time on offense either running or catching the football. Carter Arbuckle and Hunter Zimmerman are good receivers who should help out the falcons. I still see the Falcons struggling to take off this year but if the right players step up they could prove me wrong.
Key to Success: Blocking! I think Brookwood has the skill players to be competitive. Will they have blocking though is the question. If Brookwood can create room for Doll & John who have a lot of speed and Cunitz who has a lot of power Brookwood might improve on a 2-7 mark.
Game to watch: Week 1 Friday August 23rd home vs Cochrane-Fountain City 7pm
The game itself might not be much of one C-FC was a very strong team a year ago but Brookwood is finally back at home after playing most of last year on the road due to field renovations. It’s a brand new field long overdue for the Falcons to play on and the kids should be excited to get out there.
Brookwood Games on WRJC Radio: none at this time
Next Preview: Mauston Golden Eagles
Thanks to Wissports.net for statistics and player information.
HS Football Preview –2024 Cashton Eagles
1 year
Cashton Eagles
2023 Record: 11-1 (6-0- Scenic Bluffs Conference Conference)
Head Coach: Jered Hemmersbach
Mike’s 2024 Projected Record 6-3 (4-3 Scenic Bluffs Conference)
Players to Watch: QB/LB Rory Mlsna RB/LB Ethan Schmitz RB/LB Drew Butzler K Connor Wilkinson
Team Preview: The biggest turnover from last year to this year in the conference might come from the Cashton Eagles. The Eagles took over Bangor’s reign as the dominant team in the conference the last couple of years. Cashton may struggle some early but there is a lot of familiar family names on this team that should keep Cashton in conference contention. There are still Mlsna’s Schmitz, and Butzlers playing for this team and all should contribute in a big way. Ethan Schmitz and Drew Butzler should see a lot of action out of the backfield and Rory Mlsna might be the favorite to operate the quarterback position. Schmitz is also the top returning tackler from last season for the Eagles. I believe Cashton will take a step back but will still find their way into the post season.
Key to Success: New talent shining. The Hemmersbach’s Ethan Klinkner, and Connor Butzler are all gone from this team due to graduation. It is now time for the young Eagles to soar. If Drew Butzler and Rory Mlsna can step up this Cashton team might be right back where they were the last 3 seasons and lead the Eagles to new heights.
Game to watch: Week 7 Friday October 4th Home vs Bangor 7pm
This won’t be a #1 vs #2 matchup like last year in the state and it won’t be a post season game like the 2nd game of the season between these two rivals last season but it’s still going to be a big time game between the two teams who have dominated the conference over the last 10 plus seasons.
Cashton Games on WRJC Radio: Friday September 13th Cashton at New Lisbon, Friday October 11th Cashton at Hillsboro, and Friday October 18th Royall at Cashton all on NOW92.1FM and WRJC.com
Next Preview: Brookwood
HS Football Preview –2024 Ithaca Bulldogs
1 year
Ithaca Bulldogs
2023 Record: 4-6 (4-2 Ridge & Valley 11-man Conference)
Head Coach: David Klang/Kyle Kelly (1st Year 0-0 Records)
Mike’s 2024 Projected Record 7-2 (5-2 Scenic Bluffs Conference)
Players to Watch: QB/RB/LB/DB Wesley Nelson QB/DB Keegan Jones WR/DB Channing Brown OL/DL Wyatt Hilby OL/DL Kayden Coleman
Team Preview: Ithaca is the newest team to the Scenic Bluffs Conference after departing from the now defunct Ridge & Valley 11-man football conference. Ithaca went through an identiy crisis last year and changed coach’s midway through the season. They went from a spread passing attack to its tradional wing-T offense. They were able to salvage their season and make the post season. Ithaca has some skill players and a lot of size to make a run this season. Wesley Nelson and Keegan Jones both saw time at quarterback last season whoever is not at quarterback should get a lot of carries out of the backfield. Channing Brown is a big time athlete who had 25 catches for 551yards and 8 touchdowns last season. Wyatt Hilby might be the conference’s top defensive player. Hilby had 17 Tackles for losses last season for the Bulldogs. Kayden Coleman is also back in the trenches for Ithaca, who brings back a lot of size and toughness. I see Ithaca having a lot of success this season in the conference and may contend for a title.
Key to Success: Finding an identity. Last season saw an offense switching styles halfway through the season. Despite have co-coaches in David Klang and Kyle Kelly I believe there will be a lot more consistency with this year’s team which might give the Scenic Bluffs Conference fits if that’s the case.
Game to watch: Week 5 Friday September 20th at Cashton 7pm
These two teams traditionally kicked off the season in a non-conference matchup now they square off as conference foes. Cashton has got the best of Ithaca lately Ithaca will try to swing the momentum to their side this year.
Ithaca Games on WRJC Radio: None Scheduled
Next Preview: Cashton & Brookwood
