• 
• CLASS
• JOBS
• AUTO
• HOMES

Cheesemakers look to make it four in a row

Monroe High School coach Pat Murphy had to leaf through the annals of Cheesemaker boys basketball to confirm his team is approaching uncharted territory.

“I don’t think is has ever been done,” the ninth-year Monroe coach said of winning a fourth consecutive Badger South title.

Last year, Monroe split the honor with Madison Edgewood, with both teams finishing 10-2. The Cheesemakers swept three matchups with the Crusaders, including a 44-42 nail-biter in a WIAA Division 2 sectional title game.

After defeating Appleton Xavier in the state semifinals, 53-39, Monroe fell in the finals, 79-67 to Wisconsin Lutheran. The Cheesemakers, after a season of grinding out rough-and-tumble wins, gave up 25-plus points in the second and fourth quarters.

Graduates Mitch Tordoff (33 points) and Jake Grinnell (17 points) accounted for 50 of Monroe’s points in the title game. In addition to Mitch’s brother, Bryan, a 6-foot junior who can practically leap through the roof and shoot from anywhere on the floor, Murphy looks to a cast of characters champing at the bit to contribute.

“We’ve got a motto—‘tradition never graduates’—so we will see,” Murphy said.

Kyle Klinzing and Kevin Frint will anchor Murphy’s front line. The coach says his talented backcourt can’t afford any lapses.

“Tordoff and (returning starter Michael) Barrett need to be consistent every night,” Murphy said.

Edgewood and Stoughton return the experience to deny Monroe its place in history.

“Experience, depth and defense will be our strengths,” said Edgewood coach Chris Zwettler who, in his 21st season, is the dean of the Badger South coaches. “Scoring punch, size and rebounding are concerns.”

The traditionally staunch Crusaders figure to be as stingy as ever, and Stoughton’s size will make the Vikings a tough hurdle for the Cheesemakers to clear.

Three coaches—Mike Hintz at Fort Atkinson, Zach Groelle at Milton and Matt Hockett at Stoughton—are first-year directors for their respective programs.

After leading Stoughton to a third-place finish last season, Hintz accepted the challenge of leading Fort, which went winless in its return to the Badger South last season. Rebuilding the program will be an all-encompassing project.

“We have a lot of concerns heading into the season,” Hintz said. “Team defense, individual defense, ball handling, passing, shooting rebounding…they are all question marks.”

Hockett, who was a standout at former Badger South high school McFarland, is all too familiar with the formula for success in the defensive-minded conference.

Groelle must find a way to plug in factors that add up to replacing the 22 points per game Mason Walters posted for the Red Hawks last season.

Monona Grove, keyed by senior guard Jackson Retzlaff, will likely be the most improved team in the conference this season. Oregon bore that honor last season and hopes to build— behind the three-point shooting of Jason Hinz—on a 6-6 mark after back-to-back one-win seasons in the league.

Badger Conference South

FORT ATKINSON

Head coach: Mike Hintz, first year.

2008-09 record: 1-20, 0-12 in Badger South (seventh place).

Last conference title: 2001-02.

Key losses: Michael Enslin, Jacob Bohn.

Returning starters: Brady Sexton, 5-11, jr; Michael Knudtson, 6-0, jr.

Other letter winners: Dan Kempema, 6-2, jr.; Anthony Galston, 6-2, sr.; Rico Demeo, 5-9, sr.

Other likely contributors: Brian Beudo, 6-0, jr.; Logan Schwandt, 5-9, jr.; Jimmy Hanson, 6-4, so.; Zach Koch, 6-3, jr.; T.J. Strom, 6-1, jr.; Dutch Demeo, 5-7, so.; Seth Ward, 6-2, fr.

Season outlook: After coaching Stoughton to a third-place finish last season, Mike Hintz will now direct conference rival Fort Atkinson. Juniors Brady Sexton and Michael Knudtson will be central figures in the Blackhawks’ rebuilding project. Hintz knows his squad will need to adjust to his systems and expectations in its second season in the Badger South, but he cites his teams’ work ethic as a strength.

MADISON EDGEWOOD

Head coach: Chris Zwettler, 21st year (317-152).

2008-09 record: 19-5, 10-2 in Badger South (tied for first place).

Last conference title: 2008-09.

Key losses: Derek Braucht, All-Badger South first team; Patrick Lagman, first team; Mario Minnaert, honorable mention.

Returning starters: Christiaan Wabers, 6-1, sr., Mike Eshun, 5-9, sr.

Other letter winners: Scott Hird, 5-10, sr.; Connor Balczewski, 6-1, sr.; Bruin Armwald, 6-2, jr.; Spencer Brink, 6-2, so.; Noah Kachelski, 6-7, jr.

Other likely contributors: Conor Lagman.

Season outlook: The Crusaders, who tied for the conference title last season, may pose the biggest threat to Monroe winning its fourth straight title. Returning starters Christiaan Wabers and Mike Eshun will pace a squad that boasts an influx of talented underclassmen. Zwettler thinks he has another staunch group for the defensive-minded Crusaders, but he hopes his undersized team can be equally effective on offense.

MILTON

Head coach: Zach Groelle, first year.

2008-09 record: 7-14, 6-6 in Badger South (tied for fourth place).

Last conference title: 2005-06 (Southern Lakes).

Key losses: Mason Walters, All-Badger South first team; John Ziegler; Austin Richards.

Returning starters: Brandon Knutson, 6-0, sr., g.; Nate Hammon, 6-3, jr., f.

Other letter winners: Brandon Farnsworth, 6-0, sr.; Mitchell Trewyn, 6-7, sr.; Sam McCann, 6-4, soph.; Philip McCarthy, 6-2, jr.; Jeb O’Rear, 6-1, jr.

Season outlook: Groelle, a former Milton player and assistant coach, has a tough challenge in replacing Mason Walters’ 22 points per game, not to mention the graduated standout’s 6-7 presence. The first-year head coach will rely on Knudtson, who averaged 13 points a game last season, and Hammon, the All-Badger South quarterback in football. A committee of players vying for minutes will help offset the loss of Walters, who is playing college ball at Bemidji State in Minnesota, and Groelle says the Red Hawks will rely on their athleticism.

MONONA GROVE

Head coach: Dan Zweifel, 14th year (138-153).

2008-09 record: 4-17, 3-9 in Badger South (sixth place).

Key losses: Zak Manthe, All-Badger South first team; Aaron Kondrasuk, honorable mention; Mitch Alexander.

Returning starters: Jackson Retzlaff, 5-9, sr.; Zach Zweifel, 6-0, jr.

Other letter winners: Sam Briggs, 6-2, sr.; Will Stearns, 6-0, sr.; Jay Kinney, 5-8, sr.; Max Gehrmann, 5-8, jr.; Matt Welsch, 6-4, jr.; LeBraun Roach, 6-2, jr.

Other likely contributors: Drew Bauer, 6-4, jr.; Austin Klute, 5-10, jr.; Kevin Korntved, 6-1, jr.; Grahm Schroeder-Gasser, 6-0, jr.; Shaun Coffey, 6-4, jr.; T.J. Bollfrass, 6-1, jr.

Season outlook: Eight letter winners and members of last season’s 16-4 junior varsity squad figure to make Monona Grove one of the Badger South’s most improved teams. While the Silver Eagles graduated three starters, only one averaged more than 3.4 points a game. Zweifel’s hopes his team can open up the floor this season, but he knows rebounding could prove a concern.

MONROE

Head coach: Pat Murphy, ninth year (138-56).

2008-09 record: 19-8 (WIAA Division 2 state runner-up), 10-2 in Badger South (tied for first place).

Last conference title: 2008-2009.

Key losses: Mitch Tordoff, All-Badger South first team, Mitch McArdle, second team; Jake Grinnell, honorable mention.

Returning starters: Bryan Tordoff, 6-0, jr., g.; Michael Barrett, 6-1, jr., g.

Other letter winners: Caleb Ahrens, 6-4, jr., f.; Kyle Klinzing, 6-5, sr., f.; Kevin Frint, 6-7, sr., f.; Alex Capesius, 6-0, sr., g.; Michael Turek, 6-1, jr., g.

Other likely contributors: Andrew Armstrong, 6-4, jr.; Evan Brady, 6-0, jr.; Damian Pennison, 5-11, jr.; Dylan Staren, 5-9, jr.; Cam Wahl, 6-1, jr.

Season outlook: Monroe has grown accustomed to bearing a target—having won three straight conference titles, topped off by three straight appearances in the WIAA Division 2 state tournament and a 2007 state championship.

After falling to Wisconsin Lutheran, 79-67, in an up-tempo state title game last March, Monroe was back to its staunch self on defense in this season’s opener—a 45-30 victory over Brodhead, which took the Cheesemakers down to the wire in the second round of last year’s regional.

OREGON

Head coach: Shelton Kingcade, third year (9-33).

2008-09 record: 7-14, 6-6 in Badger South (tied for fourth place).

Last conference title: 2003-04.

Key losses: Brian Ironmonger, All-Badger South second team; Mike Amend, honorable mention; Brett Subach, honorable mention; Sam Schwartz.

Returning starters: Jason Hinz, 5-11, sr.; Jackson Keuler, 6-1, sr.

Other letter winners: Alex McCauley, 6-4, sr.; Adam Gorman, 6-4, jr.; Ben Rudolph, 6-1, sr.; Brandon Arndt, 5-11, sr.

Other likely contributors: Cory Byrne, 6-2, jr.; Evan Ackers, 6-2, jr.; David Solberg, 5-10, soph.; Brad Sterling, 6-1, soph.; Brad Maerz, 6-4, soph.; Don Morgan, 5-10, soph.

Season outlook: After one-win seasons in his first two years, Oregon coach Shelton Kingcade hopes his team can build off last year’s 6-6 conference mark. If the Panthers can score points in the paint, they’ll be a threat to any opponent. Jason Hinz is one of the conference’s premier sharpshooters, as he showed in sparking Oregon to a 55-52 win over Milton in Tuesday’s league opener. Four sophomores will compete for minutes after playing key roles in the freshman’s team’s 20-0 season a year ago.

STOUGHTON

Head coach: Matt Hockett, first year.

2008-09 record: 9-12, 7-5 in Badger South (third place)

Key losses: Sean Gerber, All-Badger South second team; Jake Thiermann, honorable mention; Jake Wenzel, honorable mention.

Returning starters: Skip Gerber, 6-1, sr.; Alex Brooks, 6-7, sr.; Tyler Kowalkowski, 6-3, sr.

Other letter winners: Nate Daubner, 6-3, sr.; Erick Gjertson, 6-1, sr.; Matt Janisch, 6-1, sr.; Kyle LaZotte, 6-4, jr.; Matt Olson, 6-1, sr.; Kevin Palmer, 6-1, sr.; Will Sharp, 5-10, sr.; Matt Slaby, 6-7, sr.; Tom Speth, 6-2, sr.

Other likely contributors: Ben Cleveland, 6-0, jr.; Brad Coon, 6-0, jr.; Max Fuller, 6-5, sr.; Rory Menzer, 6-0, jr.; Ryan Nyhagen, 6-1, jr.; Jake Roso, 6-2, jr.

Season outlook: Hockett, a former McFarland standout, knows first-hand what it takes to win in the Badger South. He knows his team will have plenty of bulk with three players measuring 6-4 or taller. The Vikings lost three all-conference performers, but Gerber, Brooks and Kowalkowski had significant playing time last season. Their experience will be crucial if the Vikings hope to contend, as members of last year’s 14-6 junior varsity squad will be in the mix for minutes.