Pursuit of Perfection

Before I immerse myself in all things relating to the Packers and the NFL, I thought it would be time to talk about three local teams in pursuit of perfection...the New England Patriots of high school sports (without a Spygate scandal), if you will.

But first, I digress...when will the media stop attaching the suffix "-gate" at the end of any scandal?  The break-in at the Democratic National Headquarters at the Watergate Hotel in Washington was June 17, 1972, which ultimately led to then-president Richard M. Nixon's resignation on August 8, 1974.   I remember these things...but then again,  I'm kind of old.  Does anyone in generations X, Y, or Z get the "-gate" reference?   So how about we agree to knock it off?

All right...back to the topic.  While the three respective head coaches may not want the focus on their teams' quest for an unbeaten regular season, I think it's worth noting.   All three of these teams are not only winning, they're winning in impressive fashion.

EAU CLAIRE MEMORIAL BOYS HOCKEY

Head coach Mike Schwengler says repeatedly that his team is focused on March, and not an unbeaten regular season record.  I'm inclined to believe him, and the players I've spoken to all buy into the company line.  With the exception of a 6-5 win at Superior, the Old Abes are blowing teams out.  In their last five wins, Memorial has outscored its opponents to the tune of 36-1.  The Abes made it to state last year after an unbeaten regular season, but suffered a tough loss to Fond du Lac in the state semifinals...the reason Memorial's sights are on March.   I think the Old Abes have a very good chance of running the table in the regular season again.  However, if the Abes don't roll to their second straight sectional championship, it'll be an upset of Chaminade-Virginia proportions (college basketball reference...if you don't get it, Google it).

ELEVA-STRUM BOYS BASKETBALL

What I just said about Memorial hockey applies to the Cardinals basketball team--although I'd say the Old Abes' 1-goal win over Superior was a lot closer game than Eleva-Strum's 13-point win at Regis.  The Cardinals are amazingly balanced, ridiculously athletic, and completely focused.   I've never seen a Dairyland Conference team that is capable of competing in the Big Rivers...until the 07-08 Cardinals.  Eleva-Strum's most difficult regular season challenge will probably come on February 4, when the Cards travel to play a tough Arcadia team.   But on March 7, if Eleva-Strum isn't playing in a Division 4 state semifinal at the Kohl Center, I'll eat a page out of my tournament program.   

FLAMBEAU GIRLS BASKETBALL

Head coach Ted Alberson presides over a bona-fide powerhouse.   Some years ago, at the state tournament, Alberson told me that when he first started with the Falcons, he wanted to emulate the program at Prentice, then one of the state's small-school powers.   Flambeau has long since surpassed that level.  The Falcons don't just win games, they collect conference titles and state titles on a regular basis...all in a high school with an enrollment of 207.   We've got a lot of good teams around the area...but this is a program along the lines of Menomonie football--a program that never, ever seems to have a down year.

Now...wasn't that more fun than discussing Tom Brady and his supermodel-dating life, the latest allegations against Randy Moss, and Bill Belichick's hoody?

-BOB BRADOVICH