Week 3 Rapid Reaction

High school football is cyclical by nature, though sometimes the cycle spins a little faster than others. So far this year after three weeks, things are moving and changing as quickly as I can remember.

Green Bay West, a team that hasn’t made the WIAA playoffs since 1996, is off to a 3-0 start after taking down rival Green Bay East 37-8 in the 121st meeting between the teams.

Westosha Central entered this year with a 13-game losing streak that was extended to 14 after an opening loss to Kenosha Indian Trail. However, after taking down eighth-ranked Wisconsin Lutheran in Week 2, the Falcons defeated perennial power Badger this week.

On the other end of the spectrum, a significant number of traditionally strong teams are struggling out of the gates. The following teams are off to 0-3 starts:

With the cycle moving quite a bit in many places, it is no surprise that many streaks are coming to an end, both winning and losing. Westosha Central’s 21-13 win over Badger ended the Badgers’ 29-game winning streak in the Southern Lakes Conference. Columbus went down to Lodi 33-7 on Friday night to end the Cardinals’ 14-game winning streak in the Capitol Conference. Aquinas has dominated the Coulee Conference the last few years but it was West Salem that dominated on Friday night in a 35-6 running clock win over the Blugolds, which ended Aquinas’ 21-game conference winning streak.

On the other end of the spectrum, Big Foot ended a 29-game conference losing streak with a 24-8 victory against Clinton. Senior Dawson Walter ran for 172 yards and a touchdown on 22 carries.

Baraboo held on for a 40-34 win over Tomah on Friday night, as the Thunderbirds ended a pair of streaks, a 21-game overall skid and 16 in a row in conference play.

The number 1 versus number 1 showdown Thursday night between Division 1 top-ranked Arrowhead and Division 3 top-ranked Catholic Memorial certainly lived up to the hype.

The game was nip-and-tuck early on, tied at 14 at halftime. However, the second half belonged to Arrowhead on a hot, humid night at Schneider Stadium on the campus of Carroll University in Waukesha.

The Warhawks did not attempt a pass in the second half, using their depth and size advantage to lean on the Crusaders offensively. Eschewing their normal power spread, Arrowhead spent a good part of the second half in a double tight, double wing alignment. With Catholic Memorial players cramping every other play at times, Arrowhead was too much for the Crusaders, who pulled away for a 34-14 victory.

Arrowhead rolled up 329 rushing yards, with Jebari Craig going for 188 and three touchdowns while Devin Nettles rushed for 144 yards and two scores.