Wolverines stunned by Sun Prairie

Football teams in the Classic 8 Conference have long had the number of Madison-area conference, the Big Eight. But not this year.

Defending Division 1 champion Waukesha West, which hadn't lost a game since a Week 4 setback against Arrowhead last season, found itself an upset victim in Level 2 of the WIAA playoffs Saturday afternoon. Sun Prairie (9-2) held off a late surge for a 17-14 victory at its own Ashley Field and advanced to meet conference foe Verona (11-0), which administered a resounding blow to Classic 8 opponent Arrowhead in its own Level 2 game.

Malik Bondon forced a fumble on West quarterback Brandon Berghoefer in the fourth quarter and returned it 29 yards for a touchdown, giving his team a 17-7 lead. West held a 7-0 halftime lead before a blocked punt was returned by Sun Prairie for a touchdown after the first series of the second half.

West finished with just one loss for the third straight year, with a 33-3 record in that span.

Since 2002, Arrowhead and West were a combined 12-2 against Big Eight foes in the playoffs before the weekend. It marked the first time since the Classic 8 was founded in 1997 that no teams made it to Level 3.

Back to state for Memorial

The Catholic Memorial girls volleyball team found itself back in a familiar setting, advancing to the Resch Center for the WIAA Division 2 state tournament as two-time defending champs.

In a 3-1 win over Kettle Moraine Lutheran in the sectional final, Aly Dawson finished with 15 kills, Sara Connell 45 assists, Lindsey Casper 19 digs and Amanda Hansen eight blocks. KML took the first set, 26-24 - the first set CMH has dropped in the postseason - and the Crusaders responded with a 25-23, 25-14, 25-8 dismantling the rest of the way.

The Crusaders have state titles in 2007, 2009 and 2010 with a runner-up showing in 2008. Despite graduating a talented senior class from last year's title-winner, the Crusaders will be heavily favored to repeat this year.

Teams finish in CC

Waukesha runners were busy this weekend at the Ridges Golf Course in Wisconsin Rapids, competing at the year-end state meet.

Waukesha South's boys placed 11th in a field of 20 teams in Division 1. Brad Woodford took sixth among all individuals, running 15:51 to cap his junior campaign.

Others running for South were Justin Washington (80th, 17:04), Vince Paikowski (92nd, 17:09), Nathan Meints (104th, 17:16), Ricardo Contreras (146th, 17:43), Isaac Jordan (152nd, 17:47) and Alex Sayles (179th, 18:16).

Jacob Jodat, a junior running for Waukesha North, finished 58th (16:50).

On the girls side, Waukesha West took 17th of 20 teams, and North's Sammi Donovan placed 13th to cap her senior year, crossing the line in 14:47.

For West, runners included Lauren Sigfred (92nd, 15:54), Makenna Stelpflug (94th, 15:55), Maria Gesior (95th, 15:55), Kianna Keller (125th, 16:17), Anu Elangovan (129th, 16:22), Megan Bur (158th, 16:45) and Kat Davies (169th, 16:56).

Maria Novak took 91st (16:29) for the Catholic Memorial girls in Division 2, and teammate Rachel Mlsna took 108th (16:44).

Boys volleyball ramps up

Area boys volleyball teams were preparing Tuesday for sectional play.

Waukesha South defeated Waukesha North in last Friday's regional opener, 27-25, 26-24, 25-12, and Waukesha West downed Madison East, 25-6, 25-12, 25-18. West was slated to meet Kettle Moraine, and South was lined up to face Pius in a pair of Classic 8 rematches Tuesday, with sectional finals Thursday.

Catholic Memorial, the top seed in its sectional, had a first-round bye and was slated to face Fort Atkinson.