This is Busted Pencils, fully-ledded education talk.
Here are your hosts, Dr. Tim Slecker and Dr. Johnny Lupinacci,
educated educators talking education.
Oh, yes!
Yeah, it's Busted Pencils, fully-ledded education talk,
educated educators talking education.
First downs, Friday night, and man,
Johnny Lupinacci, Jess, I tell you what,
I'm still full from yesterday.
That's the way it's supposed to be.
Okay, I'm just like,
oh, day, man, it's leftover's day to day.
And I got to be one, I got to point out,
I am not a leftover type of guy.
What?
I know, I know.
I'm just like, you know, I'm like the movie,
the Christmas story, no turkey ham, no turkey hash, no turkey.
I'm like, thank God, no turkey on Friday,
because I'm done with turkey,
especially as we said everybody out there,
happy Thanksgiving day after Black Friday.
Appreciate y'all showing up.
And yes, I cooked to Ferkeys,
two to Ferkeys and a full-size young Tom
who's got lots going on here.
You know, I've got a vegan and a vegetarian in the house.
Actually, two vegetarians, two vegans,
and then meat eaters.
So that always makes for an incredibly complicated Thanksgiving.
But, you know, Thanksgiving,
and we are so happy again,
kind of coming into, you know,
winding down the Friday night lights portion
of what we've been talking about here.
Got a great guest.
Coach K.
Jimmy Cusca gave us a recommendation.
You guys, if you want to talk Wisconsin sports,
you need to bring on my buddy,
Travis Wilson, Travis from West Sports Net.
Welcome to Boston pencils, my friend.
How are you?
I'm good. Thanks for having me.
Well, we have been talking football,
particularly now, and we're going to, you know,
kind of kind of lean into that.
There's been a lot going on in Wisconsin coming down here
to the championships.
I wonder if you can give us a little kind of catch base, you know,
a little bit first of all, Wisconsin sports net,
what's happening connection to civic media.
And then where are we at with Friday night football?
Here is we're closing out the season.
Yeah, well, again, thanks for having me on.
We have,
have a number of civic media stations that we partner with.
And Jimmy Cusca connected us here.
The civic media stations that air our
with sports.net minute.
It's a two minute feature that airs on a number of the stations,
including WRCO in Richland Center,
which is my hometown Phil Ne,
and crew there do a great job amongst many covering high school sports
and high school football.
So again, we're excited to work with a lot of the civic media stations
and Jimmy's working to help us connect with even more
and bring some more high school updates,
kind of statewide updates that we do at with sports.net to the
civic media group here at with sports.net.
We're the home for high school sports in the state of Wisconsin.
If you're looking for just kind of general information.
If you just want to know who your team local team plays tonight,
what their roster is,
who they are,
what the score was last night,
you can find that at with sports.net for many of the high school sports.
And if you're more of a diehard fan and you really want to get deep
into the weeds on it and you want to know who the best players are
and all the big matchups and playoff previews and all that kind of stuff.
You can find that through our team of experts as well.
So we're excited to continue to spread the gospel of high school sports.
We really believe that it's a very important part of the educational experience
as an extracurricular,
you know,
along with all of the other drama and forensics and choir music,
all of those things and that people are able to participate in.
And we had a great showcase for high school football last week
at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison,
the state championships,
the WIA,
a state championships were held at Camp Randall.
Of course, the goal for everybody,
all those football teams that started practice way back in August
when it was hot and humid and,
you know,
you're doing two of days or long practices
and it all culminated in some great games there at Camp Randall.
Hard to believe it's over.
As my friend Mike Pilch always says,
the regular season in high school football,
which last nine weeks,
it's the fastest nine weeks in the calendar.
It just seems to fly by every year.
But we are wrapped up for high school football that wraps up the fall schedule,
basketball and winter sports and wrestling and,
and hockey are,
you know, moving to the center stage now,
but yeah,
it was a great football championships in Madison last week.
Johnny.
Hey, man.
Yeah, that's great.
Travis, just for our listeners,
give us a rundown like who won?
What are our state champs?
Well, let's go back a week,
because there was an eight player state championship game
where it was held the week before.
And that was held in Wisconsin Rapids.
Owen Witte won the eight player state championship
and excellent victory for them.
They beat Lena St. Thomas Aquinas.
Owen Witte was really impressive in that one,
kept off an undefeated state championship in eight player football.
And let's just talk eight player football for a second,
because that's something still relatively new.
You know, it was back in 2012 that a group of teams decided,
you know, what, we're struggling with numbers and,
we're small schools and it's hard for us to,
to offer a football program.
And so they were able to,
to put together an eight player option,
which to some people,
you know,
they may not be familiar with it or under,
understand just what it is.
And it's,
I always tell people,
it's football,
first and foremost,
it's,
it's blocking,
throwing its,
it's football,
just in a little bit smaller field.
It's condensed a little bit.
The width is a little bit narrower than a regular field.
And then you have three less people out there.
So it is a very wide open game.
It's really fun and exciting,
very high scoring.
It more points are scored in eight player football,
then there are an 11 player football.
And it's been really a game changer in a program saver
for a lot of places that are very small schools.
Many of them rural schools,
especially in Northern Wisconsin or Western Wisconsin,
that would not be able to have football teams
if it was not for that eight player option.
So it's,
it's been around for about a dozen years,
about five years ago,
there,
the WIA officially sanctioned
a state championship.
And it's been exciting to,
to have since then.
So again,
that was on with the winning that eight player state championship.
The,
the week prior.
And then we move ahead to,
to last week.
And we had two days at Camp Randall on Thursday,
starts off with division seven is the morning game.
It was a really cool environment.
There was snow flurries,
you know, swirling around Camp Randall stadium,
looked like a snow globe from the press box and on TV.
Really cool,
you know, environment,
but Edgar won a second,
second straight state championship.
They beat Potosi Castville 19 to nothing.
That is the fifth,
excuse me,
the ninth state championship for Edgar.
Their head coach Jerry Sins has been there more than 50 years.
The second most winning is coaching state history.
And now has nine state championships.
The second game on,
on Thursday as the weather kind of changed the,
the snow flurries went away.
And it got to be a little bit more of a rain or,
or heavy mist.
The wind was howling and it was really quite honestly,
not a great weather situation.
And the crowds were impacted a little bit,
but in the second game on Thursday,
division six,
Lomira defeated Gransberg 26 to 19.
That was the first state championship for Lomira.
Division five was the next game on Thursday afternoon,
Stradford won a third consecutive state title.
They moved up from division six last year.
They beat Wright's town 21 to six.
And then cap things off on Thursday night.
A really exciting game between Racine St. Catharines
and Baldwin Woodville,
Lamont Hamilton,
a junior from Racine St. Catharines had four long times
including a kick return touchdown.
As they beat Baldwin Woodville 26 to 22.
Again, that was the first day of the championship.
That's always the smaller schools.
You know, in Wisconsin,
we have seven divisions of 11 player football.
Division one is the largest.
Division seven is the smallest.
And of course, you know,
many of the smaller schools are your,
your rural schools and more rural communities.
So Friday, some of the bigger schools start to take center stage.
And we had some really outstanding talent in,
in the first game on Friday,
it was division three,
Notre Dame Academy out of Green Bay,
took on Catholic Memorial out of Waukeshaw.
There was probably,
at least half a dozen,
a half a dozen Division one college players that were playing in that game.
Notre Dame actually has the top ranked player in the state.
James Flanagan,
he's a tight end and defensive end.
He's going to the University of Notre Dame next year.
His dad, Jim Flanagan,
was a professional football player in the NFL for,
for many years with the Chicago Bears.
And, and he's just an incredible player.
But the story of that one was Christian Collins,
running back from Notre Dame,
set the all-time state finals rushing record with 408 rushing yards.
In that state title game,
as Notre Dame beat Catholic Memorial 49 to 28,
again, an incredible performance by the team.
An incredible performance by him.
And, of course, have to credit the offensive line for,
for Notre Dame for the big,
you know, holes that they were able to open.
So, a big performance by him.
Division two was the next game on Friday.
Slinger took down Rice Lake.
Another exciting one.
This was very close.
Slinger won 31 to 30.
They scored with just over three minutes left
to come right down to the wire.
And then cap things off on Friday night Bayport,
which is located up in the Green Bay area.
Swamico is the town that that's in.
They took down Muskego 25 to 18.
Another exciting game.
First state title for Bayport.
So, all in all,
it was a really exciting state championships.
We don't always get that to be quite honest with you.
Sometimes there's blowouts in games
that just don't have that excitement level.
But we certainly had that this year, especially on Friday.
Man, so much going on like that.
And, you know, Travis really liked to as you kind of came in.
We say these are the extra curriculars is point out.
Johnny and I,
and we've always say,
no, they're the essential curriculars because as you point out,
whether it's football, high school sports,
all of that drama,
the debate,
all of those things,
how they really just add to the richness that it is
for the school experience for those students
and realizing how much community benefit.
And in fact,
all of those that excitement that gets to culminate
in like that single location like that,
I could just,
you know,
we were talking about with Chad Holmes the other day
about memories.
And I said,
I remember all the way back in 1983 playing in
what was then in Pennsylvania,
a state championship.
And just again,
it didn't play.
It was only soft.
More got to stand on the sidelines, Johnny.
But you know what?
Hey, it's a memory because we won the state championship that year.
So Johnny, what are you thinking here, man?
That's a lot that Travis gave us.
Oh, man, I love it.
I love it because you know,
so often we hear about those top schools
and those student athletes that are headed on to play NCAA.
And that's great.
It's an amazing aspect of the,
you know,
the whole educational experience.
But I love Travis with the run down here,
the recap on eight player football.
We've been talking about that since the beginning of first
pounds of Friday night lights, right?
We introduced that.
Tim, you were like,
what?
What are you guys talking about?
I happen to know about it because I work with so many coaches
and teachers who are in rural districts who have switched over
to eight player football around the country.
And I learned about it with, you know,
attending their camps and seeing some of their games.
And like Travis said,
it's football.
And it makes a world of difference.
You know, when you have a limited number of student athletes
at your school,
your smaller school,
smaller program can have a higher quality game
or less players on the field at a time.
And it's a really great version of the sport.
It's football, like Travis said.
So I loved hearing about all those programs.
I love this time of year Tim because I love high school football,
high school extracurriculars,
all of the ways like yearbook covers this stuff,
broadcasting, you know,
parent teacher organizations,
parents clubs,
bluster clubs, fans.
I love those kinds of
culminations of celebrating our public schools together.
And our private schools,
just education, right?
All the way around big win for the state of Wisconsin
when all these teams come together and Madison
and, you know,
and have a big weekend like that.
Travis, thanks for the awesome recap.
I love that.
You know, we're changing gears though, Tim.
We're going to keep,
keep talking a little bit about all these extracurriculars
that we hear.
Busted pencils call essentials.
If you want to ask us a question or chime in,
you know,
with the sports related or essential curricular related question
or comment,
you can always call or text us at 608-557-8577.
You know, we're just coming off of the Thanksgiving holiday.
It's Friday after.
We appreciate all you listeners.
But that means we're changing gears.
Yeah, we're still in our football,
you know, weekend mode.
But we're starting to change gears a little bit.
We got basketball.
You know, started up.
We got we got gymnastics in a lot of places.
We've got hockey.
You know, all these sports really kicking in.
And so, you know, expect a little shift to change here
as we wind down first downs in Friday night lights.
You know, we're still holding on to some football fandom
while some some follow ups with some great folks.
But but listeners,
we're turning the page.
If all sports quickly turns to winter activities around these parts
and all around the country,
even if they're not quite getting winter.
But we are going into full board.
And Tim, I got a report out a little bit, man, last night.
Go talk to him.
I chat.
Chad is the voice, right?
He calls the play by play for the.
Excuse me for the for the central Wisconsin storm, right?
So the women's hockey, the storm.
And I'm happy to report.
I'm sure it's in the in the recaps in the reports.
But the defending state champs.
One last night against the West Valley union.
So the storm.
Women's hockey last night.
The varsity pulling out a big win to open their season.
State champ defenders.
And if you were able to like me.
Tim, listen to Chad do the call on civic media app last night.
I was.
I had it tuned in.
I was stoked.
It was a heck of a game.
Hey, to all the ladies out there who play for the storm.
Big win last night or last night.
We're recording a little earlier.
Secrets out of the bag.
You know, this Tuesday.
Thanksgiving week.
We're we're shouting out to you on Friday.
Take start your season.
I messed it up, but it's all right.
Our listeners know.
But the big important part is we were tuned in.
And you know, we're shifting gears.
You know, we don't know exactly what we're going to call it yet.
Maybe you have an idea.
You want to call our Texas.
But we have an idea, Johnny.
Yeah.
I have an idea.
I mean, I'm I'm pulling for free throws and face offs.
But you know, you might have a better idea.
If you got one and you want to and you want to drop it for us.
You know, we're shifting from first downs and Friday nights.
To something that's more winter sport related.
So listen there if you're out there and you want to call our Texas.
608-557-8577.
Maybe you got something better than free throws and face offs.
And we'll give it some consideration.
Travis, man, what a recap.
Big big ups to you with sports.
And thanks for everything you do.
Yeah, absolutely.
I appreciate it.
I'm talking about extracurricular and essential curricular.
It's something that we always hammer home and emphasize and support.
Is that entire educational experience?
I have an education background.
You know, it's it's it is part of that high school experience.
I've looked into this in the past, you know,
extracurriculars, all extracurriculars, not just sports,
but all of the other things that go on in school account for about 3%
of the average high school budget.
You know, at various schools,
participation in those events and in those activities is 75,
80, 90% sometimes.
So those budgets are so impactful.
The return on investment is so huge that, you know,
it needs to be invested in and it needs to be an essential part
of the planning.
And of course, as we know,
participation in high school sports and activities.
You know, has a higher correlation to academic success fewer risky behaviors.
All those kinds of good things that come out of it.
So that entire educational and extracurricular activity,
you know,
peace is so important.
We highlight the sports aspect.
But again, there's so many other pieces that go into high school
environments and activities.
Well, that's awesome.
Travis, that is that is the stat I want us to kind of listeners.
All of us to wrap up on, you know,
well, it's 3% of the budget.
And especially if your area is going to referendum any time soon,
say yes, because 3% of that budget,
like Travis said, often includes 90% student
and community participation.
These are huge events.
Hey, big shout out to our winners this week at any level.
If you play to high school sport or you were involved,
you're a winner.
But big shout out to own with the Edgar Holy smokes the coach.
There's a wagon with nine titles.
Lamira Stratford three-peeding.
St. Catharines Notre Dame.
Slinger.
Slinger pulling it out in a nail fighter.
Bayport.
Let's go Wisconsin sports student athletes out there.
Big ups to all the volunteers who make it possible,
especially coaches, referees,
and everyone who's part of that experience.
Parents, students keep doing all that great work.
Tim, you know what time it is.
Yeah, now it's time for your moment of sin.
The reward for participating in a movement for social justice
is not the prospect of future victory.
It is the exhilaration of standing together with other people
taking risks together, enjoying small triumphs
and enduring disheartening setbacks together.
Thanks to Travis Wilson from Wisconsin Sports Nets
for joining us on, yeah, the first down Friday night.
Make sure you hold on though.
Man, we got that Saturday drop at three o'clock.
Make sure you're across all civic media stations downloaded app.
And yeah, on Monday,
home room, Wednesday, classes and session.
And you know what?
Keep busting pencils.
Oh, shut the door.
Steels out to blame.