The victory means Grantsburg will finish no worse than tied for first in the conference (the Luck/Frederic match hasn't been reported to WisSports.net yet, so it's possible that the Pirates are already conference champs outright). If the Pirates win one of their remaining two conference matches (@ Unity, @ Webster) they will be conference champs all by themselves.

So the question is how they will come out on Thursday against Unity (9-9, 5-5)? The Pirates should have no problems in this one and it will be good if they can put the SCF game behind them and get back to their confident, high-octane, blow the opponent out ways. Of course getting a wake-up call with out having to actually lose is also pretty nice.

Here's the match replay, if you dare!

Post from: We are Grantsburg

Grantsburg conference champs or Winning ugly

If the Pirates win out, they will likely be co-conference champions with the winner of the SCF@Unity game, unless Unity beats SCF then loses to Webster, the Pirates would have it outright or if SCF beats Unity then loses to Clear Lake, then Grantsburg would have it outright. Remember, this is assuming Grantsburg wins out.

Sept. 30	@ Unity	SCF	@ Clear Lake
Oct. 7	@ St. Croix Central (NC)	Webster	@ Flambeau
Oct. 13	Clear Lake	@ Grantsburg	Unity

For the Pirates to make it to the playoffs they technically only have to win one more game, however that would give them a 3-6 overall record and that probably wouldn't get them in. In order to qualify for the playoffs a team must be at least a .500 team in their conference. If they're above .500 they're automatically in… for those at the .500 mark it goes to an at-large system where it's left in the hands of a committee as to who gets the final playoff positions.

The Pirates need to win two out of their next three to ensure a conference championship.

In summary:

Pirates don't win another game: No playoffs

Pirates win one more game: Playoff eligible, but a longshot

Pirates win two more games: Playoffs here we come (possible, but unlikely, conference champs)

Pirates win three more games: Playoffs are a lock and so is a conference championship.

So in summary of the summary: win and good things happen.

Post from: We are Grantsburg

Scenarios

Some good things to take from the game… I felt like Daniel Larsen made several very nice throws and Nolan Hanson made one amazing catch for a touchdown. Larsen lofted the ball perfectly toward Hanson who leaped high into the air amidst double coverage and made the catch while falling into the end zone for the Pirates. It would be the last time the Pirates would find pay-dirt.

I also felt like the first half the defense played well as a whole. Some very hard collisions could be heard way up where I was sitting in the press box.

Unfortunately, the second half the defense looked worn out and there were A LOT of missed tackles. Give credit to the Saints beast of a runner, Jake Rademacher (one of 17 seniors on the SCF team), but there were plenty of missed opportunities for the Pirates.

I still believe this Pirate team has some magic in them. SCF may well be the best team in the conference and the Saints are a division larger than the Pirates. A conference championship for the boys in purple is still on the table, though they'd probably have to share it. Grantsburg would likely have to win the rest of their conference games to get that crown.

With the Pirates now 1-4 with four games remaining, for them to make the playoffs, I believe they must win three of their next four games to guarantee themselves a berth. A record of 4-5 will make it in with at least a .500 conference record. They would technically be eligible if they just won two of the next four giving them a .500 conference record, but that would give them a 3-6 overall record and that would probably not be enough to get into the dance.

The Pirates have homecoming next week versus Cameron, the following week they head to Clear Lake, then Flambeau and finish the season at home against Unity. Three tough non-conference losses, though to good teams, are proving costly for the Pirates.

Here's the replay of the game if you like. The following takes you to the second to last touchdown of SCF. If you'd like to watch the rest of the game please go to our Ustream channel by clicking here.

Post from: We are Grantsburg

Grantsburg falls to St. Croix

Notes:

• The photo is of the Saints 17 seniors on their squad this season, that's a lot for even for a bigger school (the Pirates have 9).
• The Pirates are tied for second (with Clear Lake) in the conference. St. Croix is .5 games back in fourth.
• Grantsburg has the highest RPI rating (for more on RPI click here)in the conference with a 0.53 (tied with Unity). SCF is a 0.48 which ties for fourth.
• St. Croix Falls has the second largest enrollment in the Large Lakeland (to Unity, by two students), Grantsburg is the third largest in the conference.
• Last year the Pirates beat the Saints in Grantsburg, 22-15 was the final score.
• Friday's game marks the fifth game of the season for both teams… the exact middle of the regular season.

In other conference games:

• Flambeau (0-2, 2-2) hosts Glenwood City (0-4). Give this non-conference game to Flambeau.
• Cameron (1-1, 2-2) hosts Webster. My take: Webster stays winless in the conference as Cameron gets by them at home.
• Clear Lake (1-0, 2-2) hosts Unity (2-0, 3-1). My take: Here's a doozy! Both teams are undefeated in a wide open conference. I haven't seen either team play but my gut says to go with Unity on this one, even on the road.

Check out the game LIVE on Friday night. Kickoff is at 7:00 from St. Croix Falls on wearegrantsburg.com!

Post from: We are Grantsburg

Grantsburg @ SCF preview

2011 West Lakeland All-Conference

Post from: We are Grantsburg

Softball all-conference announced

Thursday: Grantsburg (19-5) vs. Phillips (12-11) boys in Rice Lake 7pm

Friday: Spring Valley (2-21) @ Grantsburg (14-7) girls 7pm

Saturday: Grantsburg boys Sectional Final 1pm from Chippewa Falls

Saturday: Grantsburg Regional final in Osceola (or Siren in Spooner if the Pirate girls lose on Friday). This game has to potential to be Grantsburg vs. Webster if the Tigers can get by #1 seed Boyceville. Webster won in overtime in their game against Glenwood City on Tuesday night 62-56.

Boys

Division 3 Unity

Division 4 Grantsburg

Division 5 Luck

Girls

Division 3 nobody left for the West Lakeland. St. Croix Falls and Unity both lost on Tuesday

Division 4 Grantsburg and Webster

Division 5 Siren, Luck and Frederic

Post from: We are Grantsburg

Not counting chickens quite yet…

The Pirates will wait to play until Friday, March 4th as a benefit of receiving a first round bye while Webster will host #6 Boyceville on Tuesday, March 1st.

Webster had their conference championship hopes dashed when they lost to Luck last Friday (31-22). Coincidentally, that loss also eliminated Grantsburg from contention and Luck will be the top team in the West Lakeland again this year. The Pirates host Luck this week in what is now a fairly meaningless game (somewhat like your second semester as a senior).

In other news:

Unity received a number one seed in D3 while St. Croix Falls nabbed a #6 seeding.

Luck got a #1 seed, Siren received a #2 seed and Frederic secured the #3 seed. All three teams are in the same region! That's some West Lakeland power!

All told the West Lakeland had THREE number one seeds, a number two, two number three seeds and a number six. That's a total of three first round byes and six first game home games.

Nice year, boys!

D3 Bracket (Unity, SCF)

D4 Bracket (Grantsburg and Webster)

D5 Bracket (Luck, Siren, Frederic)

Post from: We are Grantsburg

Boys basketball brackets

The Pirates beat Somerset tonight in a game that was close throughout with the Pirates pulling out the victory 63-53 in Somerset. That win gave the Pirates 13 on the year besting their win total from last year (12).

The Pirates are 5-2 in the conference and tied for second behind Luck and with Webster and Unity. It's still anyone's conference. Grantsburg's next game is at winless in the conference St. Croix Falls (2-12, 0-8).

After that the Pirates host Unity for a big game. That game will be broadcast on 105.7 WXCX.

Post from: We are Grantsburg

Grantsburg boys already outdoing last year

I've noticed a lot of confidence building in the girls from the beginning of the year until now and with a tough schedule looming (their next two conference opponents are Siren then St. Croix), they'll need all of it, plus some.

But even if they can't pull an upset off during the next couple games one thing is for sure… Grantsburg is relevant again in the West Lakeland.

***

The boys had a very difficult time tonight and fell to the Luck Cardinals 55-63. It was Grantsburg's second conference loss of the season and the Luck win puts the Cardinals atop the West Lakeland with just one loss.

Here's audio of the game.

The Pirates kept it close and actually tied it up in the third quarter but were in such heavy foul trouble it was only a matter of time until the game was decided on the free throw line and when it came down to the end Luck wasn't brilliant from the line, but they did enough to secure the victory.

***

Grantsburg plays Siren next Tuesday and we'll have the doubleheader on 105.7 WXCX.

Post from: We are Grantsburg

Boys and girls split in Luck

Basketball season is well underway in the area and some interesting story lines are already developing in the West Lakeland.

Coming into the season on the boy's side I thought the top of the conference would be Luck and Grantsburg followed by Siren and Webster and I felt each of them had a legit shot at winning the conference. After a handful of conference games under their belts, it looks like I was mostly right. Webster has beaten Grantsburg, Siren has beaten Webster and Luck and Grantsburg have beaten Siren. And now you have to give Unity their props because they've beaten Luck and lost to Webster by two. Grantsburg beat them and they play Siren tomorrow night.

It's still anyone's conference.

The Siren girls have been dominant and have only one loss to conference foe, St. Croix Falls. It was a shocker to me that they lost, but talking to some others who know what SCF has, it shouldn't have been as big of an upset as I thought it was.

The Grantsburg girls have improved a lot this year compared to recent years and it looks like new head coach Adam Hale has brought some renewed energy to the team.

My next broadcast will be Friday, Jan 14 with Frederic hosting a doubleheader against Grantsburg. Tune into 105.7 WXCX for all the action.

Post from: We are Grantsburg

Basketball