The CNI All-Suburban Boys Basketball Team will be featured in this week's BrookfieldNOW and WauwatosaNOW papers and web sites on Thursday and both Brookfield Central Wauwatosa East are well represented.

First of all, Tim Arndorfer was named CNI's Boys Basketball Coach of the Year, beating out some excellent candidates from the area Community Newspapers, Inc. covers.

It was the fourth time a coach from Tosa East was honored, as Arndorfer joins the man he replaced - George Haas - who earned the honors in 2004-05, 1996-97 and 1993-94.

Joining their coach on the team were the one-two combination of Brice Powell and Jake Barnett, who keyed the Red Raiders run to the state championship.

From Brookfield, Central's Cory Degner also earned All-Suburban honors. Degner, who switched from small forward to point guard, averaged over 17 points a game for the Lancers, who also made it to the state tournament, losing to Tosa East in the semifinals.

Detailed features on Arndorfer, Powell/Barnett and Degner highlights this week's sports coverage.

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As usual spring sports in Wisconsin gets to deal with Mother Nature. Some soccer matches have been played, but mainly indoor track is underway.

The spring schedules are light and won't really pick up for another week or so.

Let's hope they won't have to dig themselves out from the snow and ice when it happens.

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Always remember to be a hit and have a ball.

Following Wauwatosa East's semi-final victory over Brookfield Central at the state tournament in Madison Friday night, one of the Madison area writers asked coach Tim Arndorfer in a polite way if the Red Raiders were saving their best for last.

Afterall, East beat a tall Eau Claire North team, 50-38, pulling away in the final minutes and then had a grind-it-out 52-48 victory over Central, which played most of the first half without the Greater Metro Conference Player of the Year Cory Degner, who left the game with two fouls with about three minutes left in the first quarter.

"You must have played better in the sectional to beat Custer and King," the reporter asked Arndorfer. Basically, most media felt the only thing delaying giving Madison Memorial the gold ball Saturday night was the game which had to be played beforehand.

The fact was, this Raider team was losing to a Madison Memorial team in a summer league game and then rallied to win. When this was brought up at Friday's press conference, East junior Mike Cupertino answered the question like a pro. "What happened in the summer, has nothing to do with tomorrow night's game."

The Spartans' Jeronne Maymon put on perhaps the best single game performance I have ever seen from a high school basketball player. Like the cliche goes, he did everything but sell popcorn. The 6-foot-5 inch junior scored 33 points, grabbed 17 rebounds and blocked three shots, but by the time the game was over he was exhausted since his teammates sat around and watched his performance.

The Tosa East players knew what they were capable of as the "Team Together" slogan on the back of their T-shirts pretty much summed up the title game. The Red Raiders were a team when it came to breaking the normal devastating Memorial press and playing a rare 2-3 zone which stopped everyone except the manchild Maymon. When coach Steve Collins was asked why Memorial called off the press, his response was simple - "Because they were getting too many lay-ups off it."

The stats showed they were a team also - Jake Barnett scored 15 points and added 7 rebounds; Eric Williams scored 14 points and was 3-for-3 from 3-point range, including perhaps the biggest 3-pointer in Tosa East history that sent the game into overtime; Brice Powell scored 12 points, had 6 assists and grabbed 6 rebounds, including the biggest one of the game which set up Williams shot; D.J. Cupertino came off the bench and played with a bad ankle, scoring 10 points and getting a key steal at the end of the game and Tony Walls, who had 5 points, 6 assists and 3 steals, played the floor game of his life, helping destroy the Spartans trap and press.

But even this impressive performance didn't change some media member's mind when after the game he said, "If these team's played 10 games, Tosa East would only win four of them."

No one will ever know, but Saturday night the Red Raiders won the only one that counted.

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Agree or disagree, feel free to comment.

And remember, always be a hit and have a ball.

Some people felt the Greater Metro Conference was down this season, but don't tell that to Wauwatosa East (23-1) and Brookfield Central (18-4). Both the Red Raiders and the Lancers will be playing at the Kohl Center starting on Thursday after winning their sectional championships.

Central had to get by top-seeded Racine Park (19-3) and one of the state's best players in Jamil Wilson in the title game. Cory Degner, the GMC Player of the Year, scored 23 points, but defensive stopper Donne Robbins had the game of his life with 25 points, including six of the team's 12 3-pointers. Wilson was amazing, as he had 37 points, including a 3-pointer at the buzzer to make the score, 72-68, closer than it was.

The Lancers, who have made seven trips to state in the last nine years, have been there six out of eight times under the guidance of coach Mark Adams and his staff. Central needs to win it's opener against Bay Port, because the Lancers are only 1-5 at state under Adams.

This team had to overcome some things to start the year.

 Brad Nortman, their best big man, decided to punt all winter instead of play basketball (he's going to Wisconsin to kick for the Badgers and is considered one of the top punters in the country); Lee Severson hadn't recovered from ankle surgery; Adams had to find a point guard; and even the coach started the year with hip surgery.

It's a credit to Adams, his staff and his kids that they are in Madison this week.

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And speaking of credit, a tip of the hat to low-key, media-shy Tim Arndorfer, who took his Red Raiders to state in his first year as head coach and for the first time since 2002.

Tosa East senior starters Brice Powell, Jake Barnett, D.J. Cupertino and Tony Walls are playing like they are on a mission - win the state title for the first time since 1989. These four guys have carried this team down the stretch.

Barnett scored 17 of his 27 points in the first half and then Powell took over in the second half scoring 14 of his 18 points in the 62-60 win over Milwaukee Custer in the sectional semi-finals. Then when King held Barnett/Powell to six points in the first half of the title game, Walls (8) and Cupertino (7) kept the Red Raiders from getting blown out at half, trailing only 29-21.

Trailing, 38-34, going into the final period, Cupertino put on one of the best clutch performances I have seen, as he scored eight points down the stretch, including two huge 3-pointers.

Madison Memorial (21-2), Germantown (22-1) and the Red Raiders are the team to watch in Madison.

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Just a comment on the type of kid Jamil Wilson is. When Brookfield East's girls team clobbered Racine Horlick in a regional semi-final game, Wilson was in the stands, cheering on the Lady Rebels. At half-time when the Spartanettes dance team did a rap dance, Wilson was cheering them and dancing in the stands.

Three nights later at the Horlick Sectional, following his team's win over West Allis Hale, Wilson showed off his dancing skills again. At half-time of the Central-Racine Case game, the Lancer fans came out of the stands at half-time to dance to the electric slide in front of the bleachers. Wilson then jumped out of the Horlick stands and joined in and the Rebel fans followed. About 150 kids from two different schools were dancing together and having fun. Even the Horlick PA announcer acknowledged the impromptu dance and asked the audience to give them a round of applause.

That, my friends, is what high school athletics is all about.

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Agree or disagree, post your comments.

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Follow all the action on BrookfieldNOW.com and WauwatosaNOW.com as I'll be blogging right from courtside.

 And remember to always be a hit and have a ball.

When Sussex Hamilton's sensational sophomore guard Kameron Cerroni (I can't write his name without sensational sophomore in front of it) drained a 3-point shot at the buzzer last Friday to beat Bookfield Central, it took some of the drama out of the Lancers game with Wauwatosa East Thursday night.

Some of the drama.

Instead of playing for the title outright, the Lancers need a victory to share the title. Since the Red Raiders already own a share of the title, they probably like the idea of keeping the whole thing to themselves for first-year coach Tim Arndorfer.

Central won the first game, 53-51, taking a 47-39 lead into the fourth quarter, only to see the Red Raiders press and trap in the fourth quarter and work themselves back into the game, tying the score with two minutes left.

The disciplined Lancers then ran about a minute and one half off the clock looking for a layup and got it when Mitch Aprahamian, standing on the top of the key, turned and drilled a pass to Luke Duckett, who scored on an easy layup for the win.

One of the things that have changed since the last meeting is the improved play of point guard Tony Walls for Tosa East. Coming off a severe knee injury, Walls was all over the floor in win a over West Allis Hale last Friday, getting key rebounds, making key passes and scoring 11 points.

In the first meeting this year Central star Cory Degner scored 17 points and left Walls behind with his quick moves to the basket.

On Central's side, the improved play of Mitch Aprahamian and Aaron Hurley will be a key for the Lancers, not only in this game but in the post-season.

For a detailed analysis of both teams check out the BrookfieldNOW and WauwatosaNOW newspapers where I compare frontcourts, backcourts, benches, coaches and intangibles.

The other battle to watch should be fun and it will happen off the court as the Lancer fans will be bringing their game to Tosatown to take on the energetic Red Raider backers.

Folks, it doesn't get better than this.

Agree with me or not, don't be shy, leave a comment.

And remember to always be a hit and have a ball.

If you have seen the Brookfield East girls' offense lying around somewhere, please give basketball coach Tara Schmitt a call.

The Lady Spartans, who were sitting pretty in the Greater Metro Conference race just a week ago with a 4-1 record, have dropped two straight games to West Allis schools, scoring 28 and 35 points in losses to Central and Hale. Tuesday night they have a huge game with first-place Brookfield Central.

What makes East's loss to Hale particularly galling, it snapped a 21-game GMC losing streak for the Huskies, going back to Feb. 10, 2006. Trailing, 36-33, with seconds remaining, Schmitt called time-out, hoping to get a game-tying 3-point attempt from Ashley Yttre. Schmitt also had a back-up plan if Yttre was covered, tossing the ball inside instead and then hoping for a kickback out for another 3-point try.

Yttre was covered, the ball went inside, and instead of kicking the ball back out, the player tossed in a two-point bucket as time expired.

Please keep all sharp instruments away from Schmitt.

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Brookfield Central's Cory Degner, who scored 53 points in wins over Marquette (23) and Menomonee Falls (30), has impressed Tosa East coach Tim Arndorfer.

"If I had to vote for the conference's player of the year - and not take one of my players - I would think it would have to be Cory Degner right now. He does everything for that team."

Forced to play point guard to start the year, Degner runs the offense, hits 3-pointers, drives to the basket, hits free throws and comes through whenever the Lancers need a big bucket. He even finds time to play defense.

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Speaking of the Red Raiders, Tosa East has beaten the last three opponents by 32, 24 and 29 points, using a good defense to get easy offensive points.

But coach Tim Arndorfer and his staff - looking down the road against Brookfield Central and West Allis Hale, as well as to the post-season because the Red Raiders play in the sectional from hell - keep focusing on the half-court offense. Against good teams, Tosa East is going to have to be disciplined enough to score half-court points as well.

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If you know Tosa West girls basketball coach Mike Pietrowiak, he could win a game 50-0 and still find something wrong. But I thought I saw a hint of a smile the other day after the Trojans won their third straight game and fourth in six tries.

Pietrowiak plays only two seniors - Ellen Coleman and Anastasia Williams - a lot of minutes and relies on three sophomores and two juniors most of the time. If the Trojans continue to improve, Pietrowiak will have to work on that smiley face more often.

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Agree or disagree, don't be afraid to let me know.

Until later in the week, remember to always be a hit and have a ball. 

With most athletes off until later this week because of exam week, let's take a look at some highlights from the past week in Brookfield and Wauwatosa prep sports.

Wauwatosa East's 160-pounder Nick Morin became the all-time winningest wrestler in Tosa history by winning four matches last week (103-34). He surpassed Jake Benedict's 102 victories from 2001-05.

DSHA basketball coach Scott Witt felt as if his team lost the Greater Metro Conference title last Friday when the young Brookfield Central Lady Lancers beat the pre-season favorite Dashers, 45-38. "They (BC) have to lose two games and I don't think that's going to happen," Witt said. "I think it's between us and Brookfield East for second place."

The young Lancers only have two seniors in the top seven of their rotation and junior Joana Bielefeld (11.5 PPG) and sophomore Erin Lueder (12.5) are two of the GMC's top players. But that won't stop Dan Wandrey from worrying, because Central's head coach is the GMC's version of Lou Holtz.

Tosa West's Jesse Zeisse was inserted into the starting lineup for Andrea Kwak last week, when Kwak missed a practice. The results worked out great for both girls. Zeisse scored nine points in a win over Greenfield and then Kwak scored 10 in a double overtime win over Whitnall including four in the second overtime.

Brookfield Central handed Wauwatosa East a 53-51 loss on Jan. 15 and pulled into a first-place tie with the state-ranked Red Raiders. A couple things came out of this game. The key to the game was Central's discipline in their half-court offense, as the Lancers didn't fall apart after East rallied from a 10-point deficit. Central ran time off the clock in the final minutes, looking for a lay-up. Unsung hero Mitch Aprahamian was at the top of the key when he whipped a pass to Luke Duckett driving to the basket for a lay-up and the win.

The Central scoreboard had a short circuit (or something), because it went out a few minutes before the start of the second half, in the third quarter and then with two minutes left to play. When East's Tony Walls grabbed a loose ball and called time-out while flying out of bounds there was then a few seconds of controversy over whether the clock expired.

Tosa East's Hannah Weinberg-Kinsey has averaged 11.3 PPG, scoring 16, 8 and 10 points since breaking the middle finger on her shooting hand. She improved her scoring over three points per game. There is no truth to the rumor coach Rob Hamill is thinking of having the rest of his squad wear similiar splints.

After starting the season with 13 straight losses the co-op team of Wauwatosa East/West/New Berlin Eisenhower/West/Whitnall (now that's a mouthful) won their first hockey game, 6-2, over Oconomowc on Saturday.

Wauwatosa East boys basketball team plays three games this week, two against "rivals."

The Red Raiders (6-0, 11-0) travel to Brookfield Central tonight (4-1, 8-3) to face the Lancers, who next to Marquette, are Tosa East's biggest Greater Metro Conference rival. When Tosa East plays the Hilltoppers, it is no secret that there is not a lot of love between the teams (in most sports), despite the politically correct quotes the coaches give out.

But when Brookfield Central and Tosa East meet, there is a rivalry that drips with respect.

"Sure they (Red Raiders) are one of our rivals," said Central coach Mark Adams, who also deals with crosstown rival Brookfield East, "but it is a 'good' rivalry, a 'favorable' one. There is a respect we have for each other."

Usually when you look at the GMC standings every year, it's Tosa East, Marquette and the Lancers battling for the top spot. Thus the establishment of a rivalry with those three teams, more so than with some of the others in the conference.

"Traditionally Brookfield Central always stood out," Tosa East coach Tim Arndorfer said. "I enjoy the excitement of going to Central and them coming here. When you play them the first time, you know you will see them again. Beyond Marquette, Brookfield Central has the competitive history in this conference, always pushing for the top. You want to get the upper hand on your rival. There is great talent coming out of both schools and it (the rivalry) is expanding to other sports."

After battling with George Haas for years, the veteran Adams will be matching wits with Arndorfer this week, something Arndorfer is looking forward to.

 "On a personal level, to coach against someone like Mark Adams, well I'm looking forward to that. I hope to run a quality program like Mark does. They do it the right way."

After facing Central Tuesday and Hamilton Friday, the annual battle of Tosa takes place this year at East on Saturday. Once again, like it or not, this is a game that means more to West than East, but means the most to the city.

Former coaches Haas and West's Brian Rusk started the rivalry again a few years back and it is a fun night and the gym will be packed Saturday night and it doesn't matter that East is on top of the GMC and West is near the bottom of the Woodland Conference North.

It will be West first-year coach Mike Landisch, a coach with ties with both schools, first time on the sidelines running the show for the Trojans.

This is a different rivalry than the Brookfield Central one, but it is a game that should always be played.

Agree with me or not, don't be afraid to comment.

And remember, always be a hit and have a ball.

I had a chance to see West Allis Hale's 54-53 victory over previously unbeaten (in the GMC) Brookfield Central Tuesday night and I think Huskie center Rick Wagner did Wauwatosa East a favor, sort of.

Wagner scored 20 points to spark the Huskies' upset of the Lancers (3-1) and moved Hale into a second-place tie in the Greater Metro Conference behind unbeaten Tosa East (5-0, 10-0). Wthout a doubt, he is the best big man I have seen so far this season.

At 6-foot, 8 inches tall - and I'm guessing at least 250 pounds, Wagner looked imposing, but moved well for a player his size and showed an excellent touch from 8-10 feet. It's not often you see a player of that size have a slam dunk and a 3-point shot in the same game.

He literally took over the game in the fourth quarter, scoring 10 of his team's 13 points in the comeback win. He had two more points than Central did and half of his 20 points for the game in the fourth period. Hale coach Scott Pritzl called the win his most important one since he took over as head coach a few years back.

Wagner not only handed Central it's first conference loss to help out the Red Raiders, but with the win, Tosa East coach Tim Arndorfer doesn't have to worry about his team overlooking the Huskies when they come to Tosa Friday night.

Thanks to Mr. Wagner.

How did this happen? In Tuesday's 50-42 win at Waukesha South, the Red Raiders scored zero (0) points in the second period. I wonder what the odds of that were? East should be able to score a basket by accident if the Blackshirts played 10 guys against them. Tony Walls played his first gameof the year for the Red Raiders, scoring one point. Welcome back T.

Feel free to send me your comments and until my next blog...

 Remember to always be a hit and have a ball!

Based on a couple things that happened over the weekend, the Greater Metro Conference race may include more than just preseason favorites Menomonee Falls and Divine Savior Holy Angels.

It looks like the talented Indians (3-1, 6-1) may be without the best player in the league (Janelle Gabrielsen) the rest of the way. The word going around the league this weekend is that Gabrielsen, who was suffering from what was believed to be shin splits, actually has fractures in her ankles, and will have surgery now so she will be able to honor her volleyball scholarship in the fall. The talented Indians will still be a force, but anyone missing a talent like Janelle is losing a lot.

DSHA (3-1, 6-3), the only team to beat the Indians, was stunned in overtime last Friday by a deep Brookfield East team (2-1, 4-4), that has balance, an excellent point guard (Vanessa Brown) and an improving 6-5 sophomore center by the name of Marley Blood. The Lady Spartans need to be more consistent to prove they are a threat, but by beating the deep and talented Dashers, show what they are capable of doing.

Meanwhile on the other side of Brookfield, Central played with seven players and beat West Allis Hale, and took over first place (3-0, 4-3) in the conference. There is no doubt that in Cara Lauritzen, Joana Bielefeld and Erin Lueder, that coach Dan Wandrey can call on three scorers who are averaging double figures. Plus Anna Butzlaff is a solid point guard and Jesse Thomas and Kate Sandstrom add some height to a good front line. The Lady Lancers are athletic, talented but in experienced, so a lot will depend on how fast they learn as the season goes on.

If anyone takes West Allis Central and Iesha Barkley (17.3) and Lauren Hibbard lightly, they will find themselves in for a long night.

And although Hamilton, West Allis Hale and Wauwatosa East has one conference win among them, the Chargers have four players scoring 7.0 or more points a game; the Huskies have sharp-shooting Emily Grayson and the Red Raiders have a solid 1-2 punch in Margaret Panter and Hannah Weinberg-Kinsey, both averaging over 8.0 ppg.

The GMC race may indeed turn into a race with more than two horses.

If you agree or not, don't be afraid to leave a comment.

And always, remember, be a hit and have a ball!

With Brookfield Central traveling over to Brookfield East for a basketball doubleheader on Friday, Dec. 14 - the girls at 6 p.m. and the boys at 7:30 p.m., I figured now would be a good time to bring up something that's been on my mind since I've been covering Brookfield and Wauwatosa the past six years.

Cross-town rivalries in these two cities are really different.

In Brookfield, depending on the sport, there are times that Central is better than East and vice versa. There have been some great battles, especially in swimming, soccer, tennis and track - just to name a few. There never seems to be an attitude that one school is better than the other - only the typical pride if you are a graduate of one school or if your kids are students there.

I'm protected in Brookfield, because I am a Central graduate, but I sent four kids through East. I can't favor anyone. Of course, I wouldn't do that because I am a professional journalist.

I also notice in Brookfield that the rivalry is fairly friendly, more so from the athletes angle since they play together in the off-season in their various sports.

In Wauwatosa I've run into a whole different animal. There is a different feeling between Tosa East and Tosa West when it comes to cross-town rivalries. Without a doubt, the Red Raiders feel that they would have nothing to gain by playing the Trojans in some sports.

I have had some people from Tosa East come out and say that Marquette, not West, is the Red Raiders main rival - and since they play in the same conference, I don't disagree with them at all.

Like in Brookfield, the Tosa athletes know each other from their off-season competition and social gatherings and they probably enjoy it more than the coaches.

On West's side of it, I've had administrators and coaches say they understand East's side of it and they also feel it's more important to their teams to focus on their Woodland Conference rivals.

That's why when I see Tosa East basketball - one of the best programs in the area - play Tosa West - something George Haas and Brian Rusk brought back - it gives me a good feeling. When they packed the gym last year, with students standing and people cheering, for a good two hours - that's what I think a cross-town game should be all about - fun.

There is a place for good competition between Tosa East and Tosa West, but unlike in Brookfield, there is less riding on the bottom line, simply because it's a non-conference event. It's hard to be a true rival when you don't play in the same conference in my opinion.

Whether you agree or disagree, let me hear from you.

And remember, always, be a hit and have a ball.