The former Badger spreading the word about a future Badger is starting to become an annual event for former University of Wisconsin football player Al Toon.

Toon let it be known Friday that his daughter Kirby -- a junior at Middleton High School -- has decided to attend UW in the fall of 2009 and will play volleyball for the Badgers as an invited walk-on. His son Nick is a freshman wide receiver for the Badgers, who redshirted last fall.

In an e-mail, Al Toon wrote that Kirby -- a 5-11 outside hitter who also plays for the Capital Volleyball Academy club team -- had scholarship opportunities from North Carolina, Georgia Tech and Georgia, among others. But he added "Kirby decided that Madison was the right fit for her."

 Al Toon went on to write: "She has always dreamed of playing for the Badgers. It was a dream come true when Coach Pete Waite and his staff expressed serious interest in her talents by offering Kirby a preferred walk-on spot. Kirby has been a strong student and required that her post secondary education continued along a challenging and rewarding path."

Watertown's Perkins to Northern Iowa

Watertown's Andrew Perkins, the defending WIAA Division 1 state champion in the 800 and 1,600 meters, has signed a National Letter of Intent to attend Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls, Iowa, this fall.

Perkins set the national freshman record in the indoor mile (4 minutes, 21.20 seconds), outdoor mile (4:15.07) and indoor 800 meters (1:55.45). Last season, he ran the fastest 800 in Wisconsin high school history (1:50.17) at the Midwest Distance Gala in Elmhurst, Ill., to break the 40-year-old mark set (a hand-time, converted 1:50.3) by Monroe's Mark Winzenreid.

"Andrew is one of the best middle distance runners in the country," Northern Iowa coach Chris Bucknam said. "It's scary to think what we can accomplish over the next few years when you add Andrew to the mix of Dorian Ulrey in the mile and Tyler Mulder in the 800 meters. He fits in very well with those guys and his attitude and approach to training is already in synch with what we strive to accomplish here."

Perkins is the second area runner to earn a college scholarship.

Sun Prairie's Tony Phillips has accepted a scholarship to Central Arkansas -- an NAIA school in Conway, Ark.  Phillips finished seventh in a competitive Big Eight Conference and 19th at the WIAA Division 1 state meet as a senior.

Randolph-Verona boys game moved up

 The threat of dangerous wind chills Saturday night has led Verona to move up the starting time for its non-conference boys basketball game against Randolph to the afternoon at 2:45 p.m. at Verona High School.

 The Wildcats take a 14-2 record into the game with  the 2007 WIAA Division 4 state champion Rockets.  Randolph, ranked second in Division 4, has a 14-1 record and its only loss was to Waupun, the team ranked second behind Monroe in Division 2.

More tales from the road

If I learned one thing this week, it's that you never know what to expect when your prep basketball travels take you through Green and Lafayette counties.

After my Iditarod-like journey to Blanchardville on a snowy Tuesday to watch visiting Barneveld knock off Pecatonica -- the state's No. 2-ranked Division 4 team -- in a thrilling girls game, I was treated to another great Eastern Six Rivers Conference game Thursday in South Wayne between host Black Hawk and Monticello.

Coach Jerry Mortimer's Warriors put on quite a show as they rallied past the Ponies 59-55 to earn at least a share of their first conference title since 2003 when they shared the Western Six Rivers title with three other teams. They can win this one outright Saturday afternoon with a victory over third-place Barneveld.

That game won't be a gimmee, especially after the energy Black Hawk put into securing Thursday's win. There were 11 ties and 16 lead changes during the game -- including seven ties and 11 lead changes during the first two-plus quarters before the Warriors opened a 40-32 lead only to have Monticello rally.

Joey Hartwig (16 points), Alex Abraham (15), Taylor Goodman (14) and Michael Place (13) accounted for all put one Black Hawk's points in the victory. That other point came from junior forward Shane Jackson, who -- Mortimer was quick to point out -- added five rebounds and five assists in helping the Warriors avenge their only loss of the season (54-40 at Monticello on Jan. 4).

``He did all the little things,'' Mortimer said of Jackson.

But it was Hartwig who got it done down the stretch.

After Derek McGowan knocked down a 3-pointer after a missed free throw to give Monticello a 50-47 lead, Hartwig scored off a steal to make it a one-point game. After Jacob Edge hit a 3-pointer to give the Ponies their last lead at 53-51 with 2:52 to play, Hartwig followed baskets by Abraham and Goodman with another basket off a steal and Black Hawk closed out its huge win.

 ``Joey, I told him at that last timeout, 'Take us there. Lead us.' '' Mortimer said.

 That's what I like about the Warriors' coach. He's always telling people where to go -- myself included.

 After offering my congratulations on the victory, I mentioned that I was taking off for Monroe to write my story and find wireless Internet to e-mail it back to the office. Mortimer suggested I try the Culvers. (Like I had to be told to "try Culvers" ... especially on an empty stomach.)

 What he didn't tell me was that Monroe High School was apparently making up one of its two snow days from this week because it looked -- and sounded -- as if the entire student body was there. Actually, I saw several members of the Cheesemakers boys and girls basketball teams there and it turns out everyone was celebrating the girls team's victory over Monona Grove  that helped the Cheesemakers keep pace with Verona atop the Southern Badger Conference standings.

 Speaking of Verona-Monroe, that'll be the flavor of the day Monday -- actually, it's Mint Oreo (I checked) -- when I return to town to watch the boys teams battle for the Southern Badger title. Monroe, the reigning WIAA Division 2 state champion, won the first meeting 65-58 in Verona and takes a 16-0 record into road games tonight against Monona Grove and Saturday against the Freeport (Ill.) Pretzels.