FLASHBACK

2007 conference champions

Northern Badger: Reedsburg.

Southern Badger: Madison Edgewood.

Big Eight: Middleton.

Northern Capitol: Watertown Luther Prep.

Southern Capitol: Marshall.

Little Ten: Watertown.

Ridge & Valley: Seneca.

Rock Valley: Beloit Turner.

Scenic Bluffs: Bangor.

Eastern Six Rivers: Pecatonica.

Western Six Rivers: Potosi.

South Central: Wisconsin Dells.

Southern Lakes: Milton.

SWAL: Iowa-Grant, Southwestern.

SWC: Prairie du Chien, River Valley.

Northern Trailways: Oakfield.

Southern Trailways: Deerfield.

Best area WIAA tournament showings

Division 1: Madison Memorial lost 10-0 to Kimberly in the state championship game.

Division 2: Waupun beat Platteville 6-5 in the state championship game.

Division 3: Mineral Point lost to eventual state champion La Crosse Aquinas 6-1 in a sectional final.

Division 4: Johnson Creek defeated Abbotsford 10-4 in the state championship game.

FAST FORWARD

WSJ PRESEASON ALL-AREA

First team

Pitchers: Kyle Schmidt, sr., Madison La Follette; Trevor Foss, sr., Janesville Craig; Kyle Thompson, sr., Barneveld.

Catcher: Michael Gonzalez, jr., Delavan-Darien.

Infielders: Ryan Mielke, sr., Waunakee; Spencer Lorrig, sr., Madison Memorial; Danny Lochner, sr, Middleton; Justin Scanlon, sr., Verona.

Outfielders: Ben Yaucher, sr., Janesville Craig; Mike Huber, sr., Reedsburg; Collin Crim, sr., Oregon.

Utility/DH: Matt Lindholm, sr., Madison Edgewood.

Second team

Pitchers: Chris Ritter, jr., Madison Edgewood; Tyler DeBoer, sr., Waupun; Britton Scheele, sr., Watertown Luther Prep.

Catcher: Justin Mallow, sr., Lakeside Lutheran.

Infielders: Mike Lennon, sr., Reedsburg; Jaron Bertelsen, sr., Beloit Turner; Lee Brekke, sr., Sun Prairie; Bill Oppriecht, sr., Seneca.

Outfielders: Quentin Hughes, sr., Waterloo; Michael Schlimgen, sr., Barneveld; Sean Ryan, sr., Waunakee.

Utility: Tyler Benzine, jr., DeForest.

Honorable mention

Pitchers: Michael Place, sr., Platteville; Joe Heise, sr., Middleton; Brandon Lenz, sr., Sun Prairie; Mike Jacobs, jr., Beloit Turner; Danny Sullivan, sr., Dodgeville; Brian Polfer, sr., Watertown Luther Prep; Alex Koeller, jr., Marshall; Skyler Debilzen, sr., Oregon; Sam Seymour, jr., Baraboo; Cody Wepking, sr., Highland; Tyler Payne, sr, Seneca; Sam Brandt, sr., Weston.

Catchers: Drew Barman, jr., DeForest; Nick Hughes, jr., Madison Edgewood; Nick Labeots, jr., Baraboo.

Infielders: Brooks Braga, jr., Middleton; Ryan Paul, sr., Watertown Luther Prep; Tyler Sorensen, sr., Madison Edgewood; Justin Eternick, jr., Lakeside Lutheran; Shelby Lay, sr., Marshall; Aaron Laskowski, sr., Edgerton; Jordan Tibbits, jr., Mineral Point; Trevor Udelhofen, sr., Potosi.

Outfielders: Ben Marvin, sr., Madison La Follette; Derek Carrier, sr., Edgerton; Reed Harmon, sr. Sun Prairie; Matt Beyer, Janesville Parker. Utility: Josh Minkoff, jr., Madison West; John Volker, sr., Verona.

TEAMS TO BEAT

Northern Badger: Waunakee.

Southern Badger: Madison Edgewood.

Big Eight: Middleton, Sun Prairie, Madison La Follette.

Northern Capitol: Watertown Luther Prep, Lakeside Lutheran.

Southern Capitol: Marshall, Waterloo.

Little Ten: Hartford.

Ridge & Valley: Seneca.

Rock Valley: Evansville.

Scenic Bluffs: Bangor.

Eastern Six Rivers: Barneveld.

Western Six Rivers: Potosi, Cassville.

South Central: Nekoosa.

Southern Lakes: Milton, East Troy.

SWAL: Mineral Point.

SWC -- Platteville.

Northern Trailways: Oakfield, Green Lake.

Southern Trailways: Johnson Creek.

AROUND THE HORN

You say goodbye, I say hello

The area lost four coaching icons, and a combined 1,135 victories, to retirement. Gone from the third base box are Madison Memorial's Tom Bennett (392-251, 30 seasons), Beloit Turner's Rick Hofeditz (315-93, 20), Monona Grove's Ken Eeg (217-159, 18) and Baraboo's Paul Kujak (211-144, 18). Bennett, who won two state titles, and Hofeditz (one) were waved around third and toward induction into the WBCA Hall of Fame. Dave Thomas (Memorial), Ryan Bertelsen (Turner), DJ Daggett (MG) and Chris Labeots (Baraboo) assume the reins from the legends.

You say goodbye, I say hello, Part II

Next season's realignment means a few teams will leave longtime conference affiliations for another. Verona and McFarland will play their final seasons in the Southern Badger. The Wildcats will help form a 10-team Big Eight, while McFarland joins the Rock Valley. Milton and Fort Atkinson will exit the Southern Lakes for the Southern Badger.

Steering out of the skid

With a 4-1 victory over DeForest last week, Mount Horeb snapped a 52-game losing streak in the Northern Badger. Backed by a strong junior class and a few key seniors the Vikings are off to a 5-3 start, which is notable because they won seven games total from 2004 to '07. "The kids are playing really well," fourth-year coach Rick Christian said.

MARK YOUR CALENDAR

May 23: WIAA Division 2, 3 and 4 regional uarterfinals.

May 27: Regional semifinals.

May 28: Division 2, 3 and 4 regional finals.

May 30: Division 1 regional finals

June 3: Sectional semifinals and finals.

June 10 to 12: WIAA state tournament at Fox Cities Stadium, Grand Chute.