4/28/23 Hometown Broadcasting Sports Friday
28 April 2023 Sports
Friday Sports
From Wayne Mausser
The Packers picked defensive end Lukas Van Ness from Iowa with their first pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.
Instead of picking an offensive player to build around quarterback Jordan Love, Brian Gutekunst instead electing to solidify his defensive front. Green Bay lost Dean Lowry to free agency, and will be without pass rusher Rashan Gary early in the season while he recovers from a torn ACL.
Van Ness, who did not start for the Hawkeyes last season, was able to earn second team All-Big Ten honors after registering 6.5 sacks last season. The third year lineman out of Barrington, Ill. also contributed on special teams with a pair of blocked punts last season against Iowa State. And he is a very versatile player on the defensive front.
“By my sophomore year they actually bumped me in to playing defensive tackle which was super beneficial for my development as a player,” Van Ness said. “I learned how to play inside, which is a faster game, you’ve got to be really good with your pad level, your balance, your hands. I just had to learn a physical brand of football. And getting the opportunity to bump back outside this year, I grew up playing defensive end and that’s where I feel comfortable. That is where I can use my tools and excel. They bumped me outside and I feel I was able to take what I learned playing defensive tackle and move it outside, play a physical brand of football, use my length on the edge, use my power and really impact the game to help my team win.”
At the Draft Combine Van Ness ran a 4.58 in the 40-yard dash. That was tied for sixth among defensive linemen and edge rushers this year.
The first two picks in the draft were quarterbacks. Alabama quarterback Bryce Young was the first overall pick by the Carolina Panthers and then Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud was picked by Houston.
The draft continues today and wraps up Saturday.
The Brewers were off Thursday but are back in action tonight hosting the Angels in a three-game series. LHP Wade Miley (3-1, 1.96 ERA) will start for Milwaukee. Miley is 5-1 overall with a 3.30 ERA in eight starts against the Angels.
In games played Thursday in the Central Division the Pirates beat the Dodgers 6-2, the Cubs downed the Padres 5-2 and the Cardinals shutout the Giants 6-0. The Brewers trail the Pirates by 1 ½ games in the division.
In the NBA playoffs Thursday night Boston beat Atlanta 128-120 to win their series 4-2.
Tonight Sacramento is at Golden State with the Warriors leading 3-2 in that series. The other game features Memphis at the Lakers with LA leading 3-2.
High School Baseball (Thurs.)
Waupun 9, Ripon 2
Kettle Moraine Lutheran 12, Mayville 1
Beaver Dam 5, Waunakee 3
Appleton North 11, Fond du Lac 4
Hortonville 7, Appleton East 0
Freedom 14, Waupaca 4
Wautoma 3, Wisconsin Dells 1
Nekoosa 9, Adams-Friendship 6
Westfield at Mauston 19, Westfield 0
Randolph 11, Cambria-Friesland 0
Oakfield 15, Central Wisconsin Christian 0
Green Lake/ Princeton 7, Montello 2
Markesan 6, Lourdes Academy/Valley Christian 0
Girls Softball (Thurs.)
Winneconne 5, Ripon 0
Waupun 16, 10, Berlin 1,0 , (DH)
Kewaskum 7, -0. Kettle Moraine Lutheran 2,3 (DH)
Plymouth 15, Green Bay West/East
Campbellsport 8, Mayville 3
Lomira 7, North Fond du Lac 9
Winnebago Lutheran 11, Saint Mary’s Springs 1 (5 innings)
Kaukauna 16, Fond du Lac 2
Hortonville 12, Oshkosh North 7
Appleton West at Neenah 16, Appleton West 0
Oshkosh West 16, Appleton East 0
Wrightstown 10, Fox Valley Lutheran 0
Freedom 7, Waupaca 0
Nekoosa 26, Mauston 3
Cambria-Friesland 10, Montello 0
Markesan 9, Princeton/Green Lake 4
Randolph 15, Pardeeville 0
Baseball (Fri.)
Berlin at Randolph
Howards Grove at Waupun
Omro at Campbellsport
North Fond du Lac at Lomira
Mayville at Winnebago Lutheran
Neenah at Oregon (Sat.) (DH)
Wausau West at Oshkosh North
Oshkosh North at Appleton West
Oshkosh West at Green Bay Southwest
Wrightstown at Fox Valley Lutheran
Wautoma at Nekoosa
Mauston at Sparta
Portage at Westfield
Wisconsin Dells at Lodi
Rio at Cambria-Friesland
Almond-Bancroft at Green Lake/Princeton
Lourdes Academy/Valley Christian at Wayland Academy (DH)
Markesan at Cambridge
Oakfield at Randolph (Sat.)
Randolph at Oakfield (Sat.)
Girls Softball
Mayville at Kewaskum (Sat.)
Plymouth at North Fond du Lac
Waupun at Whitnall (Sat.)
Lomira at Winneconne
Campbellsport at Howards Grove (Sat.)
Plymouth at North Fond du Lac
Weyauwega-Fremont at Omro
Wauwatosa East at Fond du Lac
West Bend East at Fond du Lac
Hortonville at Neenah
Oshkosh West at Oshkosh North
Fox Valley Lutheran at Manitowoc Lutheran
Adams-Friendship at Mauston
Tri-County at Nekoosa
Westfield at Amherst
Rio at Cambria-Friesland (DH)
Lourdes Academy at Rosholt
Montello at Randolph (DH)
At Wednesday’s WIAA annual meeting the membership approved a competitive balance plan, which in a nutshell means if a team over a three-year period has a lot of success it can be moved up a division.
The plan, which was approved 265-115, includes every sport except track and field and swimming and diving, because those are the only sports that do not qualify teams to state tournaments, just individuals.
The plan is points-based, and if a team compiles six points over three years, beginning with the 2021-22 school year, it will be elevated, although appeals are allowed.
Here is how the points are awarded for bracketed sports (baseball, basketball, 11-player football, hockey, soccer, softball, volleyball, wrestling):
• 1 point for advancing to the state quarterfinal, sectional final or Level 3 in 11 player football.
• 2 points for advancing to the state semifinal.
• 3 points for advancing to the state championship game.
• 4 points for winning a state title.
After the 2023-24 school year, teams can be elevated starting with the 2024-25 school year. One of those teams would be the Notre Dame girls basketball team which has won the last three Division 2 state titles, although the 2021 title does not count in this plan. It would move to Division 1 as it has accumulated eight points with next season yet to be played.
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