Tournament Photos
Superior at Wausau west
Wausau West vs. Madison Edgewood (Showdown in Titletown)
Eau Claire Memorial vs. Fond du Lac (Showdown in Titletown)
Fondy vs. Edgewood
Superior vs NDA
Wausau West vs. Eau Claire Memorial
Third Round Games - Sun, January 23
Tournament Preview
The Showdown in Titletown tournament in Green Bay this week has quickly become the marquee event of the season. The tournament pits Fond du Lac, Appleton United, Catholic Memorial/Pius XI, Madison Edgewood, Eau Claire Memorial, Notre Dame Academy, Superior and Wausau West in an eight team field.
Eau Claire Memorial, Wausau West, Superior and Notre Dame Academy all come into the tournament in the Wisconsin Prep Hockey Top Ten, a place where Madison Edgwood was earlier this season, and Catholic Memorial/Pius XI is on the cusp of cracking.
The tournament kicks off Thursday with Badgerland foes Fond du Lac and Appleton United. Fondy is having a down year this year; with just a 4-10-1 record the Cardinals sit in fourth place in the Badgerland conference. The Cardinals are coming off a 9-1 win over Beaver Dam and will face the third place team in the Badgerland on Monday in the form of the Oshkosh Ice Hawks before opening the tournament.
Appleton United comes into the tournament with back-to-back losses. First they took a 9-6 loss to Green Bay United on Thursday, and followed with a 4-1 loss to Fond du Lac Springs on Saturday. United sits at 6-7, and hold second place in the Badgerland conference behind Fond du Lac Springs.
The second Thursday game pits Catholic Memorial/Pius XI against Madison Edgewood. Memorial sit on a 11-5 record this season. Memorial picked big win on Friday 8-1 over Kenosha. Catholic Memorial has already played three games against Showdown teams, picking up a 6-2 loss to Eau Claire, a 3-2 win over Fond du Lac and a 5-1 loss to Notre Dame Academy.
Edgewood comes into the tournament with riding a 7-3 win over Monona Grove. The 10-5-1 Crusaders have bounced in and out of the Top Ten all season. The Crusaders beat Showdown competitor Fond du Lac 2-1 in the first Wisconsin Prep Hockey Game of the Week of the 2010-2011 season.
Eau Claire Memorial faces off with Notre Dame Academy in the first game on Friday. The Old Abes come in with a 15-1 record, and fresh off a 4-0 victory over Hudson. The Old Abes are the story of the season sitting atop the Wisconsin Prep Hockey Top Ten, having already knocked off then #3 Superior 5-2 and then #1 Wasuau West 6-3.
Notre Dame Academy dominated the early portion of the schedule but have skidded of late, losing two of their last three games. Back on Jan. 8 they took a 2-1 loss to University School, and followed with a 6-4 win over Bay Port on the 10th. This past Saturday they took a 3-2 loss to Ashwaubenon. The Tritons still hold an 11-3 record and sit tied for second with Green Bay United in the Fox River Classic Conference.
Superior and Wausau West will finish off Friday's opening round action. The Spartans come into the Showdown with an 8-5-1 record. Against Wisconsin, the Spartans are 4-1, with the only loss coming to Eau Claire Memorial, 5-2 in a Wisconsin Prep Hockey Game of the Week. The Spartans will play in Hermantown, MN, on Tuesday before heading off to face Wausau West.
The Wausau West Warriors were the consensus #1 pick all season on Wisconsin Prep Hockey until they took a 6-3 loss to Eau Claire Memorial just before Christmas. The Warriors are 13-1 and head coach Pete Susens passed the 500 win mark on Jan. 4 with a win over Marshfield. Susens is now sitting at 505 career wins, just seven behind Wisconsin's all-time leader, Vic Levine at 512.
