Full Show - 5/31/2025

Full show from the Donovan & Jorgenson Heating & Cooling Studio: Saturday, May 31st, 2025

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
And welcome to the Varsity Blitz high School Sports show
presented by your local Pick and Save and Metro Market
stores on Fox Sports nine twenty and your iHeartRadio app
coming live from the Donovano Jordanson Heating and Cooling Studios. So, look,
if you've listened to any of my stuff throughout the years,
A huge fan of the work that the WFCA Wisconsin

(00:23):
Football Coaches Association, what they do and how they go
about it with Dan Browner and Tom Swittele and Doug
Sarver and that whole group. I just think the world
of those guys. And one of the events they do
is the All Star Game up at Titan Stadium, uw
Ashkosh coming up Friday, July eighteenth for the eighth player

(00:44):
and then Saturday the nineteenth for the small school and
the large school. And I think it's really important for
us to talk about the meaning of that game. It's
for these guys that really really talented high school football
players to get one more high school football game. But
the main reason I think that this All Star Game

(01:05):
exists is for these guys to meet other players, meet
guys that they competed against, didn't think they liked it.
Now they're best friends, you know, three years later. But
to raise money for Children's hospital. That's really the big
part about this that I thought, man, let's get let's
do this early. A lot of times I'll wait till
about a week before the All Star Game and then

(01:26):
highlight it. But I'm too late and helping these student
athletes raise money for the All Star Game. And so
today for the entire two hours, first hour, we're gonna
be talking about the South Large and a team, and
we've got in studio one of their coaches, and Anthony
Dowery is making some news.

Speaker 2 (01:44):
Man.

Speaker 1 (01:45):
He is the new head football coach at Milwaukee Lutheran,
which I love, by the way. You know that big
doctor Jensen fan. My daughter teaches at Milwaukee Lutheran, and
I think that that there's athletes walking through that building.
Coach that if you get to come out and play football,
I think you get a chance to turn that around.
It's good to meet you.

Speaker 3 (02:05):
How you been, Oh, I've been great, and uh yeah,
you kind of already spoke to it. I think Milwaukee
Lutheran we definitely have the athletes in turn, and we're
in an area where you know there are a lot
of athletes, and honestly, if we can bring the right
culture and kind of football attitude to the school, I
think we can start to get more kids that are
involved and really bought into being not just playing football,

(02:27):
but being the best at it.

Speaker 1 (02:28):
Now, you did a great job at Milwaukee, Marshall's right, man,
And it's hard doing co op right. Oh yeah, mean
you got kids coming. They get out of school at
three twenty, you get out of school at two forty five,
and and to get everybody together. There are some issues
coaching at a co op.

Speaker 3 (02:45):
So and there were so many issues that we had
just being there. You know, obviously we're dealing with four
different schools, four different athletic directors on top of you know,
just the daily struggles that you have of you know,
just honestly just being a you know in NPS. You
know some of the struggles that we have that you
may not necessarily face, you know, another districts or other programs.

(03:07):
You know, it was just a lot to handle, but
you know, we made the best of it.

Speaker 1 (03:11):
Hey, I coached basketball at Greenda Martin Luther for four
years when doctor Jensen was the principal over there. Understand
if you work hard, put the sweat equity in. You
got a lot of backing over there. He is, he
understands the importance of it. So the kid, you're right,
kid from Oconomwalk. I've chased this boy for a year
to get him to come in a studio. The problem is,

(03:32):
yesterday I lost four bucks to his grandfather on the
golf course, and his grandfather is going to keep that
for Paul is going to show it to me the
next time we play and go, hey, remember the four
bucks you lost to me. Tony Milos, he is a
heck of a defensive event from Oconomwalk, going on to
play at uw Lacrosse. And I got him in studio

(03:53):
for one segment because he's got to go to work.
Got a couple of Marquette guys in studio that we'll
get to the next two segments with Gabe Miller and
Mitchell Negro Nigro, excuse me. They are from Waukee Marquette
and they're going to be joining us the next two segments.
But Tony Melast from oconom walcket's good to see you
finally got you in. Looks like you just rolled out

(04:15):
a bad man. You should have gotten up a little early.

Speaker 4 (04:17):
How you bet, I've been great. Uh yeah, it's great
to be in here. I felt like I owl to
you to come in here after I jump for that
little donation.

Speaker 1 (04:24):
Don't worry, oh you know what. You know, No that's
not thank you for the handwritten thank you though. Oh yeah, yeah,
that meant a lot.

Speaker 4 (04:32):
Be honest, it was all my grandparents' idea.

Speaker 1 (04:34):
But well, you know what, Ton is the best, Paul's Okay,
they're both. I love them both, I do. They're both
really good people and they love you. Congratulations on on
on being asked and nominated to be part of this.
Uh this All Star Game pretty exciting, right.

Speaker 4 (04:52):
Yeah, yeah, no, it's great. Kind of through the season,
I was like kind of debating on if I wanted
to play college football, but now I'm fully bought into it,
and it's just kind of cool that I get to
play with the best of the South and stuff like that.

Speaker 5 (05:05):
So yeah, new dudes, if I go.

Speaker 1 (05:07):
On and that week and and and look the head
football coach on your side, if he wasn't out of town,
he'd be sitting here and I you know, you're you're
you're over that loss at the end of the year.

Speaker 4 (05:20):
Yeah, no, it's it's it's cool now. But yeah, it
was supposed to.

Speaker 1 (05:25):
Come in the next day. And and I said, hey,
if you guys get beat, you're still coming in, right
and you go, No, if we lose, I don't think
I want to come in, I go, then let's let's
cancel because I can't. You know, Yeah, you play Friday
night at seven o'clock. I've got to figure out this show.
And and look, you guys at Okonawak had a great year.
I looking back, there was some that that hole where

(05:50):
you got seated was not fair. It just wasn't you
should have gotten a home game when that's that's water
under the bridge. I was really impressed with your team,
and I was really impressed with you as a full
ball player. The way you progress throughout your football career
was really impressive to me. What do you think the
the the jump was it the amount of time you
put in the weight room? Was it the more dedication?

(06:13):
Where do you think the jump camp? As far as
you being just a big time all conference athlete.

Speaker 4 (06:20):
I think it was everything just kind of pouring into it.
I think it was just mainly buying into it in
the offseason. It was the main thing for me, but
kind of jumping into that leadership role where it needed
to be filled. And we kind of had a lot
of anticipation with with our senior class there. But I mean,
all all that had been done wasn't through the offseason,
and I just kind of knew I had big shoes

(06:40):
to fill there to be conference champs obviously, right, so.

Speaker 1 (06:44):
In the best football conference I think in the state. Now,
the boys to your to your right might might disagree
with me on that, but they don't have to go
to Arrowhead and mcguanago and Muskigo and you know, but
we'll talk to them and they make They may tell
me that I'm wrong on that, but I think still
to this day the best high school football conference day Wisconsin,

(07:05):
night in and night out. And I think to be
able to say, look, we're conference champions in that conference
your senior year, it's a big deal.

Speaker 6 (07:15):
Man.

Speaker 1 (07:16):
It normally is a couple of the other schools in
that conference. Hey, now that that's over, by the way,
in that conference, who do you circle? And like, when
you got your schedule, who did you circle? And go, Okay,
this is the team I really don't like a whole lot,
and I need we need to beat them.

Speaker 4 (07:34):
I mean it's always been it's always been Arrowhead, I
feel like, but also a little bit of KM. But
rolling into this year, they dropped that good running back
early and it was kind of like, all right, I
think we'll handle them pretty easily because we knew who
we were, but everyone else just was doubting us, obviously
because past like hundred seasons. But I mean it was
kind of Arrowhead that homecoming game. We really wanted to

(07:56):
get that one. Rolling in we'd be six and all. So, yeah,
it felt good to get that one.

Speaker 1 (08:00):
But yah Mosqigo has got to be in that in
the moo.

Speaker 4 (08:04):
Yeah, because we beat them a couple of years back,
we snapped their streak or whatever, but then ever since
then they've been kind of killing us. But yeah, I
felt good to handle that game.

Speaker 1 (08:12):
Yeah, no doubt. Hey, guys, as we talk to these
student athletes again, one of the reasons that I wanted
to do this show is so that we can help
them get to their goal raising the money that they
need to raise and hope to raise to support Children's Hospital.
And that's such a big part of this thing. Do
you have any Tony, do you have any idea what

(08:34):
you're getting into for that week at UW Whitewater.

Speaker 4 (08:38):
I mean, not fully.

Speaker 1 (08:39):
It's kind of bootcamp. A lot of dudes, A lot
of dudes. Yeah, a lot of dudes. And I can
tell you this that a coach have you guys sat
down as a staff and started to kind of map
out what that week's going to be like for you guys.

Speaker 3 (08:52):
Yeah, so obviously we'll be up at Wisconsin Widewater. I
actually was a part of the game last year with
Coach Krause and Coach Gum and everything. So it's kind
of ran almost like a fall camp. So essentially with
the meetings and the practices throughout the day, how we
kind of scheduled things out, essentially is kind of going

(09:14):
to mimic what they'll see the first two weeks of
their college fall camp. So that's pretty much what they
should expect, and we kind of told them.

Speaker 1 (09:22):
That you will to make sure they come in shape, right.
Oh yeah, most these guys are playing at the next level,
so they're going to have to be and I don't
think you got to worry too much about that. But
there are some things that happened during that week and
I'm glad that you've been through it. That the day
that some people from Children's Hospital show up and introduce
themselves about why it's important that these guys raised the

(09:45):
kind of money that they've raised. I think is a
point where anybody that I've talked to who have played
in this game, I don't know if they thought it through.
They look, we're going to be able to go out
and play some more football, We're going to be able
to go hit some people. Then the emotional side of
it when they get a chance to meet people from
Children's Hospital who have gone or are staying at Children's Hospital,

(10:08):
I think it's kind of a turning point to when
they realize the le goes on, this is the real.

Speaker 3 (10:12):
Reason we're doing this. Yeah, and I think it's pretty cool.
When I was in high school, I graduated and I
seem so long ago, not that long ago, pal it
was the Shrine Bowl, And I think it's kind of
switched and kind of geared towards, you know, now, more
towards like for the Children's Hospital, which now that I'm older,
you know, I have three boys, twin boys seven years old,

(10:35):
you know, I kind of I totally understand this and
it's something that I really appreciate them doing just for
Children's hospital, and I love that.

Speaker 1 (10:46):
Hey, Tony, why Lacrosse? I know that there was a
few people reaching out, and I know your grandfather played
at Lacrosse and he was hoping that you would at
least give them a look. See, and you did that.
I think that's one of the most beautif full parts
of our state of Wisconsin.

Speaker 6 (11:02):
I do.

Speaker 1 (11:02):
I really like that campus a lot. But why Lacrosse
for you?

Speaker 4 (11:06):
I mean, it was there was not much of a
decision after I went up there. I took my official
visit around like January, and uh, I just got to
see the whole city. And obviously my grandparents were nagging
at me the whole time.

Speaker 1 (11:21):
They don't nag, They highly recommend and suggest and yeah yeah, but.

Speaker 4 (11:25):
Uh yeah, no, it was it was. It was a
lot of like their past success too. I just wanted
to be a part of a program that kind of
knew what they were doing.

Speaker 1 (11:34):
They surely do that. Yeah, yeah, did you play in
that conference? Right?

Speaker 7 (11:38):
I definitely did.

Speaker 8 (11:39):
Yeah.

Speaker 1 (11:40):
Where did you went to Whitewater?

Speaker 6 (11:41):
Yes?

Speaker 2 (11:41):
I did.

Speaker 1 (11:42):
Man, did you have a lot of success against Lacrosse?

Speaker 3 (11:45):
Playing against the great Landslide, I mean with the great
Landslife oote four and oo.

Speaker 1 (11:51):
Yes, well yeah, why are you smiling that, Tony? That
those were Hey, those were days back in the day.
And who knows when you start playing.

Speaker 3 (12:00):
In terms of campus, you know, they call us candy
Land up there, so you'll you'll get a feel for
the campus, in the locker room and everything.

Speaker 8 (12:07):
You know, maybe your day they will do you know
what you're gonna go to school for?

Speaker 4 (12:13):
No, I don't, but I mean my whole family's been
in sales, so yeah, I feel like that would be successful.

Speaker 7 (12:19):
But who knows right now?

Speaker 1 (12:20):
You know, the cool part is you don't need to
make that decision yet, you do not When do you go?
When do you get on campus for school? Yeah?

Speaker 4 (12:28):
I think school starts that first week of September, but
I get up there first week August for actual camps.

Speaker 1 (12:35):
Coming quick? Have you a graduation? Kondawalk happened right now?
It's next Saturday, so that'll be fun. Yeah, you're not
in school anymore, are you know?

Speaker 2 (12:43):
You are?

Speaker 1 (12:44):
You still studying?

Speaker 4 (12:45):
And when we finished, we got our finals the next
couple of days. But I've been checked out for a
while now.

Speaker 1 (12:49):
So checked out, maybe since that case game something like that.
I'm glad Anti's out here because you'd be smiling. I
could tell you, boy, is he doing that job? Huh,
you've known him for a bit.

Speaker 7 (13:02):
Yeah, we were roommates in college for a little while.

Speaker 1 (13:05):
So hey, So I got to tell you this before
you got hired at Milwaukee Luther. And I got a
call from somebody who was on that board right hiring
a coach, and they said, hey, this man is really impressive.
Do you know him? And I said I do not,
And they said, can you make some calls for us?
And I called a couple of guys that you coached against,

(13:26):
and one of them, and I won't name him, one
of them said, look, I don't know him, but i've
coached against him now for two years. And let me
tell you about his players. Are respectful, they've run great stuff,
they're really well coached. And I can tell you that
this guy's future coach in high school and maybe to

(13:46):
that next level is really high. And if Milwaukee Luther
wants to turn their program around, he's their hire. And
I can tell you guys talking about your behind your
back that don't know you, they've never met you, but
they've coached against you was really impressive. And I passed
along that information to those guys and they had made
their decision prior to that. But I can tell you that, man,

(14:10):
people that you coach against speak very highly of you
on this All Star Uh coaching staff. What are you
going to be coaching?

Speaker 2 (14:19):
So I'm an offensive coordinator?

Speaker 1 (14:21):
Okay? Yeah, so the boy to your rights going to
mess up anything you run in practice? Yeah, get after
a little bit for sure. Hey, the idea of playing
one more high school football game. When when you got
that call, did you know immediately that one hundred percent
of playing that.

Speaker 5 (14:40):
All Star game?

Speaker 2 (14:40):
Yeah?

Speaker 4 (14:41):
No, for sure. I mean it would kind of be
it would kind of be the service to myself to
turn that down. I feel like it's only more preparation
for the next level at the end of the day.
So I feel like I feel like that I cann't
ask for anymore. And I know I'm playing against good competition.

Speaker 1 (14:55):
So it was pretty good players. The boy the boys
to your right, these Marque always have Uh yeah, they've
had a little success. Those are really good players. I've
seen all you guys play, been on the sidelines for
your games and other than you getting that flag for that?
Was it a late hit? What was that for?

Speaker 4 (15:13):
By the way, So I think it was. It was
like in the backfield. I was just on top of this.

Speaker 8 (15:19):
Yes, yeah, yeah, he got a little nice see what
I Smiley has good looking kid, right, I got a
little nasty to You're not gonna mind coaching that.

Speaker 2 (15:31):
I wouldn't be coaching them.

Speaker 1 (15:32):
No, but you're well, you're on the staff, so you're
you're gonna maybe have to babysit him a little bit.

Speaker 7 (15:36):
Yeah, you play defensive line in the We Act too,
You're gonna need that.

Speaker 1 (15:39):
You're gonna have to have that for for sure. Hey,
what part of the econom Walk journey? And you got
another week of school? But as you said, not me,
you said, you've been checked out for a little bit.
What part of that journey going through Economwalk football? When
you think of like your favorite memory being part of
that program, what would it be?

Speaker 5 (15:58):
Oh?

Speaker 4 (15:59):
So week one this year we had we had this
away game in Pulaski.

Speaker 5 (16:04):
So it was like two hours.

Speaker 1 (16:06):
North, two and a half hours up here stream Bank
in that area.

Speaker 4 (16:09):
Yeah, so our whole team got to go stay up
in a hotel and it was it was.

Speaker 5 (16:13):
It was amazing.

Speaker 4 (16:14):
We got to watch muck and no, no, no, it
was Appleton, North Okay had a Thursday game, so we
got to go see that and then we got to
stay in the hotel, mester around in the pool.

Speaker 5 (16:28):
It was a good memory.

Speaker 1 (16:29):
You know what's funny is that answer is like it's
not standard. But anytime we asked if you talk to
my son about playing AAU basketball and all his little
buddies and now he's married, got two kids, they don't
talk about winning the tournament in Fort Wayne, winning the
tournament in Minneapolis, going to Disney World. They talk about that,

(16:49):
the trip, the hotel, that that whole fellowship thing, that
the idea just coming together as a team. You you
you believe in that.

Speaker 3 (16:57):
Yeah, that'll be one of the things we talked about.
You know, that's one of the great things about this game.
You know, when you come together for a week, you know,
you kind of have a lot of experiences with each other,
and you know, you kind of gain some some friends
and you know, people that you will be connected to
for the rest of your life.

Speaker 1 (17:13):
Hey, guys, as we talk this entire two hours about
this WFCA All Star Game happening, in July at up
in Oshkosh, and it's just going to be a really
good event. If you've not been to it, I would
highly recommend get a chance go up there. What I'm
asking if you're feeling led when we're talking to Tony
Miluloss or Gabe Miller or Mitchell here in the next

(17:36):
couple of segments, you can go on on the Children's
Wisconsin website support dot Children's Wi dot org and you
can go through each of the players, find out where they're,
where they are to the goal of what they're being
asked to raise and and do be a favorite. Look
up Tony Muloss from oconomwalk and put twenty bucks on

(17:58):
his He's out trying to raise money. Mitchell and Gab
are doing the same. And then the second hour and
we talked to Tarico Reysdale and three players that are
playing on the South Small team, same thing. They're all
trying to get to goal and raise money and they're look,
in today's world, it's hard, it's hard to ask people.

(18:19):
And look, I'm on that website now and Gabe Miller's
at two hundred and fifty three percent of his goals.
So we're okay with that I got to pat him
on the back, but everybody else we're trying to get
them to goal. And it's such a good cause. You know,
if you're a grandfather of six like I am, you
have been to Children's Hospital. You know about Children's Hospital

(18:41):
and the great work they do. Really good friend of
mine who listened to the show pretty much every week,
Mike Bush and his grandson Aiden. I spent some time
at Children's Hospital with him and he spent a number
of months at that hospital, and the great work that
they did for him. I think is one of the
reasons is that this All Star game has such a

(19:02):
meaning to me. And I would ask you to go
online and either help them in overall or find a
player that went to the high school that you went to,
or one of the guys we have in studio, like
Tony Melized from oconom Walk and put a couple of
bucks on that it's going to a great cause. And
I think that's really really important. Hey, coach, when when

(19:24):
we have Tony and Gabe and mitchellin, what would you
say to these guys that that week up at Whitewater
that they need to be prepared? Is it more physical?
Is it more mental with what you guys are going
to put in kind of offensive defensive schemes.

Speaker 3 (19:40):
Well, yeah, it will be more so mental. I think
a lot of stuff at this point. You know, they're
all stars first of all, so you know, it's really
just you know, I feel like most of them will
understand football at a certain level, especially if they're going
to play college ball. You know a lot of stuff
that you know, offensively, what I'm going to do, you know,
I'll be honest, don't always get a Leo Chip or

(20:03):
a Joey from Franklin. Like I don't necessarily always get
quarterbacks who can sling the ball around the field like that.
So it's really exciting for me to be able to
have these guys, be able to have uh, you know,
the athletes that we have and be able to have
you know, the offensive line. It's exciting even for the
coaches where we just feel like we can do what

(20:23):
we want, you know. So you know, I've worked with
Gum last year of Sussex, who have a tremendous respect
for and I learned a lot from and you know,
and even coach Cross. So we have a lot of
things that we're doing that we're kind of taking and
pulling from it and kind of putting into our offense.
So we're really excited to be able to kind of
just you know, we kind of have a big pot

(20:43):
of things that we're planning on doing.

Speaker 1 (20:45):
And so not only physically, but these guys mentally have
got to be.

Speaker 3 (20:49):
Physically physically too, because obviously the North they play a
brand of football that we know how they like to play.

Speaker 7 (20:55):
So it's gonna be a grind.

Speaker 3 (20:57):
How did you guys do last year? We don't want
to talk. We won, okay by a lot. I think
it was forty nine to six, I believe or seven.

Speaker 1 (21:06):
So you guys hearing this, boys, yeah, you understand that
the North Boys are going to be playing that video
for their boys to say, hey, we need to get
this back. Tony Milosh from o'connum walk, I can't thank
you enough. I look, I'm you know how I feel
about about your grandparents and they're just they're just two
of the nicest people, and they care about you a lot,

(21:27):
and we talk about you behind your back. You gotta
be nice to your grandfather. That's no, he loves you.
He loves the fact that that you get one more game,
they will be front and center. I'm sure up there
they never missed one years. I don't think right.

Speaker 4 (21:40):
Maybe maybe one because they were out of town, but probably.

Speaker 1 (21:43):
Not, Yeah, probably not. It's good to see you. Thank
you so much. And if you didn't have to go
to work, I'd keep you the whole hour, but you
gotta go make some money again. If you're thinking about
supporting some of these guys that are in studio with
me today with this journey of raising some money for
Children's of Wisconsin, go to support dot Children'swi dot org.

(22:05):
Support dot Children'swi dot org and find a player that
either played at the school you went to, or some
of these guys when they tell you the story and
why they're playing in this game. Go to theirs and
you can donate ten bucks or one hundred bucks and
everything's going to go right to Children's of Wisconsin. Tony
Milos from o'connamack, it's good to see you. Play hard.

Speaker 2 (22:29):
I got you.

Speaker 1 (22:29):
Yeah, be a good ambassador for that school and your
family when you're for that week, and stay at any
mischief of this all right, you got it? Where you
get to a break the other side of the break,
A couple of marquet boys are in studio. We'll talk
to Gab and Mitchell on the other side. This is
the Varsity Blitz High School Sports Show, presented by your
local Pick and Save and Metro Market stores, only on

(22:51):
Fox Sports nine twenty in your iHeart Radio app. Welcome
back to the Varsity Blitz High School Sports Show is
always presented by your local Pick and Save and Metro
Market stores. Hey guys, before we get to any further
on this show, there is an event coming up at
Pick and Save the next couple of days, in fact,
and I want to thank Emily for sharing my old

(23:15):
store one hundred and twenty seven the Capital from noon
to two today they're doing a Summerfest kind of preview
with food kind of show or event, and I would
highly recommend get out there. It's going to be a
fun event today from noon to two one hundred and
twenty seven the Capitol in Brookfield. Tomorrow at the Metro

(23:35):
Market in Shorewood. And I'll get you more information throughout
the show. But if you're going to if you're going
shopping at your local Pick and Save or Metro Market
stores today one hundred and twenty seven the Capitol in Brookfield,
they'll have you'll be able to taste a few items
that they're going to be selling at Summerfest. It's a
really cool event and I would highly recommend that you

(23:57):
do that. We're coming live from the Diving and Yours
and Heating and Cooling studios and we're talking about the
WFCA All Star Game coming up at the UWOK uw Oshkosh,
and I can tell you that it's an event that
if you've not been to in person, try to get
up there and support these kids. It is July eighteenth

(24:19):
for the eighth man game, six o'clock on that Friday night,
and then North Small against South Small at noon, and
then the big boys come the South Large against the
North Large at four o'clock uw Oshkosh. And it's been
going on for a while, and I can tell you
these guys get more out of just playing football. I

(24:40):
think then they even anticipate they get a chance to
meet guys that they've competed with. They didn't think they
liked it, you know. The guy from like Tony said,
look anybody from Rrowhead, right, But now he's going to
play on the same team with a couple of guys
from Rrowhead. You know Marquette. I can tell you there's
a few schools in that conference that they didn't like
too much. Usually when you ask guys in that conference,

(25:02):
who don't you like, Marquette's that team. So, Gabe, you
don't You don't take offense to that Dia. No, not
at all, not at all.

Speaker 9 (25:09):
Yeah, if anything, that's honestly, that's what we look for
every every year. You know, hopefully our teams circled on
every team schedule it is.

Speaker 1 (25:18):
I look, I went to Mesmer, I coached at Dominican.
Marquette was always that's the team we wanted to beat,
that's for sure. Hey, Gabe, what position do you play?

Speaker 2 (25:29):
I play offensive line?

Speaker 1 (25:31):
Look at you smiling. Yeah, he's one of your boys.
You were talking during the break, You're telling him what
you're going to put in. We don't have to we
don't have to announce any of that stuff. But you
know what games did. I can do all that. Coach
whatever you need for me. You gotta love stuff like that. Man,
where are you going to school next year?

Speaker 9 (25:49):
By the way, I'm going to South Dakota School of Mines.

Speaker 1 (25:52):
And the idea of choosing that school, why why did
you choose to go there?

Speaker 9 (25:58):
I chose it because, you know, I saw a bunch
of different schools and kind of varied my opportunities. But
between the balance of football and academics, and all it
took was two official visits between two schools and I
walked in there and just looking around the place, it
was amazing. Between their grit and I mean the team

(26:22):
that they were building, and then combined with their academic rigor,
it was just the perfect fifth for me.

Speaker 1 (26:28):
Academics. Good for you, good student athlete? Yes, what's your
great point?

Speaker 9 (26:33):
At four point zero?

Speaker 1 (26:34):
Oh my goodness, mister, and Gabe's dad is here in
studio and he's smiling over there. I asked this for
my pick and save student Athletes of the week, and
I should have given you heads up. But your motivation
for being says a good student athlete? Where does that
come from?

Speaker 9 (26:52):
I think? But I think for just being a student
athlete in general, being the best self.

Speaker 2 (27:00):
Uh.

Speaker 9 (27:00):
For me, like, I want to be the most successful
that I can, the best person that I can be,
and just get the most out of that can and everything.

Speaker 2 (27:08):
That I do in life.

Speaker 9 (27:09):
And then football wise, you know, want to be the
most successful football player that I can possibly be and
you know, win at the highest possible level.

Speaker 1 (27:19):
You know, Coach, that's called the mic drop. We can
just turn the show off and move on. That's a Gabe.
That's a great answer. He is Gabe Miller for Milwaukee Market.
If you can move the mic, Mitchell, how you been
doing good over here?

Speaker 10 (27:32):
How you do it? Man?

Speaker 1 (27:33):
I'm good day. When we were talking to coach during
the break, he just pointed at you and he said,
that's one bad man right there. He said. When we
were looking at at players on the defensive end, the
first name that popped up was yours always been a
linebacker from playing little league football a little right? Have
you always played on that side of.

Speaker 6 (27:54):
The ball, man, I've always been a linebacker.

Speaker 1 (27:55):
So is that part of the family tradition or what?

Speaker 2 (27:58):
I guess?

Speaker 1 (27:58):
You've had a few, right, You've had some family members
come through the Marquette the Are you guys done with
school now?

Speaker 6 (28:05):
Yeah? We graduated last friday.

Speaker 1 (28:07):
Man, you're smiling and you guys are You could have
made fun of Tony He's got yet another week. Had
a cod of walk I loved and DC I checked
out a while ago. That's pure honesty from from Tony
for sure. Hey, your your journey through Milwaukee Marquette looking back?

Speaker 6 (28:23):
Was it?

Speaker 1 (28:23):
Was it good four years for you?

Speaker 2 (28:25):
Yeah?

Speaker 6 (28:25):
I think? You know, Marquette is one of those schools
where you know, it's a college prep school, You're gonna
have some struggles, and but going in you overcome those
struggles is gonna make you a better man coming out?

Speaker 1 (28:37):
Why Saint Thomas for you? You're going to Saint Thomas?
White White? What about that school? On campus? Was like, Okay,
this feels like home.

Speaker 6 (28:45):
Well obviously my h my older brother went there, so
I've been there a couple of times, and the coaching
staff was really nice to me, reaching out to me,
so you know, they offered me a scholarship division on
scholarship and you know, just going you know, after football season,
I was like, that's the spot where I want to play.

Speaker 1 (29:02):
If it wasn't St. Thomas, What was the second choice
for you? Do you think?

Speaker 5 (29:06):
I don't know?

Speaker 6 (29:07):
I mean, you know, there's a lot of schools in
here in Wisconsin that were good. Uh oh ash gosh,
Wisconsin lacrosse sure, yeah, whah.

Speaker 1 (29:21):
You might want to say White Water a couple of
times with one of your coaches sitting over here. But yeah,
Saint Thomas, you love the area, right Minneapolis? Does your
brother play up there?

Speaker 6 (29:32):
So unfortunately, my brother got injured for a second time
on his shoulder, uh, the the end of his freshman year.
You know, it was COVID time. So man, obviously a
rough time. But yeah, he decided to you know, drop
it and pursue other things. So yeah, he's doing okay, Yeah,
he's doing great. He just got engaged.

Speaker 1 (29:50):
Actually, man, congratulations.

Speaker 6 (29:52):
He always jokes around. He whenever I'm talking with him
and you know someone else's he always says, yeah, my
little brother just likes to go where I do, where
I go and do it better. That's all. That's not
what it is.

Speaker 1 (30:03):
Do you know what you're gonna go to school for.

Speaker 6 (30:05):
I'm going for business management?

Speaker 2 (30:06):
Okay?

Speaker 6 (30:07):
You know most of my family's in some sort of business,
and I think it'd be a good baseline.

Speaker 1 (30:11):
You know, good student athlete. How are your great?

Speaker 6 (30:14):
Yeah? My goods are out there. Not not the big four. Oh,
but you know I'm three nine three.

Speaker 1 (30:18):
Good for you? Who didn't give you an a? But
let's out some of these teachers, man, don't there's.

Speaker 6 (30:24):
Always my English.

Speaker 1 (30:25):
Yeah, this was always that's amazing, you know what a
couple of guys look at. And Tony's from ECONOMWA, big
time student athletes as well, so that the mental side
of what you guys are going to do. And I
looked at the roster. There there are some some really
good student athletes on this roster that I think you
going to help you guys in the long run for

(30:46):
this All Star Game.

Speaker 3 (30:47):
Well, just to even just speaking and really quick, just
even Marquette, just with these two guys here is just
a testament to their program. And you know how great
they are as a football program. You know, I'm pretty
sure that's the standard they sit throughout their whole program.
So you know, if you see just that's kind of
what we're striving for as well in the model we're
trying to follow, Like you got to be a great

(31:08):
student athlete to be a great athlete.

Speaker 1 (31:10):
So when I looked at the roster and Gabe, I
told you this, I called James Becker and I said, hey, listen,
what do you think if I bring in this guy
or bring in that guy. He's a huge fan of
you two, a huge fan, and I think, look, he's
going to do a nice job at Nicole. When I
talked to Mittio laugh at this, I said, Coach, maybe

(31:31):
we should get out and play nine or something. He said,
if I can find the time, this head coach stuff,
you know, moving six inches over, and you know this
coach moving six inches over on the bench might as
well be four miles right. He thinks the world of
you guys, for sure. And I told him, I'm going
to ask you guys about your favorite memory of being

(31:51):
miwakey Marquette guys, and I think certainly State championship's got
to be out there. I can tell you that I
picked against you. I just didn't. I'm gonna be honest
with you. I thought Frank was gonna was gonna handle
you guys. What I didn't understand and they didn't understand.
After I talked to their staff and some of their
players after the game, had no idea how physical you

(32:15):
guys were. They didn't they They they were like, look,
we out physical everybody on our schedule and thought we
were just gonna do the same. And those boys came
and hit us in the mouth on both sides of
the ball, offensive side, defensive side. They said they wore
us down. Man they wore down. Mitchell, did you know
going into your junior year that you guys had a

(32:36):
chance to? I mean even you were a little surprised, right.

Speaker 6 (32:40):
I mean, and I'm honestly I'm glad you picked against
this because owen of that week, that was just use
for fuel. I mean, but looking back at it now, Uh,
just back to the summer workouts. You know, those group
of guys are so special to me, and uh, you know,
the mentality that we had together were like, hey, we're
gonna do this like everyone's got to be bought in,

(33:03):
and we had that model the whole year, and I
think looking back now, I think it was just meant
to be.

Speaker 1 (33:08):
Certainly, hey, Gabe, I'm gonna ask you the same thing
as a junior. Did you know or have an idea
that you guys had a chance. And look, I I'm
just being one hundred percent honest. I did pick against you,
and it wasn't anything personal. I just thought that I
thought Franklin had a little too much for you guys.
But man, was I like, you gotta admit when you're wrong.

(33:29):
No surprises. You smiled when I said they they they
were a little surprised. How physical you guys were, and
that you were more physical and a little bit stronger
than them.

Speaker 2 (33:39):
Yeah, that's fair.

Speaker 9 (33:40):
I mean, everybody has their own opinion, but you know,
I think that was our motto the entire year, and
I think that's where we thrived. Was we just preached
weight room, weight room, weight room like the entire year,
and that group of guys we had there just lived
up to the standard. I mean we had I mean
our QB puken in the trash can after workouts.

Speaker 5 (34:03):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (34:04):
Really yeah.

Speaker 1 (34:06):
Hey, you know what I have to ask you is
do you think that's that first Sussex Hamilton game where
they took it to you? They whipped you? Look? As coaches,
and I'm a retired old basketball coach, we look back
at a year and every once in a while there's
a wake up call, and do you think, gab Biller
that that Sussex Hamilton game was a wake up call

(34:28):
for you guys?

Speaker 2 (34:29):
I think one hundred percent.

Speaker 9 (34:30):
I think it just put fire kind of under us,
and I think it showed us where that we're not
obviously the top right, We're not where we need to be.
We need to go a level above and it just
pushed us to be better, pushed us to work harder
in practice and showed us that we have to work harder.

(34:53):
And I think that's where we ended up growing eventually,
and you could see it through our play at practice.
Would just be more of an aggressive team, more physical.
I mean some occasionally, you know, some fights would yeah
break out, but you know, uh.

Speaker 1 (35:09):
Would you be in the middle of him or would
you be breaking them up? You know, no, no, move
it over, move move it over. And Mitchell, what do
you what did you just say? He started?

Speaker 6 (35:18):
It would start him.

Speaker 1 (35:20):
He's such a mild man. Look at that smile. It's
a million dollar smile.

Speaker 6 (35:24):
Yeah. Well, he takes play the whistle a little bit
too far sometimes. What whistle on in here?

Speaker 1 (35:31):
You know who's smiling more than anybody, his his all
star coach right here. He's like, okay, I'm you're all
right with that?

Speaker 7 (35:38):
Right again? What was that nastiness in the trenches?

Speaker 6 (35:42):
You have to.

Speaker 1 (35:44):
The best memory for you and and and I got
a ton of questions for you guys on the other
side of the break, But we got to get to
a break. And I'll start with you, Mitchell, that your
your favorite member of being part of Milwaukee Marquette football.
What would it be.

Speaker 6 (35:59):
Uh So, it's a part of the summer workout. We
go down to Bradford Beach and we do we you know,
do drills in the sand, run the hill and those
are some of the best memories. I mean after we
would grill out, you know, jump in the lake and
a little ice bath in you know, play some vibe
all some football, some spike ball. We'd say there all day,

(36:19):
I think, with the whole team, and I think that.

Speaker 2 (36:21):
Was some of the best.

Speaker 6 (36:22):
It was that player led, coach led what was Yeah,
the coaches would be there for the workouts and then
you know, they would had out, you know, go do
their jobs, and then the players would just the players
would stay there all day.

Speaker 1 (36:35):
Man, sounds it sounds like something Milwaukee Lutheran might.

Speaker 2 (36:38):
Be doing in the off season.

Speaker 1 (36:40):
Some ideas, Hey, it gave your favorite memory being part
of Milwaukee Marquette.

Speaker 9 (36:46):
Mitchell's taking a good one, you know what, it can
be the same one, I think. Uh, I like, I think,
you know, no, yeah, but I mean those.

Speaker 2 (37:00):
I think Catholic.

Speaker 9 (37:01):
I think the Catholic Memorial game my junior year that
was and the bus ride home especially, that was a
personal game for us, especially at coming off our sophomore year. Yeah,
we took that personally and that was like it was
I think we play I think we showed our true

(37:22):
selves in that game and it was just so fun
playing in that game.

Speaker 1 (37:28):
Hey, Anthony, think about the answers we've gotten from that question.
Mitchell could say, Hey, listen, in this game, I had,
you know, fourteen tackles, interception, I got a fund never
talked about himself there, talked about this team. Look at
what Gabe just talked about bus Ride as a team.
We looked at Catholic Memorial. None of these guys have

(37:51):
brought up themselves. And it's that whole servant leadership hard
of being part of something bigger than yourself. That that's
what I love about this WFC All Star Game as well,
because they're going to realize it's so much bigger than
themselves when they realize the amount of money they're they're
they're raising for a great cause like Children's of Wisconsin.
But not one time have these guys brought up let

(38:12):
me tell you about me and and you know, you
got to love that.

Speaker 3 (38:16):
As a coach one hundred and I think it kind
of just speaks to them, to their program. It speaks
to them as athletes, and you know, they're all stars
for a reason, and it's just going in the way
they speak and carry themselves.

Speaker 1 (38:27):
One hundred percent. Guys, as we talk to these guys
like Tony Mils who had to go to work from
oconom Walk and gab and Mitchell for Milwaukee Marquette, and
the second hour we're going to be talking uh to
to the South Small one of their coaches and three
of their players. And as we're doing that, I'm gonna
just ask for your help. If you're feeling led, if

(38:47):
you have been touched by the great work that Children's
Wisconsin has done, I ask you to go on that
website support dot Children's Wi dot org, find a player
that is in the conference that you played it, or
your grandkids played in, or you know some of these
kids personally, and help them get to gold. And if
they're a goal like Gabe is and I think Mitchell is,

(39:11):
let's get them over goal. Because again one hundred percent
of the proceeds goes to Children's Wisconsin and the work
that the WFCA does. Guys like Dan Brunner and Tom
Swittle and Doug Sarver and that whole group do and
certainly the coaching staff. They don't get paid to do this,
and they do this as volunteer coaches to raise money

(39:32):
for Children's Wisconsin. I ask you to go on that
website again, support dot Children's Wi dot org, find a
player or just to the overall the overall pot of
money that they're they're trying to raise, and they're really close.
They're getting close to raising over four hundred thousand dollars.
These teams and these rosters. Let's see if we can't

(39:54):
get them over the top and raise get up over
four hundred thousand dollars before this game. And I can
tell you there's different ways for you to help them,
but this is the way that I think is more meaningful.
You can go and help these players raise that money.
So go ahead and go to support dot Children's Wi
dot org and help them out. We'll get to a break.

(40:15):
Other side of the break, we'll continue talking to Gabe
and Mitchell and the new head football coach Man. We're
in the colors too. We're in the colors. My daughter
was just named the teacher of the Year at Milwaukee Lutheran.
I was so proud of her. She teaches freshmen. Yeah,
and she loves teaching the freshmen because they're not as
squarely as the sophomores, juniors, and seniors. I think. But

(40:38):
you're gonna be in the building. You'll be there to
help her, right, Yes, I will be man. I appreciate that.
This is the Varsity Blitz High School Sports Show presented
by your local Pick and Save and Metro Market stores
on Fox Sports nine twenty in your iHeart Radio app.
Welcome back to the Varsity Blitz High School Sports Show
presented by your local Pick and Save and Metro Market stores,

(41:00):
coming live from the Donovan and Jorgenson Heat and Cooling Studios.
Any issues that you have with your HVAC system go
to Donovan Jorgenson dot com, the largest deployee owned HVAC
company in the state of Wisconsin. For the entire show, today,
we're talking about the WFC All Star charity football games
benefiting Children's Wisconsin. I think that's the big part as

(41:22):
to why I'm doing this so early this year. February.
February July eighteenth is the eight man game six o'clock
up at uw Ashkosh and then the nineteenth of July.
Small schools play at noon, Large schools play at four o'clock.
And for this first hour we're talking to Anthony Dowery.
He is the new football coach, new head football coach

(41:44):
at Milwaukee Lutheran. So I'm excited about that. We had
Tony Milized from o'connamwalk in and Mitchell Nigro from Marquette.
Gabe Miller from Marquette are in studio. Hey, Anthony, because
you've been through this. If you're talking to these young guys,
and I heard you talking during the break, what do
you tell them about the experience that you had coaching

(42:07):
this game last year?

Speaker 3 (42:08):
Well, again, I think you kind of alluded to it already,
where you know, football presents like a great opportunity for us,
you know that we don't necessarily understand sometimes where you know,
you're kind of able to cultivate relationships and meet different
people that you necessarily wouldn't be able to. Uh, you know,
so now we kind of talked about it. They asked
about our running backs, you know Owen from Mount Horror. Uh,

(42:32):
you know, we got guys from all over the part,
you know, South South part of Wisconsin, and you know
it's guys that they probably wouldn't be able to meet otherwise,
you know, if they weren't didn't participate in this gaming.

Speaker 2 (42:43):
You know, we spoke about it last year.

Speaker 3 (42:45):
You know, you never know, you know, these guys could
be someone that ends up, you know, being some of
your best friends standing up in your wedding, whatever the
case may be. In it started with the bond that
you built through this week in this game. So you know,
a lot of the guys that we coached last year,
I still have a great relationship with them to this
day and still connect with them.

Speaker 7 (43:01):
So I would say that's the biggest take from it.

Speaker 1 (43:05):
Well, offensively, did you put in what?

Speaker 11 (43:10):
What?

Speaker 1 (43:10):
Did you start working on a game plan now? And
then you adjusted when you see I mean you have
an idea in your talent, right.

Speaker 3 (43:17):
Yeah, So I'll be honest, so we could talk to it.
We know the Appleton North staff is the coach coach
I may say his name wrong, Slim, he's the head coach.
They have the North defensive staff on there, so we
kind of already broke that down. And then obviously you know,
you know, we're ready for whatever in terms of adjustment.
So you know, like I said, we kind of just

(43:39):
got a pot in what we want to do. We
feel like we selected the players that give us the
most you know, ability to do you know, pretty much
whatever we want to do. And you know, with the
quarterbacks that we have, I think we can be very
versatile in our attack and really multiple in our approach
when we like come to this game.

Speaker 1 (43:58):
So, okay, would you can show to yourself a better
run blocker past blocker combination with Tell me about about you.

Speaker 9 (44:06):
I'm I think I'm a solid at both. I think
I excel in both areas. But I like to run
block more just because it gives me a chance to be,
you know, more aggressive off.

Speaker 1 (44:17):
The ball, tackle, guard, center. What position do you see
yourself playing at college?

Speaker 4 (44:22):
Uh?

Speaker 9 (44:22):
So, I'm able to I want to be able to
be prepared to play every position on the line possible.
I probably see myself as an interior offensive lineman just
due to like high wise, but like.

Speaker 1 (44:38):
A guard, yeah, like a guard.

Speaker 6 (44:40):
Yeah.

Speaker 1 (44:41):
I like offensive linemen that say, look, I'd prefer to
run block because that gets me out hitting people rather
than taking a step back and getting hit a little bit.
And they ran the ball really well at more. Look
Nevady in the backfield. You didn't have to give him
a lot of space, did you. Huh, boy, he's good

(45:02):
found he found the gaps. Yeah, Mitchell, how hard was
heated to grab the microphone? You know you had to
put him on the on the turf a couple of
times in practice?

Speaker 2 (45:14):
Right?

Speaker 6 (45:14):
Yeah? I mean he was a no hit player.

Speaker 1 (45:17):
That's awesome. You know what coach Kate's smart. Did he
have to read the red vest at or what hand
to touch?

Speaker 6 (45:26):
Is that what it was? Yeah, he would be you know,
something like that.

Speaker 1 (45:31):
But he's a special athlete.

Speaker 6 (45:33):
Yeah. There's been some other guys though, where you know,
in practice and you know it gets a little chippy
and you you know, hits the guy hard and you're
really not supposed to.

Speaker 5 (45:40):
But yeah, it's all love.

Speaker 1 (45:43):
Hey, I had the kicker in studio. Yeah, yeah, you
know what, and all of a sudden like had him. Man,
we're all cheering. He's going to Wisconsin and boom going
to Notre Damn. Is that good kid? He can Man,
I've never seen a book. Look on sidelines, have been
a million high school football games. The ball sounds different

(46:04):
when he kicks it. It just sounds different and he
he's gonna make some noise. I think over a Notre Dame.
He's awfully good. Hey, the leaders that that you talked about, look,
we did this, and we did this and we learned
this when you were a sophomore. Were you on varsity
as sophomore? Yeah, So the leaders you had on the
teams that you guys played, did they teach you by

(46:27):
either with their words or by examples, how to be
a good leader at Milwaukee Marquette.

Speaker 6 (46:33):
I mean yeah, you know, as a starting as a sophomore,
I also you know, had a little bit of a
leadership role as well. But yeah, learning from those guys
who played before me. You know, still talk to him
to this day, honestly. And you know, I feel like
the junior class when I was a sophomore, I feel
like they were, you know, really looking into, you know,

(46:55):
how to be a better leader for next year, because
when we got to my junior year, that's when you know,
a lot of leadership roles were formed.

Speaker 1 (47:02):
As as a as a senior, were you a vocal leader?
Were you more of a quiet and and and watch
me and how I go about it. I'm wondering if
if if you if if you opened your mouth a
little bit.

Speaker 2 (47:15):
Yeah.

Speaker 6 (47:16):
Well, under Coach Becker, you know, I was always trying
to get a little bit more, you know, slack on
the leash, to be able to say something or else.
You know, I say something, Coach Becker's like, no, don't
listen to.

Speaker 1 (47:26):
Him, don't you know.

Speaker 6 (47:27):
Yeah, there'd be some times or you know, i'd hey,
bring it in, guys, let's you know, we're gonna talk
about this. We're gonna do some Everyone get on film tonight.
Everyone do this. We got to get this down for
you know, so Coach Becker can trust us and we
can run a you know, a good defensive scheme.

Speaker 1 (47:42):
He's a good man. He's a really good man. When
I asked Gabe about the Sussex Hamilton loss, that that
really was a jump. I mean, you guys felt that
the pain they stuck you pretty good, and there are
some surprises there. But I'll tell you it's it's how
you get up off the and how you react, and
that team reacted really well. Would you agree that that

(48:05):
that was that probably looking back, that that was a
good loss.

Speaker 6 (48:09):
Yeah, I mean, looking back now, you know, like Gabe said,
it showed that we still needed to work harder that
we were and all that. I think mostly part of
that game. It was a mental thing as well. I
think there are some players who shut down, you know
after we were losing and h you know that week
of practice afterwards where we were just like, hey, we
got to put it behind us. We got to you know,

(48:31):
lock in on this next game next week comes up. Man,
you can't you can't be thinking about something, you know
for too long in football. And yeah, just you know,
listening to coach K, the great Coach K, who had
some great words for us, like and you know we
made that bounce back happen, and uh yeah.

Speaker 1 (48:49):
Hey, how do you think? So the program's going a
little bit in a different direction, right, staff is changing.
Yeah there, Yeah, the cupboard's not bear. They they've got
a chance to be pretty good, but it's it's it's
the end of an era, right. You know that coach
Basham was there for a long time, Coach Kay was
here for a long time, and it's now a kind

(49:10):
of a transition. You feel pretty good about about the
future of that program.

Speaker 2 (49:15):
H Yeah.

Speaker 6 (49:16):
I talked to some of the younger guys and uh,
you know, the workouts are still gonna be the same.
I think, uh And I also so, I actually do
run a podcast on my own and Marquette and I
had the head coach on.

Speaker 1 (49:30):
What is the podcast?

Speaker 6 (49:31):
It's called raff and the Meatballs. What is it called
raf and the Meatballs? Ralli, who's a football coach started
a podcast with some of the guys last year, Joey Spano,
Murphy Montreal and we took it on me and Will
Grillinger and one of my buddies, Durmott, and we had

(49:52):
one of the new head coach on and he seemed
like a really good guy. He had a stuff together.
So I'm looking for to what the team can.

Speaker 1 (50:00):
Do Wraffing the Meatballs. Man, if you want to listen
to the podcast, I was looking for an opportunity to play.
You did good. You only ten bucks for that though
you can't get a free play during the week. Yeah. Hey,
and look, and if you're gonna pay me the ten
don't pay it to me. You you you go on
on the WFC All Star Game, go to giving at

(50:22):
Children'swi dot org and I can tell you that given
some money support dot Children's Wi dot org. Find some
of these players. Find Mitchell's name, find Gabe Miller, find
Tony Milas and and and put twenty bucks on their account.
Let's get this, this entire group up over the goal
that they have set. And guys, I can't thank you

(50:45):
enough and understand this week. I don't know it's not
if it's life changing, but there's some guys that this
has been life changing for. And I want you to
go into this thing understanding there's so much more than
the game on Saturday. But get prepared. You're gonna get
coached up. That North sides out for some Riquette. Every
week you got somebody who's got some revenge against Malwakee

(51:08):
Marquette for some reason. This North team is gonna be
watching to get a film from last year and they're
gonna they're gonna want to take it to you. I
really appreciate you guys coming in and again, Coach Beckard
cannot say enough good things about you guys, your families
and and what good ambassadors you are not only for
the for the program, but for your families and for

(51:28):
that school. Good luck is Saint Thomas, good luck South Dakota.
It's really good. If there's anything that you guys need
from me except plug plug in that podcast Raffing the Meatballs.
It's a good podcast.

Speaker 6 (51:41):
Yeah, take a listen. We uh we uh you know
interview markt Alum. You know we had the principal on
the last week of school.

Speaker 1 (51:49):
So how'd that go? Did you tell the principle all
the stuff you were doing behind his back? No, no,
don't do that. If you're one a non Marquette guy,
you let me know. I'll tell you what it's like
to talk behind your back from all the schools that
I coached and went to. So, Hey, Dave, it's goods
good to meet you. Thank you so much. Hey, do

(52:10):
me a favor, and and and play play really hard
for for coach Dowry. And I know that you know.
I'm glad that you guys got a chance to meet
because he he will coach you up for that week
and get you prepared for that trip to South Dakota
School of the Minds. It's good to meet you.

Speaker 2 (52:26):
Thank you so much for having me on.

Speaker 1 (52:27):
Yeah, you bet tell your dad it's nice to meet him,
and tell him I said thank you as well. Mitchell,
thank you coach man. It's good to meet you. I've
heard nothing but good things about you. And and Uh,
it's spin your magic at Milwaukee Lutheran. I'll be anything
that I can do to help you for that with
that school, in that program. I'm available for because I'm

(52:48):
a big fan of the people over there.

Speaker 7 (52:51):
Thank you a lot.

Speaker 3 (52:52):
Like I said, I think we got a lot of
supporting things in place too, So you know, kind of
just progress and build the right coach where we need.

Speaker 2 (52:58):
That's conduc with the.

Speaker 3 (52:59):
Winning right, happy with the staff you're putting together one.
You know you have thirteen coaches right now. Got Calvin
Matthew with me, future WFC a Hall of Fame or.

Speaker 1 (53:09):
Should be in now.

Speaker 2 (53:10):
Yeah, he is coming. It's got you know what next
maybe a couple of months.

Speaker 1 (53:14):
Maybe I can tell you this that I've had him
in studio and you can't find somebody in this market
to say anything bad about that man.

Speaker 6 (53:22):
He is.

Speaker 1 (53:23):
He is a football guy. There's anything he hasn't seen.
Great hire for you.

Speaker 3 (53:28):
He was my high school coach, and you know we're
connected by the hip. You know, we talk football all
the time, sports in general, and you know we're just
locked in when it comes to building the right mentality
and culture needed that we want to you know, make
things successful.

Speaker 1 (53:43):
And keep your eye in these two Marquet boys up
the white Wise. I don't think they're going to cause
you trouble. I think one of them might, but I
won't tell you which one.

Speaker 2 (53:49):
I got an idea too.

Speaker 7 (53:50):
Yeah, it's usually those defensive guys.

Speaker 1 (53:53):
It's normally those linebackers with a million dollars smiles. I
think they can head out into town or something. But
you won't be doing any of that comes from a
great family, great program.

Speaker 6 (54:03):
You know.

Speaker 1 (54:03):
I'm only kidding with that. Boys. It's good to meet you.
Congratulations again. Support dot children'swi dot org. And look these
guys up. Look up Tony, look up Gabe, look up Mitchell.
And if you can add fifty to their account, twenty
to their account, five bucks would would be very helpful
as we try to get to this four hundred thousand

(54:23):
dollars number. And they're getting really close, all these these
individual teams, coaches, they're getting close. But let's put them
over the top. Guys, thank you, have a great summer.
It's good to see you. This is the Varsity Blitz
high School sports Show, presented by your local Pick and
Save and Metro Market stores only on five Sports, nine
twenty and your iHeart Radio app. Welcome back to the

(54:44):
Varsity Politz High School Sports Show, as always presented by
your local Pick and Save and Metro Market stores. Coming
live from the Donovan and Jorgenson Heating and Cooling Studios.
We have no issues with the AC and the studio today.
Tell you that it's cold in here today. Issues you
have with your AC as you turning it on. If

(55:04):
you haven't turned it on, go to Donovan Jorganson dot com.
They'll take really great carry you and I'm a big
fan of the people over there. They do a great job.
Second hour, we've transitioned a little bit over to the
South small schools and we are talking about the WFCA
All Star Game coming up relatively soon July in Oshkosh,

(55:28):
and what we're trying to do, and the reason we're
doing it this early is we're trying to get these
players at goal. The idea of this All Star Game
is great, right, they get a chance to play one
more high school football game. They get a chance to
play against some of the best high school football players
in the state of Wisconsin. They get a chance to
meet players that they competed against, and now they're teammates

(55:50):
with But the idea of this game at the end
of it is to raise money for Children's Wisconsin and
we're going to try to help them do that. We're
now moving on over again to the south small head
assistant coach Rico Raigsdell. He's a head coach Milwaukee Academy
of Science, but now he's moving over the side of
the bench to be an assistant coach. Coach.

Speaker 6 (56:12):
How you been.

Speaker 1 (56:13):
It's good to see you again. Yeah, you're getting ready
for this and this is your first year to be
on steph R and so you're learning just alongside these
guys that are in studio with us. We got a
couple of Milwaukee Cadia Science players. We got the quarterback
from Lake Country Lutheran. Well, I reached out to you.
I watched him play a couple of years. This kids
can play Matt and we're going to get to Jackson

(56:34):
Mental here in a minute. You guys had a great
year with Academy of Science.

Speaker 12 (56:39):
Yeah, yeah, we we had a solid year. Came up
short of the ultimate goal, but uh, you know, I
appreciate you guys.

Speaker 1 (56:45):
We're in early and you told me you looked me
in the eye and you said we got a chance,
We got a chance to go deep in the playoffs,
and you guys did that, and you man, you came
up just a little bit short for what your goal was.
But I'll tell how you what for for people here
in the city of Milwaukee. Pretty proud of that team.

Speaker 2 (57:04):
Appreciate that. Appreciate that.

Speaker 1 (57:06):
What do you guys got coming back? You guys get
a chance to be pretty good next year?

Speaker 2 (57:09):
Yeah, I think so we have.

Speaker 12 (57:13):
We have a luxury of bringing back all of our
bigs except one that you know, Johann who will be
playing an All Star game, but everyone else on the
offensive line and defensive line to be back.

Speaker 1 (57:23):
So uh, we'll be over front.

Speaker 12 (57:26):
Yeah, we'll be older up front, and that's going to
help our younger skill guys a whole lot. So it
may look a little different, but I think we still
have a shot.

Speaker 1 (57:34):
All right, I'm gonna hold you to that. That's awesome. Hey,
the second segment, we'll get to the two players from
Miwaukee Academy Science. I wanted to talk a little bit
to the quarterback from from LCL Lake Country, Lutheran Jackson,
Menzel Jackson. How you been I've been doing good? Are you? Yeah? Good? Ben,
you guys had another good year, a great career at

(57:56):
Lake Country Luther.

Speaker 11 (57:57):
I appreciate it. Yeah, No, it's been It's been really fun.

Speaker 1 (58:00):
Yeah. Bras is a good dude man, Oh for sure.

Speaker 6 (58:03):
Yeah.

Speaker 1 (58:03):
I've known him a long time and a big fan
of of of that program. You guys every year, you know,
when guys like me start looking at conferences and who
do we think is gonna win? We talked about Lake
Country Luther, like, okay, who's second right? And I think
that that program has been built for that. Your how

(58:24):
long did you have you played varsity?

Speaker 11 (58:27):
So sophomore year I came in about a couple of
games in kind of took over that and started running
it from there.

Speaker 1 (58:35):
So you played both sides of the ball.

Speaker 11 (58:37):
I didn't. I thought about it, and then I was like, well,
it's just I'd rather not get hurt. Yep, And you know,
lay quarterback was my ultimate goal and playing college and stuff,
so that was kind of my thought behind that. But
obviously I would have loved to.

Speaker 1 (58:52):
Man, you can spin it too, you can throw it.
I I've been a huge fan watching I think I've
seen you play three times. U Shilin reporter for the
High school football game of the week, and then I
just came out to one of your playoff games and
being not only a big fan of watching you on
the field, but talking to Brass and talking to some
of the staff. You figured out that leadership role and

(59:15):
what the idea of being a quarterback and that's your
huddle and you got to take over the offensive side.
You learned that early on. And there are a lot
of people that were hoping you had one more year
of eligibility to come back and play year the same
for sure.

Speaker 11 (59:32):
I mean anything to play one more year of high school.
I think it's almost any man's dream of playing, you know,
because it's the best year with your best friends, you know,
under the lights at Friday night.

Speaker 6 (59:42):
You know it's the best.

Speaker 1 (59:43):
Coach. Look, I want to hug the kid, and I'll
tell you why. Being an old retired basketball coach, I
would tell kids like Jackson, look, enjoy this. It goes
by really quick. If I brought his mom and dad
up to the micro Rin studio and I asked him
about the journey and that year of last, they would
say I wish he had one more year as well.

(01:00:05):
But for a kid this age to go look I
wish I could play one more year. A lot of
kids are like, no, no, the next level is even
going to be bigger and better. And look, I understand
if you're going to Alabama, you're going to Wisconsin, you're
going to Tennessee. Yeah, you know what, maybe, but I
can tell you that if you're if you're gonna go
play at Whitewater, which is a big time program. Playing

(01:00:28):
with the kids you grew up with, playing with kids
that you go to high school with and you're in
class with, and this whole community come out and supports
you and out at LCL. It's an event. They do
a great job, the alumni that the Booster Club. It
is truly an event for these guys. And I love
the fact that we got a kid who's a senior
in high school who just graduated saying, man, give me

(01:00:51):
one more year.

Speaker 2 (01:00:52):
Oh yeah. It shows. It shows the type of kid
he is.

Speaker 12 (01:00:56):
It seems like he's level and he's two feet on
the ground that not always looking for the next thing,
like showing appreciation.

Speaker 1 (01:01:04):
To love that you know where he is. His mom
and dad did a nice job with him. He looks
at you right in the eye and smiles and he's
twenty five dollars away from hitting his goal. So you
know what, guys, when you go on this website and
you go to support WI, let me get to it
so I don't give it wrong because I clicked out

(01:01:25):
of it. Here for a second. If you go to
support that children's wi dot org and the event a
WFC All Star charity game, and you can look for
a player, let's let's get him over goal. Jackson Menzel,
quarterback from LCL. Coach, what side of the ball are
you coaching in the.

Speaker 2 (01:01:43):
All Star Game offense? I'll be a.

Speaker 1 (01:01:47):
Wonder why he slipped you five bucks. Don't get a
cup of coffee. Have you watched any game tape on him?
And you know what you're getting with him as one
of your quarterback?

Speaker 2 (01:01:58):
Yes, I watched the a few of his games.

Speaker 12 (01:02:01):
He's an excellent talent athlete out of this world, gets
out of the pocket, throws on a run.

Speaker 2 (01:02:09):
He he's a dude that I watched a few games.

Speaker 1 (01:02:14):
Would he be? And look again, I watched him too,
so I'm wondering if you think that he would. The
term gun slinger came to mind when I watched him play,
Because you're right, he gets out of the pocket, his
eyes are downfield a lot, and if he's got takeoff
and run. He took a couple of shots that the
game I was at, and I thought he's done, and
he got up and he helped the defensive player up

(01:02:34):
and slapped him on the backside and went to the hutlin.
I thought, Okay, he's a little bit tougher because he's
a strong kid, not a big, huge kid. And I
was really impressed. I'm glad you watched some game film
because you're gonna see he takes some shots and he
gets right up. His eyes are always downfield and he'll
try to throw that ball in a small window. So
you make sure that you get him some open looks

(01:02:56):
and some receivers, and he's gonna have a ton of successful.

Speaker 2 (01:02:59):
Sure, I believe it. For sure.

Speaker 12 (01:03:01):
He's extremely talented, and you know he has he has
the arm talents to do anything he wants on the field.

Speaker 1 (01:03:07):
So Jackson, you've always been able to spin that ball
a little bit, been able to throw pretty well?

Speaker 11 (01:03:11):
Yeah, no, I I've been trying to. You know, throwing
on the run is something that like I feel like
I've always kind of been a little bit better at
than the rest of my game, because that's kind of
one of the things we do in our offense a lot.
And yeah, I mean trying to hit tight windows is
always you know, it's fun, it's it's competitive.

Speaker 6 (01:03:30):
You know.

Speaker 1 (01:03:30):
Are you a multi sport athlete?

Speaker 6 (01:03:32):
I am.

Speaker 2 (01:03:32):
Yeah.

Speaker 11 (01:03:33):
I played baseball, basketball, and football from well all four
years except for my senior year of basketball, I didn't
play because I was That was kind of when I
was trying to, you know, figure out where I was
going for football and all that and training. But other
than that, Yeah, if.

Speaker 1 (01:03:50):
You had to do it over again, would you have
played basketball? Did you miss it?

Speaker 11 (01:03:53):
I missed it. I totally do, but it was more
of a time part of it. Sure, it's not not
the love of the game.

Speaker 1 (01:04:00):
I love basketball, but yeah, coach Newman comedy and say
what are you doing? Yeah, let's go.

Speaker 11 (01:04:04):
Yeah, he was said, but he understood it. You know.

Speaker 1 (01:04:08):
You know what I would have done. I would have
went to their their house, and I would have pitched
the tent in their front yard and I would have
knocked on their door and said, Hey, would you like
coffee today? Are you going to play basketball this year?
And if he said no, I'd come back at lunch,
knock in the door. I got cousin subs, you're gonna
play basketball for me? I would have I would have
gotten this guy. I would have made sure I'm a
better salesman than Newman as coach Newman is, I would

(01:04:29):
have sold him on coming back out. And I love
the fact that he said, look, I kind of missed it.
Your favorite memory being part of Lake Country Lutheran football
for these four years? What would it be?

Speaker 6 (01:04:40):
Oh?

Speaker 11 (01:04:40):
Man, I don't know. I there's there's been a lot
of good ones, but I would have to say junior year,
our homecoming game played in Saint Kat's and that came
down to you know, buzzer beater kick by madix Kylie.
That game was it was just insane. I agree. I
think everyone on that on that field thought it was
the best game they've ever played, just because of how

(01:05:01):
how intense it got.

Speaker 1 (01:05:03):
Saint Catherine's pretty good program for they got some well
coached man it is that that's a good win for sure. Yeah,
I appreciate that a lot.

Speaker 11 (01:05:13):
U W.

Speaker 1 (01:05:14):
White Water. Do you know what you're going to school for?

Speaker 11 (01:05:16):
Yeah, I'm going there for business.

Speaker 1 (01:05:19):
So why business?

Speaker 11 (01:05:21):
I don't know, I've just always I've ran kind of
not my own business, but like I'm o lawns and
do that type of stuff all the time.

Speaker 1 (01:05:28):
And what's the name of the company?

Speaker 11 (01:05:30):
Men Lawn Services?

Speaker 1 (01:05:33):
Shout out? Is there openings?

Speaker 6 (01:05:37):
You?

Speaker 1 (01:05:37):
People can still hold on menzel Law.

Speaker 4 (01:05:40):
What is it?

Speaker 11 (01:05:41):
Mens Lawn Services?

Speaker 6 (01:05:44):
Man?

Speaker 1 (01:05:44):
No, man, I gotta start charging these guys. I got
you know, yeah, Mitchell, He's like, hey, I've got a
podcast wrapping the meat. I'm like, all right, let's just
go ahead and plug it. Men's Lawn Service man. You busy?

Speaker 11 (01:06:00):
Yeah, I am busy. I'm a decent amount, you know, commercial, residential.

Speaker 5 (01:06:07):
All of it.

Speaker 1 (01:06:07):
Who's taking over when you go to white Water?

Speaker 11 (01:06:09):
That's a good question.

Speaker 6 (01:06:10):
I'm gonna. I'm gonna.

Speaker 1 (01:06:11):
I'm looking at your mom right now. I don't think
she's doing it now she I don't think she's doing
What is your mom's first name, Laurie, Lori. Laurie is
not going to be keep picking up now.

Speaker 11 (01:06:22):
But luckily I'm pretty close to home being going to
white Water. It's like fifty minutes maybe.

Speaker 1 (01:06:28):
Easy, so, but you're gonna be playing football, We'll see.
I don't know about that. Y w Whitewater Bite. Yeah, yeah, No.

Speaker 11 (01:06:37):
I love the coaching staff. It changed a little bit
after I committed, and I knew it was going to
but I met all the new coaches. Coach Murphy obviously
is the offensive coordinator. Great dude. I love the the
offense there they're running over there. Just obviously being close
to home too, and knowing it's a great business school.

(01:06:57):
Just a bunch of good things.

Speaker 1 (01:06:58):
Hey, Laurie, I what's your dad's first name, Brian, Brian, Lorie.
Think about what he just said. It's close to home.
A lot of guys that could that sit where he's sitting. Go, Look,
I'm going to some school in the middle of nowhere
because you know what, maybe it's time for me to
get away from home. This kid, it's close to home.
I can continue mental law service and make some extra money.

(01:07:23):
And I love that. Jackson, we're gonna move you off
the mic. We're gonna bring on Johann and Cameron, both
players from Walkee Academy of Science, and then we'll have
the three players join us in that third segment. We're
talking WFCA All Star Game. And the reason I'm doing
it this early is we're going to help these guys
raise some money and get to goal. The ultimate goal

(01:07:46):
is to get over four hundred thousand dollars to support
Children's Wisconsin Children's Hospital. I've got two kids and six grandkids.
I've been to that hospital a lot, and they do
great work. And I talked in that first segment about
a really good friend by Mike Butch and his grandson
Aiden that that I have. When he was at Children's

(01:08:06):
four almost a year, I would go over there and
hang out with him, and the people over there are
are angels. They are And what I when I'm trying
to do is get all of these players to get
to gold so that when they get to w Whitewater
and start that week of training at week that camp,
that they can just focus on meeting new guys. There's

(01:08:30):
gonna be friends from this team that he doesn't even
know that Jackson Manziels never even met. But they're gonna
be friends at Whitewater and then throughout the rest of
their life. That part is important. But raising money for you,
w for you for Wisconsin Children's of Wisconsin is the
goal of this game, and I love the fact that
we can talk about it now and help them get

(01:08:51):
to gold. So go on that website, support that Children's
wi dot org and help us get to that goal.
This is the Varsity Blitz High School Sports Show, presented
by your local Pick and Save and Metro Market stores
only on Fox Sports nine to twenty and your iHeart
Radio app. Welcome back to the Varsity Blitz High School
Sports Show, as always presented by your local Pick and

(01:09:12):
Save and a Metro Market store. Has got an event
going on today at the store in Brookfield one hundred
and twenty seven the Capital and you can go out.
It's kind of it's going to promote Summerfest and some
of the different foods that you're going to be able
to try at Summerfest. They're doing it an event today
from twelve to two at the Pick and Save in Brookfield,

(01:09:35):
my old store when I lived on eighty eighth in
Townshend's that was our store one hundred and twenty seven
the Capitol, and tomorrow at the Metro Market store in
Shorewood and head out there if you're going in the area,
stop by. Emily Williamson will be there and there'll be
a great you'll get a chance to test a whole
bunch of different foods that Summerfest is going to be

(01:09:57):
offering today on Today Show two hours talking about the
WFCA All Star Game coming up in July at July
eighteenth for the eight man six o'clock at U w
Oshkosh and then the nineteenth that's the Small Schools at
noon at uw Oshkosh in studio with me Rico Ragsdale,
head coach at Milwaukee Academy of Science and assistant coach

(01:10:20):
for this the South Small Team, a couple of players
from Miwaukee Academy of Science. Cameron Williams, how are you doing?

Speaker 5 (01:10:28):
I'm doing great.

Speaker 1 (01:10:28):
Yeah, coming a little close to the microphone if you can.
What position do you play?

Speaker 5 (01:10:32):
I play slot receiver on offense and on defense? I
play safety.

Speaker 1 (01:10:37):
What do you think you're gonna play up at Concordia
Saint Paul offense or defense?

Speaker 5 (01:10:40):
Safety?

Speaker 1 (01:10:41):
So defense you're gonna get. You're gonna get to the
defensive side. You're gonna let him play in the All
Star Game. On the defensive side, you're gonna you're gonna
sneak him over to your side.

Speaker 2 (01:10:49):
He's he'll be snuck over a little bit, but he'll
he'll start over there on the defense.

Speaker 1 (01:10:54):
Yeah, I know that him and Menzel have already said
a few things, and you know I heard him say,
I'm open all the time, just throwing me the ball, mental.

Speaker 2 (01:11:01):
All the time.

Speaker 1 (01:11:02):
Yeah, man, you guys had and you guys had a
good year. Camera did you know coming in last year
that you guys had a chance to be as good
as you guys were.

Speaker 13 (01:11:12):
Yes, during the off season doing the work that we had,
the workouts, I see in the team and I was
just like, we have a chance this year. We had
a lot of good talent, a lot of great players,
and we all came together at the beginning of the
season said we wanted to win this year.

Speaker 1 (01:11:27):
Yeah, and you guys did. The disappointment of going to
Deep's he did not finish in the job exact. You've
forgotten about that now, yes, uh now, still.

Speaker 5 (01:11:39):
In the back of my head time to time. I
think about it.

Speaker 13 (01:11:42):
But at the end of the day, as long as
you know you worked as hard as you could, you
did what you could, you can walk away knowing.

Speaker 1 (01:11:49):
That that's awesome. Why Concurty the same point.

Speaker 13 (01:11:53):
I have a great relationship with their coaching staff, specifically
Mike Bond, guy from Milwaukee himself. I created a relationship
with him over the past two years. He's stayed talking
to me, brought me up on a few visits.

Speaker 1 (01:12:05):
When they made the offer, you knew.

Speaker 13 (01:12:09):
I wouldn't say I knew because it was my first
one and it was during my junior year.

Speaker 5 (01:12:13):
So still early.

Speaker 1 (01:12:14):
If it wasn't Concorda Saint Paul, what was the second choice?

Speaker 13 (01:12:18):
I believe I would have gone to Michigan Tech up
in Yeah, way up there, Yeah, yeah, Upper Peninsula.

Speaker 1 (01:12:24):
Yeah, yeah, Well, Concordia Saint Paul. I've heard nothing but
really good things about that campus and about the school.
And uh, I know you'll be a great ambassador for
the city of Milwaukee for coach here at from Waukee
Academy of Science. And do you know what you want
to go into? Education wise?

Speaker 13 (01:12:43):
My major will be sports management, but I'll have a
minor in business as well.

Speaker 1 (01:12:47):
Okay, okay, that's the way to head you. If we're
moved the microphone over, John Harper, offensive Lineman, how you
doing good? Congratulations on being selected to play in this
All Star Game. You're excited about it. It's gonna be
a tough week. You know, Rex was gonna get after you, guys.
You thought you were done here and hear me yell

(01:13:08):
at you, you're not. You got a whole another week.
The All Star Game is a chance for you to
play one more high school football game, which is awesome.
But again, there's so much more to it than than
that that week up at Whitewater. There's a lot of
things that happened during that week that that you guys,
it's outside of football, getting a chance to hang out

(01:13:31):
with some guys from all over the state, guys maybe
you competed against, you didn't know, and you get a
chance to make a whole bunch of more friends. Guy
like Jackson Menzel, Right, the quarterback you're gonna be blocking for. Look,
he's a he's a pretty boy, but he's tough, so
you don't worry about it. You know what if he
gets hit once or twice, you'll be okay. Yeah, you'll
be okay. But where are you going to school next year?

(01:13:54):
I okay, why why that school? What what made you
decide that that's where you want to go play football?

Speaker 10 (01:14:01):
So they first started like recruiting me and stuff, I
was looking into them. They definitely a winning program, so
I love what they do there. I love the Olone yeah,
I love the coach too. I was having a great
conversation with the coach, So I think I can definitely
do great there.

Speaker 1 (01:14:14):
These guys do pretty well at that next level.

Speaker 2 (01:14:16):
Huh oh yeah.

Speaker 12 (01:14:17):
Yeah, as long as they stay committed, stay level, and
you know, do what's necessary, they'll achieve every goal that
they have.

Speaker 1 (01:14:24):
You've gotten them prepared for that.

Speaker 2 (01:14:26):
I hope, so I believe so may sure practices are
tough enough.

Speaker 1 (01:14:30):
So yeah, and you know it's interesting coaches as high
school coaches. You know, I would have players come up
to me and go, man, why do you guys hate
me so much? And I'd be like, what, well, you
keep yelling at me? Yeah, you never worry about it.
If I'm yelling at you, worry when I stop yelling
at you. Right, that means that that, you know what,
maybe you have not listened enough and I need to

(01:14:52):
put you to the end of the bench for a
week to kind of get your attention. Yeah, and look,
these guys, you've had to get on a little bit,
right because you want to get there prepared for the
next level.

Speaker 12 (01:15:02):
Oh yeah, yeah, So I mean, you know, like having
having them with me for as long as I have,
especially like like Jahan Jahan was a kid that didn't
play his freshman year. He to be honest, I I
noticed him in a lunch room. I'll never forget this story.
He our biggest kid on our team. Him and him

(01:15:22):
and Ray were like horse playing in the lunch room
and he him, he himed Ray up like where Ray
couldn't move him.

Speaker 2 (01:15:30):
Who is that?

Speaker 4 (01:15:30):
Who is that?

Speaker 12 (01:15:32):
Had to have to introduce myself, get him out. And
you know, he came out of sophomore year and it
was you know, he had to he had to grow.
But I can tell he fell in love with it.
And by the time his junior year came, he was
he was there and ready, and you know he he
realized that he can actually do something and go somewhere.

Speaker 1 (01:15:51):
And then you gave him an opportunity to go to
the next level. Jihunt, Well, did you did not play
like in fifth grade, sixth grade, seventh grade or oh?

Speaker 10 (01:16:00):
So, Actually, when I was like about six or seven,
I played pee wee, But that was farthest I went
because like at first I was, I was bad at it.

Speaker 5 (01:16:07):
So yeah, I didn't think.

Speaker 1 (01:16:10):
Do you remember the first week your sophomore year, did
you think, oh man, what if I got myself into
definitely for sure practices was hectic and then did the
light bulb go on? Or did you have some success
as a softomore that made you feel like, Okay, this
is something for me.

Speaker 10 (01:16:26):
Oh yeah, So actually I was like through my sophomore
year it was ups and downs, but I knew I
was like I could get good at the game, and
I definitely started to love it. So my junior year
I came in started working hard up to my senior
year that we're here.

Speaker 1 (01:16:41):
Man, you guys, you know what coach went. It creats story.
You see him in lunch room and you go, who's
that kid? I'm gonna go introduce myself to him. You're
not surprised that he's gotten to the point that he's
that He's now, you know, one of the I don't
know how many guys get selected, not many to be nominated,
even nominated, to be on this All Star game, and

(01:17:03):
then to be selected and to be able to play
another game. For a kid who didn't play his freshman year,
struggled a little bit his sophomore you were trying to
figure it out, then fell in love with it, dedicated
himself in all start going to play in college. That
that that's it's like a book or a Netflix story.

Speaker 12 (01:17:22):
Right right, I mean, but it's a testament to him.
You know, he has some guy giving ability with he's
he happened to be six five and almost three hundred
pound and it is extremely athletic. It was just you know,
showing him, showing him the.

Speaker 1 (01:17:36):
Way, Hey with camera. Did you did you play football
early on? And if football been your only sport of
your multi sport?

Speaker 13 (01:17:45):
I was a multi sport athlete. I began playing football
tackle football was five.

Speaker 1 (01:17:50):
Okay, so different story than the kids you're left you
did you always know that football was was was your ticket? Yeah?

Speaker 13 (01:18:00):
I was younger about I want to say about around kindergarten.
I would come home and watch Big ten Network all day,
so you.

Speaker 1 (01:18:08):
Knew yeah, yeah, yeah that's awesome. Hey, if we move
up the mic back, Johan, what's the best part of
your game? Is it run block and past block and
combination of the both boys? What do you think you're
the best part of you as an offensive lineman.

Speaker 10 (01:18:24):
Is I think it'd be my uh my past bucket
for sure.

Speaker 6 (01:18:28):
Yeah.

Speaker 5 (01:18:29):
I got click feet, so I can't get out up
you know.

Speaker 1 (01:18:33):
He's gonna have to he's gonna have to run block
a little bit at that next level.

Speaker 12 (01:18:37):
Right, he definitely will. I mean he's he's solid there
as well. His his athleticism shines when you can get
him on the move and I'm pulling.

Speaker 4 (01:18:45):
You know.

Speaker 1 (01:18:45):
So, uh, he doesn't mind getting to that second level.
And I got an eighth grade grandson who is an
offensive lineman, and he used to say to me, Papa,
I'm gonna get to the second level. I can never
get there. I can't catch those third level guys. I
can't catch I can't guys like camera because they run.
But but but the second level, John, can you get

(01:19:06):
to the second level and take care of some of
these linebackers?

Speaker 12 (01:19:08):
Oh yeah, he's athletic. I mean we we had a
couple of you know, X screens that we had in
place where he was the lead blocker going to get
the cornerback.

Speaker 2 (01:19:16):
All right, he's good.

Speaker 1 (01:19:18):
Yeah, he'll like you're you're happy he's going to be
on this this soft star team.

Speaker 12 (01:19:23):
Oh yeah, I'm extremely happy and happy he you know,
he stayed stay committed and stay true to himself and
you know, going on to college.

Speaker 1 (01:19:30):
And he is rika Reraigsdale. He is the head coach
in Milwaukee Academy of Science on their football team, also
an assistant coach for the WFC All Star charity football
game going on at you w Oshkosh, and guys, the
reason we're doing this show so early this year is
not only to highlight, promote and celebrate these true student

(01:19:51):
athletes that are getting one more high school football game,
and they're raising great money for Children's Wisconsin, which I
think is a great cause. Go to support dot Children's
dot org and look up if you look up Cameron
Williams from Milwaukee Academy of Signs to John Harper from
Milwaukee Acadmy Signs if you're feeling led to help them

(01:20:11):
get to their goal. Or Jackson Menzel. He's twenty five
bucks from goal, so maybe we should ask Menzel Lawn
Service to donate twenty five bucks. But look at it,
I'm getting a buck every time I mentioned that company,
so I'm gonna keep mentioning them over and over again.
You could go on that website support dot Children's WI
dot org and look up Cameron Williams, or look up

(01:20:33):
John Harper or Jackson Menzel and let's get them to goal,
you pitch it, you know what, go online give them five, ten,
twenty one hundred bucks to help them get to gold
because that money, one hundred percent of those money of
those dollars go to Children's Wisconsin. We're gonna We're gonna
ask Jackson Menzel to join these two other players from
Milwaukee Academy Signs and we'll talk some high school football

(01:20:56):
and some memories and some of the things they learned
as a student athlete from Lake Country Lutheran or Milwaukee
Academy of Science on the other side of the break.
This is the Varsity Blitz High School Sports Show presented
by your local Pick and Save and Metro Market stores,
only on Fox Sports nine twenty in your iHeart Radio app.
Welcome back to the Varsity Blitz High School Sports Show

(01:21:18):
presented by your local Pick and Save and Metro Market stores,
Coming live from the Donovan and Jorganston Hitting and Cooling Studios.
I know, for me, when shows go as quick as
this one's gone, a lot of information that we're thrown
out there. But the goal of this show today is
to help these guys get to goal and raise money

(01:21:40):
for Children's Wisconsin. I love the fact that these guys
are all playing in the WFC All Star Charity Football
Game at uw Oshkosh coming up in July, and what
we're trying to do is help them get to go
them raise money four Children's Wisconsin. We're joined by three
players that are playing on the South small squad, and

(01:22:03):
I can tell you that these are guys that are
good ambassadors for their school and their families. Cameron Williams
from Milwaukee Academy of Science and John Harper Milwaukee Academy
of Science and Jackson Menzel from Lake Country Lutheran. Jackson,
and I looked at you when Johann Harper said, boy,
I love the pass block.

Speaker 14 (01:22:20):
I'm really good at that big smile on your face.
As the quarterback of this All Star game. Yeah you hey, man,
you guys are going to be best friends, right. You
don't mind this kid DoD for sure, six five, big
kid and he's got good feed.

Speaker 1 (01:22:33):
He likes to pass block and keep his quarterback standing
straight up and down. And as the quarterback, man, yeah,
you'll be uh. He might be working for Men's of
Laws Service in the summer. Man, that's the case, hey, Jackson.
When when we were talking with Johana talking to Cameron,
and you could feel the passion that they have for

(01:22:56):
this this game. Football has always been your favorite.

Speaker 11 (01:23:00):
Uh No, it actually hasn't. When I was younger, I
was I was huge into.

Speaker 1 (01:23:03):
Baseball and position.

Speaker 11 (01:23:06):
I was always a catcher. So it's kind of, you know,
i'd say one kind of like a quarterback of the
baseball field.

Speaker 1 (01:23:13):
You know, quarterbacks or catchers are a little bit touched
in the head, I think, But that's just a little
bit different, a little bit different. Yeah, did you play?
Are you playing baseball anymore?

Speaker 4 (01:23:23):
Yeah?

Speaker 6 (01:23:23):
I am. Yeah.

Speaker 11 (01:23:24):
We were going into our playoff game next week for
for high school. So how's the team doing. Teams looking good,
We're looking good. We're finally starting to come around here.

Speaker 1 (01:23:33):
Are you hitting the ball a little bit? Yeah?

Speaker 6 (01:23:36):
Hit?

Speaker 11 (01:23:37):
I hit four four yeah this year?

Speaker 1 (01:23:40):
So you hit any bombs yet?

Speaker 11 (01:23:42):
I had one against Luther Prep a couple last week.

Speaker 1 (01:23:46):
Maybe who do you open up within the playoffs?

Speaker 11 (01:23:49):
I think we played Dominican Okay, so I coached it.

Speaker 1 (01:23:53):
Yeah, baseball that not their best sport. I can tell
you that baseball, football, they're not bad. No, yeah, they'll
be okay. So you still have a little bit left
of this and then you'll get prepared for this All
Star Game and then uh so you'll you'll find out
what locker rooms are like and where you're going to college.

(01:24:15):
You have a roommate all set.

Speaker 11 (01:24:17):
And yeah I do, I do from Hamilton Orlanto Humphrey
room with him. So yeah, it's a great dude.

Speaker 1 (01:24:24):
Yeah, great dude. Yeah a good football player, yes, yes,
for sure. Yeah, that program is something else and I
can tell you that. Hey, let's let's u let's move
over to if we can't Johann, Hey, Johann, when when
when he starts smiling because you're a good past blocker.
You saw that too, I'm sure the fact of being

(01:24:44):
an offensive lineman for you? Do you play both sides
of the ball in high school?

Speaker 6 (01:24:48):
No?

Speaker 1 (01:24:48):
I just played you played just offensive. Have you tried
on the defensive.

Speaker 6 (01:24:51):
Side at all?

Speaker 1 (01:24:54):
Not for your camera smile? You know what he's like. No,
he needs to stay on that offensive line side of
the ball. When when you Rico will will probably talk
a little bit about the kind of offense that you
guys are going to run. But in the All Star Game,
you only get four or five four days basically to
put in an offense. So so mentally you got to

(01:25:15):
be as sharp as they come for what they're going
to put in. How much do you look forward to
getting wait for that week and going up to Whitewater
and experience in this thing.

Speaker 2 (01:25:25):
I can't wait.

Speaker 1 (01:25:26):
Really, you're ready to go, very exciting. They're going to
run you a little bit. You've been out getting you're
in the weight room a little bit getting prepared. No,
that's not good. Yeah, you got to buy them what
a couple of months, right, maybe six weeks to get prepared.
So you got to make sure I would get going
out because you don't want to be the one on
the sidelines thrown up because mental is not gonna be happy.

(01:25:48):
If that's what that's what the case is. If you
can move it over. Hey, Cameron, when you start thinking
about this last high school football game that you're going
to be able to play before you go to Concordia
Saint Paul, the anticipation of it, you're you're looking forward
to getting the white Water and getting that week started.

Speaker 13 (01:26:08):
Yeah, I think it's gonna be really exciting because it's
gonna be that last game feeling and that knowing that
I think you'll make it'll make the juices float a
little more than usual, knowing that it's probably your last
chance to show it in front of people back home.

Speaker 1 (01:26:23):
Yeah, if you if they just keeping out, Rasdale said,
we're gonna slide him out on the offensive side, but
get your hands on one of those passes from the
north because you know they're gonna wabble a little bit.
Get your hands on one and take it to the
house if if you can, right.

Speaker 5 (01:26:38):
That's my specialty.

Speaker 13 (01:26:39):
I'm gonna do good hands for a guy that is
going to college to play dB. I had a thousand
yards on the offense with fifty seven catches, which is
not the usual.

Speaker 1 (01:26:50):
Another kid right there, you know what, make sure you
tell coach Raysdale, hey, you might want to slide him
in a little bit overan yards man fifty seven catches.
You know you can catch the ball and get it
to him, you know what, Get it to him early
and in uh in the play because I got a
feeling that he's gonna be able to take it to

(01:27:11):
the house. Get quick feed too. Yeah, one hundred percent.
When did they talk to you at concording to Saint
Paul about playing offense or defense or did they recruit
you as a defensive player.

Speaker 13 (01:27:23):
Firstly, the dB coach recruited me, and when I got
on campus, I had a conversation with the receivers coach.
He was the guy who like when I had to
do my recruiting, he broke down a fielm with me,
so I had a relationship with him. I still do
when I get there. They also recruited a couple of

(01:27:43):
our older receivers, so I knew who he was.

Speaker 5 (01:27:46):
He knew who I was. Seen my film at receiver
as well.

Speaker 1 (01:27:48):
So well, you know what's interesting is until you get
to camp, you know you're on the defensive side, but
all of a sudden, you pick one or two and
you start. Did you return punch, kickoffs, any of that stuff?

Speaker 6 (01:28:00):
Yeah?

Speaker 5 (01:28:00):
I did it a few times this year.

Speaker 13 (01:28:02):
But actually in one of the games, it was our
first playoff game, a punt bounced and I let it
bounce too many times and it bounced all the way
to the one and we were only up one point.

Speaker 5 (01:28:15):
But due to the great running back I have, we ran.

Speaker 13 (01:28:19):
I believe it was like an inside zone where I'm
the lead bocker, but I had to smash a linebacker.
And when I smashed that linebacker, huge gaping hole open up.
You went for ninety nine in that game against Nuclears.

Speaker 2 (01:28:31):
But there it is.

Speaker 1 (01:28:32):
That's making up you know what, that is, just making
up for letting it bounce and bounce and bounce all
the way down to the one. Hey Jackson, the idea
of learning a whole new offense terminology. You're okay with that?
And have you been in contact with these guys or
were they waiting to show you and talk to you

(01:28:53):
about what they're gonna run until you get on campus
at Whitewater.

Speaker 11 (01:28:58):
Oh you're talking about for white Water. Yeah, I've talked
for Oh okay, yeah, yeah, we talked about it originally
when we had that I forgot what it was like
that meeting day where we talked with everyone kind of
like asking what we were comfortable with. So as far
as the play style of it, I think will be good,
But it's more about to play calls and that type

(01:29:19):
of stuff that I'll I'll have to learn when we
get there, but shouldn't be a problem for me and
the rest of the guys I see some Saint Catherine. Yeah,
you have to be friends guys that you don't like
much for four years. Oh I know, Yeah, big rivals,
but uh, same with same with a couple. Uh yeah,
some guys I played against, but uh that four year rivalry.

(01:29:43):
Four year rivalry is kind of kind of done now
for us, but there will always be that, you know,
in the back of my head.

Speaker 5 (01:29:49):
Well.

Speaker 1 (01:29:49):
And it's interesting because when they when they split the
South and North, when you go to the South large, right,
it's all guys pretty much guys from this area, right,
and you're looking at at well, there is some some
guys like Verona and and McFarlane, but Marquette and Marecine
case the Catholic Memorial in Tosis. But when you go
to the smaller schools and from from here Milwaukee Academy

(01:30:13):
of Science, University School, and kind of you like that's
Saint Catharines and then the one kid from from Saint Jose.
But you're looking at playing a Platfum in Lancaster and
and guy Lemira. Guys that look, it's not guys that
you would have hung out with or played against for
the most part. So there's gonna be a lot of

(01:30:33):
people coming around the locker room just introducing themselves. I mean,
if somebody said they're from Blackhawk, warrens, you're gonna go
with where Yeah, where's that?

Speaker 2 (01:30:42):
Right?

Speaker 1 (01:30:43):
And and there are guys on this roster, Cuba City,
guys that you might not know who they are, but
you're gonna know who they are by the by the
end of that that week excited about. Look, you get
a lot going out right now. Just graduated. Hey, by
the way, camer did you guys graduate already a school out?

Speaker 6 (01:31:00):
No, we didn't.

Speaker 5 (01:31:01):
Our graduation is this upcoming Saturday?

Speaker 1 (01:31:03):
So are you done with class now?

Speaker 5 (01:31:05):
Or yeah?

Speaker 13 (01:31:05):
I've been done for like the past week. I had
one exam Tuesday.

Speaker 2 (01:31:09):
It was to spend.

Speaker 1 (01:31:10):
Tony realized from a condom walk he's still in class,
and he said, but I checked out a long time.
I'm wondering, you know, you to carry your business all
the way till the end.

Speaker 5 (01:31:20):
Yeah, mentally I checked out maybe in like February.

Speaker 1 (01:31:26):
Okay, yeah, all right, Well, Menzo, your parents are in studio,
so I'm gonna ask you when you checked out.

Speaker 6 (01:31:31):
Yeah.

Speaker 11 (01:31:32):
No, I that was nice for me because I only
had one class at LCL. The rest was at w
CTC doing my welding stuff. Okay, and I actually had
to lock in for w CDC s though, because if
you if you got lower than a C, you like
wouldn't get credit for it.

Speaker 1 (01:31:48):
So I didn't know that you were doing that way.
Is that something that you just wanted to do because
you're going to business?

Speaker 11 (01:31:55):
But why well, man, it was I like the trades,
you know that type of stuff. It's not something and
I'm gonna go into. But it's just good to have
that extra you know, that extra trade.

Speaker 1 (01:32:04):
Do you know that that home improvement show that I
do every Saturday for me tonight, literally every single week.
The guy that sits where Cameron is says, can we
talk about we're looking to hire people if we get
guys out of high school, we get guys that that
that get to college and decide maybe this isn't for me, man, welding.
You can make a huge living with some of that. Sure,

(01:32:28):
I mean that could be a part time hustle to
the mental launch. You know there's five bucks show me
right right there, man, right there? You Hey, you tell
Laurie she's gonna have to give me that money before
you go for it, for sure?

Speaker 6 (01:32:41):
For sure. Hey.

Speaker 1 (01:32:42):
The the idea of learning a new offense in the
week and then having to figure out I'm sure that
you got an idea what u W Whitewater does?

Speaker 6 (01:32:49):
Right?

Speaker 2 (01:32:50):
Yep?

Speaker 6 (01:32:51):
Do you know what what that.

Speaker 1 (01:32:52):
Quarterback room looks like at Whitewater? You have some some
seniors coming back juniors who are you gonna have to
compete with?

Speaker 11 (01:33:00):
I talked to we had our commitment day and I
talked to I watched a practice and then talked to
the QBS and and the offensive coordinator. And I believe
there's there's two, uh, two seniors. I don't know if
it's like a fifth year senior or whatnot, but there's
two seniors, two juniors, and like a sophomore thing.

Speaker 1 (01:33:20):
So you get a chance to kind of ease your
way inund a little bit. But look, knowing all three
of you and getting a chance to meet, you know,
the idea of coming in to just sit and watch.
I can't believe that's your style, right, it's not? No, No,
A little bit.

Speaker 11 (01:33:34):
Harder, trying to work as hard as I can to,
you know, to play there as soon as I can.

Speaker 1 (01:33:39):
You know, Cameron, when's the last time you sat the
bench for a little bit? Because that might have to
happen for the first year up at Concording to Saint Paul,
You're gonna be comfortable if that happens.

Speaker 13 (01:33:51):
I don't think I have not started a football game
since I was that first year I played football.

Speaker 5 (01:33:57):
That's the last time I haven't started a football game.

Speaker 1 (01:34:00):
Let's let's find we're gonna find out what that looks like.
Is you get on campus, whole new life, right? I mean,
now all of a sudden, there's nobody getting you up
to get to class, nobody making your breakfast, nobody's saying
you got study tonight, right, you got it's time to
put on your big boy pants, and it's you know,
the beginning. It's gonna be a little bit harder, might
be a little homesick. Anybody else from the area. You

(01:34:22):
said there's some some is there some academy science guys
on that staff.

Speaker 13 (01:34:26):
On that that there's there's four I believe, no five,
five Chauncey Jackson, A j staffel, Ted Jones, Randy Moore
and true.

Speaker 1 (01:34:38):
So so they're gonna be able to let you know
what it's like on campus and show you around a
little bit. If we have moved the microphone over Jahan,
there's you're you're not gonna know anybody in your campus, right,
now do you know when you leaved it to head
off for college.

Speaker 10 (01:34:52):
Oh, July seven, it's supposed to be July seven, but
I'm supsed to be coming back around like the tenth.

Speaker 1 (01:34:56):
Okay, because there's just the check and day all right. Yeah,
so you to get back and get to camp because
you know what, the boy to your left once you
ready to block for him. Yeah, he said he'd come
pick you up if he needed to. He's gonna want
to pick you up. When when do you leave? When
when do you leave? Jackson?

Speaker 11 (01:35:13):
We just got we got a summer workouts and stuff,
and it's nice, like I said, being closed, so I
can just go back and forth. But then I think
we go back truly in August. We move in, you know,
in August, like thirteenth.

Speaker 1 (01:35:24):
Maybe, so it's still got two days and stuff like that.

Speaker 2 (01:35:27):
Yeah.

Speaker 1 (01:35:27):
Yeah, you'll be prepared physically and mentally for that for sure.
For sure. Hey, guys, I can't thank you enough. I
really can't. It's just been for me to be able
to talk to guys that have one more game left. Look,
I'm gonna tell you this too. For years ago, and
this has happened a lot that these staffs there are
guys that that that are on getting ready to play

(01:35:49):
in this All Star Game that have been under recruited,
and these staffs start calling coaches, going, hey, man, Joe
Chobrin was a kid that went to watch Buckshell West
and he and he was not recruited by Wisconsin. They
called up the Badgers and said, you missed it. Not
only is this kid the best offensive player we have
in the field, he's the best defensive player, is the

(01:36:10):
best punt returner, and you guys have missed it. They
ended up coming and watching him, recruiting him to play
at Wisconsin and he ended up having a great career
in the NFL. And it came from this All Star
Game for this staff going, guys, you missed it, so
so be ready to play and understand that there's a
chance that maybe they make a call and go, look,

(01:36:32):
this is a Division one kid like you got to
come watch this kid. So make sure that you're physically, mentally,
spiritually ready to be to be part of this All
Star Game. Guys, if you get a chance, donate some money.
Go to the website and see if you can't help them.
It's support DoD Children'swi dot org and Look up Jackson Menzil,

(01:36:53):
look at Cameron Williams and Johann Harper. These are really
good student athletes that are that are going to do
great things for the state of Wisconsin, their high schools
and their families at the next level. It's nice to
meet you, guys. Thank you, appreciate you. Bet guys, thank you.
And Coach Raisdeale, thanks a lot for coming and it's
always good to see you. He's an assistant coach for

(01:37:14):
this game with the head coach at Milwaukee Academy of Science.
This is the Varsity Blitz high school sports show, as
always presented by your local Pick and Save and Metro
Market stores, only on Fox Sports nine twenty in your
iHeart radio app