In Brussels yesterday, the Southern Door girls softball team shut out Oconto 3-0. Courtney Wautier took the mound for the Eagles. She struck out nine batters. Southern Door scored their runs early in the game and while Oconto had 6 hits, they were unable to bring their runners home.

Sevastopol defeated Algoma yesterday 4-1. The Wolves got on the board first in the third inning and the Pioneers answered back in the fifth. For Sevastopol, Brittany Jilot recorded 2 RBIs. Carissa Neinas took the mound for the Pioneers and struck out 5. Leading the way in hitting for Algoma was Shana Vandertie who was 2x3. Lyndsay Swoboda pitched for Algoma. Algoma and Sevastopol are now tied for first place.

Kewaunee had a big win against NEW Lutheran. The final score was 9-2. Leading the way in slugging for Kewaunee was Jenny Frank who was 2x3, Cassie Zimmerman was 2x2 and Kelli Schleis was 3x4. Zimmerman recorded 2 RBIs and Schleis had 4 RBIs. Kari Wotachek was the winning pitcher. She struck out 13 batters.

The Luxemburg-Casco baseball team suited up to take on Denmark for a double header yesterday. The series was spilt and each team earned a win. In a close first game, Denmark won 10-9. Denmark got on the board early but L-C slowly answered back. The score was 9-3 going into the seventh with the Spartans on top. The bats came alive for Denmark and they recorded 7 more runs to take the win. Leading the way for L-C was Eric Gale who was 2x4 and Ryan Adams was 3x4. Brandon Alexander was the losing pitcher but was the strike out leader with 7. For Denmark, Craig Hanson and Ryan Winnekens were 2x4. Josh Leiterman was the winning pitcher.
In game 2, the bats came alive for the Spartans and they won 15-5. Eric Anderson hit a grand slam in the first inning to get things going for L-C. Other leading hitters for the Spartans were Eric Gale and Derek Schmelzer who were each 3x4. Ryan Adams went 2x3 and Justin Seidl was 2x4. Craig Demmin was the winning pitcher. Eric McCabe threw for Denmark.
Sturgeon Bay shut out Gibraltar yesterday 5-0. The Clippers sprinkled runs throughout the game and Gibraltar could not answer back. Simon Rabas and Ryna Zak led the way for Sturgeon Bay. They both went 2x4 and each had an RBI. Calyton Hanson was the winning pitcher. Marshall Larsen threw for the Vikings and struck out 4.
Southern Door took the win against Oconto 3-1. Joel Delorit pitched for the Eagles and struck out 10 batters. Southern Door's Kyle Thiede went 2x4. Mitch Kushava threw for Oconto.
The bats were hot for Algoma yesterday. The Wolves shut out Sevastopol 9-0. Consistent hitting and scoring by Algoma earned them the victory. Leading the way in slugging for Algoma was Eric Aackerman. He blasted a home run and a grand slam yesterday. He went 2x4 and had 7 RBIS. Craig Kirchman and Colin Lohenry also went 2x4. Alex Aackerman was the winning pitcher and struck out 10 batters. Woody Schartner threw for the Pioneers.
Also yesterday, Kewaunee defeated NEW Lutheran 3-2.

In girl's Crescent Conference Tournament action yesterday, Sturgeon Bay shut out Wrightstown 1-0. Jordanne Dvorak scored the Clipper goal.
Also yesterday, Menasha St. Mary beat NEW Lutheran 5-1.

SPORTS POINT AND COUNTERPOINT

The draft is the proverbial bedroom mirror. It forces a team to assess its weaknesses and identify holes. At some point in each off-season, a team must fill those weaknesses. Ted Thompson's strategy of drafting the best player available is fine as long as needs are met through free agency.

This off-season Green Bay neglected to fill obvious holes. However, Thompson still drafted “the best player available." you can’t afford that luxury when nothing was done through free agency to address other huge needs.

Green Bay selected Justin Harrell in the first round. Very simply, Harrell wasn’t even the best player available at 16. Brady Quinn was definitively the best value.

Maybe Thompson really believes in Aaron Rodgers. Ok. Fine. What about Robert Meachem, Dwayne Bowe, Leon Hall or Reggie Nelson?

Harrell, largely regarded as a second round talent, struggled to overcome injuries at Tennessee. Question marks surround whether he will withstand the rigors of an NFL season.

Following the first round, in what can only be described as a pathetic attempt to fill needs, Green Bay selected a running back with bad shoulders (Brandon Jackson), a slow wide receiver (James Jones) and a speedy wide receiver who doesn’t run great routes (David Clowney).

The exact same issues remain for Green Bay. Ahman Green left a huge hole at running back. Green Bay did nothing to address it. Brett Favre still lacks a dynamic tight end to stretch the middle of the field. Green Bay did nothing to address it. At wide receiver, Favre possesses capable players at his disposal; however, none of them are gamebreakers. Predictably, Green Bay did nothing to address it.

At what point is it detrimental to disregard glaring holes and simply select the best player available? Thompson preaches building through the draft. Unfortunately, I have no idea what Green Bay is building.

Before we hang Packers General Manager Ted Thompson in a tree, lets remember what fans were thinking after the 2006 draft. Thompson hit on a sure-fire number five pick in A.J. Hawk. After that people were confused by the franchise’s decision to pick Daryn College, Jason Spitz and Tony Moll. The three turned out to be reliable and are now viewed as the corner stones of Green Bay’s offensive line.
The 2007 draft was filled with offensive expectations but with the number 16 selection defensive tackle Justin Harrell was taken. Ted Thompson said Harrell was the best player left on their draft board so he went with his motto, “don’t’ fill a need, draft the best talent available.”
The Packers need was obviously a running back, wide receiver or tight end. While the Packers did not address those needs in the first round, at least the brain trust stood by their motto. Coaches and GM’s that flip flop on their word are most times unsuccessful. So give this staff credit for standing by their word.
Donald Driver and Greg Jennings made a nice receiving tandem last season. Jennings, barring the sophomore slump, will take another step forward. The forgotten intangible in the equation is Robert Ferguson. He has been disappointing in a word to this point in his career, but Coach Mike McCarthy and his staff have big plans for the underachieving possession receiver.
Keyshawn Johnson was cut by the Carolina Panthers last week. He could be a possible weapon added into the equation. Thompson’s track record indicates the move is a long shot, but it's worth mentioning.
Green Bay’s second round draft pick Brandon Jackson from the University of Nebraska will surprise many in the next three years. He may not be an impact player in his rookie season, but I believe he has the intangibles that make him a durable back in the NFL.
Fifth round selection David Clowney could be a Greg Jennings repeat. Clowney provides the Pack with much needed speed to stretch the field. If he can gel with Favre this could be a difference maker by week 5 in 2007.
The jury is out on this year’s draft. Be patient Packer fans and let the most recent draft class prove themselves before we call them losers.

Yesterday afternoon on 96.7 FM WBDK, Sevastopol topped Luxemburg-Casco in a Packerland Conference softball game in Jacksonport. It was a scoreless game heading into the third inning when leadoff batter Sarah Junion crushed a ball to right center field and tore around the bases for an inside the park homerun.
Two batters later, pitcher Carissa Neinas hit the ball in almost the same spot and notched an inside the park home run as well. Sevastopol would add three more runs in the fifth inning in a 5-0 route of the Spartans.
Neinas threw a two-hit shutout and went 2x2 at the plate. Junion and Lacey Weber went 2x3 at the plate for Sevastopol.
Sammy Mercier and Gina Reubens recorded the only hits in the game for L-C. The Spartans fall to 2-9 in conference play and 6-10 overall. Steph Mleziva took the loss on the mound.

In a Packerland Conference baseball game between Sturgeon Bay and Kewaunee, the Clippers outlasted their opponent in a 2-1 win. Simon Rabas and Patrick Larson each drove in a run to account for the Clipper's offensive attack. Nathan Anschutz threw a complete game and allowed just one earned run. The Clippers move above .500 in conference play to (5-4).
Brandon Kinjerski drove in Kewaunee's run with an RBI single with two outs in the fifth inning. The loss puts Kewaunee at (7-3) in the conference. Ryan Steubs was the losing pitcher.

At Wander Springs, Luxemburg-Casco shot a combined 338 to take the event and solidify themselves as conference champions. Sturgeon Bay and Denmark both shot a 339 to tie for third place. They were followed by Sevastopol with a 345, Southern Door shot a 348 and Gibraltar finished with a 363.
Luxemburg-Casco sophomore Josh VandenBush had the low score of the day with a four over par 76. The Packerland Conference golfer of the year from Sevastopol Cam Fuller finished in third with a 77. Sturgeon Bay's top finisher was Nathan Schmelzer with an 82. Ryan LaPolla from Gibraltar scored an 83. Tying for sixth place was John Parent from Sturgeon Bay and Sam Slaby and Isaac Berg of Southern Door.
The Packerland Conference first team selections were Fuller, VandenBush, Parent and Nick Hoegger from Southern Door. Second team selections were Slaby, LaPolla, Tyler DuChateau and Kyle Buresh of L-C and Sturgeon Bay's Zach Fairchild.

The Sevastopol Pioneers have their eye on a Packerland Conference Championship. To take one step closer to that goal, they must beat Luxemburg-Casco tonight. The game will be broadcast on 96.7 FM WBDK. The Spartans fell to Sturgeon Bay last night and the Pioneers topped Denmark.
Our coverage of the game begins with the pre-game show starting at 4:15 p.m. Sevastopol Head Coach Heather Fellner-Spetz and L-C Coach Tom Giachino will preview the match up during the pre-game.
The first pitch from Jacksonport will be thrown at 4:30 p.m. This is the last time these two teams will match up as Packerland Conference opponents. L-C will move to the Bay Conference after the 2007 season.

Luxemburg-Casco scored four early runs en route to a 7-3 victory over Sturgeon Bay yesterday. Both pitchers threw complete games, but Brandon Alexander picked up the victory with two strikeouts and no earned runs. Sturgeon Bay's Troy Jorgenson had 8 strikeouts, four walks and two earned runs in a losing effort. Sturgeon Bay and Luxemburg-Casco struggled in the field committing five and four errors respectively. Luxemburg-Casco plated four runs in the first two innings, but Sturgeon Bay closed the game to 5-3. Then, Luxemburg-Casco methodically pulled away scoring a run in the sixth and seventh innings. For Luxemburg-Casco, Brandon Jacobs went 2-for-4 with two doubles and two RBIs. Eric Gale finished 2-for-3 and scored a run. Nate Felhofer went 2-for-3 for the Clippers.

In other Packerland Conference action, Kewaunee outlasted Sevastopol 5-4 in nine innings. Kewaunee's Alex Delebreau picked up the win in relief while Cody Leist is tagged with the loss. For Kewaunee, Ryan Stuebs finished 3-for-3 and Brandon Kinjerski went 2-for-4. Leist was 2-for-3 for Sevastopol. Kewaunee led 4-0 in the bottom of the seventh inning, but Sevastopol scored four runs to tie it. Leist drove in two runs after a bases-loaded single to make it 4-3. Then Sevastopol's Aaron Hasenjager forced the tying run home. Kewaunee scored in the ninth after Brandon Luedtke singled, stole second. He then moved to third on a sacrifice and scored after a passed ball. Kewaunee moves to 10-4 overall and 7-2 in conference while Sevastopol drops to 5-7 overall and 3-6 in conference.

Southern Door also defeated Denmark, 14-1. 
Algoma topped Gibraltar 15-5 in six innings.

Sturgeon Bay surrendered four runs in the bottom of the seventh but held on for a 5-4 victory last night at the Luxemburg-Casco Sports Complex. The Clippers scored two in the fourth and three in the sixth. The three-run sixth inning featured two singles and two Luxemburg-Casco errors.

Sturgeon Bay pitcher Steph Shefchik took a three-hit shutout into the seventh inning. Luxemburg-Casco tagged her for four runs on five hits to close within one. Gina Rubens tripled with the bases loaded, and two-outs, to bring the score to 5-4. However, Rubens was one of the six Spartans left on base yesterday afternoon.

Shefchik grabbed the complete game victory for Sturgeon Bay. She struck out 10 and gave up eight hits. For Luxemburg-Casco, Kalli Schmelzer allowed two earned runs, five in all, and retired five Clippers on strikes.

Megan Rubens led Sturgeon Bay going 3-for-4 and scoring two runs. For Luxemburg-Casco, Gina Rubens finished 2-for-3 with a sacrifice. She recorded two triples and three RBIs.

If you missed yesterday's broadcast of Sturgeon Bay and Luxemburg-Casco Softball, visit DoorCountyDailyNews.com for the archived broadcast.

Other Packerland Conference softball scores:

Sevastopol - 9                 Denmark - 5                        Algoma - 9
Kewaunee - 0                 Southern Door - 3                Gibraltar - 1