So, I don’t know why, but it turns out it is hard to get updates on the Big Rivers Conference. Some teams report scores, some don’t. The Big Rivers Conference website does not show Memorial in the conference standings page? Scores are not updated frequently so I have learned to snoop around the internet for updates. But hey, I figured you would want to know so I put in a little extra time….all for you! I knew you would appreciate it!
Here is a quick update on the Big Rivers Conference after the first week of play.
Week of August 27th Games:
Hudson @ EC North. Hudson wins 7-1
Menomonie @River Falls. River Falls wins 4-0
Rice Lake @ Chippewa Falls. Rice Lake wins 3-1.
Rice Lake @ River Falls. Rice Lake wins 2-1.
Menomonie @ EC North. North wins 5-0
Memorial @ Chippewa Falls. Memorial wins 3-1.
Big Rivers Conference Standings
Rice Lake 2-0-0
Hudson 1-0-0
Memorial 1-0-0
North 1-1-0
River Falls 1-1-0
Chippewa Falls 0-2-0
Menomonie 0-2-0
Quick Take Aways:
-Hudson put 7 goals on North is impressive. Albrecht typically has a stout defense. It felt like Hudson was an early conference favorite based on returning players and this game would certainly support that theory.
-Surprise Team to Watch Out For: Rice Lake. Rice Lake has quietly put together a nice tun the past 2-4 years and is building a nice program up north. They have a few appearances at State and are well coached with solid players. Don’t sleep in Rice Lake.
-Thought North would be in contention for the top half of the conference. Curious how they play this week. They have teams on both ends of the Conference, how will they fare against teams they need to beat to improve their standing. Can you throw out the Hudson game?
-There does not appear to be a dominant team in conference this year. Hudson has lost several non-conference games already. Memorial lost to GB Preble (no shame there). Only Rice Lake is currently undefeated overall. I think the conference may be more wide open this year. Can someone shake up the Memorial-Hudson grip on the conference championship. The upcoming week will give us some clues.
Games for the Week of September 3rd:
Tuesday Games: River Falls @ Memorial, Hudson @ Menomonie, North @ Rice Lake
Thursday Games: Memorial @ North, Chippewa Falls @ River Falls, Rice Lake @ Hudson
An interesting week. We will find out if Rice Lake is the real deal this week. Wins against North and a Win or Tie at Hudson would shake up the conference hierarchy a bit. Can North step up and get a win against one of the top teams in the conference this year? Can Memorial’s young squad win both their games to set up an early season clash with Hudson the following week. This is a big week for Memorial to develop some consistency and build some positive momentum for the season.
Game of the Week: Rice Lake @ Hudson