Morning State Sports Briefs: Bullfrogs lone state team in Northwoods League playoffs

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GREEN BAY - The Green Bay Bullfrogs will represent Wisconsin in the Northwoods League playoffs which begin tonight.

Green Bay finished second in the overall South Division standings at 42-27, a game behind Battle Creek which won the title in both halves of the season. The two teams will play a best-of-three series that opens tonight in Green Bay. Battle Creek ended the regular season with a seven-game winning streak, while Green Bay has won two straight. Alexandria, which won the second half crown in the North Division, will play first-half champion Mankato in the best-of-three North series that begins this evening. The winners of both series will play each other for the Northwoods championship starting on Thursday night. The La Crosse Loggers finished third in both the second half and the overall standings with a combined record of 38-and-31. Madison was fourth overall at 37-32. Eau Claire, last year’s champion, was fifth at 36-34. The Wisconsin Woodchucks and Wisconsin Rapids tied for last in the South Division at 24-46.

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Green Bay Packers’ punter Tim Masthay appears to be ready for the season, after a solid performance in Saturday night’s exhibition loss at Cleveland. Masthay had punts of 58, 59, and 60 yards against the Browns. His only other kick was just 39 yards, but it forced Cleveland to start at its own seven-yard line. Masthay joined place-kicker Mason Crosby and long snapper Brett Goode during two months of practices at Saint Norbert College in De Pere during the NFL owners’ lockout. Crosby said Masthay appeared to gain strength and confidence during those workouts. Masthay beat out of Chris Bryan to win the Green Bay punting job a year ago. He has no competition this time around. Meanwhile, Crosby had a perfect night against the Browns despite a recent injury to his left planting foot. He booted a 31-yard field goal and two extra points. And he averaged almost 72 yards on his kickoffs.

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The NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Watkins Glen New York was rained out yesterday, and is now scheduled for nine this morning. Jimmie Johnson’s crew chief questioned the delay, saying NASCAR’s top series should allow rain tires. But NASCAR vice president Robin Pemberton says many drivers don’t have experience with rain tires – so racing on two-point-four-five-mile track was not an option yesterday. Matt Kenseth of Cambridge will start 24th today. Paul Menard of Eau Claire starts 32nd.

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Ben Henderson and Chris “Lights Out” Lytle won the main events last night in the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s “UFC Live” in Milwaukee. In the lightweight category, Henderson scored a unanimous decision over Jim Miller – who had a seven-bout winning streak. Lytle defeated Dan “Outlaw” Hardy in the final round. Hardy has now lost four straight. Lytle had promised to retire after the Milwaukee bout. He leaves with a 41-18-4 mark. Lytle is a fire-fighter in Indianapolis, and he’s thinking about running for the state Senate in Indiana.

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SCORES

In the Midwest League…

Wisconsin 12, Quad Cities 3

Burlington 3, Beloit 0

Clinton 8, Peoria 2

Kane County 3, Cedar Rapids 2

Dayton 9, Lake County 2 in Game-One

Dayton 7, Lake County 1 in Game-Two

Fort Wayne 8, Lansing 4

Bowling Green 10, South Bend 5

West Michigan 3, Great Lakes 2

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In the final day of the Northwoods League regular season…

Green Bay 5, Eau Claire 4

La Crosse 15, Wisconsin Rapids 5

Waterloo 11, Wisconsin 6

Battle Creek 3, Madison 2

Rochester 4, Duluth 3

Willmar 8, Alexandria 3

Thunder Bay 16, Mankato 5

Saint Cloud 5, Brainerd 3

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Here are Sunday's results from the American Association:

Fargo-Moorhead 5, St. Paul 3

Sioux City 5, Sioux Falls 3

Winnipeg 4, Wichita 2

Kansas City 8, Lincoln 7

Fort Worth 8, Amarillo 5

Shreveport-Bossier 1, Gary 0

Gary 5, Shreveport-Bossier 2

El Paso 4, Grand Prairie 3

Grand Prairie 6, El Paso 5

Tags: wisconsin sports, proam, sports