Thanksgiving Day Sports Briefs: Packers find themselves back atop NFC North

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GREEN BAY - A resurgent offense and a defense much stronger than last year’s has powered the Green Bay Packers to five wins in a row and a share of the NFC Northern Division lead.

The Packers are 7-3 and would host a wild-card game if the season ended today. They take on the New York Giants Sunday night. The winning streak has come at the same time the team has been rocked by a lot of injuries. It’s looking like wide receiver Greg Jennings is getting healthy. He won’t rule himself out for Sunday’s game. Linebacker Clay Matthews could return in the next week or so and running back Cedric Benson and corner back Charles Woodson are said to be ahead of schedule in their rehab efforts. Only Atlanta and San Francisco have better won-loss records in the NFC right now.

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Green Bay Packers’ corner Sam Shields has been ruled out for Sunday night’s game against the Giants at New York. Coach Mike McCarthy said after today’s practice that Shields suffered a setback in his recovery from a severely sprained ankle. The coach said it’s a more serious injury than anticipated, and he’ll be out for at least a couple more weeks. Also, the coach says All-Pro linebacker Clay Matthews is doubtful for the Giants’ game, as he gets over a bad hamstring. Receiver Greg Jennings went through rehab at practice today and did some brief work – and McCarthy said he’ll be checked out again tomorrow. But McCarthy said it would be a stretch for Jennings to be ready for the Giants’ contest, as he recovers from abdominal muscle surgery.

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New York Giants’ guard Chris Snee says he expects an angry and motivated Green Bay team to come into East Rutherford to face the Giants on Sunday night. Snee expects the Packers to ramp up their intensity, in response to their 17-point playoff loss to the Giants last January at Lambeau Field. During the off-season, Packers’ linebacker Clay Matthews said the Packers beat themselves in that game. Snee took the comments to indicate that quote, “Maybe we got lucky.” But quarterback Aaron Rodgers is trying to silence that kind of talk, at least by his own team. On his weekly Milwaukee radio show yesterday, Rodgers said the Giants were the better team back in January. As he put it, “They beat us on our turf. We didn’t play our best game – but that day, they were the better team. And I hope saying that, we can just put the rest of that to bed.” The Packers are starting to practice today for their Sunday night contest against the Giants. Green Bay is 7-3, sharing the NFC North lead with Chicago. New York is 6-4, with a one-game lead over second-place Dallas in the NFC East.

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A highly-recruited defensive back from California says he’ll play his college football at Wisconsin next fall. Safety Tyler Foreman of Encino has given his verbal commitment to the Badgers. He was recruited by Badgers’ assistant Andy Buh, who came to Madison from Nevada. The first-year assistant also has California in his recruiting territory. About a dozen schools offered scholarships to Foreman. He reportedly chose the UW over Oklahoma, Utah, and UCLA.

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The Milwaukee Brewers have protected five minor league prospects, so they’re not taken by other teams in next month’s Rule-Five Draft. All five players were put onto the Brewers’ 40-man roster yesterday – second baseman Scooter Gennett, outfielders Josh Prince and Khris Davis, and right-handers Nick Bucci and Hiram Burgos. Assistant general manager Gord Ash said all five have important tools and abilities, and the Brewers did not want to lose any of them. The 25-year-old Burgos was among the most improved players as the year went on. He started at Class-“A” Brevard County and moved up to Triple-“A” Nashville, going 10-and-4 for the year with a 1.95 ERA in 27 starts and one relief outing. Prince earned his keep with a stellar effort in the Arizona Fall League. He had the league’s second-highest batting average at .404. He batted .251 at Double-“A” Huntsville this year.

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SCORES

COLLEGE BASKETBALL

--Division I Women

Washington 60, Wisconsin 55

--Division III Men

Lawrence 83, Marian 76

--Division III Women

UW-La Crosse 57, Carroll 52

Wisconsin Lutheran 91, Silver Lake 48

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WISCONSIN HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL

--Boys

Brookfield East 66, Franklin 58

Rockville (Ind.) 47, Milwaukee Riverside 34

(Appleton Classic)

Appleton East 55, Appleton Xavier 47

Appleton North 64, Fox Valley Lutheran 55

(Fresh Coast Classic)

Watertown 51, Milwaukee South 47

--Girls

Brown Deer 75, Milwaukee Destiny 13

Milwaukee Rufus King 73, Milwaukee Heritage Christian 59

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(From Tuesday)

MEN'S COLLEGE BASKETBALL

Saint Thomas 75, UW-River Falls 62

UW-Stevens Point 82, Saint John’s of Minnesota 52

Hamline 84, UW-Eau Claire 78

UW-Platteville 105, Illinois Tech 20

UW-Stout 59, Gustavus Adolphus 55

UW-La Crosse 61, Viterbo 51

Augustana 74, Saint Norbert 60

Carthage 69, Lake Forest 57

Wisconsin Lutheran 67, North Park 52

Carroll 65, Rose-Hulman 59 in overtime

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In women’s college basketball…

UW-Stevens Point 68, Marian 19

Carthage 85, Beloit 55

UW-River Falls 68, Martin Luther 34

Minnesota-Duluth 77, U-W Superior 65

UW-Oshkosh 54, Ripon 40

Saint Norbert 57, UW-Eau Claire 55

UW-Platteville 76, Luther 61

Saint Cloud State 74, UW-Stout 56

Millikin 67, Edgewood 54

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Wisconsin boys' high school basketball

Algoma 75, Gibraltar 66

Appleton West 64, De Pere 48

Augusta 65, Loyal 41

Baldwin-Woodville 62, Prescott 50

Beloit Memorial 64, Verona 63

Berlin 56, Winneconne 41

Bloomer 60, Stanley-Boyd 30

Brillion 62, New Holstein 59

Brown Deer 96, Cudahy 38

Cadott 86, Cornell 40

Campbellsport 54, North Fond du Lac 37

Cedar Grove-Belgium 42, Random Lake 32

Cedarburg 56, Hartford Union 42

Chippewa Falls McDonell 67, Chetek-Weyerhaeuser 58

Clinton 63, Brodhead 51

Colfax 52, Cochrane-Fountain City 46

Columbus 53, Wisconsin Heights 46

DeForest 61, Poynette 51

Durand 55, Amery 37

Eau Claire North 73, Merrill 60

Edgerton 56, Elkhorn Area 45

Gale-Ettrick-Trempealeau 91, Melrose-Mindoro 43

Gilmanton 82, Coulee Region Christian 52

Green Bay NEW Lutheran 66, Sevastopol 33

Green Bay Preble 74, D.C. Everest 65

Greendale 71, South Milwaukee 66

Greenwood 55, Gilman 46

Holmen 70, Menomonie 58

Johnson Creek 83, Madison Abundant Life 42

Kenosha Reuther 61, Hartland University Lake 41

Kenosha Tremper 75, Milwaukee Pulaski 58

Kickapoo 44, De Soto 40

Kohler 56, Stockbridge 50

Lake Mills 54, Waterloo 46

Lakeside Lutheran 80, New Glarus 61

Lodi 70, Marshall 62

Luck 57, Shell Lake 35

Madison East 67, Janesville Craig 54

Madison La Follette 75, Janesville Parker 50

Madison Memorial 57, Middleton 47

Manitowoc Lutheran 52, Winnebago Lutheran 49

Marinette 76, Manitowoc Lincoln 46

Mauston 69, New Lisbon 27

McFarland 68, Whitewater 44

Mellen 69, Lac Courte Oreilles 23

Milwwaukee Marshall/Juneau 65, Milwaukee Career & Tech. Ed. 59

Milwaukee Hamilton 67, Destiny 64

Milwaukee Rufus King 48, Milwaukee Pulaski 44

Milwaukee North 87, Milwaukee CEO Leadership Academy 81

Milwaukee Pius XI 62, Pewaukee 48

Milwaukee Riverside 48, Peoria, Ill. Richwoods 45

Milwaukee School of Languages 62, Milwaukee Bradley Technical 57

New Auburn 51, Independence 42

New Berlin Eisenhower 46, New Berlin West 29

New Richmond 55, Ellsworth 41

North Crawford 57, Brookwood 33

Oostburg 64, Elkhart Lake 21

Orfordville Parkview 73, Beloit Turner 67, 3 OT

Oshkosh Lourdes 70, Montello 55

Oshkosh Valley Christian 49, Oakfield 47

Osseo-Fairchild 54, Eleva-Strum 53, OT

Ozaukee 52, Sheboygan Christian 35

Pardeeville 65, Rio 62

Platteville 52, Juda 41

Racine Washington Park 50, Waukesha South 41

Rhinelander 59, Wisconsin Rapids Lincoln 42

River Valley 37, Iowa-Grant 34

Royall 74, West Salem 56

Sauk Prairie 50, Richland Center 48

Seymour 92, Oconto Falls 32

Shawano 70, Milwaukee Messmer 56

Sheboygan Falls 47, Chilton 44

Shorewood 68, Greenfield 64

Shullsburg 51, Albany 44

Somers Shoreland Lutheran 44, Milwaukee Hope School 39

Southern Door 74, Oconto 66

Spencer 56, Colby 44

St. Croix Falls 58, St. Croix Central 45

Stevens Point 58, Green Bay East 35

Sturgeon Bay 54, Kewaunee 50

Suring 68, Wabeno 24

Sussex Hamilton 68, Lake Geneva Badger 44

Tigerton 60, Lena 37

Tomah 74, Adams-Friendship 45

Tomahawk 56, Lincoln Hills 38

Viroqua 62, Hillsboro 32

Washburn 76, Chequamegon 55

Waterford 55, Muskego 50

Watertown Luther Prep 69, Cambridge 40

Waukesha North 52, Nicolet 44

Waupun 59, Mayville 44

Wauwatosa East 71, Milwaukee Lutheran 52

West Allis Central 78, Kenosha Indian Trail 37

Westby 41, Sparta 38

Westosha Central 58, Kenosha Christian Life 41

Whitnall 72, Saint Francis 30

Williams Bay Faith Christian 68, Berean 40

Wisconsin Dells 65, La Crosse Aquinas 57

Wisconsin Valley Lutheran 55, Elcho 43

Wittenberg-Birnamwood 51, Mosinee 48

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Girls' high school basketball

Abbotsford 55, Augusta 41

Adams-Friendship 48, Wild Rose 32

Auburndale 46, Nekoosa 32

Barron 56, Amery 31

Bay Port 51, Seymour 18

Berlin 41, Clintonville 31

Bowler 51, White Lake 29

Boyceville 42, Elk Mound 32

Cashton 44, De Soto 16

Cedar Grove-Belgium 38, Milwaukee University 18

Chetek-Weyerhaeuser 51, Lake Holcombe 16

Chilton 45, New Holstein 30

Coleman 37, Wabeno 19

Colfax 60, Plum City 27

Darlington 49, Argyle 36

Dodgeville 58, Wisconsin Dells 46

Eau Claire Immanuel Lutheran 52, Ellsworth 30

Fall River 66, Waterloo 28

Frederic 51, Solon Springs 31

Freedom 41, Kiel 35

Gale-Ettrick-Trempealeau 55, Bangor 40

Germantown 68, Kettle Moraine Lutheran 52

Gilman 66, Coulee Region Christian 31

Glendale Nicolet 41, Waukesha South 35

Granton 57, Athens 14

Green Bay Notre Dame 61, Denmark 30

Green Bay Southwest 46, Marinette 22

Green Lake-Princeton 42, Stockbridge 38

Greendale Martin Luther 43, Kenosha Christian Life 42

Greenfield 40, Milwaukee South 22

Hartland University Lake 71, Kenosha Reuther 32

Hilbert 48, Random Lake 37

Holmen 80, Menomonie 53

Juda 48, Cassville 45

Kaukauna 51, Ashwaubenon 42

Kenosha Bradford 31, Westosha Central 28

Lac Courte Oreilles 67, Mellen 13

Lake Mills 75, Whitewater 61

Little Chute 62, Ripon 21

Loyal 47, Prentice 42

Luck 50, Cumberland 17

Manitowoc Lutheran 50, Winnebago Lutheran 36

Marathon 54, Mosinee 35

Marshall 44, Deerfield 32

Medford Area 41, Merrill 40

Menomonee Falls 49, Waukesha Catholic Memorial 32

Milton 52, Delavan-Darien 27

Milwaukee Divine Savior Holy Angels 51, Franklin 48

Milwaukee Heritage Christian 82, Milwaukee Messmer 21

Milwaukee Riverside 73, Cedarburg 42

Mondovi 52, Elmwood 27

Monona Grove 103, Evansville 44

Mukwonago 87, Racine Park 46

New Lisbon 49, Ithaca 41

North Fond du Lac 48, Campbellsport 37

Omro 41, Wautoma 36

Oregon 46, Elkhorn Area 25

Plymouth 65, Beaver Dam 45

Pulaski 49, Neenah 29

Randolph 49, Dodgeland 33

Reedsville 62, Elkhart Lake 22

River Valley 46, Pecatonica 42

Schofield D.C. Everest 62, West De Pere 35

Sheboygan Christian 44, Madison Abundant Life 40, OT

Sheboygan South 57, Waupun 28

Slinger 33, Milwaukee Lutheran 23

South Wayne Black Hawk 46, New Glarus 41

Spring Valley 44, Alma/Pepin 32

St. Croix Central 47, Glenwood City 42

Stanley-Boyd 73, Cornell 16

Stevens Point 51, Antigo 33

Sturgeon Bay 55, Green Bay West 30

Two Rivers 57, Mishicot 44, OT

Waukesha North 38, Wauwatosa West 32

Waunakee 50, Verona 30

Wausau East 35, Lakeland 34

West Bend West 52, Kewaskum 49

Whitefish Bay 42, West Allis Nathan Hale 25

Whitnall 56, Brookfield East 52

Williams Bay 48, Eastbrook Academy 32

Wilmot Union 60, Burlington Catholic Central 24

Wisconsin Lutheran 51, Wauwatosa East 27

Wonewoc-Center 58, Kickapoo 22

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Boys' high school hockey

Antigo 15, Merrill 1

Ashland 8, Tomahawk 2

Baraboo/Portage 3, Beaver Dam 1

Menomonie 3, Amery 2

Oshkosh 5, Neenah/Hortonville 3

River Falls 7, Baldwin-Woodville 1

Stevens Point 4, Verona 3

Stevens Point Pacelli 6, Wausau East 1

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Girls' high school hockey

Black River Falls 6, Lake Geneva Badger 3

Brookfield 8, Rock County 3

Central Wisconsin 7, Wisconsin Rapids 0

Onalaska 6, Winona, Minn. 3

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