Moe Clings to WSHSHP Lead as Tightly as If It Were Nightly Bottle of Merlot; Hansen Comes Out of Nowhere to Snatch Second Place Out of Startled Stephens' Grasp

One half inch. A lousy half inch. (That's what she said.) On Saturday night, that's all that separated Erik Moe from his ever-tightening grip on a WSHSHP title and a self-pitying drinking binge the likes we haven't seen since Randy Rhoads took his ill-fated flight in 1982. A half-inch is the distance by which a puck fired in the overtime from the stick of Ashwaubenon's Connor Doran missed sending the Jaguars down state and Notre Dame and its many backers heading to the WSHSHP exits. With the incredibly charmed Moe correctly choosing six out of the final eight, he's looking strong, very strong, much to the chagrin of all those who hold honor and human decency in high regard.

[EDITOR'S NOTE: Upon further review, it has been noted that Connor Doran actually plays for Notre Dame, so this lead-in no longer makes sense.]

Erik Moe puts on a happy face (and a Middleton

hockey jersey) for reporters Sunday night.

Should Moe and Notre Dame stumble, look out for TJ Hansen, the pride of Dane County who suddenly finds himself standing alone in the number two slot, jettisoned there by his stunning prediction of a New Richmond win over Superior. Hansen looks like our 2011 champ should Middleton prevail in the gloom and slush of the Alliant Center.

This photo of John Stephens would be far more impressive had he not 

required a guide with a public school diploma to bait his hook for him.

John Stephens' stunningly disloyal selection of the Marquette Hilltoppers keeps him still very much in contention, just two points ahead of our youngest entry in the Top 10, Griffin "The Grinder" Rudy. Given their identical Final 8 selections, Stephens will nose out Rudy and Jaime Moe should Marquette prevail. Still don't think those first round games matter in the long run? Griffin and the younger Moe beg to differ.

Griffin Rudy blows off steam at local gun range.

But hold on, lovers of prep puck action, don't count out defending champion Mark Jobson. Wausau West did an amazing impersonation of Ivan "I Must Break You" Drago in its stomping of Mosinee yesterday and has as much claim on the state title as any team in the Final 8. The Jobson will see his name on the trophy a second time should the Warriors roll on, a wafer-thin two points ahead of Wayne Lee and three points better than Brian Kobylinski.

2010 WSHSHP Champ Mark Jobson used his winnings to

purchase a goat named Dinger. And a hat.

Greg Buns Mills handles the pressure with typical calm.

None of this matters, of course, should everyone's favorite, the Old Abes of Eau Claire Memorial, take the title. In that case, long-suffering Greg Buns Mills will see his WSHSHP dreams come true. Knowing what a WSHSHP title would mean to the hard-working people of Detroit, many members of the WSHSHP dead pool are not so secretly rooting for the savvy creative director with a flair for the flamboyant.

Kelli Dornfeld reacts to the final score from the New Richmond 

Sports Center.

We can't retire for the evening without sending a shout out to rookie Kelli Dornfeld who, despite a death-blow Superior loss on Saturday, has cracked the WSHSHP Top 10. It's a remarkable achievement for the school teacher/organic farmer from Missouri, who has always shown exquisite taste in men but, for reasons that escape this office, often find sports and the men who play it silly. Here's hoping this strong showing inspires Kelli to take a greater interest in this finest of athletic endeavors, the Wisconsin State High School Hockey Tournament.

Click on the Leaderboard link in the right column to see the rest of the standings. There are some shameful performances there, but it takes someone with a colder heart than mine to expose them here.