FIRST AND SHORT

The playbook: games to watch in Week 3 of football season

JR Radcliffe
jr.radcliffe@jrn.com

The biggest game of Week 3 arrives a day before the Friday Night Lights, when the Classic 8 season gets started with a bang.

Pretty much every week of Classic 8 football will yield at least one key battle, so expect this to become a trend. Muskego and Waukesha West, two teams that annually compete for the league crown and a spot in the playoffs out of the state's most loaded collection of teams, will meet with television cameras watching (locally on Channel 24).

Follow our own Andrew Gruman for updates.

Here's what's arriving Friday:

  • Hartford at Oconomowoc. The Wisconsin Little Ten reigning champ Oconomowoc will battle a Hartford team that has been a mixed bag so far, with a convincing one-half win over Cedarburg and struggles against Brookfield Central. The classic rivalry game will be in its last installment with realignment on the horizon. Follow Evan Frank for updates.
  • New Berlin Eisenhower at Wauwatosa West. Both are coming off lopsided victories, and both are serious players for the Woodland West crown this year, with Greendale and Pewaukee also in the mix for what should be an entertaining ride through the Woodland this season. Follow Andrew Gruman for updates.
  • Cedarburg at Whitefish Bay. The Bulldogs had a disappointing nonconference slate, with that one-half loss to Hartford and a buzzer-beating loss to Sussex Hamilton. Bay, meanwhile, has been much better than expected. This is a key early North Shore game for two teams that come into the year battling for one of the league's playoff spots. Follow John Rech for updates. 
  • Catholic Memorial at Kettle Moraine. A curiosity to be sure after Kettle Moraine's high-flying offense opened some eyes in the nonconference slate, and Catholic Memorial looked every bit like one of the state's truly elite teams. Follow Chuck Delsman for updates.
  • Sussex Hamilton at Marquette. One week after a buzzer-beating thriller that gave the Chargers a 2-0 start to the year, Hamilton now heads to Hart Park to battle one of the presumed favorites in the Greater Metro. Follow JR Radcliffe for updates. 
  • Nicolet at Germantown. Nicolet recorded its first win in four years during the nonconference slate, and Germantown is looking to get its groove back after nonconference losses to Indian Trail and Catholic Memorial. Follow Steven L. Tietz for updates. 
  • Greenfield at South Milwaukee. File this under a sneaky-good game. Though the Rockets struggled in nonconference play and Greenfield looks ready to take the next step, South Milwaukee can never be counted out in Woodland East battles. You can watch this game on Time Warner Cable Sports Channel in the Milwaukee area.