Dennis Semrau covers Prep Sports for 100.5 ESPN Madison and ESPNWisconsin.com

MADISON, Wisc. - It’s hard to believe that we are nearing the mid-point of the regular season as week four kicks off Friday night with several key clashes in the Big Eight Conference and an annual rivalry battle in the Badger North Conference.

Janesville Craig and Madison Memorial share the Big Eight Conference lead at 3-0 but face tough matchups this week. The Cougars host Sun Prairie (2-1), which lost to Madison Memorial in the season-opener. Memorial heads to Middleton (2-1) to face the Cardinals, whose lone setback came at Verona (2-1) in week two.

Middleton and Sun Prairie each need a victory to avoid falling two games behind the league leaders with five games to go. If they both win and Verona defeats host Madison West, there would be a five-way tie for first-place at 3-1 in the league.

Meanwhile, Waunakee hosts DeForest in a key Badger North Conference game. The Warriors have a 17-game winning streak dating back to the 2016 season and have won the last three consecutive league titles along with last year’s WIAA Division 2 state championship. DeForest is looking to snap a five-game losing streak to Waunakee, including a 48-12 setback a year ago.

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GAME OF THE WEEK

BADGER NORTH

DEFOREST (2-1, 1-0) AT WAUNAKEE (3-0, 1-0)

Last week: DeForest dominated Reedsburg, rolling to a 40-0 victory. Waunakee returned the opening kickoff for a touchdown and cruised to a 46-0 victory over Mount Horeb/Barneveld.

DeForest stymied the Beavers’ potent rushing attack, holding Reedsburg’s vaunted flexbone offense to just 61 yards of total offense. Running backs Gabe Finley and Logan Hackl combined for 185 yards and five touchdowns. The Norskies’ ground game has amassed 587 yards and 13 touchdowns this season but just 211 yards and no scores through the air.

Waunakee got an early boost when fleet-footed senior Sawyer Maly took the opening kickoff 89 yards for a TD. The Warriors also scored on a blocked punt midway through the opening period and produced 335 total yards on offense while holding MH/B to just 123. Waunakee, ranked third in The Associated Press Large Schools poll, has outscored its three opponents by a combined 149-7.

Warriors’ senior quarterback Jarrett Wulf has completed 27 of 31 passes (87 percent) for 510 yards and five TDs. Junior running back Will Ross has rushed for 205 yards and six TDs, while Maly has caught 11 passes for 222 yards and four TDs. Senior defensive end Reed Ryan anchors the Warriors’ defense that has allowed just 44 yards rushing in 74 attempts.

GAMES TO WATCH

BIG EIGHT

MADISON MEMORIAL (3-0, 3-0) AT MIDDLETON (2-1, 2-1), 7 P.M.

Last week: Madison Memorial blanked crosstown rival Madison East 41-0. Middleton rebounded from a loss at Verona to rout Madison West 40-0.

Memorial has remained unbeaten with a balanced attack on offense and a stingy defense. Leading the way for first-year coach Mike Harris is junior quarterback Jason Ceniti, who has passed for 438 yards and seven touchdowns and run for three more scores. Junior running back Kam Marhall has rushed for 307 yards and three TDs. Senior Cade Ellingson has nine receptions for 191 yards and three touchdowns and also returned a kickoff for another score. Senior lineman Sam Jessup (24 tackles) and middle linebacker Jeremiah Jordan (17 tackles), an Illinois State recruit, spearhead a solid defense that has allowed 13 points per game.

Middleton’s 27-22 loss at Verona in week two is sandwiched by a pair of routs of Madison East and Madison West by a combined 90-0 scored. Cardinals’ junior running back Kallion Buckher has rushed for 514 yards (11.2-yard average) with seven TDs. Senior quarterback Bryce Carey has passed for 288 yards and four scores. Ben Litchfield (18 tackles) and Kevin Meicher lead the Cardinals’ defense. Meicher has recorded an interception and fumble recovery.

SUN PRAIRIE (2-1, 2-1) AT JANESVILLE CRAIG (3-0, 3-0)

Last week: Sun Prairie pounded Janesville Parker 49-7. Janesville Craig held off Verona 26-20 to remained tied for the league lead.

Sun Prairie has rebounded from a 32-26 season-opening loss at Madison Memorial to win its last two games by a combined score of 84-7 over Beloit Memorial and Parker. Quarterback Richie Gilles has passed for 378 yards and 10 TDs and run for two scores. Wide receiver Cooper Nelson has 15 catches for 193 yards and five TDs.

Craig running back Tressin Kussmaul has run for 273 yards and five TDs. The Cougar’s marquee player is senior lineman Keeanu Benton, a University of Wisconsin recruit (6-4, 285 pounds). The state’s top defensive line prospect, he is also a WIAA Division 1 state runner-up in wrestling at heavyweight.

AROUND THE AREA

EAST TROY (3-0, 3-0 ROCK VALLEY) AT MCFARLAND (3-0, 3-0)

McFarland christens its’ new turf field with its biggest home game in years. Due to construction at the high school, the Spartans’ home opener was delayed until tonight.

Coach Paul Ackley’s Spartans scored a season-high 57 points in defeating Edgerton but showed they can play defense, too, in pulling out a dramatic 9-7 victory over Rock Valley Conference contender Beloit Turner last week.

Quarterback Derek Schwarting (426 yards, six TDs passing) and running back Tysen White (352 yards, 5 TDs) lead the McFarland offense. Senior linebacker Carson Werwinski anchors the defense with 36 tackles, including four sacks. … East Troy quarterback Jake Dessart has averaged 11.1 yards per run and amassed 744 yards and eight rushing TDs and passed for a TD.