State Tournament Day 3 Recap (Championship Saturday)

<h2><span data-preserver-spaces="true">Division 5</span></h2> <h2><span data-preserver-spaces="true">Randolph 47, Assumption 31</span></h2> <strong><span data-preserver-spaces="true">Randolph</span></strong> <span data-preserver-spaces="true">The Rockets won the most games any team ever has in a season, with 31 wins. Abby Katsma was the biggest surprise for me. Katsma was a consistent threat to score from the outside. She always seemed to hit a shot to stop a run by the Rockets’ opponent. Maddie DeVries also played well in both games. She finished with 11 points and five rebounds in the title game. [player_tooltip player_id="264942" first="Jorey" last="Buwalda"] had everything run through her offensively. I didn’t realize how good of a passer she is until I got to her play in Green Bay.</span> <strong><span data-preserver-spaces="true">Assumption</span></strong> <span data-preserver-spaces="true">The Royals just seemed like they couldn’t get a stop when they needed it against Randolph. The Royals were a fun group to watch play. [player_tooltip player_id="262975" first="Ainara" last="Sainz de Rozas"] was incredibly crafty, and her floater game is uber advanced. Sarah Shaw looked like she belonged in a state tournament, and Anna Schooley was as impressive as anyone in D5 over her two games at the state tournament.</span> <h2><span data-preserver-spaces="true">Division 4</span></h2> <h2><span data-preserver-spaces="true">Mineral Point 53, Laconia 42</span></h2> <strong><span data-preserver-spaces="true">Mineral Point</span></strong> <span data-preserver-spaces="true">The name that I can’t get out of my head is Ella Chambers. The guard took advantage of the attention that [player_tooltip player_id="204138" first="Mallory" last="Lindsey"] received. Chambers played two incredible games in Green Bay, averaging 17 points in the D4 tournament. Blair Watters is a skilled forward who had her entire skillset on display. Waters can shoot, defends one to five, and makes winning plays. Lindsey was unbelievable with the ball. She played only missed seven seconds and only turned the ball over twice, unreal stuff from the senior.</span> <strong><span data-preserver-spaces="true">Laconia</span></strong> <span data-preserver-spaces="true">The Spartans had a super young group. They’re probably kicking themselves a little bit because they got clean looks and defended well enough to win. They just missed almost all of their open shots, especially behind the arc. [player_tooltip player_id="262984" first="Molly" last="Johannes"] was excellent defensively and finished with a double-double (11 points and 11 rebounds). Laconia’s young players were also ready for the moment. [player_tooltip player_id="342096" first="Tierney" last="Madigan"], Payton Morgan, [player_tooltip player_id="375953" first="Aubrey" last="Leonard"] all showed how far along they are as prospects. Madigan was the Spartans’ best player in the title game, she was one of the few bright spots offensively, and I noted how well she played. Morgan and Leonard couldn’t knock down shots, and that happens sometimes. However, they never put their head down, they had the mental toughness to get back on the defensive end and help their team get stops, and I loved watching them play.</span> <h2><span data-preserver-spaces="true">Division 3</span></h2> <h2><span data-preserver-spaces="true">Waupun 63, Freedom 42</span></h2> <strong><span data-preserver-spaces="true">Waupun</span></strong> <span data-preserver-spaces="true">In my opinion, the Warriors have the best offensive talent in the state, in any division. [player_tooltip player_id="209617" first="Kayl" last="Petersen"] started the state tournament with an outstanding performance against Dominican and finished with her versatility on full display against Freedom. Petersen is an elite two-way prospect who can defend wings and posts effectively. [player_tooltip player_id="155422" first="Abbie" last="Aalsma"] ripped apart the Irish defense in the title game and scored in almost every imaginable way. [player_tooltip player_id="209618" first="Gracie" last="Gopalan"] had the ball on a string all day and totaled six assists, with only two turnovers. People may look past Gopalan because of her size, but that’d be foolish, in my opinion. She lifts offenses she plays on to another level. She sees the floor so well. I also liked what [player_tooltip player_id="374233" first="Lydia" last="Aalsma"] did off the bench. The 5-foot-10 freshman looked like she belonged in this kind of game and found ways to help her team win the state title. </span> <strong><span data-preserver-spaces="true">Freedom</span></strong> <span data-preserver-spaces="true">What the Irish have done this season has been incredible. [player_tooltip player_id="342100" first="Sadie" last="Jarmolowicz"] had an outstanding season. Even though she didn’t play up to her standards against Waupun, she competed from start to finish. On the defensive end, Jarmolowicz earned four steals which helped her team recover from a poor start. Rylie Murphy spaced the floor well over her two games. [player_tooltip player_id="206732" first="Kierstin" last="Kriewaldt"] and Sydney Bartels showcased their ability to affect the game in every shape and fashion. I loved getting to see this group play, and for the juniors, I wouldn’t be shocked if they found a way back to Green Bay next season.</span> <h2><span data-preserver-spaces="true">Division2</span></h2> <h2><span data-preserver-spaces="true">Notre Dame 68, Pewaukee 54</span></h2> <strong><span data-preserver-spaces="true">Notre Dame</span></strong> <span data-preserver-spaces="true">The now back-to-back Division 2 champions got pushed in both games in the state tournament. In the first game against Menomonie, the Tritons trailed early and got into foul trouble. However, a surprising duo of [player_tooltip player_id="157533" first="Hope" last="Barington"] and [player_tooltip player_id="338948" first="Peyton" last="Musial"] played incredibly well when others had to sit. In the title game, the Tritons trailed at halftime. Then [player_tooltip player_id="209879" first="Trista" last="Fayta"] exploded in the second half offensively and led the Tritons to a 14 point victory. All this is to say that this group won by committee. Everyone did what they needed, and the Tritons are D2 champions again.</span> <strong><span data-preserver-spaces="true">Pewaukee</span></strong> <span data-preserver-spaces="true">The way Pewaukee has played over the last month was outstanding. In D2, there were five teams that I thought had a chance to win a state title. Two of those teams didn’t make it to Green Bay. In the sectional title game and state semifinal game, I don’t know if anyone has played as well as the Pirates played. This group was as talented as anyone, and, unfortunately, they ran out of steam in the second half because they were a team who was good enough to win state. However, I will remember how consistent this team was all season. It didn’t matter who they played if the Pirates played a team like Notre Dame or someone at the bottom of their conference. They always brought the same mentality. It honestly was an honor to see the Pirates compete this season.</span> <h2><span data-preserver-spaces="true">Division 1</span></h2> <h2><span data-preserver-spaces="true">Kettle Moraine 69, Appleton East 53</span></h2> <strong><span data-preserver-spaces="true">Kettle Moraine</span></strong> <span data-preserver-spaces="true">I didn’t expect the Lasers to win the state title at any point this season. I would’ve probably picked Appleton East going into the title game. However, I failed to realize that all the Lasers did all year was dominate everyone they played. They won every postseason game by more than double digits, and none of the games were ever particularly close except the title game partially into the second half. [player_tooltip player_id="156076" first="Braelyn" last="Torres"] may be the most improved player in the state this season, and her defense on the perimeter is still top-five, and that’s just me being safe. What she did against Beyer was incredible. [player_tooltip player_id="204131" first="Lily" last="Randgaard"] is one of the most crafty guards I’ve seen, and the senior plays with an unfiltered joy that makes me smile just watching her play. I can’t wait to see what she does at Western Illinois. To close, [player_tooltip player_id="156050" first="Grace" last="Grocholski"] had the single greatest performance I’ve seen this season, and it came in the state title game. She finished with 34 points and nine rebounds to lead the Lasers to a state championship.  </span> <strong><span data-preserver-spaces="true">Appleton East</span></strong> <span data-preserver-spaces="true">The Patriots had a rough go of it offensively at state. However, this group has gotten the program back to heights it hasn’t seen since the 90s. Emily LaChapell played clutch basketball against Brookfield East in the semifinal, and I can’t wait to see what she does at Marquette. Lily Hansforf played solid defense at the rim, blocking countless shots in the paint. [player_tooltip player_id="204153" first="Logan" last="Lowry"] and Josie Neubauer spaced the floor and aggressively rebounded for the Patriots. [player_tooltip player_id="156073" first="Sammi" last="Beyer"] is one of my favorite players to watch with the ball. Her ball-handling and shooting should be in the Lourve. Pure art. I can’t wait to see what she does as a senior next season.</span>