Players to Watch: East Central

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Today, we're looking at the East Central Conference. The top three were separated by two games last season, and Waupun and Kewaskum played a classic in the Sectional Semifinal round that could've gone either way. However, the Warriors ended up winning and rampaging their way to the first state title in program history. This season should also be competitive, so let's talk about a few key figures.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='209617' first='Kayl' last='Petersen']</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>There aren't many players in the region on Petersen's level. She's 6-foot-1 and can play anywhere from the two to the five on any given night for her team. Her versatility makes her one of the best players and adds to her uniqueness as an athlete. On Petersen's best day, nobody can guard her. She plays against the best players in the country in the summer. The rising junior has shown she can do her thing against anyone who lines up in front of her.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='156081' first='Madilyn' last='Dogs']</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Kewaskum was "One Madi Dogs layup away" in the sectional final against Waupun at Lomira. Had things gone differently, we could be talking about Kewaskum making a surprising run to a state title last season. That's how close they were. Dogs headlines a team that returns all but one rotational player from that team who fell at Lomira. Dogs has continuously improved and shown she's one of the premier defenders in the state. This season, she'll need to show she can do more against top teams offensively. However, this group can spoil a rematch of last season's Division 3 State Title game.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='419332' first='Taylor' last='Schwalenberg']</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Schwaleberg and her Kettle Moraine Lutheran team were the only team to beat Waupun in the conference last season. Even though the Warriors weren't at full strength, that means something. Schwalenberg is the perfect encapsulation of what the Chargers are as a program. She's a rugged undersized guard that defends with a level of desperation and urgency. She may not jump off the page with any stat or measurable, but she's a winner.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='209618' first='Gracie' last='Gopalan']</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Yet another Waupun Warrior, Gopalan is the embodiment of heart over height. In my opinion, without Gopalan's ball handling, the Warriors don't win the state title. There's something about her that leads kids to fall in line behind her, and when you watch her, you can understand what I'm saying. She puts her body on the line for every loose ball, makes the right pass, makes open shots, defends at a high level, and isn't afraid to go to the rim and get knocked out of the air. She's one of the toughest kids I've seen. I love her game, and curious to see how the Warriors' title defense goes this year.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->