Northern Lights Conference Preview

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>After a little detour with the Freshman Showcase, we're back to looking at some conferences this upcoming season. Today, we're heading to Northern Wisconsin and highlighting the Heart O'North and Northern Lights Conferences.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Hurley</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The losses of Melissa DiGregorio and Courtney Corullo are massive, especially at a small school like Hurley. After a season where they shared the conference title with South Shore, they'll have to get kids like Jaana Aukee to take another step and become someone considered among the best in the conference. It's a lot, but they've built a solid program up there, so I won't put anything past them.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>South Shore</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Cardinals have had standout seasons from Lily Truchon, now at UW-Stevens Point, and [player_tooltip player_id='444792' first='Emily' last='Montgomery']. Now that Truchon is gone, there's an increased expectation from Montgomery. She's had big games and helped her program win games. She'll see increased attention paid to her from opposing defenses.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Solon Springs</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>At a school of less than 80 kids, losing your three leading scorers in an offseason isn't easy to recover from. If they return to form, they'll need big seasons from kids like Ella Postl.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Mellen</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Solon Springs and Mellen are in nearly identical situations. Each lost their three leading scores and has plenty that needs to change.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Drummond</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>After the departure of Kaitlyn Miller, there is a chance that now junior Kyla Hanson can step into a prominent role for Drummond.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Mercer</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>As possibly the smallest school in Wisconsin, filling the role that KD Knipp left behind after scoring 18 points per contest last season is not an enviable task.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Butternut</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Having Jersey Polencheck back for her senior season could make a massive difference, considering most of the conference is losing their leading scorers from last season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Washburn</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Maddie Ludwig and Anna Ledin are back for Washburn, which gives them more continuity than anyone in the conference.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Bayfield</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Bayfield did not have a team last year, but I hope they do end up fielding one this season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Lac Courte Orielles</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>After a tough season a year ago, they'll look to continue to build from within and try to improve upon their record from last season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>My Predictions</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list {"ordered":true} --> <ol><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>South Shore</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Drummond</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Hurley</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Butternut</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Solon Springs</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Washburn</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Mellen</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Mercer</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Lac Courtes Orielles</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Bayfield</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ol> <!-- /wp:list -->