Division 4 Preseason Rankings

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>I said I would post the D3 and D4 rankings yesterday, but I lied, and I'm posting them today.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":1} --> <h1 class="wp-block-heading">Division 4</h1> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>1 Laconia</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>-The ride that Laconia has been on has been fun to follow. From kids not knowing what to expect as freshmen to start the year playing in a state title game to current defending state champions. I can't bet against kids like [player_tooltip player_id='375953' first='Aubrey' last='Leonard'], [player_tooltip player_id='448258' first='Payton' last='Morgan'], [player_tooltip player_id='342096' first='Tierney' last='Madigan'], Molly Duel, and Eva Engel.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>2 Racine Prairie</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>-The one program with a real chance to knock Laconia is this Prairie group. They have the high-end talent in [player_tooltip player_id='374228' first='JJ' last='Glass-Barnes'] that Laconia can't match. The Hawks also boast excellent pieces like [player_tooltip player_id='529543' first='Reese' last='Jaramillo'], [player_tooltip player_id='338967' first='Meg' last='Decker'], [player_tooltip player_id='533081' first='Amiyah' last='Galica'], and [player_tooltip player_id='209599' first='Ava' last='Collier-White']. In my eyes, the Spartan's best five against the Hawks's best five is a toss-up.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>3 Cuba City</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>-Now that there is no Aquinas in the Cuban's way anymore, even though I think they would've bested them this season, Cuba City is expected to be a state team. [player_tooltip player_id='374234' first='Olivia' last='Olson'] is good enough to guide this group through any trouble, and kids like [player_tooltip player_id='600825' first='Ella' last='Vosberg'] and [player_tooltip player_id='534426' first='Dea' last='Crist'] have the talent to swing games.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>4 Westfield</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>-The Pioneers made back-to-back state tournaments in 2021 and 2022. [player_tooltip player_id='209906' first='Carly' last='Drew'] was a part of both teams and her backcourt mate, [player_tooltip player_id='448289' first='Haddie' last='Showen'], was a member of the 2022 Sectional Championship. Westfield's backcourt has experience playing in games in the second and third weekend of the postseason, so don't count them out.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>5 McDonell Central Catholic</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>-The jump from D5 to D4 wasn't kind to Randolph last season, but McDonell has more talent in the backcourt. EllaMay and [player_tooltip player_id='209585' first='Emily' last='Cooper'] will be dynamic and get this Mack team running. Aubrey Dorn is also a post-kid who gives the Macks a different dynamic.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>6 Neillsville</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>-[player_tooltip player_id='780363' first='Paris' last='Opelt'] is one of the most underrated kids in the state, and in her senior season, I expect her to play at her best in the postseason.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>7 St. Mary Catholic</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>-Losing Choe Vogel stings, but when you have kids like [player_tooltip player_id='448256' first='Emily' last='Vogel'] and [player_tooltip player_id='444793' first='Audrey' last='Norville'], that sting goes away. The Zephyrs will still be players in D4.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>8 Sheboygan Lutheran</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>-Whenever [player_tooltip player_id='374230' first='Addy' last='Verhagen'] is on the floor, she can make magic happen. There are other prominent pieces, but they'll go as far as Verhagen takes them.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>9 Phillips</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>-Phillips hasn't gotten over the hump in the past few seasons. The talent is there for them to make a deep run, so keep an eye on them this season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>10 Bonduel</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>-The Bears were one wild shot away from forcing overtime in a sectional final game a few years ago. [player_tooltip player_id='209613' first='Ella' last='Hischke'] is still around and talented enough to lead the Bears to the second weekend of the postseason.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>11 Colfax</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>-The Vikings made a surprise run to the Resch Center a year ago. At the heart of that run was [player_tooltip player_id='444786' first='McKenna' last='Shipman'], who's back for her senior campaign.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>12 Bangor</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>-Although Nora Tucker graduated, I believe [player_tooltip player_id='509007' first='Anna' last='Fronk'] can fill those shoes in her way.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>13 Mineral Point</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>-The kids who won Mineral Point a state title are gone, but there are valuable pieces that'll keep them competitive.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>14 Random Lake</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>-Halle Van Horn is talented enough to give anyone in D4 fits.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>15 Cambridge</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>-[player_tooltip player_id='448317' first='Brooke' last='Stenklyft'] has the physicality and skill to excel in the Capitol Conference.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>16 Fall Creek</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>-The Crickets boasted one of the best youth teams of recent memory with kids like [player_tooltip player_id='491719' first='Jasmin' last='Heuer']. I could be underrating them.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>17 Osseo-Fairchild</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>-Osseo-Fairchild has routinely rolled out successful teams. I don't see that stopping now.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>18 Manitowoc Lutheran</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>-All the core pieces for the Lancers are back again for the 2023-24 season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>19 Darlington</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>-The duo of [player_tooltip player_id='767257' first='Kylie' last='Butler'] and [player_tooltip player_id='636142' first='Maddie' last='Gratz'] are as good as most in D4. I could be underestimating how good they'll be this season at No. 19.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>20 Marshall</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>-There are still kids in the Cardinals program who are good enough to cause havoc to turn offense into defense.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>21 Kenosha St. Joseph Catholic</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>-There's some transfers coming to help the Lancers this season, and Frankie McLain could turn a corner this season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>22 Shoreland Lutheran</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>-Amanda Huesterberg is among the most underrated forwards in the state, and could help her Shoreland Lutheran team be competitive in the postseason.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>23 Poynette</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>-[player_tooltip player_id='751244' first='Avalyn' last='Albrecht'] coming in will give the Pumas a massibe boost.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>24 Winnebago Lutheran Academy</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>-Oliviet Nazarene commit [player_tooltip player_id='337021' first='Lindsey' last='Nell'] will be one of the best wings in D4.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>25 Racine Lutheran</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>-Racine Lutheran's 1-3-1 will always give teams problems, and [player_tooltip player_id='448255' first='Julia' last='Kellner'] is a talented 6-2 post.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->