Role Players With Game-Winning Qualities

I’ve attended two games this year in vastly different parts of the state and kept up on games elsewhere. Today, I’d like to talk about kids who bring winning qualities without being someone with a reputation that precedes them.

Madeline Leffel Madeline Leffel 5'10" | SF Kettle Moraine Lutheran | 2025 WI

Whenever a kid rips seven threes in a game, it’s noticeable. For Leffel, that kind of shooting raises her ceiling tenfold. She’s an athletic 5-10 wing who’s been the kid Kettle Moraine Lutheran has called upon to guard some of the top wings in the conference the last few seasons, and she’s done a solid job. Adding the threat of knocking down multiple perimeter jumpers is icing on the cake for what she already does. Leffel is probably good enough to play a couple of sports at the next level if that’s a route she wants to take.

Lucie Habas

Not having Habas most of last season to injury made Rice Lake’s season falter before it got going. Habas’ ability to make shots from the mid-range and the perimeter opens up the floor. She forces teams to defend four kids who can really hurt them at any given time. Her ability to shoot is what the Warriors missed last season. With her back, along with the Sheplee’s improvement, the addition of newcomer Addison Schmidt makes this group frontcourt heavy, and Habas adds some balance to the Warrior backcourt.

Addison Schliewe Addison Schliewe 6'2" | C Sheboygan Falls | 2025 State WI

The Sheboygan Falls forward has quietly put together an excellent first two seasons. She’s been the engine that makes the Falcons offense and defense work. Schliewe has shown she can make plays around the basket and is among the best athletes at the post position. She opened the season with a 29-point performance, reminding everyone in the Eastern Wisconsin Conference that she’s still among the best players in the EWC and has two seasons left at Sheboygan Falls.

Ava Fernholz Ava Fernholz 5'6" | PG La Crosse Aquinas | 2027 WI

Aquinas lost Macy Donarski, who’s now in Montana, and I’m sure most people know that. However, I did not know who would fill that role as a creative force for the Blugolds with Samantha Davis Samantha Davis 5'10" | SF Aquinas | 2026 State WI . Fernholz finished the first game of the season, which was a narrow victory for the Blugolds, with five assists to only two turnovers. If that stands the test of time this season, it creates a wider margin for error for a team trying to figure out what works best for them and how they’ll win games this season. Don’t be surprised if the Blugolds end the season playing some high-level basketball once they get used to their new roles.