State of WIAA D5 Basketball: 30 Days In

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>We're about 30 days into the regular season, and it's time we take a day and dissect the state of the D1-D2 and D3-D5 heading into the holidays. We'll highlight some standouts, surprises, significant games, and things to watch as we head into the holiday season. We're starting with large schools today and closing with small schools tomorrow and Saturday.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Standout Performers</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>What makes Division 5 entertaining is the whacky nature of it. In no other division do we see schools try the stuff we see in D5. For instance, Argyle/Pecatonica, who we'll discuss shortly, pressed Barneveld so aggressively that they had four trying to trap a kid in the frontcourt. That's what makes D5 what it is. So that begs the question, who's excelled in this whacky environment?</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='521879' first='Mackenzie' last='Tarman'] would probably start at most schools in the state because of how well she shoots the ball. The Turtle Lake wing is scoring well over 20 points per contest again, leading the Turtles to an excellent start.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Over in the Cloverbelt, Danielle Mann stepped up after the loss of Gilman's star post last season and has been a reliable scoring option for her team.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Coryn Fromm at Elkhart Lake-Glenbeulah transferred in a few years ago and has come into her own as their go-to scoring option. She's been outstanding for the Resorters. I'd imagine she's near the top of the scoring leaders in the Big East.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Who will be the next D5 State Champion?</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>McDonell moved up to D4, meaning we will have a new D5 champion crowned on March 11th. Let's talk about who that may be.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Albany-Monticello made it to state last season and ran into a freight train that was the 2022-23 McDonell Macks. A-M has looked strong this season. [player_tooltip player_id='448295' first='Abby' last='Hollis'] is one of the best shooters in D5, and reigning conference player of the year, Alana Durtschi, is back for one more run at a gold ball.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Assumption didn't make the state tournament last season after making the state title game the year before, but their younger players are coming of age. Sarah Shaw and [player_tooltip player_id='842260' first='Jordyn' last='Jaglinski'] have been consistent contributors for them all year. We'll learn more about them in their non-conference games against Neillsville, Rhinelander, and Aquinas.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Lourdes Academy is another one that has a shot at it. [player_tooltip player_id='448293' first='Hailee' last='Bauer'] has improved for them year after year. That group came up a few games away last year.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The final team is Argyle/Pecatonica. They got an influx of talent, with [player_tooltip player_id='767257' first='Kylie' last='Butler'] coming over from Darlington and Brooke Wellnitz as a freshman. This group is well-conditioned and wants to play as fast as possible. To beat them, you need an elite guard performance.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Who's Been the Biggest Surprise?</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Argyle/Pecatonica has been the surprise, mainly because of the additions and from an expectation standpoint around the state. The last time Argyle or Pecatonica was at state was in 2002, and they weren't a co-op with Argyle, who's never been to the state. Everything has come together quickly for them, and I'm not sure anyone else in D5 has the personnel to match up with them.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->