Winter Storm Takeaways of This Season

<p>Since we have a day where weather will cancel most, if not all, tonight's games, let's take some inventory about where we are this season. </p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Germantown's Chaos</h2>   <p>From things I've heard about Germantown pre-KK Arnold, and due to the personnel for the Warhawks, I figured they fly around defensively. I did not expect them to have a better offensive output than last season's team. Last season's group organized to maximize KK and, in turn, the team. Now, the Warhawks play around [player_tooltip player_id='444780' first='Lucy' last='Leininger']'s strengths, and it's working wonders.</p>   <p>Nobody two years ago would've expected Leininger to score 39 points in a game, let alone 20 or more in six games as her team's leading scorer. She's a kid who's worked relentlessly on her game, and we're seeing where it's gotten her firsthand. I couldn't be prouder of her and how far she's come on the floor.</p>   <p>After Leininger, you have these well-conditioned athletes with high basketball IQs. Reese Berge, Maddie Stocks, [player_tooltip player_id='558941' first='Jaycee' last='Mani'], Rachel Murphy, and Mary Leininger can all create six or more turnovers in the Warhawk press on any given day, and all are skilled enough to make things happen quickly on the offensive end of the floor.</p>   <p>The two x-factors that bring something different to this group are Madeline Jakusz and [player_tooltip player_id='448252' first='Danica' last='Gosz']. Jakusz's presence allowed the Warhawks a back-to-the-basket presence and showed that on a state scale last year in the state semifinals against Brookfield East. On the other hand, Gosz has been the floor-spacer who's capable of scoring off the dribble. Gosz has predominantly been a catch-and-shoot kid in her first two seasons, but she's shown more of her offensive arsenal in her junior year.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Appleton North's Ascension</h2>   <p>The FVA has been a notoriously difficult league to compete in if you're not one of the best of the best in the state. Whether it's been Kimberly, Kaukauna, Neenah, Appleton East, or Hortonville in the recent past, those teams have had ambitions of a state title heading into the season, so we knew that they'd be up there. A team from the FVA rarely takes that conference by surprise like Appleton North has this season.</p>   <p>Most teams at the top of the FVA have had an elite kid or multiple elite kids. The Lightning has a bunch of intelligent players that are capable of doing a little of everything.</p>   <p>The Lightning has one of the top freshmen in the state, and she's been fantastic. [player_tooltip player_id='838113' first='Avery' last='Werfal'] is a 5'8 guard with skill and grit. She's leading the Lightning in scoring and has been their go-to kid whenever they've needed a basket, and she's scored efficiently for a freshman in the toughest conference in the state.</p>   <p>Outside of Werfal, they have kids who fit a role that works for the Lightning. [player_tooltip player_id='329543' first='Shayna' last='Williamson'] has been their 3&D kid, and the turnovers Williamson's created have led to her team getting free transition baskets. She's played the best basketball she's ever played this season.</p>   <p>[player_tooltip player_id='533062' first='Tay' last='Maass'] has continued to provide a presence in the middle for Appleton North. Her ability to play in the paint against larger opponents has eased the pressure off her guards to battle against those post-kids. Her effort is unreal.</p>   <p>It also helps that kids like Delaney Peterson and Sophie Busch have stepped up into more prominent roles to help elevate the ceiling of this group.</p>   <p>If things don't change drastically, Appleton will host a Regional Game this year, and if they're lucky, they may end up in the top four due to their non-conference schedule and depending on games against teams like Appleton East.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Oregon's Consistency</h2>   <p>There is no logical reason that the Panthers have been this dominant all year. They won the Badger-West last season, and in the new Badger-Large, people assumed that the conference winner(s) would have at least two losses, which could still happen, but not with how Oregon's played. </p>   <p>They've won all but one game by double-digits, and the one they didn't, they beat Beaver Dam on the road by nine, without their leading scorer, Sam Schmitt.</p>   <p>Over Sam Schmitt's time at Oregon, she's been a hub of positive offense even when her shots aren't falling. Due to what she's done as a lead guard, they've always seemed to punch above their weight talent-wise. A year ago, this team beat a talented Sun Prairie West team in the Regional Title game, and they controlled that thing throughout with Schmitt handling the ball.</p>   <p>[player_tooltip player_id='767277' first='Olivia' last='Neis'] has stepped up into a prominent defensive and creative role. She's been a kid you could count on defensively, but I don't know how many people expected her to make plays for others offensively at the rate she has. If [player_tooltip player_id='767277' first='Olivia' last='Neis'] isn't on your radar, she should be.</p>   <p>The third part of this equation that takes this group to another level is Delaney Nyenhueis. The 6-1 forward has been excellent for the Panthers. Nyenhuis gets rewarded for her movement and ability to get into dangerous areas by Schmitt and Neis, and she's rebounding the ball at a high rate.</p>   <p>This group also has multiple kids who can defend and score if left alone, like Katelyn Studebaker, [player_tooltip player_id='457866' first='Teagan' last='Schoenecker'], and Klara Tracy.</p>   <p>If this team gets to the state tournament, it would change my perspective on what it takes to get to state for any D1 Sectionals that are not Sectional Four.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Rice Lake's Improvements</h2>   <p>Last season, the Warriors finished the season 10-15. With the talent they have, there was some disappointment. Whether it was Lucie Habas' long-term injury or missing out on Sectionals after lucking into a home game for a Regional Title Game as a 6-seed, they left a lot on the table.</p>   <p>This season, everything has fallen into place. The Warriors are 10-2 and earned a significant come-from-behind win in Hudson last week.</p>   <p>[player_tooltip player_id='342360' first='Eliana' last='Sheplee'] and [player_tooltip player_id='533077' first='Adaline' last='Sheplee'] have been two of the best players in the Big Rivers this season, and they look more comfortable playing prominent scoring roles. </p>   <p>Eli Sheplee has been one of the best multi-sport athletes in this state's recent memory, and her speed and athleticism allow her to make plays on the floor that nobody else can.</p>   <p>Her sister, Ady, has stepped up massively this season. Last year, she looked slightly passive and showed flashes of the elite player she could become. This season, she's become that dominant player. She's a 6-2 uber-athletic wing who defends all five positions and alters the game on every possession. She can block shots, guard multiple positions on one possession, convert perimeter shots, make clutch shots like she did against Hudson to tie the game late, get to the rim, initiate offense, rebound, and beat nearly everyone down the floor. I can't recommend watching her enough.</p>   <p>The Warriors added a few kids who didn't play much last season or are coming in as a 2027. The former, Lucie Habas, missing most of last season due to injury was another stroke of bad luck for the Warriors. Having her back and allowing her to start their press break offense looks smooth. The newcomer, Addison Schmidt, gives them another presence in the paint. She's been solid for them all year, leads the Warriors in rebounding, and gives them someone to play against other talented posts in the BRC.</p>   <p>Right now, it looks like it will be either conference rival Menomonie or Rice Lake playing Notre Dame in a Sectional Final to go to the Resch Center. </p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Notre Dame's Out-of-State Wins</h2>   <p>It's funny. The win Notre Dame got in Illinois last week against Alton (IL) may be the best win anyone earned this season. However, Alton will be treated like a team that finished 12-12 for seeding purposes, even though they were 17-0 heading into that Triton game. </p>   <p>Although the seeding may not back it up at the state tournament, beating teams like Christ Presbyterian (TN), Rockvale (TN), Auburn (AL), and Alton are all high-quality wins that back up the fact that this core the Tritons have are some of the best in the Midwest.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Pewaukee's Quest for Perfection</h2>   <p>We all know the highly competitive rivalry between the Pirates and Notre Dame. However, the Pirates could do something the Tritons haven't done with their core. Win a state title with a 30-0 record.</p>   <p>Each season, the Tritons have brought home a title. They've had one blemish. Kimberly in 2021, Appleton East in 2022, and Pewaukee in 2023.</p>   <p>One more area of intrigue as we await that game in March. </p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">What to Make of Xavier</h2>   <p>In general, the Bay Conference can get a little wild. If you need an example, look at Shawano's games against West De Pere last season.</p>   <p>Right now, the Hawks are chasing West De Pere after a narrow road loss to the Phantoms. However, they're one of the favorites to make a run in D3.</p>   <p>They have a talented backcourt in [player_tooltip player_id='751258' first='Elle' last='Krull'], Carsyn Stempa, and [player_tooltip player_id='766619' first='Joy' last='Krull']. All those kids are dynamic and can score it on the offensive end of the floor. They're learning how to get the most out of each other when they're on the floor together, and it's improving every month.</p>   <p>Halle VandeHey will be the x-factor for the Hawks in D3. Her size, athleticism, and ability to make a few perimeter shots can be the difference in some Sectional or State games.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Will Waupun Send Their Seniors Off on a High?</h2>   <p>There's no way around it, and everyone in Waupun will agree with this statement. Last season was a disappointment.</p>   <p>Having a trio of D1 commits in Kay Petersen (Marquette), [player_tooltip player_id='209618' first='Gracie' last='Gopalan'] (Quinnipiac), and [player_tooltip player_id='374233' first='Lydia' last='Aalsma'] (St. Thomas) is rare in D3. However, on one afternoon against Milwaukee Academy of Science, all of them were cold, and they lost a game they felt they should've won. </p>   <p>Those three are refocused and want to win a second state title in three seasons, and they'll need others to step up.</p>   <p>Mady VandeStreek made massive shots in the Resch Center last season to keep the Warriors in that game. Rowan Harder has to keep playing how she has, grabbing rebounds, finishing around the basket, and being available in their zone offense.</p>   <p>It feels like not many are talking about it because of how it ended last year, but this Waupun run has had some of the best talent in D3 in recent memory.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Edgewood's Backcourt</h2>   <p>I talked about a bunch before the season started, but [player_tooltip player_id='764918' first='Anna' last='Miller'] is one of the best guards in the state already. The way she handles pressure and the skills she has aren't in kids as young as her. Guards win you games in the postseason, and the Crusaders have one of the best in D3.</p>   <p>The Crusaders also have these hot and cold kids who can swing games. [player_tooltip player_id='209589' first='Taya' last='Fernandez'] has some of the best vision when it comes to seeing cutters, and she can knock down shots as well as anyone when she gets in a rhythm.</p>   <p>Zhana Gnewuch is a kid who'll take tough shots and has hit them in the past. However, she has been inconsistent, but if she catches an elite team on the right day, she can look like one of the best kids on the floor.</p>   <p>One more kid to watch is [player_tooltip player_id='914983' first='Beanie' last='Thompson']. That is their energizer bunny, and she flies all over the place on the defensive end of the floor. She's the kid willing to guard up when her team needs more size on the defensive end. Her effort is incredible.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Laconia's Dominance in D4</h2>   <p>The Spartans haven't lost a game in Wisconsin since February 3rd, 2023.</p>   <p>Since their junior class got to Laconia, they have a record of 65-9.</p>   <p>They've appeared in two D4 state title games and are looking for a fourth. Next season, they'll be in D3, so that'll be the final horizon for that group of talented kids. </p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">How Good is Cuba City?</h2>   <p>When you're losses are Beaver Dam, Oregon, and Arrowhead, you know you're playing good competition. However, people don't see them as a real threat in D4.</p>   <p>Over the past two seasons, the Cubans ran into Aquinas and lost both times in heartbreaking fashion in Sectionals. Now, they're gone. Granted, they may be better than Aquinas now anyway.</p>   <p>[player_tooltip player_id='374234' first='Olivia' last='Olson'] is one of the best point guards that don't get statewide attention. In their loss to Arrowhead in Waunakee, Olson was the best player on the floor.</p>   <p>Outside of Olson, they have above-average varsity players like [player_tooltip player_id='600825' first='Ella' last='Vosberg'] and [player_tooltip player_id='534426' first='Dea' last='Crist'], to name two of them. I highlighted how dominant Laconia has been 100 words ago, but don't overlook Cuba City in D4.</p>

Since we have a day where weather will cancel most, if not all, tonight's games, let's take some inventory about where we are this season.