Analyzing D3 No. 1 Seeds

Let's soldier on and dive into some of the top groups in D3, starting with the No. 1 seeds and ending with other contenders.   Baldwin-Woodville   Western Wisconsin doesn't produce premier talents in the state, but they do have well-rounded groups like Baldwin-Woodville, who pop up and can hang with anybody.   Most people from the Eastern portion of the state never think about teams from the Eau Claire area, but the Blackhawks have one of the top defensive units in the state and have proven it throughout the season.   They routinely win games in a grind-it-out fashion. Their defense is so solid that even when they trail by double-digits, as they did against Prescott, the Blackhawks can generate enough stops where they can get back into the game and give themselves a chance to win.   There isn't one player whom teams will be overly concerned about, which makes them dangerous. They'll force teams to play in a slow defensive stalemate and give themselves a chance in every game.   The Blackhawks are seeking their first trip to the state tournament.   Elk Mound   The Mounders blitzted the Dunn-St. Croix Conference again this year, winning it with an undefeated record again.   [player_tooltip player_id='448260' first='Ellie' last='Schiszik'] has been unbelievable for the Mounders over the past three seasons and has developed into a Conference POY-level player.   Now that she's gotten some experience playing at a high level and understands what it'll take to advance deep into the postseason, I would expect to see them back into Sectionals and possibly face the Blugolds of Aquinas in a Sectional Final, where they'll get to test their metal.   The Mounders are seeking their second trip to the state tournament, the first coming in 1988.   Wittenberg-Birnamwood   After the departure of D1 track athlete Reese Rogowski, I was unsure if the Chargers would continue to compete at the level they have over the last few seasons.   The usage increase of [player_tooltip player_id='842221' first='Melaina' last='Granquist'] and [player_tooltip player_id='842241' first='Rory' last='Salvesen'] seemed to have been something they were more than comfortable with this year.   The only team who's beaten them this season has been Bonduel (D4), and they've handled everyone since their last Bonduel game.   The Chargers likely have to face Freedom and Xavier in Sectionals to get to the Resch Center, and if they pull those games out, they'll be serious contenders for a gold ball.   The Chargers are seeking their first trip to the state tournament.   Xavier   The Hawks have a young group of guards, and because they rely on young guards, they can be a bit streaky.   They've challenged themselves outside the Bay Conference, which they won this season, but have had mixed results outside the Bay. However, they've played some of the best teams in D3 and competed, so there won't be anyone who scares them coming into this postseason.     <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2024/02/Elle-Krull-3.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-855375" /></figure>   Carsyn Stempa and [player_tooltip player_id='751258' first='Elle' last='Krull'] will be two kids that the Hawks need to perform to get deep into the postseason. However, they have plenty of kids who can swing a game, like [player_tooltip player_id='766619' first='Joy' last='Krull'], Molly Martine, and [player_tooltip player_id='267000' first='Halle' last='Vande Hey']. They have a balanced group and kids who can play on both sides of the ball.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2024/02/Carsyn-Stempa-1.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-857975" /></figure>   The Hawks are seeking their third trip to the state tournament and first state title.   Edgerton   There's always something about Edgerton that makes them competitive, and maybe it's the edge their kids have, but they play good basketball and find good shots.   I love their backcourt of [player_tooltip player_id='533071' first='Marti' last='Rebman'] and [player_tooltip player_id='914989' first='Claudia' last='Jenny']. Those kids complement each other well. Rebman is a physical guard who can get to the rim but can knock down shots. Jenny has a quick trigger and moves well without the ball. Offensively, the fit there makes all the sense in the world.   The one kid that adds size to this group is Nicki Shaw. She's a 5-11 post and multi-sport athlete. She's athletic enough to get up and down the floor in transition but also has enough length that allows Edgerton to put her on the opposing team's post.   The Crimson Tide are seeking their first trip to the state tournament.   Waupun   It's hard to bet against a team that's won two Sectional Titles in a row and has a 2022 State Title Banner in their gym that they won with over half their starting lineup.   The Warriors have the tools to win another state title and send their seniors off with a second state title. Nobody else in D3 has three kids who'll play D1 basketball at the next level, and they all complement each other's games well.   [player_tooltip player_id='209617' first='Kayl' last='Petersen'] is every D3 team's nightmare matchup. Her size, length, skill, and mobility will create matchup problems for every team the Warriors play.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2024/01/Kayl-Petersen-4.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-845372" /></figure>   [player_tooltip player_id='209618' first='Gracie' last='Gopalan'] is among the quickest guards around and will be able to get into the paint whenever she wants.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2024/02/Gracie-Gopalan-2.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-857983" /></figure>   [player_tooltip player_id='374233' first='Lydia' last='Aalsma'] is the athletic wing of the group who can make shots from anywhere on the court.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2024/02/Lydia-Aalsma-6.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-857984" /></figure>   If I'm honest, the only thing that can stop this team is themselves.   The Warriors are looking for their fourth trip to the state tournament and second state title.   Oostburg   I was confident that the Dutch would be a team that makes sectionals again with the kids they got back. They had a talented group last year but ran into the eventual state champions, Kewaskum, in a Sectional Semifinal.   However, they got some internal development, which I didn't expect, that makes them a real state contender.   Brynn Wisse is the kid who took a step forward that I didn't expect. Each time I've seen Oostburg play, Wisse has made play after play, and some show up in box scores and others that don't. I firmly believe you need kids like Wisse to win marginal games.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2024/01/Riley-Ketterhagen-1.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-843200" /></figure>   The headliners here are [player_tooltip player_id='533060' first='Ady' last='Ketterhagen'] and [player_tooltip player_id='533061' first='Riley' last='Ketterhagen']. Those two are as explosive of scorers as you'll find anywhere in the state, and with a year of experience, they're more ready for the postseason than ever.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2024/01/Ady-Ketterhagen-1.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-842894" /></figure>   Oostburg is seeking their 11th trip to the state tournament and fourth state title.   Catholic Memorial   I don't know if a team improved as much as the Crusaders from 22-23 to 23-24. A year ago, the Crusaders were 11-13 heading into the postseason, and with mostly the same kids, they enter the postseason at 21-3.   It helps that we've seen a healthy season from [player_tooltip player_id='374232' first='Jenna' last='Welsch'], who's been their go-to-kid for the last two seasons, and she looks more confident in that role than ever.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2024/01/Jenna-Welsch-4.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-831600" /></figure>   They also have plenty of productive variety players like [player_tooltip player_id='520094' first='Hallie' last='Koltz'], Izzy McFee, [player_tooltip player_id='842222' first='Sami' last='Sarner'], [player_tooltip player_id='337024' first='Olivia' last='Conway'], and [player_tooltip player_id='509701' first='Jersey' last='Johnson']. They're as deep as anyone in D3.   The Crusaders are looking for their second trip to the state tournament and their first title.

Let's soldier on and dive into some of the top groups in D3, starting with the No. 1 seeds and ending with other contenders.