Breaking Down Other D2 Contenders

We won't get into the meat of Regionals until later this week, so we'll dive into all the contenders in each division before Thursday. We'll continue with D2 today and head down the list when we get to D5 on Thursday. We'll start with the No. 1 seeds in one article and discuss other contenders in another article.   Lakeland   After [player_tooltip player_id='338940' first='Kristina' last='Ouimette']'s older sister, Julianna, graduated and went off to play at the next level at Lehigh, I wondered how well Kristina would do with all the defensive attention on her, and she exploded offensively.   The 6-1 wing, also committed to Lehigh, has had her best offensive season, and everything's been up for her. Her off-ball movement, size, and confidence make her a scary individual in D2.   [player_tooltip player_id='448291' first='Saylor' last='Timmerman'] also adds size to this group, which allows Ouimette to operate where she's most comfortable.   The T-Birds won the Great Northern Conference with a 14-0 record. They're also looking for their fourth trip to the state tournament and second state title.   Rice Lake   The Warriors came back after what even they would describe as a disappointing 22-23 season and have been excellent for most of the 23-24 season.   [player_tooltip player_id='342360' first='Eliana' last='Sheplee'] became the program's all-time leading scorer. Her sister, [player_tooltip player_id='533077' first='Adaline' last='Sheplee'], became one of the top players in the Big Rivers and the state as a whole, and each will likely be first-team all-conference selections.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2024/02/Eli-Sheplee-3.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-857163" /></figure>   The two other kids who've shown flashes of brilliance are guard Lucie Habas and 2027 post-player Addison Schmidt. Each has made significant contributions for the Warriors in games against some of the best teams in teams in the Northwest and has the tools to help the Warriors possibly reach a Sectional Final.   The Warriors are looking for their first trip to the state tournament.   West De Pere   After some injuries over the summer, this season could've been over before it started, but the Phantoms are having a phenomenal year.   [player_tooltip player_id='448251' first='Faith' last='Walder'] returned after her injury over the summer and has been the engine that's made the Phantom offense run. Her ability to get to the rim opens up the floor for her teammates to get open shots, and no matter where Walder is, she'll find an open teammate.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2023/08/Faith-Walder-2.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-735236" /></figure>   Maddisyn Berggren has continued to show promise as a shooter and a kid who can attack aggressive closeouts and score in the mid-range area.   The addition of [player_tooltip player_id='448302' first='Mia' last='Racine'] also gave this group some size that it hasn't had in a long time, and that may be something they need against some of the teams in their sectional.   The Phantoms are seeking their second trip to the state tournament, the first coming in 1978, and looking for their first state title.   DeForest   The Norskies had an absolute gauntlet of a schedule in the Badger-Large.   They finished 6-8 in conference play but could come out of their subsection.    I also love the way they defend. Kids like [player_tooltip player_id='209901' first='Rylan' last='Oberg'] and [player_tooltip player_id='842268' first='Jordyn' last='Derlein'] are athletic perimeter defenders who can stick with quality guards and make their lives miserable for the length of the floor.   They have talented kids all over the place, and now that they don't play some of the best teams in the Madison area every night, they could make a run here.   DeForest is seeking their fifth trip to the state tournament and their first state championship.   Reedsburg   It's been the [player_tooltip player_id='209900' first='Sydney' last='Cherney'] show at Reedsburg for two years now.   She's among the state leaders in every statistical category, and even though everyone knows she's the one who'll grab every rebound and score most of her team's points, nobody has slowed her down.   Monona Grove   The Silver Eagles have one of the deepest groups in D2.   They have seven or eight kids who play like their hair is on fire and are the best example of a team that feeds off the energy of their coach.   They have multiple high-quality varsity-level players like [player_tooltip player_id='329598' first='Abbey' last='Inda'], Karsyn Nelson, and [player_tooltip player_id='209611' first='Brooklyn' last='Tortorice'], all two-way kids who can shoot and defend.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2024/02/Abbey-Inda-4.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-857165" /></figure>   They also have size in [player_tooltip player_id='209606' first='Aubrey' last='Smith'], who's a productive post player for the Silver Eagles and can dominate smaller teams.   [player_tooltip player_id='842251' first='Danielle' last='Becker'] is another name to watch. She comes off the bench but can shoot it and never lacks confidence.   Monona Grove is seeking their fourth trip to the state tournament and first state title.   Pius XI   The Popes are as guard-oriented as a team can be.   Pius will start five guards in [player_tooltip player_id='338941' first='Tess' last='Wiczek']-Marciella Rivera-Chelinda Spector-[player_tooltip player_id='338964' first='Addison' last='Miranda']-[player_tooltip player_id='338944' first='Georgia' last='Acompanado'].   Those guards can do a little of everything and want to play fast. They all can score it around the rim and shoot it, especially Miranda.   The Popes are seeking their sixth state tournament appearance and third state championship.   Whitefish Bay   The Blue Dukes are an uber-young group led by their younger kids.   [player_tooltip player_id='751283' first='Rowan' last='Counsell'] has had some monster games this season and has helped the Blue Dukes compete against some of the top teams in the North Shore.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2023/11/Rowan-Counsell-1.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-812928" /></figure>   They have a plethora of talented young guards like [player_tooltip player_id='509716' first='Sage' last='Miskel'] and [player_tooltip player_id='751268' first='Madeline' last='Volpe'], who can play fast and force turnovers on the defensive end.   The Blue Dukes are seeing their ninth state tournament appearance and first state title.   Wisconsin Lutheran   The Vikings are yet another youthful bunch, but they have some experience to provide some leadership.   [player_tooltip player_id='209600' first='Jayla' last='Rankin'] and [player_tooltip player_id='444779' first='Jazzmine' last='Smith'] have grown into leaders of this group, and from the outside looking in, it seems like they have the respect of their teammates.   The 2027s they have could help them win some prominent games. [player_tooltip player_id='751262' first='Kaelyn' last='Nommensen'], Riley Grudzielanek, and Beth Langebartles are all excellent contributors. Those kids also add some depth.   The Vikings are seeking their first state tournament appearance.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2023/12/Kaelyn-Nommensen-1.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-818850" /></figure>

We won't get into the meat of Regionals until later this week, so we'll dive into all the contenders in each division before Thursday. We'll continue with D2 today and head down the list when we get to D5 on Thursday. We'll start with the No. 1 seeds in one article and discuss other contenders in another article.