D2 State Semifinal Preview: No. 1 Pewaukee vs. No. 4 West Salem
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There isn’t a division with a divide in the public’s view of the teams in the state tournament than D2. Everyone has talked about the potential trilogy of the previous two D2 State Title games between Pewaukee and Notre Dame.…
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Continue ReadingThere isn’t a division with a divide in the public’s view of the teams in the state tournament than D2. Everyone has talked about the potential trilogy of the previous two D2 State Title games between Pewaukee and Notre Dame. Most, including myself, believe that on Saturday night, we’ll see round three at the Resch Center, but let’s talk about the semifinal games today and what to expect from each team.
Pewaukee
The Pewaukee Pirates have arguably been the 2nd best team in the state in the past two seasons and may have won every other division in the state. However, they’ve run into another regional power each year, Notre Dame.
The characters at the forefront of the past two seasons are mostly unchanged, save a graduation from Sarah Newcomer and Megan Zielsdorf. Many of these kids have suffered against Notre Dame in the past. This team is much different than in previous years.
There is an edge to this group that previous teams haven’t had. The Pirates have been more cerebral than in years past. For instance, they’ve beaten Notre Dame to open the regular season the past few years, and how they celebrated those wins tells a story about where their mindset has been this season. Last year, they won at home, and all ran into their student section, which was good fun, but this season, it was all subdued high fives after knocking the Tritons off in Green Bay. Their goal is a gold ball and nothing else.
The mindset may have shifted slightly, but the players are still who they are. Amy Terrian Amy Terrian 5'8" | PG Pewaukee | 2025 State WI is still their emotional leader on the floor. Anna Terrian Anna Terrian 5'8" | CG Pewaukee | 2025 State WI is a spot-up shooter who can drive but is mainly out there shooting and making hustle plays like chasing down loose balls, taking charges, and things of that nature. Their games complement each other perfectly, making them a joy to watch.
The other three guards that will see significant minutes played roles in 2022-23 are Giselle Janowski Giselle Janowski 5'9" | SG Pewaukee | 2026 State WI , Kennedy Retherford Kennedy Retherford 5'8" | SG Pewaukee Highschool | 2025 State WI , and Kylie Pieper Kylie Pieper 5'7" | CG Pewaukee | 2026 State WI . Janowski is arguably a top-three defensive guard in the state and has been Pewaukee’s best attacker off the dribble. Retherford has earned her starting role over the past two years by being a valuable role player, and now she’s trusted to make open shots and attack off the dribble as a secondary creator. Kylie Pieper Kylie Pieper 5'7" | CG Pewaukee | 2026 State WI has also come into her own as a sophomore. She’s the reason they beat Homestead after struggling in the first half.
They’re a much more confident and lethal team than a year ago.
West Salem
After being bumped to D2 due to enrollment, the West Salem Panthers are returning to the Resch Center.
The name to know in this group is Megan Johnson Megan Johnson 5'11" | PF West Salem | 2025 State WI . The Panther junior had a performance to remember in Baraboo, scoring 40 points on a reigning D2 Sectional Champion, McFarland, to return to Green Bay.
Outside of Johnson, the Coulee Conference champions have a few kids who are scrappy and do a solid job of creating turnovers. Brynlee Kelly and Samantha Niemeier have been excellent defensive pieces that can make some shots if left alone on the offensive end of the floor.
They’re heavy underdogs heading into Friday, but if they can limit turnovers, they’ll give themselves an outside chance to make this thing competitive.
Predicted Winner: Pewaukee