Checking in on the 2027s

To close out my month of writing, I'd like to take some stock on the class of 2027. The current freshman from the state of Wisconsin have their first high school season in the books. Many made significant impressions in the postseason, and I'd like to highlight a few I haven't highlighted as much as others.   [player_tooltip player_id='751276' first='Olivia' last='LaBlanc']   An injury ended what looked like a promising season for LaBlanc. She had some standout moments in less than a month, especially the game at Kettle Moraine against Hartford. LaBlanc is a three-level scorer who doesn't force anything and takes what defenses give her. I don't think we'll see her on the floor again until the high school season, but she's a kid who could be a first-team all-conference kid in the Big Rivers Conference as early as next season.   [player_tooltip player_id='751262' first='Kaelyn' last='Nommensen']   Wisconsin Lutheran was a young group, and Nommensen was the most impressive young player for the Vikings this past season. She was a post for most of the year while still playing on the perimeter in some of the five-out looks the Vikings had. I thought she showed some prowess with her back to the basket, and she was productive with her back to the basket in a heavily guard-oriented Woodland-West Conference. I love her effort plays, particularly when she crashes the glass, and she's shown she can put the ball on the floor to attack the rim from the perimeter. I also thought she played well in Pennsylvania with [program_tooltip program_id='713045' first='Wisconsin' last='Lakers'].   [player_tooltip player_id='751284' first='Sidney' last='Zehner']   The Arrowhead guard wasn't in the ideal position to show her talent this past season, but she embraced her role and helped the Warhawks win a state title. She came off the bench and mostly made extra effort plays in her time on the floor, and having a kid like Zehner who is athletic enough to defend high-level guards off the bench is indispensable for teams with that kind of player off the bench. She also does a solid job creating off-the-dribble and made some massive plays for the Warhawks at times when the opportunity presented itself. She'll play a significant role for the Warhawks next season.   [player_tooltip player_id='764935' first='Jada' last='Seubert']   Suebert is a member of a highly successful Flight 15U EYBL group, and her success translated to the high school level seamlessly. The SPASH guard plays at her own pace and is comfortable scoring at every level. Everything she does looks effortless, which is a sign that she does what the defense wants her to, but the problem for defenses is she can do everything on the offensive end. Seubert earned the role as the Panthers' primary creator as a newcomer at SPASH, and it worked out well for the Panthers as they ended the year a few bounces away from a Regional Title and earned a share of their second consecutive Wisconsin Valley Title. Seubert could be a multi-time player of the year in the conference before she graduates.   [player_tooltip player_id='751241' first='Ava' last='Fernholz']   Fewer jobs are as difficult at the high school level than following up a four-year starter, multi-time all-state performer, multi-time Sectional Champion, and D1 commit. However, Fernholz did an excellent job doing that. Her play allowed the Blugolds to excel in their frantic style of play, and her passing allowed her teammates to be successful when they were on the floor with Fernholz. She didn't turn the ball over as much as other younger guards in the past, leading to another Mississippi Valley title for the Blugolds.   Rhiana Barker   I first saw Barker at the Freshman Showcase last August. I didn't know who she was beforehand, but I learned quickly. She plays passionately, flies all over the floor after loose balls, and makes winning plays. However, I was most impressed by how often she got to the free-throw line. I'd guess she made at least two trips to the line in each stream I watched of Bradford's, which she could utilize more if Barker could make a few more free throws, but she'll help Bradford win some games these next three years regardless.   [player_tooltip player_id='751291' first='Grace' last='Mitchell']   I'm unsure if Mitchell plays AAU ball for anyone, but she's a serious player. She was the most productive kid for Winneconne this season and showed flashes of possibly being a scholarship-level player in the future. She has a quick trigger for a jumper and has the power to finish through traffic. As their leadings scorer, she had to deal with most of the defensive attention and had some ups and downs this season, but I suspect she'll emerge as one of the most productive kids in the 2027 class that nobody talks about.

To close out my month of writing, I'd like to take some stock on the class of 2027. The current freshman from the state of Wisconsin have their first high school season in the books. Many made significant impressions in the postseason, and I'd like to highlight a few I haven't highlighted as much as others.