A Deep Dive Into Division 1 Sectional 2 (Part 1)

I don't have many articles left to do this month, so we might as well start highlighting sectionals. We'll dive deep into all four sectionals in all five divisions and make my predictions for the upcoming season. Today, we'll continue with Division One, Sectional Two. We'll go in alphabetical order.   Bay Port   After an ACL injury kept [player_tooltip player_id='736760' first='Melia' last='Lemorande'] off the floor in her sophomore season, she should be ready to go in November. However, her younger sister, Alayna, will have to wait for her debut as she went down with a knee injury over the summer.   That has been the story of Bay Port for the past year now. Injuries have kept them from being as good as their roster suggests they could be, but they've made do with what they've had. After having an injury in July to one of the most promising kids in the 2026 class, they found ways to win in the FRCC.   Another year for [player_tooltip player_id='874380' first='Olivia' last='Williams'] should also be something to watch. She had an excellent summer with [program_tooltip program_id='712778' first='Purple' last='Aces'] and found ways to be productive all over the floor.   Brookfield East   The Spartans have made appearances at the state tournament in two of the past three seasons, and even though they didn't make it last year, they were in a sectional final.   The names have changed through the last few seasons, but a few constants remain. Brookfield East will be a defensive powerhouse, keep themselves in games, and they won't make mistakes that'll beat themselves. That alone makes them among the trickiest teams to beat in sectional two.   [player_tooltip player_id='497476' first='Maya' last='Kovacic'] will likely have the ball in her hands more than anyone else on the team for the first time in her high school career, and the transfer of [player_tooltip player_id='747942' first='Josie' last='Piurkowski'] from Brookfield Central gives the Spartans arguably more offensive firepower than they've had in the past few seasons.   The duo of Shae Kelley and Annika Pluemer are no longer around, so things won't look the same, but the results should still be there in Greater Metro and possibly beyond.   De Pere   After an incredible career, Claire Bjorge is off to Duluth, creating a void at De Pere.   De Pere still has talented kids in their building, like Jaden Cisielcyzk, [player_tooltip player_id='448312' first='Egan' last='Bierowski'], Aubree Fisher, Abby Tousal, and [player_tooltip player_id='874376' first='Adeline' last='Dwyer'], who all play basketball over the summer with a drive to get better. Nobody individually will replace Bjorge, but those five kids can all take a step forward this season.   The wildcard for De Pere will be incoming freshman Allie Neuenfeldt. Neuenfeldt played with the talented [program_tooltip program_id='715882' first='Wisconsin' last='Flight Elite'] 15U team that went undefeated in the regular season of EYBL last summer, and she showed flashes of skill when I saw her play in July.   DSHA   Last season, the Dashers stacked athletic wings from [player_tooltip player_id='842214' first='Maddie' last='Brown'], [player_tooltip player_id='842226' first='Maria' last='Hilbert'], Haley Bachmann, and Ally Timm. DSHA also has a talented 5/4 kind of player in [player_tooltip player_id='338952' first='Karinna' last='Trotter'].   For whatever reason, things didn't mesh as well as they could've, but they still found themselves in a regional title game at Brookfield East.   Not having a D1 talent like Ally Timm hurts, but some pieces could help cushion that loss. [player_tooltip player_id='842226' first='Maria' last='Hilbert'] and [player_tooltip player_id='842214' first='Maddie' last='Brown'] are two talented 5'11 wings who can handle the ball a bit and make some things happen off the dribble, and [player_tooltip player_id='338952' first='Karinna' last='Trotter'] has been used on the perimeter a fair amount in her career thus far.   The Dashers have the most question marks, but they have pieces that will give teams trouble.   Fond du Lac   The Cardinals lost a bunch of their production from their seniors last season. Brooklynn Butler and Brooklyn Wood, who missed the season with an injury, are off playing D2 basketball this winter.   Playing in the FVA means they're being pushed to the brink every time they step on the floor. Fondy needs kids who can compete at that level consistently, and I think they still have a handful. [player_tooltip player_id='448301' first='Amaria' last='Kejo'], Lily Kejo, [player_tooltip player_id='883202' first='Lilah' last='Johnson'], and Elli Shultis each showed positive signs the Cardinals could build with.   Fond du Lac won't be a highly thought of team coming into this season, but they could outperform expectations.   Germantown   The style of play the Warhawks have is a headache to play against. The constant pressure and pace they play at wear teams out, and with the athletes at Germantown, they can play that way for 36 minutes and barely break a sweat.   Players like Lucy Leininger thrive in this system because it maximizes her length, athleticism, and defensive instincts. Without her, things could be a little more interesting at Germantown.   They'll have plenty of depth with players like [player_tooltip player_id='448252' first='Danica' last='Gosz'], [player_tooltip player_id='558941' first='Jaycee' last='Mani'], Madeline Jakusz, [player_tooltip player_id='533088' first='Madelyn' last='Stocks'], Mary Leininger, and a newcomer or two could be in their rotation. We'll see if they'll continue to be as successful with their style of play in 24-25. If they are, they could win another regional title.   Green Bay Preble   With teams that struggle, I look for kids who play the right way, even when things don't go well. Preble has a few kids who could make a difference this season.   Brooklyn Lucassen and Jada Raeder are two talented kids who fit together well. Raeder is a 6'0 athlete who can fly around the court and make hustle plays, and Lucassen is the skilled guard who makes shots and makes things happen off the dribble.   We'll see what the ceiling of this group can be, but Raeder and Lucassen are worth watching.   Hamilton   A familiar face around the Classic Eight, Steve Busalacchi, went over to Hamilton to be the next coach of the Chargers, and there are things to work with over there.   [player_tooltip player_id='888726' first='Lola' last='Warren'], [player_tooltip player_id='640812' first='Cameron' last='Dahlquist'], [player_tooltip player_id='892034' first='Jacy' last='Fierst'], [player_tooltip player_id='888484' first='Mallory' last='McCoy'], and Eva Finessy, among others, are a talented bunch of kids who pushed an excellent Kimberly team to the brink a season ago in a regional title game on the road.   They don't have well-known kids around the state, but they aren't an easy team to beat.   Hartford   The reigning champions of this sectional have everyone back who led the Orioles to their first state tournament appearance since 2000. They have the tools to get there again, but it won't be easy.   [player_tooltip player_id='338945' first='Makena' last='Christian'] played some of the best basketball I've seen from her down the stretch last season, and if she keeps playing that way, nobody in this sectional can defend her one-on-one. The 2027s on this team found their groove and pushed this team forward. [player_tooltip player_id='751281' first='Rita' last='Kuepper'], [player_tooltip player_id='751236' first='Alexis' last='Shelsta'], and [player_tooltip player_id='751285' first='Taressa' last='Hennes'] can take another step this season.   After adding a few teams into this sectional, which we'll discuss later, is the main conversation here, but don't forget Hartford.

I don't have many articles left to do this month, so we might as well start highlighting sectionals. We'll dive deep into all four sectionals in all five divisions and make my predictions for the upcoming season. Today, we'll continue with Division One, Sectional Two. We'll go in alphabetical order.