Dissecting Division 1 Sectional 3 (Part 2)

I only have a handful of articles left for this month, and this will be the last of the sectional previews this month as I start the process of ranking updates next month, along with prepping for some showcases.   Middleton   Losing a talented post like Mariah Sexton hurts, especially as the Cardinals look to build the program up. Regardless, all of us in Wisconsin wish her and her family nothing but the best in Minnesota and her three years at St. Michael Albertville.   The Cardinals were near the bottom of the Big Eight last season, but with their history, they'll eventually find their way back up the conference. It's a matter of if, not when.   Mukwonago   No team has as unique of a roster as Mukwonago.   The Classic Eight school has two post kids on their roster, and 99% of the state is lucky to have one, and both those kids add a different dimension to their roster.   [player_tooltip player_id='652141' first='Rachael' last='Chilicki'] is a more skilled post kid who can stretch defenses to the three-point line and finish under the basket. [player_tooltip player_id='842215' first='Lucy' last='Sarna'] is more of a vocal kid who can help organize an offense under the rim, and they both have excellent motors for post players.   Some other pieces can help them, like [player_tooltip player_id='893356' first='Laina' last='Maren'] and Taylor Hingiss, but we'll see what lineups they roll out.   Oconomowoc   The losses of two all-conference players, Noelle Anthon and Eve Gricius, aren't easy. However, there are some pieces at Ocon to watch this season.   Amelia Van der Kooy is the first name I see a role for this season, and the rising sophomore could surprise people in the Classic Eight. She's a solid shooter and has solid size on the wing. The other two names to watch for the Raccoons will be Maya Fisher and Maria Jorgensen in the Ocon backcourt.   They'll have a challenging schedule in the Classic Eight but should be battle-tested heading into the postseason.   Oregon   The Panthers were the surprise of last season, going undefeated until running into the eventual state champions, Arrowhead.   Oregon had so much trust within the program that even though they didn't have the top-end talent of schools in D1 or even the Badger, large and small, they found ways to win.   Samantha Schmitt and Delaney Nyenhuis were magnificent in their senior seasons and led the Panthers to a deep playoff run, but it's time to look at what comes after those two.   Teagan Schonecker is the kid who I'd think would grab most of the attention from defenses after coming into her own last season. [player_tooltip player_id='767277' first='Olivia' last='Neis'] will add defense on the perimeter. Klara Tracy is also back and will likely add spacing to any Oregon lineup.   Guard play will determine how far this Oregon team can go.   Sun Prairie East   Since the split of Sun Prairie, the Cardinals have been playing catch-up with West, but not anymore.   [player_tooltip player_id='751243' first='Ava' last='Vogler'] is the most talented kid in Sun Prairie and led the Cardinals to their first win over the Wolves since the split in 2022. However, the question mark will be how much they can get out of other kids like [player_tooltip player_id='624973' first='Zella' last='Cleveland'] and [player_tooltip player_id='624967' first='Kiya' last='Dixon']. Both played roles last season, but without Kaitlin Bindley, there's an interior presence missing, and it'll be intriguing to see how they cope with that loss.   I like where this program is heading, slowly but surely.   Sun Prairie West   After 2023, the Wolves had to restructure a bit. There was no Avree Antony in her senior season due to injury, but Marie Outlay and Antonique Auston did everything.   [player_tooltip player_id='329599' first='Ceanna' last='Froh'] and Allison Schmidt took a step up and developed together over the past three years, starting at East. They understand each other's games. Navyeah Jackson was solid in 2023-24, adding some dynamic guard play. However, [player_tooltip player_id='528123' first='Makenzie' last='Hawk'] transferring out may hurt more than it looks at face value.   It's an odd spot, but they should be competitive in the Big Eight.   Verona   I don't think any team has lost as much talent as the Wildcats in the last two seasons in Taylor Stremlow, Reagan Briggs, Maia Ellis, and Paige Lambe. The good part is there's still talent coming through.   [player_tooltip player_id='448288' first='Emily' last='Jensen'] and [player_tooltip player_id='533070' first='Allison' last='Jirsa'] became productive varsity players and will have prominent roles next season. [player_tooltip player_id='1049239' first='Noelle' last='Rauwolf'] could find herself in a role next season.   The other holdover that should help this group out is Allison Bostley, who'll add size to any Wildcats lineup, and that's not including any youngsters or JV players who could earn a role this season.   Watertown   The Goslings will have a new look after some talented seniors graduate and a new coach this coming season. They won't look like the old Watertown, most likely.   They've been known for their 1-3-1 zone and being able to frustrate opposing offenses all game.   The Goslings will likely rely on Alyx Johnson and see which other players take another step in the offseason. Regardless, it won't look like it used to look.   Waunakee   The Warriors were one of the more confusing teams last year, and injuries didn't help, but the talent is there. Claire Meudt was the reigning Conference POY, [player_tooltip player_id='533066' first='Audrey' last='Meudt'] had a year of experience, Ellen Dotzler had played solid basketball, Lexi Fuerhmann was a solid interior presence, and they added [player_tooltip player_id='751287' first='Tessa' last='Bryan'] to that mix. I'll probably never know where the disconnect was there. They're still adding more youth talent to their team.   Kiera Van Wie is a rangy frontcourt kid with some tools to develop but possesses a solid basketball IQ. Things will likely look slightly different, and I wouldn't be surprised if they lean into playing in transition more with the athletes at their disposal.   The final thing about the Warriors is don't discount that [player_tooltip player_id='509699' first='Graycin' last='Phillips'] is healthy again heading into her sophomore season. Her length and ability to space the floor and use her length around the basket next to a Van Wie-type of player could help their rim defense this season.

I only have a handful of articles left for this month, and this will be the last of the sectional previews this month as I start the process of ranking updates next month, along with prepping for some showcases.