My D3 Sectional Four Predictions

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The grind is over after today. My final sectional predictions for sectionals three and four go up today. We'll compare mine to yours tomorrow, and after that, basketball season will tip off in 48 hours.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Kettle Moraine Lutheran battled through this sectional last season and left something on the table at the Resch Center. Now we'll see if the Chargers can do it again or if it's a new team's time to make it to the state's grandest stage.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Regional Champion: Catholic Memorial</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Crusaders will look different than they did a season ago. Olivia Conway and Izzy McFee graduated, and they'll have a new coach this season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Crusaders have four kids who'll play significant minutes, [player_tooltip player_id='533059' first='Kelly' last='Boinski']-[player_tooltip player_id='374232' first='Jenna' last='Welsch']-[player_tooltip player_id='520094' first='Hallie' last='Koltz']-[player_tooltip player_id='842222' first='Sami' last='Sarner']. Those kids played prominent roles on last season's team that came one win from a sectional title, which would've been the Crusaders program for the first time since 2005.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>After those four kids, we'll have to see how kids like [player_tooltip player_id='509701' first='Jersey' last='Johnson'] improved. However, we'll have to see how the rest of the program improved in an off-season of transition.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Regional Champion: Oostburg</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>If you were to ask the Lady Dutch, they'd feel like they could've done more in the past two seasons.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Ketterhagen sisters will play for Oostburg together for the first time. Kinsely Ketterhagen is an uber-talented newcomer who'll be the most talented player in D3 once she steps onto the floor this Tuesday against Laconia.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='533060' first='Ady' last='Ketterhagen'] and [player_tooltip player_id='533061' first='Riley' last='Ketterhagen'] are now upperclassmen who've experienced the highs and lows of a postseason run, and with their younger sister, add another talented ball handler to a group looking to head to Green Bay this season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>I may have them underrated here. Maybe it's because of what happened last season, or it's a subconscious reverse jinx on my end, but these next two seasons are "prove it" years for the Lady Dutch.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Sectional Runner-Up: Milwaukee Academy of Science</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>After having roster turnover from the class of 2023 moving on, the 2027s could make their mark for the Novas this season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1039246' first='Kourtlyn' last='Guy'] and [player_tooltip player_id='882114' first='Ariell' last='Allen'] are two talented kids who complement each other's styles well. Guy is a lengthy perimeter defender with plenty of upside on the offensive end. Allen is an offensive-minded wing with a few impressive scoring outbursts last season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Having some experience with kids like [player_tooltip player_id='448262' first='Jaeda' last='Turner'], [player_tooltip player_id='329569' first='Ellis' last='Williams'], and [player_tooltip player_id='329603' first='Jariah' last='Riley'] back also elevates this team's ceiling to being a contender to return to the state tournament.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Sectional Champion: Kettle Moraine Lutheran</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>I'm almost afraid to ask anyone in the KML program about last season because even as someone who tries to be as unbiased as possible, their state semifinal left a sour taste in my mouth. The good news is their seniors have a chance to right those wrongs.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='448257' first='Makenzie' last='Luehring'] is as talented as anyone attacking the basket, and her touch with both hands around the rim is impressive. [player_tooltip player_id='448261' first='Madeline' last='Leffel'] is a 5'10 athletic wing who showed flashes of being a high-volume and high-efficiency shooter last season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The question will be how their rotation shapes up with the Chargers' youth coming through. However, the upside of a gold ball heading to Jackson is there.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->