My Official State Predictions for the 24-25 Season

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The season starts tomorrow, and I'd like to make my official state title predictions for the 2025 state tournament in each division. I'll pick my winner and who they'll beat in the state championship game in each division.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>D1: Pewaukee defeats Arrowhead</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>One could argue the Warhawks and Pirates are the two best teams in D1, and their schools are 7.4 miles apart.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Pewaukee is coming off its first state championship in program history and moved to D1. The Pirates have nearly everyone back. [player_tooltip player_id='374229' first='Amy' last='Terrian'], [player_tooltip player_id='448223' first='Anna' last='Terrian'], [player_tooltip player_id='536013' first='Giselle' last='Janowski'], [player_tooltip player_id='333100' first='Kennedy' last='Retherford'], Ella Opie, [player_tooltip player_id='533087' first='Aubree' last='Spitzner'], and [player_tooltip player_id='766616' first='Maddie' last='Chabot'] all return, and [player_tooltip player_id='533084' first='Vanessa' last='Johnson'] is back after missing last season due to an injury. There's nothing to dislike about this group other than they win almost every game.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Arrowhead is the reigning D1 state champion and has a junior in [player_tooltip player_id='533057' first='Natalie' last='Kussow'], who set the world alight at the Resch Center last March. [player_tooltip player_id='533069' first='Presly' last='Samz'] is a leader in the backcourt who takes care of the ball. [player_tooltip player_id='751284' first='Sidney' last='Zehner'] is a talented sophomore with an increased role, and newer faces like [player_tooltip player_id='1039221' first='Addison' last='Pommerening'] and [player_tooltip player_id='764907' first='Ellyana' last='Petersen'] could have breakout seasons.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>D2: Edgewood defeats Wauwatosa East</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Another team that rose divisions is my D2 title pick.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Crusaders have an uber-talented backcourt in [player_tooltip player_id='764918' first='Anna' last='Miller'] and [player_tooltip player_id='914983' first='Beanie' last='Thompson']. Those sophomores played significant roles in their state title campaign a season ago. [player_tooltip player_id='995775' first='Maren' last='Schmotzer'] adds a dimension few other D2 programs have, and they may need more from her on the offensive end of the floor. A newcomer to watch will be [player_tooltip player_id='992514' first='Siena' last='Rabach'], and what her role will be in her first season. There is a leadership role up for grabs after Taya Fernandez graduates and some other depth questions, so this is one of two picks I'm least confident in.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Tosa East is a program that's right there with Edgewood, and the Red Raider backcourt is just as talented as Edgewood's. [player_tooltip player_id='400915' first='Mikaia' last='Litza'] emerged last season as one of the top guards in more than D2, but in Wisconsin. [player_tooltip player_id='509696' first='Emma' last='Close'] and [player_tooltip player_id='509715' first='Sadie' last='Kubacki'] complement Litza and their new frontcourt. [player_tooltip player_id='766594' first='Audrey' last='Sellinger']-[player_tooltip player_id='528123' first='Makenzie' last='Hawk'] will be one of the most versatile in D2 this season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>D3: Laconia defeats Kettle Moraine Lutheran</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>We could see a battle of green teams in Green Bay of all places to end the D3 season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Laconia is the small-school juggernaut that's run through everyone in their path in D4 the past few seasons. Nobody has as much experience as the Spartans do at the Resch Center, except Pewaukee. Their senior class with [player_tooltip player_id='342096' first='Tierney' last='Madigan']-[player_tooltip player_id='448258' first='Payton' last='Morgan']-[player_tooltip player_id='375953' first='Aubrey' last='Leonard']-Molly Duel-[player_tooltip player_id='877430' first='Eva' last='Engel'] knows how to win games in every style of game a team could play.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>For KML, this season feels like unfinished business to me. [player_tooltip player_id='448257' first='Makenzie' last='Luehring'] had a 30-point explosion in their state semifinal game, but everyone else didn't play their best offensive game. The Chargers play a style of basketball that leads to them forcing turnovers and generating quick points. They don't have the star power of other programs in Wisconsin, but they are one of the most frustrating teams to play against in our state.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>D4: Cuba City defeats The Prairie School</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Speaking of KML's unfinished business, Cuba City has felt like they're on the brink of something special for three years, and the basketball gods didn't want to make it easy on them, but the Prairie School has been on that same trajectory.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='374234' first='Olivia' last='Olson']'s recovery determines the ceiling of this team in March. In the scenario where Olson does return, the Cubans will have the top backcourt in D4. Her backcourt mate, [player_tooltip player_id='914523' first='Ashley' last='Rowe'], will hold the fort down during the regular season and be a contender for SWAL POY. Don't underestimate the interior presence that [player_tooltip player_id='534426' first='Dea' last='Crist'] brings to the table.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Hawks of the Prairie School have the most talented kid in the D4 in [player_tooltip player_id='374228' first='JJ' last='Glass-Barnes']. Her ability to control games physically on both ends of the floor gives her team an edge whenever they step onto the floor. Pairing that with an athletic and disruptive guard like [player_tooltip player_id='338967' first='Meg' last='Decker'] makes the Hawks an elite defensive unit in D4. The x-factor for this program will be [player_tooltip player_id='533081' first='Amiyah' last='Galica'].</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>D5: Sheboygan Lutheran defeats Lena</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>I've been around four years, and Sheboygan Lutheran hasn't been in the same division for more than a year, and each year, they've lost to an eventual state champion. Now, they're the team to beat in my eyes.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='374230' first='Addy' last='Verhagen'] is a kid who is one of the best at creating good looks on the offensive end of the floor, which is one of the keys to winning in small-school basketball. Having [player_tooltip player_id='521329' first='Taylor' last='Brigham'] back and being a physical presence will be massive for them.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Lena dropped a heart-breaker in the state title game last season and has their best kids back, [player_tooltip player_id='767273' first='Eva' last='Brooks'] and Madilyn Thomson. Those two overpower most programs in D5 with their size and physicality, and Brooks' ability to step out and make shots opens the floor for the Wildcats. I also would love to see another Lena takeover at the Resch Center.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->