Predicting D2 Sectional Three

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Today, we tie a bow on the mess in D2 and predict the final two sectionals. Most likely, the state champion this year comes out of one of these two sectionals, but let's discuss my regional champs, sectional runner-ups, and sectional champions.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Sectional Three usually has a surprise or two in store. Last season, few people probably thought new D2 West Salem would emerge from this sectional due to a 40-point eruption from [player_tooltip player_id='448247' first='Megan' last='Johnson'], but that's what makes this group of teams fun.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Regional Champion: Sauk Prairie</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Eagles have been a competitive program in every iteration of the Badger Conference over the past few seasons.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Most of how they play now has been by committee. Sauk Prairie hasn't had a comparable talent to Maggie Hartwig since she graduated, and they've figured out ways to be competitive.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Everyone has a role that they star in. Mallory Hartwig does an excellent job playing physically around the basket and getting to the free-throw line. Gracyn Meyer was a solid shooter for the Eagles last season, and guards like Brooklyn Kaufman are active in passing lanes.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Regional Champion: Milton</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Red Hawks had a promising start to the season until injuries derailed what could have been. However, they still showed promise without [player_tooltip player_id='593198' first='Julia' last='Wolf'].</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The rising senior, Wolf, should be among the more threatening offensive players in the Badger-Large this season. In a conference that keeps becoming more unpredictable, we may see the Red Hawks step into the upper echelon of the conference.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Holly Moreheart graduating hurts their backcourt, but there's enough depth with kids like [player_tooltip player_id='888860' first='Nayeli' last='Kilen'], Kylee Butchen, [player_tooltip player_id='883195' first='Allison' last='Kojo'], and newcomer [player_tooltip player_id='884030' first='Aubrey' last='Klug'], where they should find some productive combinations of guards.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Sectional Runner-Ups: West Salem</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Panthers have a core of kids who know what it takes to make a deep playoff run.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='448247' first='Megan' last='Johnson'] has proven to be a kid who can put West Salem over the top and did against a talented McFarland team in Baraboo last season. The future Winona State Warrior is as dominant of a kid in Southwest Wisconsin as you'll find and has earned the respect of opposing coaches in the Coulee Conference.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Other names to watch for the Panthers this season will be Josie Brudos' shooting and Sam Niemeier.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Sectional Champions: Edgewood</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Crusaders won D3 last season, and enrollment pulled them up to D2 this season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Losing a leader like Taya Fernandez will sting, but Edgewood is in as good a position as possible to fill that void. Nobody may be the vocal leader she is, but having a calming presence in [player_tooltip player_id='764918' first='Anna' last='Miller'] fixes most of those issues. Whenever the ball is in her hands, everyone on the floor looks confident, and based on her first season, it's not hard to see why.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>There's also plenty of talent around the floor. Future Northern Iowa Panther [player_tooltip player_id='995775' first='Maren' last='Schmotzer'] is a defensive presence around the basket. Zhana Gnewuch can put points on the board, and [player_tooltip player_id='914983' first='Beanie' last='Thompson'] plays as hard as anyone.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Crusader backcourt will give teams fits.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->