D5 Sectionals 3 and 4 Bracketology

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>On Sunday, we'll know everyone's path to a gold ball, and even though this season's gone by fast, the best is yet to come. Throughout the week, we'll look at the penultimate update of the RPI rankings, my expectations, and things to watch when the WIAA unveils the brackets on Sunday. We'll start with D1 and work our way down to D5.<br>The first thing to understand is how the WIAA seeds teams. It's an adjusted RPI formula, which includes games against non-WIAA foes, which I don't include because it is more challenging than it sounds to add those teams in there without breaking how the macro runs.<br>From my experience, the more you win, no matter who it's against, the more favorable treatment you get in the WIAA formula. A good example would be undefeated Verona last year, landing a three-seed behind undefeated Oregon and three-loss Arrowhead. Winning is the most crucial aspect of the formula, but beating good teams is also factored in.<br>Today, we're diving into D5 and what the brackets in each section and subsection should look like.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Sectional Three produced Argyle/Pecatonica last season. Now that they're up in D4, we'll have a new representative in D5 from this Sectional. The schools here are mostly small in Southwest and South-Central Wisconsin, extending to the Eau Claire area with a few Six Rivers Conference teams to watch.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Here's how the top half may look.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list {"ordered":true} --> <ol class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Independence/Gilmanton</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Eleva-Strum</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Kickapoo</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Cashton</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Hillsboro</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Blair-Taylor</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Cochrane-Fountain City</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Alma/Pepin</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>New Lisbon</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Royall</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Brookwood</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Alma Center Lincoln</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Wonewoc-Center</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Plum City/Elmwood</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>La Farge/Youth Initiative</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ol> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The bottom of the bracket is where teams ranked by multiple media outlets sit in this sectional. Here's how they may seeded.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list {"ordered":true} --> <ol class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Barneveld</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Wauzeka-Steuben</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Shullsburg</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Belmont</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Black Hawk</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>River Ridge</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Ithaca</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>De Soto</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Potosi/Cassville</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Highland</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Southwestern</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>North Crawford</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Seneca</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Boscobel</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Benton</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ol> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Sectional Four produced Albany/Monticello last season, who became the first No. 4 seed at a State Tournament to win a state title. Albany/Monticello will be the favorite to return to the Resch Center but will face some competition from whoever emerges from the top half of the bracket.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Here's how the top half could look tomorrow.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list {"ordered":true} --> <ol class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Lourdes Academy</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Sheboygan Lutheran</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Wild Rose</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Oakfield</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Fall River</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Randolph</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Central Wisconsin Christian</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Reedsville</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Princeton/Green Lake</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Valley Christian</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Cambria-Friesland</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Elkhart Lake-Glenbeulah</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Stockbridge</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Sheboygan Christian</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Hilbert</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Rio</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ol> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The bottom half is Albany/Monticello's to lose, but that's why we play the games.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Here's how the bottom of Sectional Four could look.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list {"ordered":true} --> <ol class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Albany/Monticello</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Chesterton Academy</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Palmyra-Eagle</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Faith Christian</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Catholic Central</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>University Lake/St. John's</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Catholic Central</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Ozaukee</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Kenosha Christian Life</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Madison Country Day</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Johnson Creek</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Juda</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Wayland Academy</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Eastbrook Academy</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ol> <!-- /wp:list -->