Division 1 Sectional 4 Bracketology

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In under a week, 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.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Last season, Sectional Four was looked down upon by the rest of D1, and the state for that matter. Reigning champs Franklin likely won't make it back to the state tournament, but their performance against eventual champions Arrowhead at state didn't change anyone's perception of this sectional.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This season, there is much more talent coalescing at the top of the field in Sectional Four, and programs around the state should ruminate on how they view the teams at the top.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The southeast sectional here has most of the large Milwaukee, Racine, and Kenosha public schools. However, due to how many schools are in those cities, amongst other reasons, it's challenging for those schools to compete with schools like presumably No. 1 seed Muskego, which has an immense youth system.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Sectional Four is as diverse as it gets from conferences, backgrounds, talent, and depth as any in the state or division. That said, here's how I see things looking on Sunday.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list {"ordered":true} --> <ol class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Muskego</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Kenosha Bradford</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Oak Creek</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Badger</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Westosha Central</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Milwaukee Bradley Tech</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Racine Case</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>St. Joan Antida/Tenor/Veritas</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Milwaukee King</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Milwaukee Hamilton/Audubon</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Kenosha Tremper</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Kenosha Indian Trail</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Milwaukee Pulaski/Carmen South/Carmen Southeast</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Franklin</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Milwaukee Riverside</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Milwaukee Reagan</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>West Allis Central</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>West Allis Hale</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Racine Horlick</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ol> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>I'll admit that I am by far the least confident predicting this sectional because of some quirky situations like Milwaukee Pulaski/Carmen South/Carmen Southeast having 13 games in by Sunday.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Muskego should come out of this sectional without much of an issue. However, Kenosha Bradford opened the season with a win against Muskego, and teams like Oak Creek and Westosha Central are eager to make a name for themselves over the next month.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Starting tomorrow, we'll have the entire D2 preview, then Thursday will be D3, and so on.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->