Division 4 Sectional 3 and 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.<br>Today, we're diving into D4 and what the brackets in each section and subsection should look like.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Sectional Three covers most of Southwest and South Central Wisconsin. Last season, Cuba City emerged from here and was inches away from earning a state title this season. Now that they have their lead guard back, they're more in the mix than ever. Aquinas should be favorites in the top half, but let's look at it.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list {"ordered":true} --> <ol class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Neillsville</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Aquinas</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Bangor</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Stratford</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Luther</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Melrose-Mindoro</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Whitehall</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Necedah</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Spencer</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Augusta</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Nekoosa</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Osseo-Fairchild</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ol> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The bottom half has some intrigue at the top with Belleville, Argyle/Pecatonica, and Cuba City. However, Cuba City is the favorite to make it to the Dells and play for a trip to the state tournament.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The No. 1 seed will only have to play one of the other two teams to get to a Sectional Final, so this path isn't enviable.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Let's look at what the bracket may look like.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list {"ordered":true} --> <ol class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Argyle/Pecatonica</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Cuba City</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Belleville</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Mineral Point</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Darlington</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Lancaster</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Fennimore</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Riverdale</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>New Glarus</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Parkview</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Westby</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Iowa-Grant</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ol> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Sectional Four covers Southeast Wisconsin and extends up into Central Wisconsin. The Prairie School emerged from this sectional last season and will be the favorite to reach the Resch Center again in March.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The top half has a few teams to watch. Pardeeville, Poynette, and Westfield have talent that can give them a puncher's chance in a potential matchup with The Prairie School at Waterloo High School.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Here's what the bracket could potentially look like.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list {"ordered":true} --> <ol class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Poynette</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Pardeeville</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Westfield</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Lomira</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Markesan</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Living Word Lutheran</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Dodeland</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Horicon</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Marshall</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Random Lake</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Waterloo</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Montello</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ol> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The bottom half of the bracket may have the favorite in the sectional and state fields in D4 in the Prairie School. In my raw RPI, they have the largest lead over the second-placed team in their subsectional, and I don't think there will be any surprises when the Hawks earn the No. 1 seed.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Let's guess how the bracket shakes out.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list {"ordered":true} --> <ol class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>The Prairie School</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Deerfield</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Cambridge</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Abundant Life/St. Ambrose</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Salam</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Kenosha St. Joseph Catholic Academy</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Heritage Christian</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Williams Bay</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Milwaukee Juneau</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Clinton</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ol> <!-- /wp:list -->