Green Bay area X-Factors

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Happy Holidays! Last week I wrote about players I identified as X-Factors in the Appleton area. Today I want to highlight a few Green Bay area players that have been key to their team's success.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='874383' first='Brianna' last='Breese']---Notre Dame</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>When the Tritons started the season 0-2 there were whispers that their dynasty might be coming to an end. However as we sit, two days after Christmas, they have turned their season around and sit at 6-3 alone in first place in the rugged Fox River Classic Conference. One player that has been key to the turnaround is the 6-1 Breese. The junior has stepped her game up averaging 8.2 ppg, 6.2 rpg, and 1.4 apg for the season. However, in the wins, she has upped her average to 9.5 points and gives Notre Dame another weapon to go with [player_tooltip player_id='842199' first='Kaia' last='Waldrop'], [player_tooltip player_id='842209' first='Aspen' last='Abel'], and [player_tooltip player_id='1275665' first='Destiny' last='Webster'] as they enter a tough stretch where they play Hortonville and Bay Port in two of the next three games.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Ava Nagel---Bay Port</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>While the big 3 of [player_tooltip player_id='736760' first='Melia' last='Lemorande'], [player_tooltip player_id='874380' first='Olivia' last='Williams'], and [player_tooltip player_id='874389' first='Kailynn' last='Thompson'] usually dominate the headlines, the 5-9 Nagel has quietly been a key to the Pirates winning streak where they have won 6 of the last 7 after starting 1-2. Nagel has been a valuable fourth scoring option averaging 6.4 ppg while pulling down 6.6 rebounds per game and gives coach Adam Lemorande a solid mid-range scoring option when teams sag off of her.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='874376' first='Adeline' last='Dwyer']---De Pere</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Coming off of a season where the Redbirds did not lose a conference game you knew that there had to be bit of a regression especially with the seniors that they graduated and with teams like Notre Dame, Bay Port, and newcomer West De Pere. One thing the defending champion Redbirds had going for them, coming into this season, was returning firepower and that included All-Conference Honorable Mention and all-defense junior [player_tooltip player_id='874376' first='Adeline' last='Dwyer']. The 5-9 junior has been, in my opinion, the x-factor for De Pere hanging around the top of the FRCC at 2-1 and 6-2 overall. While she is averaging 10.5 points per game she has stepped up, in the wins, averaging 11.8 per game and showcasing her value by locking up the opposing team's best player. Defense wins championships and Dwyer will be key to the Redbirds making a run in March.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='633215' first='Paige' last='Vogel']---Denmark</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>One of the GB area teams that I had predicted to do well, this season, and win their conference was Denmark. That, I wrote would be largely due to their "big 3" of [player_tooltip player_id='842232' first='Kiarrah' last='Micolichek'], [player_tooltip player_id='878990' first='Allie' last='VanVonderen'], and [player_tooltip player_id='879637' first='Paige' last='Selner']. While that has held true, the 5-10 Vogel has been a big factor in the Vikings 8-1 start. Last season she scored 4.5 ppg and pulled down 3.3 rebounds in a 16-9 season. This season a switch has seemed to flip with Vogel putting up 12.7 ppg, 5.9 rpg while shooting 63.4% from the floor, 44% from three, and 67% from the free-throw line. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->