Mid-Season conference updates

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The conference races are heating up, in Northeast Wisconsin, with a few surprise teams jamming up the works. In a few days we will turn the calendar to 2026 and the race for March will be on. Here is what is happening on this side of the state in part 1 covering the FVA.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Fox Valley Association</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>1. <strong>Appleton East-</strong>6-0 (7-1 overall)---The Patriots have definitively staked their claim, on the FVA, in the early part of the schedule beating defending champion Kimberly at home, in a game that was never in doubt, and winning big road games at Hortonville, with a second-half comeback, and against Neenah on December 23rd. They are led by 5-9 junior [player_tooltip player_id='749048' first='Ella' last='Sweeney'] averaging 15.1 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 3.6 apg, and 1.5 spg while shooting 86% from the free-throw line and 34% from three. All-purpose sophomore Emilia MontMarquette (5-10) adds 9.9 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 3.0 apg, 1.8 spg and has made a habit of locking up the opposing team's best player which is a main reason why the Patriots are giving up only 47 points per game. Fellow sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='992484' first='Ambria' last='Fischer'] (5-6) has provided a boost, mostly off of the bench, and leads the team in rebounds with 5.8 per game while scoring 8.3 points, dishing out 3.8 assists, and causing havoc, on the defensive end, with 1.6 steals per game. Senior [player_tooltip player_id='813295' first='Jenna' last='Ott'] (7.3 ppg, 1.9 rpg, 1.8 apg), junior Aubrie Erickson (6.8 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 1.3 apg) and sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='900184' first='Brooklyn' last='Feller'] (6.0 ppg, 2.0 rpg, 47.6 % from 3-point) round out the core of a team that looks to get stronger with each game.<br><br>2. <strong>Kimberly</strong>-6-1 (8-2 overall)---Kimberly is sitting in 2nd, in the FVA, with a 50-43 loss to Appleton East, on December 12th as their only conference blemish. Team scoring has dipped a bit to 56.9 points per game but their defense is looking tough only giving up 42.2 including a December 23rd game, against Appleton West, where they only gave up 22 in a 53 point victory. Recent Marquette commit, [player_tooltip player_id='764909' first='Haylie' last='Dulas'] (6-0) leads the Papermakers with 15 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 2.4 apg, 1.6 spg, and 1.3 bpg. Fellow junior [player_tooltip player_id='764903' first='Ava' last='Van Vonderen'] (6-1) is close behind with 14.6 ppg, 7.4 rpg, 2.3 apg, and 1.9 spg while drawing consistent double teams. 6-1 senior [player_tooltip player_id='624965' first='Claudia' last='Asman'] adds 7.7 ppg, 1.7 rpg, 1.6 apg and gives Kimberly another inside option while shooting 46% from three and 83% from the free-throw line. Senior [player_tooltip player_id='509695' first='Emily' last='Urban'] (6.2 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 1.8 apg, 1.7 spg) and junior [player_tooltip player_id='764927' first='Kennedy' last='Ebben'] (3.3 ppg, 2.1 rpg, 1.8 apg, 1.8 spg) round out a solid starting five that has eyes on another golden ball in March.<br><br>3. <strong>Neenah</strong>-5-1 (8-2 overall)---Despite a December 23rd loss, to conference leader Appleton East, the Rockets look solid heading into the FVA stretch run with close wins over conference rival Hortonville (54-46) and upstart Appleton North (55-54). Wright State commit [player_tooltip player_id='533065' first='Rowan' last='Klesmit'] leads the team with 21.5 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 2.0 apg, and 2.4 spg. Sniper [player_tooltip player_id='509694' first='Ellie' last='Buss'] adds 10.9 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 1.4 apg and the ability to hit from seemingly anywhere on the court. Underclassmen sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='732637' first='Sydney' last='Michalkiewicz'] (9.0 ppg, 2.3 rpg, 1.0 apg) gives the Rockets another shooter and freshman [player_tooltip player_id='874401' first='Farrah' last='Danforth'] (8.8 ppg, 5.9 rpg, 1.6 apg) provides muscle, in the paint, and is tough to keep off of the boards. Celia Gentile, an all-conference defender will be an x-factor once she returns back into the lineup from injury.<br><br>4. Oshkosh West- 3-3 (4-4 overall)<br>4. Hortonville- 3-3 (5-3 overall)<br>4. Appleton North-3-3 (7-3 overall)<br>7. Kaukauna-3-4 (3-5 overall)<br>8. Fond du Lac-2-4 (2-7 overall)<br>9. Appleton West-0-6 (1-8 overall)<br>9. Oshkosh North-0-6 (1-8 overall)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->