Division 1 Sectional Difference Makers

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Regionals are over, we are down to the final 16 teams in each division, and by Saturday we will know who is Green Bay bound. Today I will highlight who I see as key difference makers, in Division 1, that could help their teams pull an upset on Thursday.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='533065' first='Rowan' last='Klesmit']</strong>-Neenah</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Klesmit has undoubtably been a difference maker, since her first game freshman year, when she helped lead the Rockets to a 26-2 record. She looks to bookend a fantastic career with a run to the Resch Center but first the Rockets have to get through #1 seed Pewaukee. The 5-7 senior has caught fire, over her last seven games, averaging 25.6 including 52 in the first two tournament games in victories over Oshkosh West and Menomonee Falls. Her hot shooting will be needed to stretch the Pirates defense to open up scoring opportunities for teammates [player_tooltip player_id='509694' first='Ellie' last='Buss'], [player_tooltip player_id='732637' first='Sydney' last='Michalkiewicz'], and [player_tooltip player_id='874401' first='Farrah' last='Danforth']. If Klesmit stays hot, I can see the Rockets keeping things close and potentially pulling out the upset.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='874379' first='Aubree' last='Fischer']</strong>-De Pere</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Fresh off of a road upset, over #4 Eau Claire Memorial, the 22-4 Redbirds will need to continue to click on all cylinders when they matchup with #1 seed SPASH and their two D1 players [player_tooltip player_id='764935' first='Jada' last='Seubert'] and [player_tooltip player_id='936786' first='Leah' last='Awe'], on Thursday, at DC Everest High School. One player that was key for De Pere making it past their first Regional Final, since 2022, was the 5-11 Junior Fischer. Averaging 18 points and 7 rebounds, for the tournament, her inside play will be key, on defense, in negating the length of the 6-2 Awe as well as opening up scoring opportunities when the Panther defense collapses on her in the post.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='874383' first='Brianna' last='Breese']</strong>-Notre Dame</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Another matchup of 22-4 teams might be Thursday's most intriguing when #2 seed Notre Dame takes on defending champion #3 seed Kimberly at Appleton North High School. The Tritons, fresh off of two resounding Regional victories, in which their average margin of victory was 36 points, will need a complete game to knock off the battle-tested Papermakers and it starts with the 6-1 junior Breese. Averaging 15 and 9, for the Regional round, her ability to step outside and knock down the outside shot while helping clog up the paint defensively, will be the difference if the Tritons are to advance to the Sectional Final.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='875003' first='Keara' last='Griffin']</strong>-Westosha Central</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The clock has yet to strike midnight and the #13 seed cinderella Falcons are still dancing after knocking off #4 Muskego and #5 Oak Creek to set up a massive David vs Goliath matchup against #1 overall Wauwatosa East on Thursday. Playing with "house money" the Falcons will need [player_tooltip player_id='875003' first='Keara' last='Griffin'] to stay hot to have a chance to pull off the massive upset. Shooting under 25% from three during the regular season, the 5-9 junior has found another gear and has taken Westosha Central on a fun ride.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->