Division 1 State Tournament Preview

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The State Tournament fields are set for all five divisions, and we know each team's path to win a Gold Ball. Over the next five days, we will preview every bracket and talk about each team participating in the 50th annual WIAA State Tournament. We're starting with the smaller schools and working our way to the larger schools.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Wauwatosa East</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Red Raiders are participating in their third consecutive State Tournament and looking to repeat as State Champions, but this time in Division 1. One of the talking points heading into this D1 Tournament is that three D2 schools, in terms of enrollment, are in the D1 field, which we can touch on over the offseason. However, this will be the fifth time Wauwatosa East has appeared in the State Tournament, and will be seeking their third State Championship in program history over the next few days. The Red Raiders have four senior starters and have plenty of experience heading into the State Tournament.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Arrowhead</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The only D1 team in the field due to enrollment is the Arrowhead Warhawks. The Warhawks have been among the most successful programs in Wisconsin and are looking to add their fourth State Championship to the trophy cabinet. Arrowhead is also competing in its third consecutive D1 State Tournament, claiming the 2024 Championship and falling to conference foes, Muskego, last season. The entire Warhawk starting five, and at least one reserve, have experience playing significant minutes at the Resch Center, and will not be shy of the moment.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Pewaukee</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Pirates have been among the elite programs in the state over the last half-decade, winning a D2 State Championship in 2024, and two Silver Balls in 2022 and 2023. Injuries have been a hindrance to what this group could've been the last few seasons, and this year, to a certain extent, but the fact they're here again shows how resilient a group they have is, not to mention they're missing two starters again due to knee injuries. Pewaukee will be participating in its fifth State Tournament in program history. The Pirates have earned all of their trips to the State Tournament in the 2020s, which shows how much talent and buy-in they've had over the last seven seasons.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Notre Dame</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Last year felt a little weird without Pewaukee or Notre Dame at the State Tournament, and like it's felt over the last five years, these two programs share a bracket yet again, this time in Division 1 for the first time. The Tritons are playing in their 12th State Tournament, and looking to add their seventh Girls Basketball State Title to the trophy case. There are still a few names you'd recognize from the last Notre Dame who made the short drive down the street for a State Tournament, but the standard within the program hasn't changed. They enter this tournament as a No. 4 seed, which shows the level of talent in this field and how much fun D1 should be on Friday and Saturday night. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->