WIAA Division 1 Sectional Preview: Sectionals One and Two

The first weekend of the postseason is in the books, and in seven days, we will know who will be the final four teams left in each division playing for a Gold Ball in Green Bay. Through Thursday morning, I will be previewing the sectional participants as we inch closer to the State Tournament in a few weeks. We will start with Division One and work our way through Division Five.   Sectional 1   No. 1 Stevens Point vs. No. 5 De Pere   Stevens Point   The Panthers are seeking their first trip to the State Tournament since 2001, and have the No. 1 seed in Sectional One. They have prepped themselves with an excellent non-conference schedule and have the individual talent to help them win on the margins. Future Iowa Hawkeye, [player_tooltip player_id='764935' first='Jada' last='Seubert'], is as talented an offensive creator as anyone left in the Division 1 field. She had an excellent performance against Hortonville in the Regional Championship game. I also like the supporting cast in the Panthers' ranks. [player_tooltip player_id='936786' first='Leah' last='Awe'] is a talented 6'2 wing who can handle the ball, shoot, and attack mismatches off the dribble. If they get a good weekend from Awe, they will be a challenge to unseat in this sectional. Outside of those two, [player_tooltip player_id='1224589' first='Ellie' last='Strong'] and [player_tooltip player_id='874955' first='Lydia' last='Johnson'] are two players who know their roles and can swing games when they're playing well.   De Pere   The last handful of seasons, De Pere has been a team that is more than the sum of its parts. The Red Birds continue to find ways to maximize their talent, and they have a relatively deep roster compared to the teams in this sectional. UW-Eau Claire commit [player_tooltip player_id='772587' first='Abigail' last='Tassoul'] is the headline talent in their program and is the player they will have handle the ball down the stretch. Her ability to make the right choices with the ball will make this group a challenge to put away. Aubrie Fischer and [player_tooltip player_id='874376' first='Adeline' last='Dwyer'] have done an excellent job on the boards and have been versatile offensive threats for the Red Birds. Along with those three, [player_tooltip player_id='992482' first='Allie' last='Neuenfeldt'], who is a tweener position-wise, has been a mismatch hunter for the Red Birds and has been a handful for opposing defenses. Her athleticism and physicality can overwhelm defenders around the basket.   No. 2 Notre Dame vs. No. 3 Kimberly   Notre Dame   The Tritons have been among the most successful programs in Wisconsin for years. In their second season as a Division One program, the Tritons have an opportunity to reach the D1 State Tournament for the first time in program history. Future Grand Valley State forward [player_tooltip player_id='842199' first='Kaia' last='Waldrop'] is one of the most physical forwards you'll find in recent memory in Wisconsin, and her mobility allows her to be a cutter away from the ball. [player_tooltip player_id='842209' first='Aspen' last='Abel'] has also had an excellent season on the wing, scoring from all three levels and as a secondary playmaker. [player_tooltip player_id='1275665' first='Destiny' last='Webster'] has also made the lead guard spot her own in the past two seasons. The senior has plenty of poise at the point of attack and sets the pace of a game well. They also have a cast of talented players around them who can score and make winning plays on both ends of the floor, in [player_tooltip player_id='874383' first='Brianna' last='Breese'], [player_tooltip player_id='874404' first='Ava' last='Cumicek'], and [player_tooltip player_id='874386' first='Maisie' last='Hinz'].   Kimberly   The reigning Division One State Champions had a hard-fought battle with Bay Port to reach Sectionals, and have a different identity than they did a season ago. The Papermakers were a hyper-efficient offensive unit that could hurt defenses inside and out. Now, Kimberly has been one of the suffocating defensive units in the state, and hasn't allowed more than 60 points in a game often this season. Their offense typically runs out of the high post and through Wisconsin commit [player_tooltip player_id='764903' first='Ava' last='Van Vonderen'], who has been a handful for opposing post players defending her. Future Marquette Golden Eagle [player_tooltip player_id='764909' first='Haylie' last='Dulas'] has been an excellent defender through her first, almost, three seasons of high school basketball and is as versatile as they come. In their backcourt, two NCAA D1 Soccer commits, [player_tooltip player_id='509695' first='Emily' last='Urban'] and [player_tooltip player_id='764927' first='Kennedy' last='Ebben'], set a defensive tone at the point of attack.   Sectional 2   No. 1 Pewaukee vs. No. 5 Neenah   Pewaukee   The Pirates have dealt with a plethora of injuries again this season and will be missing two starters for the rest of the season. However, senior and Wisconsin commit, [player_tooltip player_id='536013' first='Giselle' last='Janowski'], is starting to get back to form at the right time of year. She is arguably the best perimeter defender that has produced in the last half-decade. As a scorer, she looks as comfortable as she has since returning from her knee injury, and could be a difference maker in the Division 1 field. Senior guard [player_tooltip player_id='533084' first='Vanessa' last='Johnson'] has also been a talented defensive guard in her time with the Pirates, but has turned a corner as a scorer this season and has been one of the better slashers. Those two will be the ones defenses key on. However, keep an eye on [player_tooltip player_id='764926' first='Kendall' last='Pieper'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1361656' first='Peace' last='Petzold'], two young players who have the tools to help the Pirates win games in their respective roles.   Neenah   The Rockets always do a solid job of getting the most from everyone in their rotation, and they have a player in Wright State commit [player_tooltip player_id='533065' first='Rowan' last='Klesmit'] who can score in bunches. She can create space with a single dribble, and even though she may not have the size of other prominent scorers, she is a difference maker. [player_tooltip player_id='509694' first='Ellie' last='Buss'] is also an excellent floor spacer who can knock down shots well beyond the three-point line. I also like the depth of talent they have with players like [player_tooltip player_id='874401' first='Farrah' last='Danforth'], [player_tooltip player_id='732637' first='Sydney' last='Michalkiewicz'], and [player_tooltip player_id='1230665' first='Alissa' last='Ebel']. The Rockets always seem to find their way to Sectionals, and they have a chance to make some noise in Sectional Two.   No. 2 Appleton East vs. No. 3 Hartford   Appleton East   The Patriots won Sectional One last season, then were moved to Sectional Two this season. The Patriots have had spells with some players missing time, but they have a complete group of kids who can hurt teams in multiple fashions. [player_tooltip player_id='749048' first='Ella' last='Sweeney'] is the player who can score with volume and knock down shots from the perimeter. However, [player_tooltip player_id='904623' first='Emilia' last='MontMarquette'] has also shown flashes as a scorer in her first two seasons with the Patriots. Appleton East has also had [player_tooltip player_id='992484' first='Ambria' last='Fischer'] in their backcourt, who has excelled defensively and been a disruptive defender at the point of attack. She is also a player who could be a difference-maker for her team on both ends.   Hartford   The Orioles are one of the more high-powered offensive units in the state when they're clicking. [player_tooltip player_id='533085' first='Bella' last='Klages'] has been an effective scorer who can get to the basket, finish through traffic, and knock down shots from the perimeter. [player_tooltip player_id='751281' first='Rita' last='Kuepper'] is another Oriole who can break down defenses with the ball in her hands. Her ability to create and score from all three levels allows her to be a player who can score in bunches. Outside of those two, the player who may make the difference for Hartford is [player_tooltip player_id='751236' first='Alexis' last='Shelsta']. Shelsta has had an excellent second half of the season as a shooter, and if she makes shots, defenses will have to choose where to allocate their defensive resources.

The first weekend of the postseason is in the books, and in seven days, we will know who will be the final four teams left in each division playing for a Gold Ball in Green Bay. Through Thursday morning, I will be previewing the sectional participants as we inch closer to the State Tournament in a few weeks. We will start with Division One and work our way through Division Five.