WIAA Division Three 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 St. Croix Central vs. No. 3 Baldwin-Woodville   St. Croix Central   The Panthers are a solid unit from the Western part of the state, and will trust [player_tooltip player_id='1265496' first='Sophie' last='Hook'] to handle the ball and make things happen for her teammates. I also like what they do as a unit. St. Croix Central has plenty of movement on the offensive end, and will catch defenders napping if they aren't as engaged as they could be on that end of the court. They are willing to play through multiple players on any given possession. They also have a few players who can space the floor and knock down shots from the perimeter if defenses choose to pack the paint defensively. St. Croix Central had an excellent showing on its home court against a solid No. 5 seed Elk Mound team.   Baldwin-Woodville   The Blackhawks made the state tournament two years ago on the back of their defense and had an opportunity to earn a trip to State last season, but came up short. However, Baldwin-Woodville has another solid defensive unit and is holding teams to under 45 points per contest, which will give their offense a fighting chance to compete in most games they play the rest of the season. [player_tooltip player_id='1241167' first='Trinity' last='Karau'] was a difference maker for the Blackhawks in their Regional Final against Prescott and has the tools to make another deep postseason run. They also have players like Shannon Fritz and Kathryn Borchardt, who have had their moments offensively this season.   No. 1 Wittnberg-Birnamwood vs. No. 3 Mosinee   Wittenberg-Birnamwood   No team has been on the cusp of reaching the latter stages of the postseason, and this may have to be the year with [player_tooltip player_id='842241' first='Rory' last='Salvesen'] and Melania Granquist playing their final games of their high school careers these next few years. They are as experienced as anyone, and now that they don't have to see what had been a Division Three juggernaut in Xavier, the Chargers' path to the State Tournament is as clear as it has ever been for them. They have a solid balance with Granquist playing as a versatile forward and Salavesen as an athletic, physical guard/wing. It is now or never for them.   Mosinee   Mosinee is coming into sectionals playing its best basketball of the season. After [player_tooltip player_id='842211' first='Taelyn' last='Jirschele'] suffered a knee injury before the season, I felt that they may take a step back this season. However, under Coach Joshua Hau, Mosinee is two games away from making one of the more surprising trips to the State Tournament I've seen in my time covering the sport. They have a relatively young group led by newcomer Payten Jirschle and sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='874409' first='Pacyn' last='Stoffel']. They move the ball well and have players who play well within their offense. It also helps that those two are above-average shooters from beyond the three-point line.   Sectional   No. 1 Aquinas vs. No. 2 Wisconsin Dells   Aquinas   Aquinas has been the top program in the La Crosse area for some time now, and they have had plenty of success in the postseason in the past decade. [player_tooltip player_id='533058' first='Samantha' last='Davis'] gives the Blugolds their identity defensively. She is an excellent athlete who plays at the top of her team's press and will force mistakes from opposing guards in the backcourt. She is also a solid finisher around the basket and will put plenty of pressure on the basket when she's on the floor. The tell for how far Aquinas will go this season is how well their backcourt plays. They have players who can play at the next level and understand the system well, but if shots don't fall, it could be a struggle.   Wisconsin Dells   The Dells are one of the remaining unbeaten teams, and they tested themselves against some solid programs late in the year, beating Winneconne and La Crosse Central. The Chiefs are led by the senior duo [player_tooltip player_id='598735' first='Natalie' last='Backhaus'] and [player_tooltip player_id='624964' first='Ashiya' last='Hopkins']. Backhaus is among the most skilled frontcourt players in Wisconsin. She excels as a passer and has been a more aggressive scorer this season than she's ever been. Hopkins has handled the ball well and shot the leather off the ball in her senior season.   No. 1 Edgerton vs. No. 2 Lancaster   Edgerton   I said last year that I thought the Crimson Tide were a year away from being a state championship contender, and they are a group in the mix for a potential run. Edgerton has a reliable and experienced backcourt, with [player_tooltip player_id='914989' first='Claudia' last='Jenny'] and [player_tooltip player_id='533071' first='Marti' last='Rebman'], who have improved each season they've played together. They also boast a talented post in [player_tooltip player_id='624854' first='Gracee' last='Langer'], who has the physicality to control the area around the basket and rebound the ball in traffic. The experience and talent are there for this group to make a run, and they have a plethora of role players who have produced all season. I like what this group brings to the D3 field, and think they could surprise people over the next few weeks.   Lancaster   The Flying Arrows are back in Sectionals for the first time in a long time and boast one of the top young talents in Wisconsin. Freshman [player_tooltip player_id='1229670' first='Lexie' last='Olmstead'] scored 31 points in Lancaster's Regional Championship win over rivals Platteville. Her ability to affect the game on both ends of the floor will give anyone fits. However, some other players can make winning plays. Lexie's sister, Kylie Olmstead, is a talented athlete in her own right and has the athletic tools to make plays on both ends of the court. Maddie Driscoll is a rangey forward who can alter shots around the basket and is a double-double threat on any given night. I also think [player_tooltip player_id='1789525' first='Addison' last='Morgan'] adds a floor spacer to any lineup she's a part of, and can knock down multiple perimeter shots in any given game.

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.