Badger-Large Conference preview

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>With the pause in events, in August, I will get a jump start on my conference previews reviewing last season and looking forward to this season starting with the Badger Conference.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Final 2025-26 Standings:</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>1. Waunakee 14-0 (22-4) 2. Beaver Dam 11-3 (23-7) 3. Milton 10-4 (19-9) 4. Monona Grove 8-6 (13-11) 5. Oregon 6-8 (11-14) 6. DeForest Area 5-9 (14-12) 7. Watertown 1-13 (5-20) 7. Baraboo 1-13 (7-19)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Badger-Large, in 2026 was one of the more top-heavy conferences with three teams winning 19 games. However, things may be a bit more up for grabs with the top five teams losing a significant amount of their scoring potentially opening the door for some surprises this season. With that being said, this is how I see things stacking up.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>1.<strong> Waunakee</strong>--- It is hard to bet against a Waunakee conference title repeat with returning conference POY [player_tooltip player_id='751287' first='Tessa' last='Bryan'] and her 21.3 point average returning for the Warriors. The Butler commit starts 2026/27 as Waunakee's all-time leading scorer as she looks to help a young core replace 25 points per game, lost in graduation, in a season that ended in a 53-42 loss to Madison Memorial in the Regional final. Counted on to step up will be 6-1 junior Kiera Van Wie (7.0 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 0.8 apg, 0.8 spg) and 5-10 sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='1216145' first='Nora' last='Meudt'] (4.4 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 1.2 apg, 1.3 spg) as they pair with Bryan to help the Warriors get over the hump in a very competitive Sectional 3.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>2. <strong>Milton</strong>---The Red Hawks 19 win season ended in a 66-47 loss to Elkhorn area in the Sectional final. Having only lost two seniors to graduation, Milton looks in prime shape to compete for the conference title in 2027. Coming into this season, Milton will look to replace 15.5 points that was lost in graduation but return a strong nucleus lead by one my top players of the summer in 5-6 senior [player_tooltip player_id='881307' first='Kylee' last='Buttchen'] (14.9 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 2.0 apg, 2.1 spg). Joining her are 5-10 junior [player_tooltip player_id='879894' first='Mady' last='Vind'] (9.7 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 0.4 apg, 1.4 spg), and seniors [player_tooltip player_id='1220819' first='Sydney' last='Grady'] (8.6 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 3.0 apg, 2.3 spg) and 5-10 [player_tooltip player_id='883195' first='Allison' last='Kojo'] (6.4 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 1.4 apg, 1.0 spg).</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>3. <strong>Beaver Dam</strong>---Coming off a heartbreaking 64-63 loss, in the State final, to Whitefish Bay, the Beavers look to replicate their 2026 season having to navigate losing their top three scorers to graduation. Looking to replace the 38 points per game will be a trio of solid seniors in 5-7 Joelee Drzonek (7.2 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 0.7 apg, 0.9 spg), 5-7 Kennedy Karel (5.3 ppg, 1.0 rpg, 0.5 apg, 0.5 spg), and 5-9 [player_tooltip player_id='1794025' first='Luciana' last='Gonzalez'] (5.0 ppg, 2.4 rpg, 1.1 apg, 0.8 spg).</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>4. <strong>DeForest Area</strong>---Making the biggest jump, in the standings, could be the Norskies as they return their top 3 scorers from a 14 win season that ended in 74-38 loss to Milton in the Regional final. I have them finishing fourth but could realistically see them challenging for the crown in 2027. Returning for this season is as stong of a senior trio that you will find in 6-1 [player_tooltip player_id='914978' first='Alexis' last='Accuardi'] (14.5 ppg, 9.4 rpg, 2.1 apg, 1.4 spg, 2.7 bpg), Brinley Goninen (14.3 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 3.0 apg, 1.9 spg, 1.4 bpg) and 5-8 [player_tooltip player_id='1230038' first='Addyson' last='Heuer'] (8.8 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 1.6 apg, 1.0 spg).</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>5. <strong>Oregon</strong>---2026 season ended in a 60-45 loss to Mukwonago in the Regional semi-final. Graduating two of their top three leading scorers, the Panthers will look to 5-8 senior Celia Mitchell (10.4 ppg, 6.3 rpg, 1.6 apg, 2.0 spg) and seniors [player_tooltip player_id='1226447' first='Amelia' last='Crowley'] (5-6, 5.1 ppg, 1.6 rpg, 1.2 apg, 1.1 spg) and [player_tooltip player_id='1210467' first='Kaylah' last='Thysse'] (5-5, 4.9 ppg, 0.9 rpg, 1.1 apg, 0.9 spg) to lead a returning group that had seven players start at least one game last season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>6. <strong>Monona Grove</strong>---The Silver Eagles are another team that was hit hard by graduation losing their top two scorers accounting for 26.6 points per game in a season that ended in a 65-37 loss to Madison Memorial in the Regional semifinal. Asked to step up will be a pair of seniors in 5-7 [player_tooltip player_id='1217182' first='Bailey' last='Nelson'] (9.8 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 1.7 apg, 2.2 spg) and 5-6 Addy Schmudlach (9.2 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 2.0 apg, 1.6 spg) along with 5-5 junior [player_tooltip player_id='992510' first='Mikayla' last='McQueeney'] (7.8 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 3.4 apg, 1.4 spg).</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>7. <strong>Baraboo</strong>---2026 ended in a 79-40 loss to Edgewood in the Regional. Looking forward the Thunderbirds will look to replace only 12 points per game. There is optimism in Baraboo as the return three of their top four scorers with 5-9 sophomore Sara Tews (10.9 ppg, 6.4 rpg, 2.7 apg, 1.7 spg, 1.1 bpg) 5-6 junior [player_tooltip player_id='1039265' first='Taylor' last='Sperl'] (7.6 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 2.5 apg, 1.2 spg) and sophomore Madison Litscher (7.1 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 2.9 apg, 0.6 spg).</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>8. <strong>Watertown-</strong>--2027 will be a season of opportunity for a largely inexperienced squad that won only one conference game, last season, and lost their top four scorers accounting for 21.4 points per game. Two of the most obviously choices to lead the Goslings will be 5-9 senior Breanna Wolfgram (2.2 ppg, 2.7 rpg, 0.1 apg, 0.4 spg) and sophomore Zariah Birkholz (1.6 ppg, 1.1 rpg, 0.3 apg, 0.5 spg).</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->