Greater Metro Conference preview

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>2025-26 Standings:</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>1. Wauwatosa East 16-0 (29-1) 2. Brookfield East 14-2 (21-7) 3. Divine Savior Holy Angels 11-5 (16-10) 4. Hamilton 8-8 (12-13) 4. Germantown 8-8 (13-13) 6. Brookfield Central 7-9 (13-13) 7. Menomonee Falls 4-12 (8-18) 7. Wauwatosa West 4-12 (10-15) 9. West Allis Hale 0-16 (4-22)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>1. <strong>Brookfield East</strong>---Brookfield East will return to the top of the Metro Classic Conference after a two year hiatus in 2nd place. Hard to consider a 21 win season, as a down year, the Spartans season ended with a 74-52 loss to Arrowhead in the Sectional final. Returning are 1st Team All-Conference selection, senior [player_tooltip player_id='747942' first='Josie' last='Piurkowski'] (5-11, 11.9 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 3.8 apg, 1.5 spg), and Honorable Mention selections, [player_tooltip player_id='889268' first='Maria' last='Pluemer'] (5-10, 6.9 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 1.3 apg, 1.2 spg) and Avery Mantei (5-10, 6.2 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 1.3 apg, 1.2 spg).</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>2. <strong>Wauwatosa East</strong>---Not many teams, in the whole state, were hit as hard through graduation as the Red Raiders who's remarkable 2026 season ended in the State final losing 80-74 to Arrowhead. Mikaia Litza, Emma Close, and Ellie Deprey, all 1st Team All-Conference seniors, will be difficult to replace and the Red Raiders will lean heavily on 5-11 junior [player_tooltip player_id='992492' first='Ellie' last='Pudelko'] (10.2 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 1.3 apg, 0.9 spg, 43.1% from 3) to lead a young group with only two other players having varsity experience. Incoming sophomore sniper, [player_tooltip player_id='977396' first='Mia' last='Deprey'], will be an X-Factor this winter.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>3. <strong>Hamilton</strong>---The Chargers, finished in a tie, with Germantown for 4th last season but will move up to 3rd this season. Last season, that saw only about 10 points per game leave via graduation, ended with a 76-60 loss to Germantown. Returning are 2nd Team All-Conference selection, Senior [player_tooltip player_id='882377' first='Jozie' last='Fierst'] (12.0 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 2.6 apg, 0.8 spg), sophomores [player_tooltip player_id='874981' first='Bitsy' last='Palicka'] (5-8, 7.1 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 1.3 apg, 1.4 spg), [player_tooltip player_id='889783' first='Claire' last='Baldwin'] (6-0, 6.7 ppg, 5.9 rpg, 0.9 apg, 0.6 spg) and junior [player_tooltip player_id='983582' first='Riley' last='Gizelar'] (6.6 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 0.6 apg, 0.8 spg).</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>4. <strong>Germantown</strong>---The Warhawks return probably one of the more experienced squads in the conference returning 12 with varsity experience. Last season ended with a 84-45 loss to Pewaukee in the Regional final. Top returning players are 2nd Team All-Conference selections sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='1538870' first='Avery' last='O'Brien'] (5-11, 11.8 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 1.3 apg, 2.7 spg, 1.3 bpg) and junior [player_tooltip player_id='1744659' first='Teigan' last='Stuve'] (10.7 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 2.9 apg, 3.0 spg, 1.1 bpg).</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>5. <strong>Divine Savior Holy Angels</strong>---No team, other than 'Tosa East, was hit as hard, by graduation, as DSHA. Last season ended with a 76-50 loss to Hartford in the Regional final. Looking to replace 7 graduating seniors are 6-1 senior [player_tooltip player_id='1877737' first='Sophia' last='Place'] (8.2 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 0.7 apg, 0.9 spg), 5-8 junior Sarah McElherne (6.5 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 2.0 apg, 2.0 spg), and 5-11 sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='1227879' first='Annie' last='Dean'] (5.7 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 0.4 apg, 0.5 spg).</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>6. <strong>Brookfield Central</strong>---Brookfield Central is one of the conference's biggest wildcards heading into the season. Although they lost 24 points, to graduation, they return a strong nucleus from a 13-13 squad who's season ended with a 81-31 loss to Whitefish Bay in the Regional final. Top returning players are 2nd Team All-Conference junior, Annie Robinson (5-10, 11.7 ppg, 10.1 rpg, 1.3 apg, 2.2 spg, 0.8 bpg), fellow junior Anna Rusch (5-7, 10.4 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 3.0 apg, 2.2 spg) and sophomore Kyla Rondorf (5-8, 5.7 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 1.8 apg, 2.0 spg).</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>7. <strong>Wauwatosa West</strong>---The Trojans, winners of 10 games a year ago, are another wildcard in 2027. Returning their top 3 scorers, the Phoenix return a nice blend of size and experience in 5-10 junior and 1st Team All-Conference selection [player_tooltip player_id='874985' first='Vivian' last='Townsend'] (13.8 ppg, 6.3 rpg, 1.7 apg, 1.8 spg, 0.9 bpg). She is joined by 5-10 senior [player_tooltip player_id='1228733' first='Brooke' last='Barnes'] (7.8 ppg, 2.2 rpg, 1.2 apg, 0.9 spg) and 5-6 senior Vivian Bauer (6.7 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 1.2 apg, 1.0 spg) leading a group of 10 players with varsity experience.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>8. <strong>Menomonee Falls</strong>---The Phoenix, another team hit very hard by graduation, will struggle to replace losing two all conference performers in Kate Janssen and Sydney Redding. Last season ended with a 84-38 loss to Neenah in the Regional final. Returning are 5-9 junior [player_tooltip player_id='984413' first='Piper' last='Atkinson'] (8.5 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 1.4 apg, 0.8 spg), 5-5 sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='1682533' first='Sophia' last='Herther'] (3.6 ppg, 1.1 rpg, 0.5 apg, 0.5 spg) and 5-5 senior [player_tooltip player_id='1682553' first='Makaela' last='Paz'] (3.3ppg, 3.8 rpg, 1.8 apg, 1.0 spg) will need to post career seasons to give the Phoenix a shot to finish in the middle of the pack.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>9. <strong>West Allis Hale</strong>---The Huskies will once again struggle to leave the conference basement after graduating their top two scorers and 23 points of production after a 4-22 season. Returning is senior Jailynn Halbert (3.4 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 0.5 apg, 0.4 spg), junior Harmony Trinwith (3.3 ppg, 1.7 rpg, 0.3 apg, 0.7 spg).</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->