Previewing Sectional 1 in Division 1

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The grassroots season for me is over, and I'm shifting my attention towards the 2026-27 WIAA Girls Basketball Season. I haven't had much time to look at the new sectionals over the past month, so as I start previewing sectionals, I will be taking a deep dive into each field for the first time. That said, let's look at the fields in each division and sectional for this upcoming season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Favorites</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Kimberly</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Papermakers arguably have the best youth program in Wisconsin and have traditionally produced productive varsity players since I've been around. In this coming season, Kimberly will likely rely on their talented senior duo of [player_tooltip player_id='764903' first='Ava' last='Van Vonderen'] and [player_tooltip player_id='764909' first='Haylie' last='Dulas']. Van Vonderen was the fulcrum of her team's offense last season, and did a solid job playing out of the high post. Her ability to read defenses allows her teammates to get open looks from all over the floor. The Papermakers will have some young talent again and potentially some new rotational players who find roles this season. However, this is a group that was a few possessions away from beating Notre Dame last season, and without them around, Kimberly will be the team most people pick to get out of this sectional.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>SPASH</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Panthers were new faces in Sectional One last season, competing alongside three traditional powers in the Fox Valley in Kimberly, Notre Dame, and De Pere. SPASH boasts the most talented duo in the state in [player_tooltip player_id='764935' first='Jada' last='Seubert'] and [player_tooltip player_id='936786' first='Leah' last='Awe']. Those two players have the physical and athletic tools to be game-changing players at the highest levels of high school basketball. Seubert, an Iowa commit, is a creative guard who can get to her spots and score from all three levels, and Awe can exploit mismatches on either end of the floor. Outside of those two, the Panthers' rotation will look different this season, and that could be the deciding factor in how their season winds up.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Contenders</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Eau Claire Memorial</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Old Abes were the class of the Big Rivers before [player_tooltip player_id='1173395' first='Norah' last='Kling']'s knee injury ended what could've been an incredible season. However, after Kling's injury, the other Old Abes had to step up into a more prominent role, and players like [player_tooltip player_id='810813' first='Ava' last='Hoitomt'], [player_tooltip player_id='1221076' first='Ava' last='McCarthy'], and [player_tooltip player_id='872479' first='Evelyn' last='Bast'] all looked comfortable doing a little more in their team's offense. Memorial will also welcome a massive addition in 6-5 post player [player_tooltip player_id='1241213' first='Evelyn' last='Borcherding'], who transferred from Regis down the street and enrolled at Memorial. The Old Abes will also have a new head coach, as former coach Brandon Fanning took a role as an assistant under Hannah Iversen at UW-Eau Claire. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Hudson</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Raiders have had some rough injury luck over the past few seasons, and have not been able to reach the levels they could due to reasons completely out of their control. However, after missing most of her first two seasons, [player_tooltip player_id='751276' first='Olivia' last='LaBlanc'] played a full high school season for the first time, and it led to plenty of success for Hudson. Outside of LaBlanc, they have a reliable group of players who will be in their rotation. Experienced players like [player_tooltip player_id='814306' first='Devin' last='Larson'], [player_tooltip player_id='764290' first='Gretchen' last='Whitten'], and [player_tooltip player_id='992505' first='Libby' last='Bartz'] have all been productive players who understand what it takes to win games at the highest level.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Dark Horses</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>De Pere</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Red Birds have had a talented group of kids who play well together. Losing a guard like Abby Tassoul will sting, but this group seems to find a way no matter the situation. Keep an eye on the trio of [player_tooltip player_id='992482' first='Allie' last='Neuenfeldt'], [player_tooltip player_id='874379' first='Aubree' last='Fischer'], and [player_tooltip player_id='874376' first='Adeline' last='Dwyer'], among other young talent who could make some noise in the FRCC.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Hortonville</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Polar Bears have a talented stable of guards who can help them compete in 2026-27. [player_tooltip player_id='533074' first='Kardyn' last='Peppler'] has been a reliable creator who can generate open looks for anyone on the floor. Improvements in players like [player_tooltip player_id='892249' first='Morgan' last='Mocadlo'] and [player_tooltip player_id='751269' first='Madelyn' last='Springer'] could lead to a potential surprise run this winter.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->