Previewing Sectional 1 in Division 3

<!-- 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. After we finish up previewing each sectional, I'll make my predictions in each division.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Favorites</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Aquinas</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Blugolds have been among the elite programs in high school basketball for many years. There have been players who have moved on to play at the next level, but there are still some key players kicking around. [player_tooltip player_id='751241' first='Ava' last='Fernholz'] has put together an excellent three years at Aquinas and will be an integral part of the Blugolds' defense, especially in their press. I also liked the athleticism that [player_tooltip player_id='1240261' first='Hadley' last='Alderson'] brings to the floor and could be a player who swings some games for this team this season. Regardless of the talent in this program, it's hard to bet against the results this program has produced over the past few years.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Contenders</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Wisconsin Dells</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Chiefs were one of the surprises of the 2025-26 season, and numerous players took significant steps forward. Now they are left with a talented duo: [player_tooltip player_id='992497' first='Jazlyn' last='Alwin'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1821176' first='Aja' last='Gall']. They have some explosive players in their backcourt and gained experience playing high-pressure basketball last year. I like the tools they have to break down defenses and make plays off the dribble, which most D3 programs don't have.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>West Salem</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Panthers have had success in the past and have a culture of being one of the better programs in southwest Wisconsin. They have an intriguing talent in their frontcourt in [player_tooltip player_id='992488' first='Ava' last='Hendrickson']. She had a solid first season as a focal point of her team's offense and had her moments. After a year of experience, I'm eager to see what she can do in her junior season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Dark Horses</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Viroqua</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Viroqua has potentially one of the most athletic guards in the state in [player_tooltip player_id='1744751' first='Allyah' last='Schwem']. The ability to break down defenses off the dribble and put opposing teams in uncomfortable positions. There are some things this team can work on to help give her team advantages to compete with some of the better teams in this sectional.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->