Trailways-East Conference preview

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>2025-26 Standings:</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>1. Valley Christian 10-2 (18-8) 1. Lourdes Academy 10-2 (20-9) 3. Horicon 7-5 (12-13) 4. Central Wisconsin Christian 6-6 (17-7) 5. Dodgeland 5-7 (12-14) 6. Wayland Academy 4-8 (9-13) 7. Oakfield 0-12 (0-23)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>1. <strong>Lourdes Academy</strong>---The Knights, winners of 20 games, and a 1st place tie in the conference should win it outright this season which would make it five straight. Losing only two seniors, and about 16 points of production, their season ended with a 58-48 loss to Fall River in the Sectional final. With a solid group of returning size, and experience, Lourdes is led by sisters Naomi Liabwill (6-0, 10.2 ppg, 8.6 rpg, 1.7 apg, 2.0 spg, 0.4 bpg) and [player_tooltip player_id='900198' first='Adhieu' last='Liabwill'] (6-2, 9.8 ppg, 7.4 rpg, 2.1 apg, 1.7 spg, 1.2 bpg). Both were 2nd Team All-Conference selections last season. They are joined by 5-9 junior Sarah Hafemeister (5.8 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 1.8 apg, 1.0 spg) and Honorable Mention All-Conference, 5-6 senior [player_tooltip player_id='1417593' first='Ellie' last='Koch'] (5.8 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 3.3 apg, 1.7 spg) to form as strong of a returning four as anyone in the conference.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>2. <strong>Horicon</strong>---I went back and forth on this one but ultimately have the Marshmen finishing just above Valley Christian for 2nd place. Season ended with a 77-70 loss, to Random Lake but only graduated 16 points of offense. Leading the way are seniors [player_tooltip player_id='874948' first='Sarah' last='Hodgson'] (15.7 ppg, 12.8 rpg, 1.6 apg, 1.9 spg, 1.2 bpg) and Maddy Rinderle (16.4 ppg, 8.2 rpg, 2.1 apg, 1.3 spg). Hodgson was a 1st Team All-Conference selection and Rinderle earned 2nd Team. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>3. <strong>Valley Christian</strong>---Valley Christian had a great 2026 finishing with 18 wins and in a 1st place tie making them the first team, since 2021-22, to sit on top of the Trailways-East that was not named Lourdes. I have them (barely) out of 2nd place solely based on the amount of firepower that they graduated. Returning for a team that ended their season with a 48-41 loss, to Lourdes, in the Regional final are talented senior, and 1st Team All-conference, Mya Moran (5-8, 23.6 ppg, 5.7 rpg, 1.7 apg, 3.7 spg) and sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='1781083' first='Brielle' last='Birr'] (5-11, 2.3 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 0.2 apg, 0.5 spg).</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>4. <strong>Dodgeland</strong>---Dodgeland strikes me as a wildcard in this year's field. Went 12-14 a year ago but return a ton of upperclassmen talent led by juniors [player_tooltip player_id='1688803' first='Lailynn' last='White'] (5-9, 16.3 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 3.0 apg, 3.9 spg, 0.5 bpg), Gracie Schmitt (5-7, 9.7 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 1.3 apg, 1.9 spg), Jenna Kreuziger (5-9, 6.0 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 1.7 apg, 1.1 spg) and senior Abby Kast (5-10, 7.2 ppg, 10.0 rpg, 0.5 apg, 1.1 spg). While I have them at 4th, I could see them peaking as high as 2nd by the time March rolls around.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>5. <strong>Central Valley Christian</strong>---The Crusaders season ended with a 49-46 loss, to Sheboygan Christian, in the Regional semifinal. Another potential wildcard, CVC could surprise me and finish in the top 3. Solid group of returning veterans in seniors [player_tooltip player_id='877497' first='Kiley' last='Beer'] (5-11, 15.5 ppg, 7.8 rpg, 2.5 apg, 2.2 spg, 2.3 bpg), Charlotte Buteyn (5-8, 8.4 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 3.4 apg, 1.7 spg) and juniors Addie Smits (5-9, 8.1 ppg, 5.9 rpg, 3.1 apg, 1.7 spg), Abbie Ten Napel (7.6 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 1.5 apg, 0.7 spg) and Jenna Schouten (5-7, 7.5 ppg, 2.4 rpg, 2.4 apg, 3.5 spg).</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>6. <strong>Wayland Academy</strong>---Wayland Academy was hit hard, by graduation, losing 3 of their top 4 scorers and about 30 points of production from a team that lost 60-50 to Dodgeland in the first round. Returning for the Big Red are 5-4 junior, 2nd Team All-Conference, [player_tooltip player_id='1817241' first='Derya' last='Baytan'] (13.0 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 3.1 apg, 4.5 spg) and 5-5 sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='1816886' first='Mavi' last='Kilavuz'] (4.6 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 1.0 apg, 1.2 spg).</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>7. <strong>Oakfield</strong>---The Oaks, and new coach Tyler Williams, face an uphill battle to get out of the Trailways-East basement this winter. Going winless, a season after winning 19 games, Oakfield has nowhere to go but back up and will be led by sophomore Honorable Mention All-Conference, Reese Ramminger (6.3 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 1.2 apg, 1.4 spg) and senior Meredith Steinke (5.9 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 0.8 apg, 1.1 spg).</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->