Predicting Division 3 Sectional 1 in September

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Usually, I get to predictions well before this time of year and have something posted around sectionals. However, because they were posted so late due to rule changes, and because of my schedule at the time they were originally posted, I couldn't do this sooner. That said, today, we're starting to predict what the results of this sectional could look like well before the season starts, and we'll see how right or wrong I am come February and March. We'll dive a little deeper into my picks as we move along through the divisions.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Sleeper Teams</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Viroqua</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Blackhawks will have two players who can be gamechangers at the high school level. One will be a newcomer, and we'll see how quickly she adapts to varsity basketball, but she could be a difference-maker. The other player to know will be [player_tooltip player_id='1744751' first='Allyah' last='Schwem']. The rising junior is an athletic kid who will be the fastest player on the floor nearly every time she steps onto it. She has also been comfortable being a high-usage player for Viroqua.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Regional Champions</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Amery</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Warriors bring back their six leading scorers from last season, and they have a talented backcourt duo who could help make a deep run this winter. Miley Brotzel was a skilled lead guard who scored in volume and was a disruptive perimeter defender all season. Her running mate in the backcourt, [player_tooltip player_id='1241208' first='Rylee' last='Reese'], is also a player who can score in bunches and was a capable creator who consistently helped get her teammates open looks.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Hayaward</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The rising sophomore, Kordelia Geissler, is one of the more intriguing talents in the northwestern part of the state. The Hurricanes have relied on her ability to score from around the rim and perimeter. She is also a rangy player who can make plays anywhere on the defensive end and guard multiple positions. Outside of here, the Hurricanes will be looking for nearly an entirely new rotation, and I'll be curious what things look like for them this winter.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Aquinas</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Blugolds are one of the traditional small-school powerhouses in Wisconsin, and routinely find themselves in the second weekend of the postseason. Aquinas doesn't have the elite prospects that they've had in the past, but they have plenty of hard-nosed athletic guards who excel in the up-tempo style of basketball they play. Players like [player_tooltip player_id='751241' first='Ava' last='Fernholz'], Alivia Fickinson, and [player_tooltip player_id='1240261' first='Hadley' last='Alderson'] may not be household names statewide, but they, among others, will excel playing for the Blugolds this winter.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Wisconsin Dells</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>After a run to the State Championship last winter, the Chiefs will have a new look. However, the two players who will be impactful for the Dells are [player_tooltip player_id='1821176' first='Aja' last='Gall'] and [player_tooltip player_id='992497' first='Jazlyn' last='Alwin']. Those may be the two most talented kids in this sectional and are comfortable with the ball in their hands. Those two will be engines of this team on both ends of the floor, and they've proven they can make plays in high-pressure environments; they'll need to do so again this season. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Sectional Runner-Up</strong>: Amery</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Sectional Champion</strong>: Wisconsin Dells</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->