Notes on the D1 No. 1 Seeds

Heading into Regionals next week, I want to highlight some teams with a Gold Ball on their minds heading into the postseason. Today, we're starting with the teams who earned a No. 1 seed in D1, and we'll slowly go through the contenders before everyone gets rolling late next week.   Oregon   Oregon finished a perfect 24-0 regular season with a win at home last night against Beaver Dam. It was also the first time I'd seen the Panthers in person this season, and I wasn't disappointed.   They aren't like teams who've competed for a D1 state title in the past. Oregon doesn't have multiple scholarship-level kids, a future Power Five kid, or the recent dominance around Madison before this season to hint at what this group could become.    Oregon has eight disciplined kids who play hard, win their 50/50s, make extra effort plays, and play for each other. They have plenty of kids who can play in a five-person lineup that could make runs. However, their best five is [player_tooltip player_id='209909' first='Samantha' last='Schmitt']-Katelyn Studebaker-[player_tooltip player_id='767277' first='Olivia' last='Neis']-[player_tooltip player_id='457866' first='Teagan' last='Schoenecker']-Delaney Nyenhuis. On any given day, I could be wrong about that, and Klara Tracy, Brooke Bastian, or Reese McCabe could be in their best group, and that's what made them as dominant in the Badger Conference as they've been.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2023/08/Sam-Schmitt-2.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-734803" /></figure>   The best example of that is the Beaver Dam game on the road. [player_tooltip player_id='209909' first='Samantha' last='Schmitt'] missed that game, and most people, including myself, would expect Beaver Dam to come out and win, except they didn't. That night, [player_tooltip player_id='457866' first='Teagan' last='Schoenecker'] had 14pts-6asts-5rebs, and three others scored nine or more. No matter what situation they've been in, they've risen to the occasion. If the Panthers do make the State Tournament, it'd be the first time since 2020, but if there's not another global pandemic, they'd play their first State Tournament game since 1980.   Hortonville   The Polar Bears have had their fair share of heartbreak in the postseason the last few years. Kamy Peppler's "travel" against Neenah in the Sectional-Semifinal at Kimberly in 2022, to [player_tooltip player_id='209902' first='Kallie' last='Peppler']'s injury last year, giving up an early double-digit lead to Kettle Moraine in the State Semifinals a year ago, something always seems to happen.   This season didn't start the best for the Polar Bears. They opened their season against Pewaukee in a game before Kallie had returned from her knee injury. [player_tooltip player_id='374227' first='Rainey' last='Welson'] rolled her ankle early in that game, and they didn't look like themselves.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2023/11/Kardyn-Peppler-2.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-812931" /></figure>   The week after, they traveled across state lines to play against one of the most explosive offenses in the Midwest, led by future Power Five guard Maddyn Greenway and her Providence Academy group. In that game, they came up just short in a shootout, but they looked more comfortable with each other. Even in that game, they lost Leah Hearly for the year.   After they returned from the land of 10,000 lakes, they found their groove. They're 17-3 in their last 20 games and won the FVA outright with a 17-1 conference record, their third in a row and 2nd in the past three years.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2023/11/MiKayla-Werner-1.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-812937" /></figure>   They have a core group of five starters in these past 20 games of [player_tooltip player_id='533074' first='Kardyn' last='Peppler']-[player_tooltip player_id='374227' first='Rainey' last='Welson']-Paige Lillie-[player_tooltip player_id='209902' first='Kallie' last='Peppler']-[player_tooltip player_id='266988' first='MiKayla' last='Werner']. However, the late emergence of [player_tooltip player_id='842218' first='Julieyn' last='Martin'] could be massive for this group. Martin has scored double-figures in two of the Polar Bears last three games and played well against Notre Dame on the road even though she didn't reach double figures.   [player_tooltip player_id='374227' first='Rainey' last='Welson'] has played like a kid who deserves Player of the Year, and she's a kid who has proven to be at her best in the postseason.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2024/01/Rainey-Welson-1.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-831889" /></figure>   A trip to the State Tournament would be the Polar Bears' seventh, and they're still looking for their first win at a state tournament.   Brookfield East   The Spartans have played in the past two state tournaments, only narrowly falling to Appleton East in 2022, beating Germantown in the State Semifinals in 2023, and eventually losing in the title game to Kettle Moraine.   In 2023-24, this Spartan personnel group is noticeably different than the 22-23 group.   The program's All-Time Leading Scorer, Annika Pluemmer, is in Missouri playing D2 ball at Maryville, earning rotation minutes for the Saints, and fighting for a top-four finish in the GLVC. An equally significant loss is Maddy McGath, now playing Power Five volleyball at West Virginia.   This iteration of Brookfield East is much smaller. They still play in a 2-3 defense, but they probably apply more pressure on the ball than last year.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2024/02/Shae-Kelley-2.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-855843" /></figure>   Without a presence like McGath in the middle of their zone, they try to create more turnovers, which is easy when you have a defender like [player_tooltip player_id='266987' first='Shae' last='Kelley'] solely playing passing lanes.   The other thing about this group is they're looking to attack in transition more than in past years. They don't have as many kids who can score in one-on-one situations, so Kelley has more creative responsibilities for their offense for others, and she's answered the bell.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2024/02/Addie-Doyle-3.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-855845" /></figure>   The other kid who's stepped up is sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='497476' first='Maya' last='Kovacic']. She's still a little streaky, but I don't think anyone will expect her to excel when it matters most. Her game against Germantown at the Resch Center is something I won't forget. Whenever she's at her best, no defense will slow her down.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2024/02/Maya-Kovacic-3.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-855846" /></figure>   A trip to the Resch Center would be their eighth as they try to bring home their first gold ball.   Muskego   Muskego is the oddball among the No. 1 seeds in D1.   The other three are teams with a couple of losses against some of the top programs in the state, and Muskego's resume doesn't fit that bill.   They're a part of the 2nd tier of teams in the Classic 8 and had a head-scratching loss at home against Cedarburg. Outside of that, they've beaten everyone not named Catholic Memorial and Arrowhead.   Their sectional doesn't get much respect now that Kettle Moraine is out of it. The Warriors are a group with multiple kids who play with chips on their shoulders.   The main kid who fits that bill is junior wing [player_tooltip player_id='528116' first='Autumn' last='Dibb']. Dibb is as competitive as anyone and is the emotional leader of their group. She can do a little of everything and will embrace any challenge.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2024/02/Autumn-Dibb-3.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-855847" /></figure>   They also have these role kids who do one thing well, from Bella Miller's shooting and [player_tooltip player_id='337019' first='Addy' last='Zacher']'s creativity, even though she's been out with an injury. However, they also have two versatile forwards in Ferris State commit, [player_tooltip player_id='528122' first='Melena' last='Glysch'] and junior [player_tooltip player_id='528119' first='Rachel' last='Agg'], who are interchangeable and have had productive seasons from start to finish.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2024/02/Rachael-Agg-2.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-855848" /></figure>

Heading into Regionals next week, I want to highlight some teams with a Gold Ball on their minds heading into the postseason. Today, we're starting with the teams who earned a No. 1 seed in D1, and we'll slowly go through the contenders before everyone gets rolling late next week.