Taking a Deep Dive Into WIAA Sectional Changes For 2020

Volleyball has started in Wisconsin for the fall teams. The sounds, the anticipation, the fact we can talk about matchups, top players, and teams is absolutely great. However, in the Covid era of sports, every day is ever evolving with teams possibly too scared to feel comfortable when there is a possibility of putting a season on pause due to any athletes having to quarantine or a number of other factors that could disrupt the season. With that being said, every practice, every match is a victory in itself. Teams are grateful to be on the court, with their friends, some getting to play in front of their families, and we can all be thankful for whatever form of livestream we can get. With changes to teams moving from fall to “alternative” fall which is in the spring, there is a different look to the sections and the “Road To The Resch”. There were some changes that were definitely surprising, but only because they were different. For some teams, they will get new matchups and who knows? From here, this might create a better postseason for years to come. Here are a few thoughts of the new sectionals for what is 2020 high school volleyball. <a href="https://www.wiaawi.org/Sports/Fall/Girls-Volleyball/Tournament">WIAA Sectional Assignments</a> The Groups I love the groups. I like how it breaks a sectional down a little bit more and can make the preparation for the postseason a little bit better seeing five other teams in the group than a section of 15 that make it to be quite a mess when it gets to postseason pairings. Teams are going to have a little bit more familiarity due to proximity which can create an interesting dynamic come late October. Are some groups absolutely stacked compared to others that may have the one clear cut favorite? Sure. in the Milwaukee area, it’s tough to make a group where there aren’t going to be multiple teams who have a legit chance of winning their group which definitely sets them up for a chance to play for a state title. [caption id="attachment_106546" align="aligncenter" width="488"]<img class=" wp-image-106546" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pd/uploads/2020/08/SaukCelebration.jpg" alt="" width="488" height="325" /> Sauk Prairie[/caption] The Variance of Enrollment For Division 1 With schools from the Green Bay, Appleton/Fox Valley, and Madison area playing in the spring (mostly Division 1 schools), this creates a larger range of enrollment in D1. For example, Fox Valley Lutheran out of Appleton, with an enrollment of roughly 650 students will be in the same section as Arrowhead who has over 2,000 students in their school. The likes of Fox Valley Lutheran and Sauk Prairie would have been favorites to get to a state tournament in Division 2, but knowing these two teams, their goals will stay the same, its just a different division. For all teams, to get a chance to play in the postseason means that the season is still going and if you got a game, you got a chance, another chance to be grateful to be with your teammates doing what you love to do. [caption id="attachment_101157" align="aligncenter" width="437"]<img class=" wp-image-101157" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pd/uploads/2020/07/DSC09396.jpg" alt="" width="437" height="291" /> Fox Valley Lutheran[/caption] Notable Division Changes FVL, Sauk Prairie, and Wisconsin Lutheran moving to Division 1 stand out right away as teams who have been at the state tournament and would be looking to get back in Division 2, but will have a much different route this year than they have in the past. Division 2 picks up some teams that were definitely looking for D3 state tournament appearances. Stratford, who finished state runner up two seasons ago in D3 is now in D2, and find themselves in a tough group that features Mosinee, a heavy favorite. Oconto was a section finalist in 2019 and returns top setter [player_tooltip player_id="91917" first="Kate" last="Bahrke"] and two big time point scorers in Green Bay commit, [player_tooltip player_id="80713" first="Cora" last="Behnke"] and upstart power hitter Hannah Moe. They will be in Division 2 in the same section as tradition powers Luxemburg-Casco, Xavier, and a rising Freedom squad. La Crosse Aquinas who was a D3 runner-up in 2019 will also be moving up to D2. Randolph is another D4 squad who is always in the running for a state tournament, but will now be in Division 3. [caption id="attachment_106138" align="aligncenter" width="453"]<img class=" wp-image-106138" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pd/uploads/2020/08/DSC09983.jpg" alt="" width="453" height="302" /> [player_tooltip player_id="12970" first="Ella" last="Foti"] of Edgewood[/caption] Madison Area Teams Become a Wildcard The majority of Division 1 schools from the Madison area will be playing in the spring. McFarland, the 2019 state runner-up will be playing in the spring as well. The Divisoin 2 sectional last year that had up to six ranked teams in the top ten got split. Edgewood will head West, where their section in the SW section of the state from Wautoma to La Crosse and any remaining teams around Madison. Lake Country Lutheran, East Troy, Lake Mills, Luther Prep, and Lakeside Lutheran now join all the Milwaukee schools to make quite the power packed section that includes Kettle Moraine Lutheran and Catholic Memorial. [caption id="attachment_110654" align="alignright" width="257"]<img class="size-medium wp-image-110654" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pd/uploads/2020/09/DSC09203-e1601483040467-257x300.jpg" alt="" width="257" height="300" /> Josie Nelson of NEW Lutheran[/caption] Splitting The Sections of Division 4 The geographical range of D4 is pretty wild. For example, two top teams in D4 will be Green Bay NEW Lutheran and Catholic Central out of Burlington. The whole Eastern shoreline is one section and could come down to NEW Lutheran and Catholic Central. I was able to see Prentice play quite a few times and will definitely be a favorite out of Section 2, however there are plenty of teams who will be familiar to them with their “Road To The Resch”.