You Again? WIAA Sectionals Loaded With Intense Rematches

*Disclaimer - I am not responsible for any “jinx” of teams heading into sectional play ;) I am a schedule geek. I was the kid (pre-ipad, pre smart phone, pre-digital anything besides my walkman or discman) that would read state tournament programs in the car. When it was DEAR (Drop Everything And Read) I would bring in state tournament programs and newspapers and just read stats and schedules, I was (maybe still am) a stat and schedule wiz and still go down a rabbit hole of schedules across high school, college, and pro sports. This is why I was so excited to research and write this article. I went through all of the sectional matchups in all divisions to see if the teams had previously played each other. And yes, we have plenty of matchups ready to go Thursday night. I always find it interesting when I talk to coaches about previous matches when they are seeing a team a second time (or more). The conversation usually goes like this: “Have you played XYZ team before?” with a response typically being “Yea, but we…..” This could be having a certain player out, a lineup that was different, or some obscure story behind the previous matchup. I love it. I love talking matchups, the "What If" situations, and what could be next for teams. Here is a glance at rematches we will see in the sectionals.   [caption id="attachment_163227" align="alignright" width="312"]<img class="wp-image-163227 " src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pd/uploads/2021/10/DSC09389.jpg" alt="" width="312" height="339" /> Graetz[/caption] Division 1 River Falls vs. DC Everest (RF 2-0, RF 2-0) Chippewa Falls vs. Marshfield (CF 2-1) River Falls played DC Everest twice in the first weekend of the season at the UW-Stout Sprawl. River Falls will make the big trip to Wausau for this matchup where George Mason commit, [player_tooltip player_id="81259" first="Haley" last="Graetz"] will look to score plenty of points out of the middle and setter, [player_tooltip player_id="80161" first="Maddi" last="Kealy"] to run the show to get the Wildcats to another sectional final. Chippewa Falls defeated Marshfield at the same tournament. Very fitting that the top two teams in the Big Rivers Conference in RF and Chippewa are taking on the top two teams out of the Wisconsin Valley Conference. The bigger question is can any of these teams dethrone the “Queen of the North” in River Falls who have dominated and been to the state tournament the past five years.   Appleton North vs. Hortonville (AN 2-1, AN 3-0) Kimberly vs. Kaukauna (Kimberly 2-1, Kimberly 3-1) This is a Fox Valley Association conference tournament essentially. Appleton North is the favorite, however Kimberly won the dual match during the season, giving the Papermakers the outright conference title. North will take on Hortonville, who was one point away from beating the Lightning in an early season tournament, but North stormed back to sweep the Polar Bears just over a week ago. [player_tooltip player_id="57241" first="Brianna" last="Cantrell"], an East Tennessee State commit is looking to lead a strong core of seniors back to the state tournament after winning the alternate season state title this past spring. Kimberly and Kaukauna are bordering districts where these players know each other through club and probably have plenty of mutual neighbors and friends (Trust me, I know the school district lines or the confusion of the district lines of Kimberly and Kaukauna). [player_tooltip player_id="57288" first="Ella" last="Buddenhagen"] and the Papermakers will look to get to another sectional final, but [player_tooltip player_id="82936" first="Taylor" last="Tetzlaff"] and [player_tooltip player_id="91878" first="Paige" last="Miller"] are two strong Juniors who are extremely athletic and dynamic who are hoping to get a chance to play for a sectional title on their home floor Saturday night.   [caption id="attachment_163228" align="alignright" width="479"]<img class="wp-image-163228" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pd/uploads/2021/10/DSC09131.jpg" alt="" width="479" height="321" /> Germantown[/caption] Germantown vs. Brookfield Central (BC 2-0, GT 3-1) DSHA vs. Sussex Hamilton (DSHA 2-1, SH 3-1) Another conference tournament here with the Greater Metro Conference where Germantown was the regular season champion (That’s why having a conference tournament serves no purpose when these eams have to essentially play a conference tournament in sectional play). I saw BC beat Germantown at the beginning of the season at the Joust and the next week Gtown beat BC in the dual match. The spotlight will be on [player_tooltip player_id="22407" first="Mckenna" last="Wucherer"] of BC vs. [player_tooltip player_id="61819" first="Lily" last="Wagner"] of Germantown, two booming outsides, but I think the match will be determined by the role players and other stars on the team in [player_tooltip player_id="81278" first="Maddie" last="Connor"] and [player_tooltip player_id="81276" first="Madelyn" last="Weyda"] of GT and [player_tooltip player_id="81253" first="Morgan" last="Daugherty"] and [player_tooltip player_id="81283" first="Tatum" last="Kebisek"] for BC. Flip a coin for Hamilton and DSHA. Hamilton got them in the conference slate, but will a home crowd from DSHA be worth a few points for a Dashers. This could be a long night at DSHA with these two. If you have a son or daughter interested in volleyball, go watch this game. They will walk out wanting to be just like those amazing athletes on the court.   Burlington vs. Westosha Central (BTown 3-0) Classic matchup. Burlington has had the better hand of Westosha Central, but there is so much history between these two schools. Plenty of tightly, historic matchups. Burlington has plenty of weapons at every contact with [player_tooltip player_id="91895" first="Molly" last="Berezowitz"] at libero to [player_tooltip player_id="122555" first="Ella" last="Safar"] setting and multiple attackers led by [player_tooltip player_id="81301" first="Lydia" last="Biggin"]. Westosha Central is a really athletic team who has been progressively improving all season. [player_tooltip player_id="144551" first="Lauren" last="Foerster"] is electric as an outside hitter who can attack anywhere in the front row while setter, [player_tooltip player_id="119417" first="Sydney" last="Selburg"] is a lefty who can dish and score herself. [caption id="attachment_163229" align="aligncenter" width="485"]<img class="wp-image-163229" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pd/uploads/2021/10/DSC09455.jpg" alt="" width="485" height="323" /> [player_tooltip player_id="117345" first="Ella" last="Luoma"] of Franklin[/caption] Muskego vs. Franklin (Muskego 2-1, Muskego 3-1) Franklin has been a fun, new team on the rise to follow this season. They have beefed up their schedule and seeing the benefits of that in beating some top programs. It’s tough to beat a team three times and Muskego will be looking to do that with Franklin. Muskego has six attackers with over 100 kills, but are led by [player_tooltip player_id="57264" first="Brooke" last="Porter"] who can score from the pin or the backrow, a solid six rotation player.   Division 2 St. Croix Central vs. Baldwin-Woodville (SCC 3-1) The Western side of the state is going to be a battle to get to the Resch and St. Croix Central has the target on their back. They have already defeated Baldwin-Woodville and will need to do so again in order to advance to the sectional final. Katie Gostovich will lead the Panthers where she can score from the left or right side. She has over 300 kills on the season. [caption id="attachment_163231" align="alignright" width="406"]<img class="wp-image-163231" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pd/uploads/2021/10/DSC09203.jpg" alt="" width="406" height="272" /> Luxemburg-Casco[/caption] Luxemburg-Casco vs. Fox Valley Lutheran (LC 3-0) Same conference, many of these athletes play for the same club at FC Elite, there is a lot of familiarity with these two teams. Luxemburg-Casco has the target on their back defeating FVL 3-0 for the conference title this season and the same story last season. LC is also the back to back state champions of D2 and will be the home team. How do the teams react? Will LC feel the pressure or own the moment knowing they have been the dominant team the past two seasons and will be defending their home court. Future Green Bay commits [player_tooltip player_id="81273" first="Emma" last="Johnson"] and [player_tooltip player_id="81279" first="Grace" last="Holschuh"] will be key in this matchup where Johnson has over 1500 assists in her career and Holshuh has been a key piece on the outside since her sophomore year. [player_tooltip player_id="82915" first="Autumn" last="Flynn"] is dominant middle for the Spartans and can score multiple ways. FVL will come after LC with their top outside in Cassie Patchett along with Kenzi Benter and [player_tooltip player_id="122527" first="Emma" last="Nilson"]. [player_tooltip player_id="119397" first="Samantha" last="Kempinger"] was out with an injury in their first match up and is slated to be back on the court Thursday night. FVL also has one of the top liberos in the area in [player_tooltip player_id="119396" first="Kennedy" last="Schmitz"].   Pius XI vs. New Berlin West (Pius 3-2) Pius is back! Pius has always been a storied program in Wisconsin and they are back in the sectional tournament and will take on conference rival New Berlin West. The Popes are led by Grace Martens who averages over four kills per set. New Berlin West brings an athletic and long lineup led by Green Bay basketball commit, [player_tooltip player_id="91860" first="Meghan" last="Schultz"] and dynamic attacker [player_tooltip player_id="149579" first="Ella" last="Kern"]. Schultz is hitting over .300 and is averaging nearly a block per set.   Division 3 Unity vs. St. Croix Falls (Unity 2-0) Unity is coming in 34-1, a big time record out of Balsam Lake and is only 11 miles away from St. Croix Falls. The Eagles have an experienced line up and are led by Senior Sidney Bader who has 300 kills and nearly 350 digs. Colleen Claude has over 1,000 assists on the season. St. Croix Falls has seven losses, but many coming to teams still alive in River Falls, St. Croix Central, and Mosinee. [caption id="attachment_163233" align="alignright" width="510"]<img class="wp-image-163233" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pd/uploads/2021/10/DSC07121.jpg" alt="" width="510" height="342" /> [player_tooltip player_id="91891" first="Abbie" last="Dix"], Brodhead[/caption] Brodhead vs. Cuba City (Brodhead 2-0) Brodhead is the D2 alternate state runner-up from this past spring and have one of the top all around athletes in the state in [player_tooltip player_id="91891" first="Abbie" last="Dix"]. Dix is a solid 2023 college prospect in volleyball and basketball, she could be a dual sport athlete at the next level. They also have one of the top setters in D3 in [player_tooltip player_id="91893" first="Alexis" last="Kammerer"]. This team knows how to win. They will host Cuba City who has plenty of tradition. The Cubans have Hailey Stich who is averaging over 4.5 kills per set.   Shoreland Lutheran vs. Kenosha Christian Life (Shoreland Lutheran 2-0) This side of the section has been upset minded which is exciting. Kenosha St. Joseph Catholic Academy was an eight seed that knocked off top seed Prairie School, but then lost to Kenosha Christian Life who is a four seed on their side of the section. Shoreland Lutheran, a three seed, defeated two seed Living Word Lutheran to advance to this match. Christian Life will rely on top attacker Alana Lucas while Shoreland Lutheran will need all around player Emma Schattschneider to have a big game where she has over 200 digs, kills, and assists.   Howards Grove vs Manitowoc Lutheran (HG 3-0, HG 3-0) Manitowoc Lutheran has had all roads lead to Howards Grove where they have had to play them for the conference championship and now the sectional tournament. Howards Grove is the back to back state champions in Division 3 and are on a missing for number three with a senior class that who is over 120 wins for their career.   Division 4 Mercer vs. Prentice (Prentice 2-1, Mercer 2-1) This is going to be a too close to call type of match. Mercer will be lead by KD Knipp who has over 300 kills and 150 digs. Prentice is coming in after having a state tournament appearance last fall where many of these athletes were along for the journey besides one who was an eighth grader. Freshman, Kali Heikkinen is averaging nearly three kills per set with nearly 300 on the season. Right with her is [player_tooltip player_id="158544" first="Mallory" last="Burcaw"] and Kyla Murphy who has over 50 blocks on the season.   Three Lakes vs. Wabeno/Laona (TL 3-2, TL 3-1, TL 3-2) It would be too cliche of me to say “It’s tough to beat a team three times” where the situation is for Three Lakes to beat Wabeno/Laona a fourth time. Again, this can work either way. Sometimes it just creates a mental block for teams. Three Lakes has Mari Szews is the go to attacker for Three Lakes, the Senior has over 400 kills and averages 4.5 per set.   Bangor vs. Wonewoc-Center (Bangor 3-1, WC 3-2) Bangor has some big wins on the season against the likes of Cuba City, Ladysmith, Onalaska, and Hillsboro. They stubbed their toe to end the season, but are back on track and will be hosting WC. Wonewoc-Center will be led by sophomore attacker Kelsey Justman who is averaging three kills per set.   Highland vs. Potosi (Potosi 2-1, Highland 3-0, Highland 3-2) This is going to be a high powered matchup with both of these teams having experience in post season runs. Potosi will rely heavily on Kylie Reuter who is averaging over four kills per set. Highland has Rachel Miller who is averaging three kills perset.