WIAA D1 Sectional Final Predictions, Potential State Seeding

We made it. Sectional finals coming right up with the sweet sixteen set for Saturday night. I go through every sectional and talk about the match ups and who punches their ticket and advances to Resch Center for the state tournament in Green Bay. I’ll take it one step further and list potential seeding for the state tournament which is determined Sunday night by the coaches. Use this as old school bulletin board material, this is how I see it and we need to make volleyball a discussion, we need to keep this conversations alive, this is all in good fun as I can’t wait to see everyone under one roof come Thursday for the Division 1 quarterfinals. Pending state media credential approval, the Prep Dig team will in attendance covering all matches for boys and girls in all divisions. But first, lets talk D1 sectional finals. [caption id="attachment_159132" align="alignright" width="357"]<img class="wp-image-159132 " src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pd/uploads/2021/09/DSC09383.jpg" alt="" width="357" height="238" /> [player_tooltip player_id="92019" first="Morgan" last="Kealy"], River Falls[/caption] River Falls vs. Chippewa Falls River Falls, “Queens of the North”, they have dominated the Northwest sectional the past six years and the way they dominated last night they are well on their way back to the Resch. However, Chippewa Falls has been a team on the rise and an outside like [player_tooltip player_id="149694" first="Samantha" last="Perlberg"] is one who can score plenty of points. River Falls and Chippewa know each other extremely well being in the same conference. This will be on the homecourt of Chippewa Falls, but the likes of [player_tooltip player_id="81259" first="Haley" last="Graetz"], [player_tooltip player_id="92019" first="Morgan" last="Kealy"], and company have the experience of big games and just have an overall edge in that part of the state. River Falls advances to their sixth straight state tournament.   Appleton North vs. Kimberly A rivalry in everything, these two high schools are minutes apart, the players and coaches know each other, and its become an annual match since 2017 for Appleton North and Kimberly to play in a sectional final. Kimberly won the FVA outright, beating Appleton North on North’s homecourt in five sets. However, after seeing a new version of Appleton North last night, the Lightning are going to be tough to stop. [player_tooltip player_id="122566" first="Emerson" last="Van Lannen"] is running a 5-1 for the Lightning and ran quite the show getting their strong front line involved as well as being offensive herself. Kimberly was dominate as well with [player_tooltip player_id="91880" first="Kyla" last="Dunaway"] swinging away on both pins and outside hitter’s [player_tooltip player_id="57288" first="Ella" last="Buddenhagen"] and [player_tooltip player_id="82921" first="Kaitlin" last="Schulz"] being extremely terminal. This could be a long night in Kaukauna, but Appleton North wins a tight one to advance to state. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Katie Schulz of <a href="https://x.com/KimberlyGVB?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@KimberlyGVB</a> with the final kill! Kimberly defeats Kaukauna 3-0. Kimberly and Appleton North will square off for the 23rd time in a row for a sectional final Saturday night in Kaukauna. <a href="https://x.com/PCRicardo?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PCRicardo</a> <a href="https://t.co/Bx2dM1V0JN">pic.x.com/Bx2dM1V0JN</a> — Chris Fitzgerald (@PrepDigChris) <a href="https://x.com/PrepDigChris/status/1453890922446475266?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 29, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> [caption id="attachment_149172" align="aligncenter" width="436"]<img class="wp-image-149172" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pd/uploads/2021/07/Holmen-e1626722060491-300x210.jpeg" alt="" width="436" height="305" /> Holmen[/caption] Holmen vs. Middleton This matchup is so exciting. Two pretty new teams to the sectional final. Holmen has been dominant all season and have some big wins over top D2 squads. They are led by [player_tooltip player_id="118261" first="Ellie" last="Kline"] at libero and Southern Miss beach commit, [player_tooltip player_id="117342" first="Mara" last="Schmidt"] along with four others with over 100 kills. Middleton has been dominant at 37-4, but their top wins are against D3 Fall Creek, and unranked Verona and Waunakee. They are led by a strong junior class with two big attackers in [player_tooltip player_id="91883" first="Jordan" last="LaScala"] and [player_tooltip player_id="149575" first="Sierra" last="Pertzborn"] with do it all type setter [player_tooltip player_id="91952" first="Evinae" last="Jordee"] dishing and scoring points. I think this goes five sets and Holmen punches their ticket to the Resch. [caption id="attachment_157217" align="aligncenter" width="491"]<img class="wp-image-157217" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pd/uploads/2021/09/DSC09070.jpg" alt="" width="491" height="327" /> Oconomowoc[/caption] Oconomowoc vs. Manitowoc Lincoln This is going to be a game at the net with plenty of power. Oconomowoc has a team of long, athletic attackers with a lineup with plenty of athletes over six feet. Setter [player_tooltip player_id="122568" first="Lilly" last="Wagner"] is one of the top sophomores in the state and is extremely dynamic at a setter. Manitowoc Lincoln will be lead by Minnesota-Duluth commit [player_tooltip player_id="57260" first="Mary" last="Satori"] who can score from anywhere on the court. The Ships are the champions of the FRCC and have competed against plenty of top teams in the state, however so has Ocon who won the Charger Challenge, one of the top tournaments all year. The Ships are competitive, but Ocon heads back to the Resch.   [caption id="attachment_163272" align="alignright" width="452"]<img class=" wp-image-163272" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pd/uploads/2021/10/240794042_842439709737710_5599639091000904626_n.jpg" alt="" width="452" height="301" /> Photo: Chris Fitzgerlad Prep Dig[/caption] Brookfield Central vs. DSHA This has state championship vibes where section five always has the deepest section in the state. Brookfield Central beat top seed Germantown who won the GMAC and DSHA got revenge with a win over Hamilton who beat them during conference play. Both teams have future Division 1 players, have played a gauntlet of a schedule, however there is only one [player_tooltip player_id="22407" first="Mckenna" last="Wucherer"]. Wucherer is one of the top players in the country and she is fresh. This is a Lancer squad on a mission. This is the year, BC heads to the state tournament with a special senior class. [caption id="attachment_117117" align="aligncenter" width="300"]<img class="wp-image-117117 size-medium" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pd/uploads/2020/11/Andi-Spies-e1614875970960-300x264.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="264" /> [player_tooltip player_id="122560" first="Andi" last="Spies"], Fort Atkinson[/caption] Burlington vs. Fort Atkinson Fort Atkinson has had an amazing year and they are playing with a lot of momentum. Sophomore setter and attacker [player_tooltip player_id="122560" first="Andi" last="Spies"] can do a lot of special things. However, Burlington has been in this match plenty of times. These athletes have played in this match and have grown up watching sectional finals and state tournament matches. Their ball control and discipline just wears down teams. They also have a really talented lefty handed right side in [player_tooltip player_id="81301" first="Lydia" last="Biggin"]. BTown is heading to the Resch….orange tye dye included.   Oak Creek vs. Muskego I’ll be honest, this one is a bit of a mystery to me. I have not seen either team play. Oak Creek defeated Muskego 2-1 almost a month ago in a tournament. Natalie Erdmann and Kaitlynn Dohs will lead the way for the Knights who were undefeated champs of the Southeastern Conference. Muskego is definitely battle tested as part of the Classic 8 Conference and six attackers with over 100 kills, led by dynamic outside hitter [player_tooltip player_id="57264" first="Brooke" last="Porter"]. I’m going with Muskego. They are playing are their home court and are hosting two sectional finals which includes a boys match earlier between Muskego and Westosha Central at 4:30 <img class="alignright wp-image-163580" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pd/uploads/2021/10/DSC09150.jpg" alt="" width="460" height="308" /> Kettle Moraine vs. Wisconsin Lutheran I saw Wisconsin Lutheran defeat Kettle Moraine at the Charger Challenge in September. That was without star outside hitter, [player_tooltip player_id="81321" first="Grace" last="Schneider"] who is back from an injury for Wisco, adding to a powerful lineup that also includes senior outside hitter [player_tooltip player_id="144432" first="Kayla" last="Wigley"] who has over 400 kills on the year. Kettle Moraine has lost two matches since then (Appleton North and Oconomowoc). The Lasers are physical at the net with Arizona State basketball commit, [player_tooltip player_id="91875" first="Grace" last="Grocholski"] scoring plenty of points from the outside. This is close, but Kettle Moraine just has an extra spark of fire power. They head back to state.   Potential State Tournament Seeding <ol> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Oconomowoc</li> <li aria-level="1">Burlington</li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Appleton North </li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Brookfield Central</li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Kettle Moraine</li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">River Falls</li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Muskego</li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Holmen</li> </ol>