What Potential Headlines We Will See In August?

Photo Cred: Scott Rohloff Photography Each day the season inches closer and closer. From now until the end of the month, teams from across Wisconsin will go through tryouts, preseason, and their first week of the regular season where some teams might be able to get 10 matches under their belt. With the one week later start date, that will delay the start of matches, but there will still be a lot to learn in the first week of playing. What could be some potential headlines at the beginning of the season? Appleton North Takes Round 1 - Wins FVA Fall Classic The FVA has always been one of the top conferences in the state with at least one team making it to the state tournament over a number of years. This will mark the fourth year the conference will begin the season with a conference tournament - the FVA Fall Classic. Neenah has taken the title at this tournament with Kimberly being the team who has taken the regular season title. This year might be the time for Appleton North to make a push. With a team full of experience, especially with their two top setters in Taylor Vanden Berg (Wingate) and Brooke Bolwerk (MSU-Mankato), the Lightning will be tough to defeat with their backcourt depth and overall team defense. Kimberly is coming off a conference title and back to back state tournament appearances and will have a strong senior class leading the way. Kalli Mau (Bellarmine) has run the show as a setter the past two years and the Papermakers will be looking forward to the return of Courtney Pearson who has been rehabbing an ACL injury, but is expected to be back for the season. Kimberly has defeated Appleton North the past two years to get to the state tournament. This will be another year where both teams could see each other multiple times including conference play and potentially the post season. [caption id="attachment_40654" align="alignright" width="300"] Watertown looks to build off a big 2018 season.[/caption] Watertown Back For More Watertown had a breakout season in 2018, winning one of the top tournaments in the state with the Joust and falling just short of the state tournament with a tough sectional final loss to Oconomowoc who would go on to finish state runner-up. With the likes of Izzy Schauer (Belmont) and Sam Gray (Huntington) back for their Senior year as well as some other top returners, the Goslings will be back with more to prove. They will start their season out with an Early Bird Invite they host where they will face Brookfield East, East Troy, Germantown, Hamilton, Janesville Craig, Waunakee, and West DePere followed by the Sun Prairie tournament to close out the month. Sun Prairie Takes The Title At Home Tournament Sun Prairie hosts one of the bigger tournaments to kickoff opening weekend of the season with some of the top teams in the Madison area all the way up to the Green Bay area with Luxemburg-Casco and De Pere coming down. The Cardinals will be coming off a state tournament appearance and big time athletes in KJ McNabb (Loyola-Chicago), Payton Addink (Minnesota-Duluth), and Josie Halbleib. Watch out for middle Maggie Allaman who came on strong out the middle as a Sophomore last year. This tournament is going to be really interesting with teams who could be primed for a big year such as Manitowoc Lincoln, Watertown, Edgewood, De Pere, and Luxemburg-Casco. Wucherer Leads Brookfield Central To Joust Title [caption id="attachment_26622" align="alignright" width="260"] Mckenna Wucherer of Brookfield Central[/caption] Mckenna Wucherer of Brookfield Central will be heading into her Sophomore year, that's bad news for the rest of the state who has to face her swings for three more high school seasons. The future Golden Gopher is the most lethal attacker in the Class of 2022 in the country and this year's Lancer squad will have more improved and experienced weapons such as Madison Weyker (Bemidji State), Abby Wucherer (Southern Utah), and Sophomore Morgan Daugherty. However, with a point scorer like Mckenna Wucherer who can swing from any spot of the court to score points, it will open everything up for all the attackers for Brookfield Central. More Commits From the Class of 2020 and 2021 The Class of 2021 has been through the ringer when it comes to recruiting rule changes as far as contact with college coaches. However, communication is fair game for all in the Class of 2021 and with that will come more college commits. Athletes and college coaching staffs always like to wrap up that end of summer recruit before the season starts. Who will be the next to commit?