Warriors fans, Dr. Leo Marvin has a good therapeutic technique to put to use in waiting for next year's run at a WIAA Division 4 girls basketball state title.
The irritable (or is it simply irritated?) psychiatrist in the comedy classic movie "What About Bob" put his affable patient Bob Wiley, played by Bill Murray, on a little cerebral workout regimen that worked wonders.
Baby steps, as he called it, just may transfer to the hardwood for the up-and-coming Black Hawk program.
Instead of Bob's baby steps into the elevator, the Warriors of South Wayne took a step this season by leaping over the Burlington Catholic Central stumbling block in the sectional semifinals.
Whereas Bob reluctantly took baby steps onto the bus, don't be shocked if the same upstart hoops club continues its climb toward the gold ball next season after falling to Sheboygan County Christian, 33-30, in Saturday's sectional final at Fort Atkinson High School.
It's hard to believe how quickly the Warriors have evolved into a veritable powerhouse. Unquestionably, Mike Flanagan's club is blessed with talent. But to go from a middle-of-the-road Six Rivers East team last January to the current caliber is something even the Warriors themselves may not have anticipated happening so quickly.
At the outset of this season, writers and prognosticators had big hopes for the Warriors after their late-season surge a year ago. But Flan tore the power supply out of the hype machine as best as he could, refusing to acknowledge the faint target forming on his team's back.
The classy, charismatic skipper insisted the conference still belonged to Barneveld and Pecatonica. While the Vikings from Blanchardville did, in fact, take the league title, for the second straight season they couldn't counter Black Hawk's postseason intensity at sectionals.
That same intensity didn't arrive quite early enough in Saturday's season-ending loss. Sophomore post Kim Wellnitz didn't hesitate to admit that. Now she must say a heartfelt goodbye to her longtime running mate, sister Aryn, who tied with her bigger, little sister for nine points in her prep swan song Saturday.
Amanda Walker, another senior, also will be dearly missed, as she played the grinder minutes and made her club better every day by providing tough competition in practice.
While those two seniors depart, a bevy of skill will return eight months from now. Juniors Paige Butler, Maria Meives, Gabi Lehner and Hailey Meier are just a few promising athletes who have grown by leaps and bounds and show no signs of slowing down.
Butler's deadly shooting always has been a priceless commodity. But this season she developed an edge, a certain "nastiness" that makes her a bonafide double-double threat every night as she averaged 16.3 points and 7.6 rebounds per game this season.
Kim Wellnitz is going to love playing alongside classmate Katie Place down low, particularly if Place continues to develop the sort of ferocity and toughness of her junior brother, Michael.
One must not forget about the latest branch of the Wellnitz family tree to reach into the spotlight, that of freshman Melissa. The fleet-footed frosh will gel nicely with guards Meives and Lehner.
There's nothing wrong with taking baby steps. After all, if another step is taken next season, it will feel like a giant leap when the Warriors land on the hardwood at the Kohl Center.
The irritable (or is it simply irritated?) psychiatrist in the comedy classic movie "What About Bob" put his affable patient Bob Wiley, played by Bill Murray, on a little cerebral workout regimen that worked wonders.
Baby steps, as he called it, just may transfer to the hardwood for the up-and-coming Black Hawk program.
Instead of Bob's baby steps into the elevator, the Warriors of South Wayne took a step this season by leaping over the Burlington Catholic Central stumbling block in the sectional semifinals.
Whereas Bob reluctantly took baby steps onto the bus, don't be shocked if the same upstart hoops club continues its climb toward the gold ball next season after falling to Sheboygan County Christian, 33-30, in Saturday's sectional final at Fort Atkinson High School.
It's hard to believe how quickly the Warriors have evolved into a veritable powerhouse. Unquestionably, Mike Flanagan's club is blessed with talent. But to go from a middle-of-the-road Six Rivers East team last January to the current caliber is something even the Warriors themselves may not have anticipated happening so quickly.
At the outset of this season, writers and prognosticators had big hopes for the Warriors after their late-season surge a year ago. But Flan tore the power supply out of the hype machine as best as he could, refusing to acknowledge the faint target forming on his team's back.
The classy, charismatic skipper insisted the conference still belonged to Barneveld and Pecatonica. While the Vikings from Blanchardville did, in fact, take the league title, for the second straight season they couldn't counter Black Hawk's postseason intensity at sectionals.
That same intensity didn't arrive quite early enough in Saturday's season-ending loss. Sophomore post Kim Wellnitz didn't hesitate to admit that. Now she must say a heartfelt goodbye to her longtime running mate, sister Aryn, who tied with her bigger, little sister for nine points in her prep swan song Saturday.
Amanda Walker, another senior, also will be dearly missed, as she played the grinder minutes and made her club better every day by providing tough competition in practice.
While those two seniors depart, a bevy of skill will return eight months from now. Juniors Paige Butler, Maria Meives, Gabi Lehner and Hailey Meier are just a few promising athletes who have grown by leaps and bounds and show no signs of slowing down.
Butler's deadly shooting always has been a priceless commodity. But this season she developed an edge, a certain "nastiness" that makes her a bonafide double-double threat every night as she averaged 16.3 points and 7.6 rebounds per game this season.
Kim Wellnitz is going to love playing alongside classmate Katie Place down low, particularly if Place continues to develop the sort of ferocity and toughness of her junior brother, Michael.
One must not forget about the latest branch of the Wellnitz family tree to reach into the spotlight, that of freshman Melissa. The fleet-footed frosh will gel nicely with guards Meives and Lehner.
There's nothing wrong with taking baby steps. After all, if another step is taken next season, it will feel like a giant leap when the Warriors land on the hardwood at the Kohl Center.
