SOUTH WAYNE — Black Hawk’s girls basketball team, the defending WIAA Division 5 state champions, stayed ranked No. 1 in the first Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association poll for the 2019-20 season.

The Warriors (1-0) have just two losses in three years and were unbeaten a season ago. This year, Black Hawk returns the heavy bulk of its roster from the state championship team, including its top five scorers. 

Two players, senior Natalie Leuzinger and junior Bailey Butler, have already verbally committed to playing DI basketball in college, with Leuzinger to walk on at Wisconsin and Butler earning a scholarship from UW-Green Bay.

The Warriors were set to face Barneveld Dec. 6, then face West Dubuque Epworth Dec. 14 before facing Pecatonica Dec. 18. Black Hawk’s home opener is scheduled for Dec. 20 against Argyle. Other prominent nonconference games this season include Marshall (No. 4 in Division 3), Division 1 Madison La Follette, and Melrose-Mindoro (No. 2 in Division 4).

Behind Black Hawk in the Division 5 rankings were Wausau Newman Catholic at No. 2, Clear Lake third, River Ridge fourth and Fall River fifth. Shullsburg is ranked eighth. Black Hawk defeated Fall River in the state semifinal a season ago, while Newman Catholic also reached the state tournament.