For the third time in four years, Albany’s Derik Doescher is leading his squad to the WIAA state tournament. Albany lost in the semifinals back in 2023, while 2024 saw the first year of the program’s co-op with Monticello. It was a season of finding chemistry on and off the court, and Doescher and his upperclassmen leaders stirred the mixture just right. The “Space Stallions” — a cheeky alliterative nickname that plays off of the moniker of Albany’s Comets and Monticello’s Ponies — went on to win the WIAA Division 5 state championship that year.

Last season, AM got to within one game of yet another trip to state before falling to Oshkosh Lourdes. With the WIAA’s Competitive Balance program running — which combines accumulated “points” for deep playoff runs over the previous three seasons — the Space Stallions were bumped up to Division 4 this year. 

The path to state through AM’s sectional was no slouch, either. Doescher called it a “gauntlet.” AM earned a first-round bye thanks to a 22-2 record and a co-conference championship with Argyle-Pecatonica (19-3), one of the top-ranked teams in Division 5.

“Abundant Life, Mineral Point, Deerfield, and then come play a 26-1 Pardeeville team — it was a gauntlet. But I don’t think these kids want to be told they’re done quite yet,” Doescher said. “We’ll go up there and we’ll give it our best shot. We’re extremely proud to come out of this. We’re humbly excited and we’ll give it our best shot at the Resch.”

Senior captain Molly Olson said that the rumblings heard the in the locker room was that Deerfield was the team to beat in order to get to state. What wasn’t said was how many ranked teams — including Deerfield — the Space Stallions would need to slay in order to get to the Resch Center in Green Bay.

“All year all we heard was Deerfield is the team to beat, so it was so hyped for us to get that win,” Olson said. Then AM had to defeat Pardeeville, another one-loss team. “We weren’t overly confident, but we were ready to go.”

In the second round of the tournament, AM, ranked fifth in the Bound Wisconsin/Zaleski Sports Girls Basketball Media Poll, hosted Abundant Life/St. Ambrose (20-6), winning by 17. In the regional final in Round 3, the Space Stallions fended off perennial power, SWAL champion and 10th-ranked Mineral Point (21-5) by 17. A nine-point sectional semifinal win over No. 4 ranked Deerfield (25-2) led to a sectional championship showdown with No. 7 ranked Pardeeville (26-2). The combined winning percentage of all four teams was .859 (92-15).

Meanwhile, the other three state-bound teams had less of a mountain to climb. Lomira (19-6) faced four opponents with a combined winning percentage of .710 (76-31). Neillsville (27-1), ranked No. 1 in the state in Division 4 faced opponents that were 75-32 overall (.700). Tenth-ranked Saint Mary Catholic (25-3), AM’s semifinal opponent, went up against teams a combined 75-31 overall (.707).

But the gauntlet of the postseason isn’t much of anything new for the Space Stallions. If anything, they relish in the opportunity to play bigger and better schools. During the regular season, Albany-Monticello played in just four games decided by fewer than 12 points — split decisions against Six Rivers Conference rivals Argyle-Pecatonica and Barneveld. Barneveld, the D5 runner-up last year, knocked AP out the tournament in the sectional semifinal. 

“We feel like we can take on anything now,” senior co-captain Emerson Briggs said. “Going into D4, it’s just another challenge thrown at us and we won’t back down.”

This is the 13th appearance at state for Barneveld. Dating back to 1991 — 36 postseason tournaments — the Six Rivers has had one more team represented at state 31 times — with 12 of those 36 playoffs (one-third) ending in a state championship. With Barneveld in D5 and AM in D4, the conference has a chance to add two more titles to the history books.

What each team brings to the table

Albany-Monticello (26-2) has a heavy underclassmen roster, with seven of the ten players freshmen or sophomores. The only two seniors are starters Molly Olson (Six Rivers East Co-Player of the Year) and Emerson Briggs. Through 26 games, Heidi Olson leads the team with 16.9 points per game. Molly Olson is next at 13.2 ppg, while Emersen Butts is third at 10.4 ppg.

Molly Olson is excited to get back to state for the second time in her career. It gives her at least one, if not two more games to play. The fact that she gets to share the court with her two younger sisters at the state’s top stage is just as meaningful.

“I’ve played with them ever since I was young. To go out like this with them, in my last year, has been great,” Molly Olson said.

Butts is the only player on the team taller than 5-feet, 7-inches tall, standing 5-11. But what the Space Stallions lack in size, they make up for in punch. AM has stolen the ball 381 times while turning the ball over just 240 times. Selflessly, AM players have also assisted on 397 of 591 field goals this year (67.1%). 

“We always give it 100%. We may not be the tallest, we may not be the strongest, but we’re always out there and fighting, and we’ll give it everything we’ve got until the buzzer’s final,” Butts said.

Saint Mary Catholic (25-3) has accumulated 414 steals to just 227 turnovers. The Zephyrs also have just two seniors, though they play a back seat role in the scoring department, combining for just 2.0 ppg. Junior Autumn Crowe, 5-10, is averaging 21.9 ppg, followed by junior guard Luci Nackers (12.6 ppg) and sophomore guard Gabby Guerrero (10.5 ppg). Crowe has grabbed 214 rebounds this season, averaging 8.9 per game, and leads the team with 139 steals and 25 blocks.

Neillsville (27-1) is led in scoring by junior guard Madi Davel at 17 ppg, with Eden Marg (10.3 ppg) also averaging double figures. Three other players average six or more points per game: Braelyn Anding (8.1), Tessa Warren (6.9) and Jessica Kuhn (6.0). The Warriors have committed just 227 turnovers while stealing the ball 414 times, and assisting on 391 of 582 baskets (67.1%).

Lomira (22-6) has one main scoring threat — sophomore guard Josie Christian (25.8 ppg). Sophomores Lilian Christian (8.0 ppg) and Kenedy Goebel (9.5 ppg) also balance the scoring. Josie Christian can knock down shots from downtown (60/165, 36%). She also averages 79% shooting from the free throw line and 45% overall from the field. The Lions have a much lower assist-to-basket ratio than the rest of the D4 state tournament field (225/558, 40.3%).