MONROE - The Monroe boys basketball team will have a first-round bye when the WIAA Division 2 regional tournament starts.
The WIAA released the tournament brackets on Sunday and the Cheesemakers are a No. 2 seed in the top half of the Janesville Craig sectional.
"We were happy to get the No. 2 seed," Monroe coach Pat Murphy said. "There is no guarantee. We have won at home and lost. We haven't won a regional championship forever. Right now we are focused on getting a piece of the conference championship and then you switch your focus to the tournament."
Regional quarterfinals are slated for Feb. 19 with the regional semifinals set for Feb. 22 and regional championship games set for Feb. 23. Sectionals are Feb. 28 and March 2. Monroe will play the winner of Madison Edgewood and Portage on Friday, Feb. 22 at 7 p.m. in Monroe.
"We knew that we would play someone good," Murphy said. "There is so much balance this year. We struggled with Portage earlier this year. Some think Portage has one of the best and most consistent starting fives in the conference. We play Edgewood on Friday and then we may have to play them again next week. It's never easy playing a team three times."
The Cheesemakers can win at least a share of the Badger South Conference championship if they beat Milton on Tuesday. Tuesday will be Senior Night and emotional for the six seniors.
"If you would have told us at the beginning of the year that we would have a chance at a conference championship on Senior Night, we would take that," Murphy said. "Our goal is still in front of us."
In Division 3, Brodhead received a No. 12 seed and will play Feb. 19 at fifth-seeded Lakeside Lutheran. Darlington is a No. 8 seed in Division 4 and will host ninth-seeded Lancaster. New Glarus is a No. 11 seed and will play at sixth-seeded Fennimore Feb. 19.
Black Hawk (17-1), ranked fifth in the Associated Press Division 5 state poll, received a No. 2 seed in Division 5 in the upper half of the Fort Atkinson sectional. Black Hawk will play Oakfield in the first round Feb. 19.
"I anticipated the No. 2 seed," Manlick said. "Randolph is really good and only has one loss to a team from Iowa. I wasn't going to fight for the No. 1. I thought with our won-loss record anything less than a No. 2 seed would be a disappointment."
The other first-round Division 5 games Feb. 19 in the Fort Atkinson sectional include:
• No. 12 seed Argyle at No. 5 Fall River
• No. 13 Pecatonica at No. 4 Central Wisconsin Christian
Three area teams are playing in half bracket B of the Fort Atkinson sectional. The opening regional games in the bottom half of the bracket include:
• No. 14 University Lake School at No. 3 Monticello School
• No. 12 Heritage Wisconsin Christian at No. 5 Albany
• No. 9 Juda at No. 8 Williams Bay
The WIAA released the tournament brackets on Sunday and the Cheesemakers are a No. 2 seed in the top half of the Janesville Craig sectional.
"We were happy to get the No. 2 seed," Monroe coach Pat Murphy said. "There is no guarantee. We have won at home and lost. We haven't won a regional championship forever. Right now we are focused on getting a piece of the conference championship and then you switch your focus to the tournament."
Regional quarterfinals are slated for Feb. 19 with the regional semifinals set for Feb. 22 and regional championship games set for Feb. 23. Sectionals are Feb. 28 and March 2. Monroe will play the winner of Madison Edgewood and Portage on Friday, Feb. 22 at 7 p.m. in Monroe.
"We knew that we would play someone good," Murphy said. "There is so much balance this year. We struggled with Portage earlier this year. Some think Portage has one of the best and most consistent starting fives in the conference. We play Edgewood on Friday and then we may have to play them again next week. It's never easy playing a team three times."
The Cheesemakers can win at least a share of the Badger South Conference championship if they beat Milton on Tuesday. Tuesday will be Senior Night and emotional for the six seniors.
"If you would have told us at the beginning of the year that we would have a chance at a conference championship on Senior Night, we would take that," Murphy said. "Our goal is still in front of us."
In Division 3, Brodhead received a No. 12 seed and will play Feb. 19 at fifth-seeded Lakeside Lutheran. Darlington is a No. 8 seed in Division 4 and will host ninth-seeded Lancaster. New Glarus is a No. 11 seed and will play at sixth-seeded Fennimore Feb. 19.
Black Hawk (17-1), ranked fifth in the Associated Press Division 5 state poll, received a No. 2 seed in Division 5 in the upper half of the Fort Atkinson sectional. Black Hawk will play Oakfield in the first round Feb. 19.
"I anticipated the No. 2 seed," Manlick said. "Randolph is really good and only has one loss to a team from Iowa. I wasn't going to fight for the No. 1. I thought with our won-loss record anything less than a No. 2 seed would be a disappointment."
The other first-round Division 5 games Feb. 19 in the Fort Atkinson sectional include:
• No. 12 seed Argyle at No. 5 Fall River
• No. 13 Pecatonica at No. 4 Central Wisconsin Christian
Three area teams are playing in half bracket B of the Fort Atkinson sectional. The opening regional games in the bottom half of the bracket include:
• No. 14 University Lake School at No. 3 Monticello School
• No. 12 Heritage Wisconsin Christian at No. 5 Albany
• No. 9 Juda at No. 8 Williams Bay
