MONROE - The WIAA will debut a five division tournament format for the first time and released regional and sectional pairings Sunday.
Monroe (18-3, 9-2 Badger South) received a No. 2 seed in the combined Verona and Baraboo regionals of the Janesville Craig sectional and will receive a first round bye Tuesday, March 1. The Cheesemakers, ranked eighth in the Associated Press Division 2 poll, will play the winner of Reedsburg-McFarland at 7 p.m. on Friday, March 4.
"March Madness is right around the corner," Monroe coach Pat Murphy said. "Every coach voted Waunakee No. 1 and us No. 2."
Ten of the 11 teams in the Janesville Craig sectional have a record of .500 or better.
"That's unbelievable," Murphy said. "That just shows you how much depth there is."
Schools were placed in five divisions based on enrollment. Schools were given the option to play up in a higher division. Milwaukee Washington (889) is the only boys basketball team that elected to play up a division in the Division 1 tournament. There are a number of modifications in the five division model in regional and sectional tournaments. Based on a Basketball Coaches Advisory Committee request, regional games will be played on Tuesday, March 1, Friday, March 4 and regional championship games will be played Saturday, March 5. If Monroe can beat the winner of Reedsburg-McFarland, the Cheesemakers would play for a regional title Saturday, March 5.
Monroe, which won an unprecedented fifth straight conference title, has played two back-to-back games with an eye toward the tournament.
"If you don't take care of business on Friday you don't have to worry about the back to back," he said.
Division 3
Brodhead (12-8, 9-5 Rock Valley South) received a No. 2 seed in the Big Foot regional and will get a first round bye. The Cardinals, who have won six of their last seven games, will play the winner of Beloit Turner-Orfordville Parkview on March 4.
Division 4
Darlington (19-2, 12-1, ranked eighth in the AP Division 4 poll, received a No. 2 seed and will host seventh-seed Iowa-Grant on March 1. New Glarus received a No. 3 seed and will host rival Belleville March 1.
Division 5
The WIAA Division 5 Evansville regional will be a Six Rivers East Conference tournament. Barneveld (16-3, 11-0 Six Rivers East), ranked 10th in the AP Division 5 poll, received the top seed and earned a first round bye.
Monticello (15-5, 9-1) as a No. 2 seed will host Albany (4-16, 2-8) March 1. Juda (13-8, 7-4) received a No. 3 seed and will host Argyle (4-16, 2-8). Pecatonica (4-16, 3-7) as a No. 4 seed will face Black Hawk (5-15, 2-8).
"I think it's a real tough way to do it," Monticello coach Mark Olson said. "The old saying is it's tough to beat a team three times in a year. If you want to do that and move on you will have to beat a team two or three times. We are all so familiar with one another."
Monroe (18-3, 9-2 Badger South) received a No. 2 seed in the combined Verona and Baraboo regionals of the Janesville Craig sectional and will receive a first round bye Tuesday, March 1. The Cheesemakers, ranked eighth in the Associated Press Division 2 poll, will play the winner of Reedsburg-McFarland at 7 p.m. on Friday, March 4.
"March Madness is right around the corner," Monroe coach Pat Murphy said. "Every coach voted Waunakee No. 1 and us No. 2."
Ten of the 11 teams in the Janesville Craig sectional have a record of .500 or better.
"That's unbelievable," Murphy said. "That just shows you how much depth there is."
Schools were placed in five divisions based on enrollment. Schools were given the option to play up in a higher division. Milwaukee Washington (889) is the only boys basketball team that elected to play up a division in the Division 1 tournament. There are a number of modifications in the five division model in regional and sectional tournaments. Based on a Basketball Coaches Advisory Committee request, regional games will be played on Tuesday, March 1, Friday, March 4 and regional championship games will be played Saturday, March 5. If Monroe can beat the winner of Reedsburg-McFarland, the Cheesemakers would play for a regional title Saturday, March 5.
Monroe, which won an unprecedented fifth straight conference title, has played two back-to-back games with an eye toward the tournament.
"If you don't take care of business on Friday you don't have to worry about the back to back," he said.
Division 3
Brodhead (12-8, 9-5 Rock Valley South) received a No. 2 seed in the Big Foot regional and will get a first round bye. The Cardinals, who have won six of their last seven games, will play the winner of Beloit Turner-Orfordville Parkview on March 4.
Division 4
Darlington (19-2, 12-1, ranked eighth in the AP Division 4 poll, received a No. 2 seed and will host seventh-seed Iowa-Grant on March 1. New Glarus received a No. 3 seed and will host rival Belleville March 1.
Division 5
The WIAA Division 5 Evansville regional will be a Six Rivers East Conference tournament. Barneveld (16-3, 11-0 Six Rivers East), ranked 10th in the AP Division 5 poll, received the top seed and earned a first round bye.
Monticello (15-5, 9-1) as a No. 2 seed will host Albany (4-16, 2-8) March 1. Juda (13-8, 7-4) received a No. 3 seed and will host Argyle (4-16, 2-8). Pecatonica (4-16, 3-7) as a No. 4 seed will face Black Hawk (5-15, 2-8).
"I think it's a real tough way to do it," Monticello coach Mark Olson said. "The old saying is it's tough to beat a team three times in a year. If you want to do that and move on you will have to beat a team two or three times. We are all so familiar with one another."
