MONROE - With a full house and sell-out crowd expected, Monroe boys basketball coach Pat Murphy hopes the Cheesemakers give their fans something to celebrate after they tip off a WIAA Division 2 regional quarterfinal game Tuesday at Mount Horeb.
Monroe (6-16) enters the tournament on a two-game winning streak. It marks the Cheesemakers' first winning streak of the season. Monroe is 1-8 in games decided by six points or less, but many of those came when 6-foot-5 senior Ben Latimer was injured with a broken bone in his foot.
"The motivation is it's a one-and-done situation," Murphy said. "Everyone is the same for the start of the new season. Everyone we play from here on out will be strong because they don't want their season to end."
The Cheesemakers are led by Latimer, who is averaging 14.2 points per game. Junior Alex Tordoff (12.4 ppg) and junior Carter Sawdey (11.4 ppg) shouldered the scoring load when Latimer was injured. Now the Cheesemakers have a trio capable of sharing the load.
Mount Horeb (12-10) is the defending Division 2 state champion. The Vikings are led by senior Max Meylor (18.8 ppg). Meylor scored a game-high 30 points in Mount Horeb's 66-49 win over Monroe earlier this year.
"Finding a way to slow down Meylor will be a tough task," Murphy said. "They have more than just him."
Mount Horeb 6-6 senior Terek Nesheim (13.2 ppg) and senior Trey Recknor (10.2 ppg) are also proven scoring options. The Cheesemakers have been using more press and 2-3 zone defenses in the latter part of the season.
"The 2-3 zone will always be on the table for us," Murphy said. "In the past, the Recknor kid has been able to hit threes against us. Our defense has to be better. We just can't let them beat us up inside. We hope to take something away. We just can't back down from them."
Division 3
Brodhead (8-14) received a No. 11 seed in the Waunakee sectional and will play at No. 6 Lakeside Lutheran Tuesday.
Brodhead senior Ned Slocum (21 points and 7.9 rebounds per game) leads the Cardinals. Slocum missed 10 games this year due to a broken collarbone.
"He (Slocum) makes us a lot more physical," Brodhead coach Nick Jarvis said. "He's one of our better rebounders."
If Brodhead wins, the Cardinals would face No. 3 seed Marshall in a regional semifinal game on Friday. The top contenders for a state berth in the sectional are Lake Mills, Madison Edgewood, East Troy, Evansville, Prairie du Chien and Dodgeville.
The Cardinals have a young team with three sophomores playing big roles. Brodhead sophomore Justice Tway (12.7 ppg), Parker Johnson (12.2 ppg) and Brekan Day (10.9 ppg) have proven they can be dependable playmakers. The sophomore trio had to shoulder the scoring load when Slocum was injured.
"Lakeside is very good and physical," Jarvis said. "If we can limit their run outs, limit them on the glass and limit our turnovers, I think we can compete with them. You can see our youth show through sometimes on the court. With the way the guys have been progressing, I'm happy."
Division 4
Fifth-seeded New Glarus (14-8) will host No. 12 Parkview Tuesday. The Glarner Knights have five players almost averaging double digits, led by senior Gavin Binger (14.7 ppg). Senior Trey Taylor (11.1 ppg) and freshman Zach Feller (10.4 ppg) also provide scoring punch. The Knights have depth with freshman Jaden Kreklow (9.8 ppg) and senior Austin Schlueter (9.5 ppg) also capable of big scoring games.
If New Glarus beats Parkview, the Knights would advance to play fourth-seeded Cuba City. The top teams that may make a state run in the Baraboo sectional include top-seed Iowa-Grant, No. 2 Deerfield, No. 3 Darlington, Melrose-Mindoro, Cochrane-Fountain-City and La Crosse Aquinas.
Darlington (17-5) received a first-round bye. Darlington coach Mike Hopkins hinted at the challenging games that could await the Redbirds. Only two teams in Darlington and New Glarus' 12-team half of the Baraboo sectional are below .500.
Darlington will play the winner of No. 11 Waterloo against sixth-seeded Cambridge in a regional semifinal game on Friday. The Redbirds could face Deerfield in a regional championship game and could have a rematch with Iowa-Grant in a sectional semifinal. Iowa-Grant has beaten Darlington twice this year by a combined 11 points. Three of the top four teams in Darlington's part of the sectional are from the SWAL.
"We had the winningest conference in the sectional," Darlington coach Mike Hopkins said. "On paper it worked out like I thought it would. There were no surprises."
Hopkins is focused on preparing for Cambridge and Waterloo. He's not looking too far ahead to a rematch with Iowa-Grant.
"If that happens it happens," he said. "We have two games to win before that. I'm not looking that far ahead."
Darlington is led by juniors Will Schwartz (13.6 ppg), Ryan Glendenning (11.8 ppg) and Chad Golackson (10.0 ppg). Juniors Trevor Johnson (9.8 ppg) and Josh Soper (8.8 ppg) have provided depth. The Redbirds have played most of the season without Hunter Johnson who fractured his fibula in the state championship football game.
Glendenning has stepped into a starting role and the Redbirds haven't missed a beat.
"We have four guys who can all handle the basketball," Hopkins said. "Ryan Glendenning was going to be our sixth man. He has really stepped up his game."
Division 5
Argyle (14-8) received a No. 2 seed and will host 15th-seeded Johnson Creek. The Orioles are 5-5 in their last 10 games entering the tournament. Argyle along with Hustisford and Cambria-Friesland, Milwaukee Academy of Science, Young Coggs Prep and Catholic Central are threats to make a state run.
The Orioles are led by senior Riley Ostby (17.5 ppg), junior Collin Argue (13.5 ppg) and senior Kyle Emberson (11.5 ppg). If Argyle wins their first-round game, the Orioles would host the winner of No. 7 Randolph and No. 10 Fall River in a regional semifinal on Friday. The Orioles could face Cambria-Friesland in a regional final on Saturday.
"We know if one guy has an off night we have other guys who can step up and score," Argyle coach Justin Jenson said.
No. 8 Black Hawk (11-11) will host No. 9 Williams Bay in a regional quarterfinal on Tuesday. The Warriors are entering the tournament on the heels of a 72-69 win over Pecatonica in the regular season finale.
Black Hawk is led by freshman Conner Meyer (13.2 ppg), junior Josh Meier (11.3 ppg) and sophomore C.J. Leuzinger (10.7 ppg). The Warriors look to attack inside first. If Black Hawk can beat Williams Bay, the Warriors would face the winner of No. 1 Hustisford and No. 16 Madison Country Day in a regional semifinal on Friday.
No. 5 Albany (13-9) will host No. 12 Monticello (2-20). The Comets have swept the season series from the Ponies winning two games by an average of 15.5 points.
Albany senior point guard Tyler Dahl (24.1 ppg) leads the attack for the Comets. Junior Brock Gilkes (9.6 ppg) and senior Cole Trapp (9.2 ppg) also play key roles for the Comets.
The two wins for Monticello this season have come against Madison Country Day and Juda. The Ponies are led by senior Logan Marty (11.4 ppg) and sophomore Jon Errthum (9.2 ppg).
Juda received a No. 11 seed and will play at sixth-seeded Rio. Juda (5-16) enters the tournament with a nine-game losing streak. The Panthers have had to play through an injury to junior leading scorer Matt Schmitt (15.3 ppg). Juda sophomore Keegan Haffele (10.7 ppg) and junior Skyler Stuckey (9.9 ppg) will look to get on a roll in the tournament.
Pecatonica (17-5) is a No. 3 seed in the Division 5 La Crosse Logan sectional. Pecatonica will host No. 14-seed Highland on Tuesday. If the Vikings win, they would host the winner of No. 11 Cassville and No. 6 Southwestern on Friday in a regional semifinal. Pecatonica could face No. 2 seed Barneveld in a regional championship on Saturday.
Pecatonica coach Matt Fink said the regular season finale loss to Black Hawk was a wake-up call.
Pecatonica junior A.J. Hendrickson (24.1 ppg) and junior Kole Kent (8.6 ppg) lead the Vikings.
"We were disappointed we lost," Fink said. "The loss bothers us. The only game that matters is Tuesday (regional quarterfinal game). You want to keep momentum going into the playoffs. It didn't happen. We will get ready to make a run in the tournament."
Monroe (6-16) enters the tournament on a two-game winning streak. It marks the Cheesemakers' first winning streak of the season. Monroe is 1-8 in games decided by six points or less, but many of those came when 6-foot-5 senior Ben Latimer was injured with a broken bone in his foot.
"The motivation is it's a one-and-done situation," Murphy said. "Everyone is the same for the start of the new season. Everyone we play from here on out will be strong because they don't want their season to end."
The Cheesemakers are led by Latimer, who is averaging 14.2 points per game. Junior Alex Tordoff (12.4 ppg) and junior Carter Sawdey (11.4 ppg) shouldered the scoring load when Latimer was injured. Now the Cheesemakers have a trio capable of sharing the load.
Mount Horeb (12-10) is the defending Division 2 state champion. The Vikings are led by senior Max Meylor (18.8 ppg). Meylor scored a game-high 30 points in Mount Horeb's 66-49 win over Monroe earlier this year.
"Finding a way to slow down Meylor will be a tough task," Murphy said. "They have more than just him."
Mount Horeb 6-6 senior Terek Nesheim (13.2 ppg) and senior Trey Recknor (10.2 ppg) are also proven scoring options. The Cheesemakers have been using more press and 2-3 zone defenses in the latter part of the season.
"The 2-3 zone will always be on the table for us," Murphy said. "In the past, the Recknor kid has been able to hit threes against us. Our defense has to be better. We just can't let them beat us up inside. We hope to take something away. We just can't back down from them."
Division 3
Brodhead (8-14) received a No. 11 seed in the Waunakee sectional and will play at No. 6 Lakeside Lutheran Tuesday.
Brodhead senior Ned Slocum (21 points and 7.9 rebounds per game) leads the Cardinals. Slocum missed 10 games this year due to a broken collarbone.
"He (Slocum) makes us a lot more physical," Brodhead coach Nick Jarvis said. "He's one of our better rebounders."
If Brodhead wins, the Cardinals would face No. 3 seed Marshall in a regional semifinal game on Friday. The top contenders for a state berth in the sectional are Lake Mills, Madison Edgewood, East Troy, Evansville, Prairie du Chien and Dodgeville.
The Cardinals have a young team with three sophomores playing big roles. Brodhead sophomore Justice Tway (12.7 ppg), Parker Johnson (12.2 ppg) and Brekan Day (10.9 ppg) have proven they can be dependable playmakers. The sophomore trio had to shoulder the scoring load when Slocum was injured.
"Lakeside is very good and physical," Jarvis said. "If we can limit their run outs, limit them on the glass and limit our turnovers, I think we can compete with them. You can see our youth show through sometimes on the court. With the way the guys have been progressing, I'm happy."
Division 4
Fifth-seeded New Glarus (14-8) will host No. 12 Parkview Tuesday. The Glarner Knights have five players almost averaging double digits, led by senior Gavin Binger (14.7 ppg). Senior Trey Taylor (11.1 ppg) and freshman Zach Feller (10.4 ppg) also provide scoring punch. The Knights have depth with freshman Jaden Kreklow (9.8 ppg) and senior Austin Schlueter (9.5 ppg) also capable of big scoring games.
If New Glarus beats Parkview, the Knights would advance to play fourth-seeded Cuba City. The top teams that may make a state run in the Baraboo sectional include top-seed Iowa-Grant, No. 2 Deerfield, No. 3 Darlington, Melrose-Mindoro, Cochrane-Fountain-City and La Crosse Aquinas.
Darlington (17-5) received a first-round bye. Darlington coach Mike Hopkins hinted at the challenging games that could await the Redbirds. Only two teams in Darlington and New Glarus' 12-team half of the Baraboo sectional are below .500.
Darlington will play the winner of No. 11 Waterloo against sixth-seeded Cambridge in a regional semifinal game on Friday. The Redbirds could face Deerfield in a regional championship game and could have a rematch with Iowa-Grant in a sectional semifinal. Iowa-Grant has beaten Darlington twice this year by a combined 11 points. Three of the top four teams in Darlington's part of the sectional are from the SWAL.
"We had the winningest conference in the sectional," Darlington coach Mike Hopkins said. "On paper it worked out like I thought it would. There were no surprises."
Hopkins is focused on preparing for Cambridge and Waterloo. He's not looking too far ahead to a rematch with Iowa-Grant.
"If that happens it happens," he said. "We have two games to win before that. I'm not looking that far ahead."
Darlington is led by juniors Will Schwartz (13.6 ppg), Ryan Glendenning (11.8 ppg) and Chad Golackson (10.0 ppg). Juniors Trevor Johnson (9.8 ppg) and Josh Soper (8.8 ppg) have provided depth. The Redbirds have played most of the season without Hunter Johnson who fractured his fibula in the state championship football game.
Glendenning has stepped into a starting role and the Redbirds haven't missed a beat.
"We have four guys who can all handle the basketball," Hopkins said. "Ryan Glendenning was going to be our sixth man. He has really stepped up his game."
Division 5
Argyle (14-8) received a No. 2 seed and will host 15th-seeded Johnson Creek. The Orioles are 5-5 in their last 10 games entering the tournament. Argyle along with Hustisford and Cambria-Friesland, Milwaukee Academy of Science, Young Coggs Prep and Catholic Central are threats to make a state run.
The Orioles are led by senior Riley Ostby (17.5 ppg), junior Collin Argue (13.5 ppg) and senior Kyle Emberson (11.5 ppg). If Argyle wins their first-round game, the Orioles would host the winner of No. 7 Randolph and No. 10 Fall River in a regional semifinal on Friday. The Orioles could face Cambria-Friesland in a regional final on Saturday.
"We know if one guy has an off night we have other guys who can step up and score," Argyle coach Justin Jenson said.
No. 8 Black Hawk (11-11) will host No. 9 Williams Bay in a regional quarterfinal on Tuesday. The Warriors are entering the tournament on the heels of a 72-69 win over Pecatonica in the regular season finale.
Black Hawk is led by freshman Conner Meyer (13.2 ppg), junior Josh Meier (11.3 ppg) and sophomore C.J. Leuzinger (10.7 ppg). The Warriors look to attack inside first. If Black Hawk can beat Williams Bay, the Warriors would face the winner of No. 1 Hustisford and No. 16 Madison Country Day in a regional semifinal on Friday.
No. 5 Albany (13-9) will host No. 12 Monticello (2-20). The Comets have swept the season series from the Ponies winning two games by an average of 15.5 points.
Albany senior point guard Tyler Dahl (24.1 ppg) leads the attack for the Comets. Junior Brock Gilkes (9.6 ppg) and senior Cole Trapp (9.2 ppg) also play key roles for the Comets.
The two wins for Monticello this season have come against Madison Country Day and Juda. The Ponies are led by senior Logan Marty (11.4 ppg) and sophomore Jon Errthum (9.2 ppg).
Juda received a No. 11 seed and will play at sixth-seeded Rio. Juda (5-16) enters the tournament with a nine-game losing streak. The Panthers have had to play through an injury to junior leading scorer Matt Schmitt (15.3 ppg). Juda sophomore Keegan Haffele (10.7 ppg) and junior Skyler Stuckey (9.9 ppg) will look to get on a roll in the tournament.
Pecatonica (17-5) is a No. 3 seed in the Division 5 La Crosse Logan sectional. Pecatonica will host No. 14-seed Highland on Tuesday. If the Vikings win, they would host the winner of No. 11 Cassville and No. 6 Southwestern on Friday in a regional semifinal. Pecatonica could face No. 2 seed Barneveld in a regional championship on Saturday.
Pecatonica coach Matt Fink said the regular season finale loss to Black Hawk was a wake-up call.
Pecatonica junior A.J. Hendrickson (24.1 ppg) and junior Kole Kent (8.6 ppg) lead the Vikings.
"We were disappointed we lost," Fink said. "The loss bothers us. The only game that matters is Tuesday (regional quarterfinal game). You want to keep momentum going into the playoffs. It didn't happen. We will get ready to make a run in the tournament."
