MADISON - With the first state semifinal win in school history under their belt, the Black Hawk Lady Warriors have a full day to prepare - and dream - for Saturday's WIAA Division 4 state championship game against Wausau Newman.
"I'm going to dream a lot. If I did go to school, I probably wouldn't be doing much," senior Kim Wellnitz said, with a laugh.
The girls have much of the day off today. After turning in school work, the team will travel to the state games in Madison again, this time as spectators. The Warriors will watch Monroe's Division 2 semifinal game against Winneconne and head back for a short practice in the early evening.
"We'll prepare for Newman," Wellnitz said. "They are going to be a tough team, but hey, we're a tough team too."
Newman (25-2) upended Weston (24-3) in the first semifinal of the tournament Thursday, 58-36. Newman, nicknamed the Fighting Cardinals, struggled in the first half and trailed 26-24 at the break. An 18-0 run throughout the third quarter put Weston out of action after the first day.
Black Hawk (26-1) also used a big third quarter to get out of a halftime deficit en route to a 42-31 win over Minong Northwood (25-1).
"It's an incredible feeling," senior Katie Place said of the win. "We wanted to play out this season, my senior season, out as far as we possibly could - and we have gotten to that point. I couldn't be happier."
While Newman has been to the state tournament seven times - all in the last 10 years, winning it in 2002 - Black Hawk is making just its second appearance (2009) and it's first championship game.
"Oh my gosh, I am so excited. It's like a dream come true," junior Rachel Rygh said. "We've never done this before. Just getting this far is the most amazing feeling in the world. Knowing that we are going to definitely come home with (a trophy), it's definitely the coolest feeling in the world."
Newman won the Marawood-South Conference, knocking of ranked teams such as Wausau West, Wisconsin Rapids Assumption (three times), Marathon, Prentice and Marion and losing only to Marathon and Division 1 Marshfield. Black Hawk's only falter was in the second game of the season to Orfordville Parkview, a Division 3 school that also spent time in the rankings.
The Warriors graduated four starting seniors from a year ago, but didn't miss a beat.
"I thought that this team could do great things, and I thought that early on. We played in a tournament over the summer and we came back in a few games and won," coach Mike Flanagan said. "What I took away from that tournament was a real tenacity and a never-say-die attitude. I looked at that group of kids and said, 'You know, if I don't do too bad of a job of coaching, we could do some great things."
In the end, it will be the final game in the storied careers of Place and Kim Wellnitz.
"If we win, lose, it doesn't matter. I'm going to ball my eyes out. Kim and Katie I've played with forever. I can't even remember not playing with them," said Melissa Wellnitz, Kim's younger sister. "I can't wait, but yet, I don't want it (the end) to come too fast."
Wellnitz will move on to play at UW-Platteville next year, but is glad to be able to play in the Kohl Center one last time.
"To play one more time at the Kohl Center is a life's dream and I will remember this forever. It's mine and Katie's last game together. We're going to play our hearts out," she said.
Black Hawk will have a send off at 9 a.m. Saturday in the high school gym in South Wayne. The game is scheduled to start at 12:05 p.m. Tickets are $8 and there will be fan buses going to Madison. Upon conclusion of the game, the team will return to fire trucks and a short parade to the high school, followed by a pep rally at the high school gym at about 4:15 p.m. The public is encouraged to attend.
"I'm going to dream a lot. If I did go to school, I probably wouldn't be doing much," senior Kim Wellnitz said, with a laugh.
The girls have much of the day off today. After turning in school work, the team will travel to the state games in Madison again, this time as spectators. The Warriors will watch Monroe's Division 2 semifinal game against Winneconne and head back for a short practice in the early evening.
"We'll prepare for Newman," Wellnitz said. "They are going to be a tough team, but hey, we're a tough team too."
Newman (25-2) upended Weston (24-3) in the first semifinal of the tournament Thursday, 58-36. Newman, nicknamed the Fighting Cardinals, struggled in the first half and trailed 26-24 at the break. An 18-0 run throughout the third quarter put Weston out of action after the first day.
Black Hawk (26-1) also used a big third quarter to get out of a halftime deficit en route to a 42-31 win over Minong Northwood (25-1).
"It's an incredible feeling," senior Katie Place said of the win. "We wanted to play out this season, my senior season, out as far as we possibly could - and we have gotten to that point. I couldn't be happier."
While Newman has been to the state tournament seven times - all in the last 10 years, winning it in 2002 - Black Hawk is making just its second appearance (2009) and it's first championship game.
"Oh my gosh, I am so excited. It's like a dream come true," junior Rachel Rygh said. "We've never done this before. Just getting this far is the most amazing feeling in the world. Knowing that we are going to definitely come home with (a trophy), it's definitely the coolest feeling in the world."
Newman won the Marawood-South Conference, knocking of ranked teams such as Wausau West, Wisconsin Rapids Assumption (three times), Marathon, Prentice and Marion and losing only to Marathon and Division 1 Marshfield. Black Hawk's only falter was in the second game of the season to Orfordville Parkview, a Division 3 school that also spent time in the rankings.
The Warriors graduated four starting seniors from a year ago, but didn't miss a beat.
"I thought that this team could do great things, and I thought that early on. We played in a tournament over the summer and we came back in a few games and won," coach Mike Flanagan said. "What I took away from that tournament was a real tenacity and a never-say-die attitude. I looked at that group of kids and said, 'You know, if I don't do too bad of a job of coaching, we could do some great things."
In the end, it will be the final game in the storied careers of Place and Kim Wellnitz.
"If we win, lose, it doesn't matter. I'm going to ball my eyes out. Kim and Katie I've played with forever. I can't even remember not playing with them," said Melissa Wellnitz, Kim's younger sister. "I can't wait, but yet, I don't want it (the end) to come too fast."
Wellnitz will move on to play at UW-Platteville next year, but is glad to be able to play in the Kohl Center one last time.
"To play one more time at the Kohl Center is a life's dream and I will remember this forever. It's mine and Katie's last game together. We're going to play our hearts out," she said.
Black Hawk will have a send off at 9 a.m. Saturday in the high school gym in South Wayne. The game is scheduled to start at 12:05 p.m. Tickets are $8 and there will be fan buses going to Madison. Upon conclusion of the game, the team will return to fire trucks and a short parade to the high school, followed by a pep rally at the high school gym at about 4:15 p.m. The public is encouraged to attend.
