MONROE - The Monroe softball team's quest for a fourth straight state berth to the WIAA Division 2 state tournament will begin next week, but the dream of playing at Goodman Diamond at University of Wisconsin-Madison begins Thursday for many teams with regional games kicking off.
Monroe, Brodhead and Monticello received first-round regional byes and won't play until the regional semifinals Tuesday. However, for six other teams, the postseason journey starts Thursday night. Pecatonica coach Chuck Meyer contends that his team can upset Juda-Albany Thursday if they eliminate the errors.
"That is every underdog's goal," Meyer said of getting an upset win. "It's always a goal to play as long as you can play."
Division 2
If Monroe (23-3), ranked No. 4 in the Wisconsin Fastpitch Softball Coaches Association Division 2 poll, knocks off Mount Horeb or Prairie du Chien, the Cheesemakers would face either River Valley or Platteville in a regional title game.
"Our regional has three of the top 20 teams in the state in one poll," Monroe coach Dale Buvid said. "We are not going to just walk through it. It certainly won't be easy by any stretch of the imagination. At this time of year, if you play one bad game your season is over. One of our goals this year was to win conference and the other was to get to state or make a good run at it. A lot of the pieces are in place. If we can put it together for four games, I think we certainly have a chance."
If the Cheesemakers can make a run to the sectional title game, they could face No. 2 ranked McFarland, No. 7 ranked Mayville or No. 9 ranked Beloit Turner. Buvid said he wouldn't be shocked if Portage, which played most of the year without its injured No. 1 pitcher, made a run.
The Cheesemakers have six players hitting .390 or higher led by senior Taylor O'Leksy (.488 AVG) with a team-leading 41 RBI. The other top hitters include junior Kari Jordan (.481, 31 RBI), senior Chandra McGuire (.442 with four home runs, 23 RBI), senior Kayla Updike (.392 with 27 RBI), senior Kirsten Vetterli (.425 with four home runs and 33 RBI) and senior Katie Holmes (.397).
Monroe sophomore pitcher Natalie Dillon has come on and is getting her changeup and riseball over for strikes.
"She is now getting her changeup and riseball over consistently and her confidence seems to be growing," Buvid said. "She won't overpower kids like Becca (Armstrong) did. She has to throw her second and third pitches to keep hitters off stride. She has taken a jump and her jump has made our team better."
Division 3
Brodhead received a No. 2 seed and a first-round bye in the regional. The Cardinals will play the winner of New Glarus and Wisconsin Heights Tuesday. New Glarus received a sixth seed and will play at third-seeded Wisconsin Heights Thursday. Darlington received a fifth seed and will play at fourth-seeded Belleville Thursday in the regional quarterfinals. Top-seeded Orfordville Parkview will be a favorite to win the regional title.
Division 4
Monticello (19-2), ranked fifth, received a No. 1 regional seed in the Division 4 Ithaca sectional. The Ponies will play the winner of Black Hawk and Benton-Shullsburg. Black Hawk received a fifth seed and will play at Benton-Shullsburg Thursday.
Juda-Albany (18-4) received a No. 3 seed and will host No. 6 seed Pecatonica. The Panthers swept the Vikings twice in the regular season. Monticello can make a run, they could face conference rival Argyle or Juda-Albany in a regional championship game. Argyle received a No. 2 seed and will host No. 7 seed Southwestern. If Juda-Albany can beat Pecatonica for the third time this season, the Panthers would face the winner of Argyle and Southwestern Tuesday.
"I would like to think we are capable of making a run to the sectional," Monticello coach Duane Garrison said. "If our hitting does come around with our pitching and defense it would make for a fun run if all three pahses came together at the same time."
The Ponies beat Black Hawk in a game earlier this year 2-1.
"That is what makes it so much fun," Garrison said of the competition in the tournament where it's win and advance mode.
Pecatonica (3-14) is coming off a doubleheader sweep of New Glarus. Meyer said if his team limits the fielding mistakes, the Vikings could contend with the Panthers.
"We are the underdogs," Meyer said. "We always seem to give up one big inning where we give up five to 10 runs. You can't do that and win ballgames."
In a game earlier this season, the Vikings trailed the Panthers 5-4 in the fifth inning. However, the Vikings committed four errors in the bottom of the fifth and the Panthers scored nine runs to win 14-4.
"If we can cut down on some of that (errors) we can be more competitive," Meyer said. "That is what I hope for."
If Monticello can make a sectional run for the second straight year, the Ponies could face Riverdale, Barneveld or Highland in the sectional semifinal and No. 7 ranked Ithaca in the sectional title game.
The Ponies have already defeated three of the top four seeds in the other part of the sectional including Barneveld twice, Highland and Belmont.
Monroe, Brodhead and Monticello received first-round regional byes and won't play until the regional semifinals Tuesday. However, for six other teams, the postseason journey starts Thursday night. Pecatonica coach Chuck Meyer contends that his team can upset Juda-Albany Thursday if they eliminate the errors.
"That is every underdog's goal," Meyer said of getting an upset win. "It's always a goal to play as long as you can play."
Division 2
If Monroe (23-3), ranked No. 4 in the Wisconsin Fastpitch Softball Coaches Association Division 2 poll, knocks off Mount Horeb or Prairie du Chien, the Cheesemakers would face either River Valley or Platteville in a regional title game.
"Our regional has three of the top 20 teams in the state in one poll," Monroe coach Dale Buvid said. "We are not going to just walk through it. It certainly won't be easy by any stretch of the imagination. At this time of year, if you play one bad game your season is over. One of our goals this year was to win conference and the other was to get to state or make a good run at it. A lot of the pieces are in place. If we can put it together for four games, I think we certainly have a chance."
If the Cheesemakers can make a run to the sectional title game, they could face No. 2 ranked McFarland, No. 7 ranked Mayville or No. 9 ranked Beloit Turner. Buvid said he wouldn't be shocked if Portage, which played most of the year without its injured No. 1 pitcher, made a run.
The Cheesemakers have six players hitting .390 or higher led by senior Taylor O'Leksy (.488 AVG) with a team-leading 41 RBI. The other top hitters include junior Kari Jordan (.481, 31 RBI), senior Chandra McGuire (.442 with four home runs, 23 RBI), senior Kayla Updike (.392 with 27 RBI), senior Kirsten Vetterli (.425 with four home runs and 33 RBI) and senior Katie Holmes (.397).
Monroe sophomore pitcher Natalie Dillon has come on and is getting her changeup and riseball over for strikes.
"She is now getting her changeup and riseball over consistently and her confidence seems to be growing," Buvid said. "She won't overpower kids like Becca (Armstrong) did. She has to throw her second and third pitches to keep hitters off stride. She has taken a jump and her jump has made our team better."
Division 3
Brodhead received a No. 2 seed and a first-round bye in the regional. The Cardinals will play the winner of New Glarus and Wisconsin Heights Tuesday. New Glarus received a sixth seed and will play at third-seeded Wisconsin Heights Thursday. Darlington received a fifth seed and will play at fourth-seeded Belleville Thursday in the regional quarterfinals. Top-seeded Orfordville Parkview will be a favorite to win the regional title.
Division 4
Monticello (19-2), ranked fifth, received a No. 1 regional seed in the Division 4 Ithaca sectional. The Ponies will play the winner of Black Hawk and Benton-Shullsburg. Black Hawk received a fifth seed and will play at Benton-Shullsburg Thursday.
Juda-Albany (18-4) received a No. 3 seed and will host No. 6 seed Pecatonica. The Panthers swept the Vikings twice in the regular season. Monticello can make a run, they could face conference rival Argyle or Juda-Albany in a regional championship game. Argyle received a No. 2 seed and will host No. 7 seed Southwestern. If Juda-Albany can beat Pecatonica for the third time this season, the Panthers would face the winner of Argyle and Southwestern Tuesday.
"I would like to think we are capable of making a run to the sectional," Monticello coach Duane Garrison said. "If our hitting does come around with our pitching and defense it would make for a fun run if all three pahses came together at the same time."
The Ponies beat Black Hawk in a game earlier this year 2-1.
"That is what makes it so much fun," Garrison said of the competition in the tournament where it's win and advance mode.
Pecatonica (3-14) is coming off a doubleheader sweep of New Glarus. Meyer said if his team limits the fielding mistakes, the Vikings could contend with the Panthers.
"We are the underdogs," Meyer said. "We always seem to give up one big inning where we give up five to 10 runs. You can't do that and win ballgames."
In a game earlier this season, the Vikings trailed the Panthers 5-4 in the fifth inning. However, the Vikings committed four errors in the bottom of the fifth and the Panthers scored nine runs to win 14-4.
"If we can cut down on some of that (errors) we can be more competitive," Meyer said. "That is what I hope for."
If Monticello can make a sectional run for the second straight year, the Ponies could face Riverdale, Barneveld or Highland in the sectional semifinal and No. 7 ranked Ithaca in the sectional title game.
The Ponies have already defeated three of the top four seeds in the other part of the sectional including Barneveld twice, Highland and Belmont.
