MONROE - Great teams are usually filled with players who are coachable, talented, mentally prepared and ready to adapt on the fly. The best teams are the ones that check all of those boxes and have the wins to show for it.
Such is the case for Black Hawk's girls basketball team and the New Glarus boys team. Both varsity programs are currently undefeated on the season and ranked No. 1 in the Associated Press poll in their respective division.
"It's a nice recognition for sure," New Glarus coach Travis Sysko said. "What I told the boys is that polls recognize what you've done, not where you're going."
Black Hawk (18-0, 9-0 Six Rivers East) has been the No. 1 team from the start in both the AP and WisSports.net Coaches polls in Division 5. The Warriors lone blemish a year ago was a loss to Fall River, a team that reached state in back-to-back years and went to the sectional final game last season.
"It's a first for us to be ranked No. 1 since the beginning," said Mike Flanagan, Black Hawk head coach. "Our expectations were super high from the get-go. We want to be playing our best at the end of the season. Fall River is a team we've got on our radar, but there are others that we've never seen before that we could face in the playoffs. Central Wisconsin Christian has played some teams really well, and Oshkosh Lourdes dropped from Division 4 and they might be the team to beat."
Black Hawk is led by a slew of young and talented players. Sophomores Natalie Leuzinger and Hannah Butler are in their second season of dominating opponents on the floor. Butler's younger sister, freshman Bailey Butler, is also a talented player in her own right, and the three underclassmen would be a dream combination for any team in the state. Throw in other starters Briana Hagen and Hannah Herbst, and Black Hawk sends out nearly an all-star team every night.
"We still have to get things done on the court. I think for the kids it's a real opportunity to maintain perspective," Flanagan said. "Our number one goal before the season started was to repeat as conference champions. Then we have a number of statistical goals we play for."
The Warriors are known for their fast play and smothering defense. Many teams fail to break the press at all, let alone consistently. But this Black Hawk team has a few additional attributes - 3-point shooting and the ability to control the ball.
"Our team 3-point shooting is up around 41 percent, and we're averaging about 20 assists a game. We also have a goal to have less than nine turnovers a game, and right now we are averaging about eight or so," Flanagan said.
Flanagan has coached a number of teams in the state tournament before, but none may be as talented as this bunch. And given the tough nonconference schedule Flanagan's squad has rolled through, which includes every game a win by more than 18 points - and one higher than 80 - it's quite an impressive feat.
"Your conference is what it is. As a program you try to have a strong nonconference schedule, and this is the strongest schedule we've ever had," Flanagan said.
And while the Warriors opened the season with the highest of expectations, the New Glarus boys team was a level lower - expected to contend for a conference championship and maybe make a run in the postseason. But the Glarner Knights (16-0, 6-0 Capitol South) are unblemished in the standings and have shown their grit throughout the season.
"We've had several games where we've been down by double digits and we were able to come back," Sysko said. "We trailed in Monroe at half, and we were down 19 to Barneveld. Against Cambridge last week we were down by 17 with just under 3½ minutes left in the game, and we were able to come back. The bigger the moment, the bigger these guys step up."
New Glarus also has three top-billed players it counts on - senior big man Cullen Brooks and junior sharpshooters Jaden Kreklow and Zach Feller. Tuesday night at Wisconsin Heights (11-4, 3-3), Kreklow reached the 1,000-point mark for his career.
"They picked up right where they left off last year," Sysko said. "Cullen has really stepped up these last six or seven games. He's gone up a level, averaging something like 20 points a game. And his defense and passing have been great. When he's on his game, we are a completely different team. He's coming on at the right time."
Kreklow is just the second New Glarus boys player in history to reach the 1,000-point milestone, and he was just 12 points shy of the mark going into the game. Kreklow has been averaging 19.6 points per game this season and said he knew the pressure was off a little bit.
"It was convenient. I was pretty sure I was going to get it," Kreklow said. "I'm glad, too, because none of us had to worry about it and we could keep our focus on getting the win."
Feller and Brooks are also within 200 points of the mark. However, for those two accomplishments, the team must continue with its winning ways and make a deep run into the postseason.
"I'm not trying to anticipate the playoff draw," Sysko said. "Waterloo is Friday, and that's the most important game right now."
As it lines up now, New Glarus would have to go through a litany of teams from the Capitol and SWAL to get deep into the sectionals. A season ago Darlington won the sectional before losing to Destiny, a Milwaukee school. While the Knights have played a tough schedule already, after Friday's game against Waterloo comes a road contest at New Glarus. Cambridge and rival Belleville also await before the season's end.
"Coming into the season, we were excited because we knew what we were bringing back," Kreklow said. "And we've been able to keep winning games. But we still take it one game at a time. We need to stay focused each game, because we almost looked past a couple of teams and we got burned."
The Knights are averaging a blistering 83.3 ppg this year and have four players averaging double figures - Feller (20.6), Kreklow, Brooks (16.5) and Trevor Gassman (10.9). New Glarus runs a mix of a quick transition game as well as a motion offense that can either look into the paint for Brooks or to the outside for a wing player.
"We have a lot of selfless guys - guys who are putting the team before themselves individually," Sysko said. "That's good to see. And when they are called upon, they are prepared and ready to go. These guys have been really great to work with."
The outside game is also what's helped fuel Black Hawk. The Warriors have four players who average more than three 3-point attempts per game, and all four are shooting better than 35 percent. Leuzinger is shooting 47.3 percent from beyond the arc; Hannah Butler (44.3), Bailey Butler (40.9) and Hagen (35.0) are the other three.
"People might just think that our team is just really talented, but it's more than that. These kids are so coachable and they have great work ethic, and I'm quick to remind anyone who questions us of our hard work," Flanagan said.
Black Hawk's season might also look different. An early season ankle injury to Maddy Huschitt, who bounced around between starter and sixth-man, forced Flanagan to dig deeper into his bench - a situation that might bring back hearty dividends come tournament time.
"We've had to build depth, kids have had to step up," Flanagan said. "Maddie was a big part of our team and in her absence, we've had to fill her spot. (Freshman) Kaylee Marty and (junior) Sydney Delzer had to step up, and that definitely helps us moving forward."
The season is nowhere near over for either the Warriors or the Knights, and it appears the best is yet to come.
Such is the case for Black Hawk's girls basketball team and the New Glarus boys team. Both varsity programs are currently undefeated on the season and ranked No. 1 in the Associated Press poll in their respective division.
"It's a nice recognition for sure," New Glarus coach Travis Sysko said. "What I told the boys is that polls recognize what you've done, not where you're going."
Black Hawk (18-0, 9-0 Six Rivers East) has been the No. 1 team from the start in both the AP and WisSports.net Coaches polls in Division 5. The Warriors lone blemish a year ago was a loss to Fall River, a team that reached state in back-to-back years and went to the sectional final game last season.
"It's a first for us to be ranked No. 1 since the beginning," said Mike Flanagan, Black Hawk head coach. "Our expectations were super high from the get-go. We want to be playing our best at the end of the season. Fall River is a team we've got on our radar, but there are others that we've never seen before that we could face in the playoffs. Central Wisconsin Christian has played some teams really well, and Oshkosh Lourdes dropped from Division 4 and they might be the team to beat."
Black Hawk is led by a slew of young and talented players. Sophomores Natalie Leuzinger and Hannah Butler are in their second season of dominating opponents on the floor. Butler's younger sister, freshman Bailey Butler, is also a talented player in her own right, and the three underclassmen would be a dream combination for any team in the state. Throw in other starters Briana Hagen and Hannah Herbst, and Black Hawk sends out nearly an all-star team every night.
"We still have to get things done on the court. I think for the kids it's a real opportunity to maintain perspective," Flanagan said. "Our number one goal before the season started was to repeat as conference champions. Then we have a number of statistical goals we play for."
The Warriors are known for their fast play and smothering defense. Many teams fail to break the press at all, let alone consistently. But this Black Hawk team has a few additional attributes - 3-point shooting and the ability to control the ball.
"Our team 3-point shooting is up around 41 percent, and we're averaging about 20 assists a game. We also have a goal to have less than nine turnovers a game, and right now we are averaging about eight or so," Flanagan said.
Flanagan has coached a number of teams in the state tournament before, but none may be as talented as this bunch. And given the tough nonconference schedule Flanagan's squad has rolled through, which includes every game a win by more than 18 points - and one higher than 80 - it's quite an impressive feat.
"Your conference is what it is. As a program you try to have a strong nonconference schedule, and this is the strongest schedule we've ever had," Flanagan said.
And while the Warriors opened the season with the highest of expectations, the New Glarus boys team was a level lower - expected to contend for a conference championship and maybe make a run in the postseason. But the Glarner Knights (16-0, 6-0 Capitol South) are unblemished in the standings and have shown their grit throughout the season.
"We've had several games where we've been down by double digits and we were able to come back," Sysko said. "We trailed in Monroe at half, and we were down 19 to Barneveld. Against Cambridge last week we were down by 17 with just under 3½ minutes left in the game, and we were able to come back. The bigger the moment, the bigger these guys step up."
New Glarus also has three top-billed players it counts on - senior big man Cullen Brooks and junior sharpshooters Jaden Kreklow and Zach Feller. Tuesday night at Wisconsin Heights (11-4, 3-3), Kreklow reached the 1,000-point mark for his career.
"They picked up right where they left off last year," Sysko said. "Cullen has really stepped up these last six or seven games. He's gone up a level, averaging something like 20 points a game. And his defense and passing have been great. When he's on his game, we are a completely different team. He's coming on at the right time."
Kreklow is just the second New Glarus boys player in history to reach the 1,000-point milestone, and he was just 12 points shy of the mark going into the game. Kreklow has been averaging 19.6 points per game this season and said he knew the pressure was off a little bit.
"It was convenient. I was pretty sure I was going to get it," Kreklow said. "I'm glad, too, because none of us had to worry about it and we could keep our focus on getting the win."
Feller and Brooks are also within 200 points of the mark. However, for those two accomplishments, the team must continue with its winning ways and make a deep run into the postseason.
"I'm not trying to anticipate the playoff draw," Sysko said. "Waterloo is Friday, and that's the most important game right now."
As it lines up now, New Glarus would have to go through a litany of teams from the Capitol and SWAL to get deep into the sectionals. A season ago Darlington won the sectional before losing to Destiny, a Milwaukee school. While the Knights have played a tough schedule already, after Friday's game against Waterloo comes a road contest at New Glarus. Cambridge and rival Belleville also await before the season's end.
"Coming into the season, we were excited because we knew what we were bringing back," Kreklow said. "And we've been able to keep winning games. But we still take it one game at a time. We need to stay focused each game, because we almost looked past a couple of teams and we got burned."
The Knights are averaging a blistering 83.3 ppg this year and have four players averaging double figures - Feller (20.6), Kreklow, Brooks (16.5) and Trevor Gassman (10.9). New Glarus runs a mix of a quick transition game as well as a motion offense that can either look into the paint for Brooks or to the outside for a wing player.
"We have a lot of selfless guys - guys who are putting the team before themselves individually," Sysko said. "That's good to see. And when they are called upon, they are prepared and ready to go. These guys have been really great to work with."
The outside game is also what's helped fuel Black Hawk. The Warriors have four players who average more than three 3-point attempts per game, and all four are shooting better than 35 percent. Leuzinger is shooting 47.3 percent from beyond the arc; Hannah Butler (44.3), Bailey Butler (40.9) and Hagen (35.0) are the other three.
"People might just think that our team is just really talented, but it's more than that. These kids are so coachable and they have great work ethic, and I'm quick to remind anyone who questions us of our hard work," Flanagan said.
Black Hawk's season might also look different. An early season ankle injury to Maddy Huschitt, who bounced around between starter and sixth-man, forced Flanagan to dig deeper into his bench - a situation that might bring back hearty dividends come tournament time.
"We've had to build depth, kids have had to step up," Flanagan said. "Maddie was a big part of our team and in her absence, we've had to fill her spot. (Freshman) Kaylee Marty and (junior) Sydney Delzer had to step up, and that definitely helps us moving forward."
The season is nowhere near over for either the Warriors or the Knights, and it appears the best is yet to come.
