MONROE - There will not be many secrets when the Monroe girls basketball team tips off tournament play at Mount Horeb Tuesday.
It's the third straight year Monroe will face Mount Horeb in a WIAA Division 2 regional, so the Cheesemakers (8-14) head into the regional with an idea of what to expect from the Vikings.
"They like to pressure and push the ball when they can," Monroe coach Sam Mathiason said of Mount Horeb. "We have seen a similar style against Monona Grove. Mount Horeb is different. They will use a man-to-man press and not sell out as much on the traps. They will try to make it uncomfortable and try to push it and get some fastbreak points."
Mount Horeb (9-13), is led by five seniors including senior Allison Gordon, who is averaging 8.1 points per game. The other capable scorers include senior Cassie Handrick (7.9 ppg), sophomore Nikki Arneson (7.9) and senior Serena Pretti (7.6 ppg).
The top two scorers for Monroe include sophomore Lexi Hilliard (9.1 ppg) and senior Alacia Keegan (8.9 ppg). If Monroe beats Mount Horeb, the Cheesemakers would play at No. 1 seed Madison Edgewood in the regional semifinals Friday.
"The key will be handling the pressure," Mathiason said. "They have a lot of experience. It will be a challenge for us."
The other regional matchups are as follows:
Division 3
Brodhead (18-4), which won the Rock Valley South Conference for the fifth straight year, received a No. 1 regional seed and will get a first-round bye Tuesday. The Cardinals will play the winner of Beloit Turner and Edgerton at 7 p.m. Friday in a regional semifinal in Brodhead. The Cardinals could face a potential conference rival in either Big Foot or Clinton in a regional championship game Saturday.
Brodhead, which made the program's first state appearance last year, will have a challenge trying to make a return to state. Three of the state's top seven ranked teams are in Brodhead's sectional. Whitewater (22-0), ranked No. 1, Lakeside Lutheran (21-0), ranked No. 3, and Marshall (20-2), ranked No. 7, all could post roadblocks in the sectional.
Division 4
Third-seeded New Glarus will host sixth-seeded Darlington Tuesday. New Glarus (7-15) is led by junior Tamara Elzen (9.6 ppg) and Vanessa Narveson (8.6 ppg). The Glarner Knights have lost five of their last six games.
Darlington (5-17) is led by sophomore Callie Norton (8.8 ppg) and senior Mariah Wiegel (7.3 ppg). The Redbirds snapped a seven-game losing streak with a 46-39 win over Boscobel Friday.
"I like where we are headed," Darlington coach Kelly Rose said. "I know if I get effort from the girls, we will have a chance to win. Everyone is 0-0 now."
The winner of the battle between the Knights and Redbirds will advance to the regional semifinals and will play at second-seeded Mineral Point. Cuba City (23-0), ranked No. 1 in Division 4, is the big favorite to make a run to state.
Division 5
Argyle is the No. 1 seed in the top half of the Kettle Moraine sectional. Argyle (16-6) finished second-place in the Six Rivers East Conference behind conference champion and No. 1 ranked Barneveld. The Orioles host Abundant Life-Saint Ambrose on Tuesday. Argyle has won 10 of its last 11 games and uses a fullcourt press to set the tone.
"I think we are at our best when we don't have to run our offense," Argyle coach Kurt Ritschard said. "We want to play fast and push the tempo."
Argyle senior Jenna Langmeier leads the Orioles (13.5 ppg). The Orioles have a balanced attack that includes senior Kylie Johnsen (9.0 ppg) and sophomore Kayla Butler-Paulson (8.3 ppg). If Argyle makes a sectional run, the Orioles could see second-seeded Monticello or third-seeded Black Hawk in a regional championship game Saturday.
Fifth-seeded Juda will play at fourth-seeded Albany Tuesday. Juda (6-15) lost two close games to Albany this season - 38-32 Dec. 12 and 39-35 Jan. 27. Juda sophomore Chelsea Bukhalter leads the Panthers (10.6 ppg).
Albany (4-18) is led by junior Sydnee Woyak (6.9 ppg) and junior Marley Malkow (6.6 ppg). The winner of the Juda-Albany game will advance to likely play Argyle Friday.
Monticello (12-8) finished third in the Six Rivers East Conference. The Ponies will host seventh-seeded Johnson Creek Tuesday. Monticello is led by seniors Alyssah Kubly (14.4 ppg) and Samantha DeVoe (11.5 ppg).
Black Hawk (7-15) went 6-6 in conference, but finished 1-9 in non-conference games. The Warriors played several bigger schools including Mineral Point, Edgerton and Parkview. Black Hawk coach Mike Flanagan hopes the tough scheduling will pay off in the tournament. Black Hawk hosts sixth-seeded Williams Bay Tuesday.
The Warriors are led by junior Aleigha Sigafus (15.4 ppg). If Black Hawk wins the regional quarterfinal game against Johnson Creek, the Warriors will likely play Monticello Friday. Monticello has owned Black Hawk this year sweeping two conference games by an average of 24 points.
"If we do get another shot against Monticello, we know how huge the odds will be against us," Flanagan said. "We obviously know the situation. Like everything else in life, you enter it with attitude and effort. I hope the girls understand it's something attainable on the right night if you start by controlling your attitude and effort."
Barneveld (21-1), ranked No. 1, received the top seed in the Richland Center sectional. Barneveld received a first-round bye and will play the winner of Potosi and Southwestern on Friday.
Seventh-seeded Pecatonica (2-19) is in the same regional as Barneveld and will play at second-seeded Benton-Shullsburg Tuesday. The Vikings are 2-4 in their last six games. Pecatonica senior Emily Scoville leads the team (7.5 ppg). Flanagan understands how big the challenge is against Barneveld for any team.
"They are beating teams in the conference by an average of 55 to 60 points," he said of Barneveld. "None of our coaches are about moral victories. Against them (Barneveld) you just want to find a way to keep it close."
It's the third straight year Monroe will face Mount Horeb in a WIAA Division 2 regional, so the Cheesemakers (8-14) head into the regional with an idea of what to expect from the Vikings.
"They like to pressure and push the ball when they can," Monroe coach Sam Mathiason said of Mount Horeb. "We have seen a similar style against Monona Grove. Mount Horeb is different. They will use a man-to-man press and not sell out as much on the traps. They will try to make it uncomfortable and try to push it and get some fastbreak points."
Mount Horeb (9-13), is led by five seniors including senior Allison Gordon, who is averaging 8.1 points per game. The other capable scorers include senior Cassie Handrick (7.9 ppg), sophomore Nikki Arneson (7.9) and senior Serena Pretti (7.6 ppg).
The top two scorers for Monroe include sophomore Lexi Hilliard (9.1 ppg) and senior Alacia Keegan (8.9 ppg). If Monroe beats Mount Horeb, the Cheesemakers would play at No. 1 seed Madison Edgewood in the regional semifinals Friday.
"The key will be handling the pressure," Mathiason said. "They have a lot of experience. It will be a challenge for us."
The other regional matchups are as follows:
Division 3
Brodhead (18-4), which won the Rock Valley South Conference for the fifth straight year, received a No. 1 regional seed and will get a first-round bye Tuesday. The Cardinals will play the winner of Beloit Turner and Edgerton at 7 p.m. Friday in a regional semifinal in Brodhead. The Cardinals could face a potential conference rival in either Big Foot or Clinton in a regional championship game Saturday.
Brodhead, which made the program's first state appearance last year, will have a challenge trying to make a return to state. Three of the state's top seven ranked teams are in Brodhead's sectional. Whitewater (22-0), ranked No. 1, Lakeside Lutheran (21-0), ranked No. 3, and Marshall (20-2), ranked No. 7, all could post roadblocks in the sectional.
Division 4
Third-seeded New Glarus will host sixth-seeded Darlington Tuesday. New Glarus (7-15) is led by junior Tamara Elzen (9.6 ppg) and Vanessa Narveson (8.6 ppg). The Glarner Knights have lost five of their last six games.
Darlington (5-17) is led by sophomore Callie Norton (8.8 ppg) and senior Mariah Wiegel (7.3 ppg). The Redbirds snapped a seven-game losing streak with a 46-39 win over Boscobel Friday.
"I like where we are headed," Darlington coach Kelly Rose said. "I know if I get effort from the girls, we will have a chance to win. Everyone is 0-0 now."
The winner of the battle between the Knights and Redbirds will advance to the regional semifinals and will play at second-seeded Mineral Point. Cuba City (23-0), ranked No. 1 in Division 4, is the big favorite to make a run to state.
Division 5
Argyle is the No. 1 seed in the top half of the Kettle Moraine sectional. Argyle (16-6) finished second-place in the Six Rivers East Conference behind conference champion and No. 1 ranked Barneveld. The Orioles host Abundant Life-Saint Ambrose on Tuesday. Argyle has won 10 of its last 11 games and uses a fullcourt press to set the tone.
"I think we are at our best when we don't have to run our offense," Argyle coach Kurt Ritschard said. "We want to play fast and push the tempo."
Argyle senior Jenna Langmeier leads the Orioles (13.5 ppg). The Orioles have a balanced attack that includes senior Kylie Johnsen (9.0 ppg) and sophomore Kayla Butler-Paulson (8.3 ppg). If Argyle makes a sectional run, the Orioles could see second-seeded Monticello or third-seeded Black Hawk in a regional championship game Saturday.
Fifth-seeded Juda will play at fourth-seeded Albany Tuesday. Juda (6-15) lost two close games to Albany this season - 38-32 Dec. 12 and 39-35 Jan. 27. Juda sophomore Chelsea Bukhalter leads the Panthers (10.6 ppg).
Albany (4-18) is led by junior Sydnee Woyak (6.9 ppg) and junior Marley Malkow (6.6 ppg). The winner of the Juda-Albany game will advance to likely play Argyle Friday.
Monticello (12-8) finished third in the Six Rivers East Conference. The Ponies will host seventh-seeded Johnson Creek Tuesday. Monticello is led by seniors Alyssah Kubly (14.4 ppg) and Samantha DeVoe (11.5 ppg).
Black Hawk (7-15) went 6-6 in conference, but finished 1-9 in non-conference games. The Warriors played several bigger schools including Mineral Point, Edgerton and Parkview. Black Hawk coach Mike Flanagan hopes the tough scheduling will pay off in the tournament. Black Hawk hosts sixth-seeded Williams Bay Tuesday.
The Warriors are led by junior Aleigha Sigafus (15.4 ppg). If Black Hawk wins the regional quarterfinal game against Johnson Creek, the Warriors will likely play Monticello Friday. Monticello has owned Black Hawk this year sweeping two conference games by an average of 24 points.
"If we do get another shot against Monticello, we know how huge the odds will be against us," Flanagan said. "We obviously know the situation. Like everything else in life, you enter it with attitude and effort. I hope the girls understand it's something attainable on the right night if you start by controlling your attitude and effort."
Barneveld (21-1), ranked No. 1, received the top seed in the Richland Center sectional. Barneveld received a first-round bye and will play the winner of Potosi and Southwestern on Friday.
Seventh-seeded Pecatonica (2-19) is in the same regional as Barneveld and will play at second-seeded Benton-Shullsburg Tuesday. The Vikings are 2-4 in their last six games. Pecatonica senior Emily Scoville leads the team (7.5 ppg). Flanagan understands how big the challenge is against Barneveld for any team.
"They are beating teams in the conference by an average of 55 to 60 points," he said of Barneveld. "None of our coaches are about moral victories. Against them (Barneveld) you just want to find a way to keep it close."
