MONROE - Tuesday marks the yearly return to the wackiest month in sports - the one where anything can happen: March. Basketball has found a way to add the word madness into the name, which simply means that any team can win on any day against another.
"That's what's so weird about basketball: Momentum," Monroe coach Pat Murphy said. "When you have it on your side, you're good to go. When they have it on their side, you're on your heels."
Between both college and high school hoops, public attention hits its peak each year at this time - tournament time. And while the Duke's, Kentucky's and George Mason's of the world light up television screens from breakfast until the nightly news, it is a prep game that has everybody clattering in southern Wisconsin this year. And with good reason.
Three local schools have found themselves hanging around the various prep polls all season - Monroe (18-4), Darlington (20-2) and Monticello (17-5). Not coincidentally, all three finished as conference champions in their respective divisions. Now those three schools will petition with the Basketball Gods for their Hoosiers moment - their chance to go from small town stars to state champions. With the new five-division format this year, replacing the four divisions that had been used since 1991, that chance may seem a bit easier now.
Each team will not be without adversity, however, as other area teams and the rest of the state will try to bump them off on the road to state.
"I don't want to see the day it ends, but it's going to," Monticello senior Corey McGowan said. "I want to be the only D-5 team to win their last game. That's where I want to be. We have not gotten that far and I want to get that far."
Here's a breakdown of all the area schools, their divisions, and what can be expected to happen:
WIAA Division 2
Janesville Craig Sectional
Monroe, a No. 2 seed, has a first-round bye in the Verona Regional. That means the Cheesemakers will not play Tuesday, but will have until Friday to get their gameplan together. McFarland (17-5) and Reedsburg (11-11) will vie for the rights to come to Monroe.
"We know whoever is going to win will be really good. We have to go back and work on what we do instead of worrying about what other teams are going to do to us," Murphy said.
The winner of Friday's game will be in Verona Saturday night against either Madison Edgewood (15-7), DeForest (11-11) or Portage (3-19).
In the top half of the sectional sits No. 1 seed Waunakee (21-1), who beat Monroe in a head-to-head battle back in January. Waunakee, currently ranked No. 1 in the state, picked up its only loss to a team from Minnesota.
"Our main thing is bringing intensity," senior guard Michael Barrett said.
Sauk Prairie (12-10), which had a surprise run to state last year, Baraboo (12-10) Mount Horeb (14-8) and Monona Grove (15-7) are all looking to knock off Waunakee.
The sectional semifinal, which could pit a rematch between the Cheesemakers and Warriors, is slated for Thursday, March 10 at Middleton with the sectional final scheduled for March 12.
A team with tournament experience and 10 seniors, the Cheesemakers look to have the upper hand in the regional. Senior Bryan Tordoff (14.9 points per game) is playing in his fourth year on varsity, getting to state in each of his first two seasons. Barrett (18.8 ppg) and Michael Turek joined Tordoff on Monroe's state runner-up team in 2008 as sophomores.
"Now that the regular season is over, we know that we have one more game here on our home court," Barrett said. "We've been playing here since we were in fourth grade so it's just starting to hit us that we have to keep winning and we can keep playing. We want this to last as long as possible."
Coach Murphy also has become accustomed to getting his team ready for a championship run. Murphy has guided four teams to state, winning the gold ball in 2007.
"It would be amazing to make a run this year, my senior year," guard Damian Penniston said. "I love everyone on this team. I think we can make a run if we pull our heads together."
WIAA Division 3
Middleton Sectional
It's hard to say any team that finished the year 13-9 and finished second in their conference didn't quite meet expectations. But this is the story of Brodhead - a senior dominated team with a 6-foot-10, D-1 recruit.
J.J. Panoske, who will play for Horizon League champion UW-Milwaukee next year, averaged over 23 points a game this year and had five games in which he eclipsed the 30-point mark - including a 40-point performance in just three quarters in a thrashing of Orfordville Parkview.
But no team is just one player, and Brodhead is no different. No other Cardinal player averaged double figures and the offense (1,126 total points, 51.1 ppg) means the defense has to be pretty steady. This year the Cardinals allowed 994 points (45.1 ppg) in the regular season, but six times let their opponent score more than 60 points. All six of those games were losses.
In two losses to Rock Valley South champion Clinton (19-3), who would likely be Brodhead's regional final opponent, the Cardinals gave up 63 and 78 points and lost by a combined 39 points.
First Brodhead, which has a first-round bye, will have to take care of the winner of Beloit Turner (11-11) and Parkview (1-19). Should the Cardinals take care of business in the Janesville Craig Regional, they would surely have a tougher time in the sectional final, where perennial sectional contenders Wisconsin Dells (17-5) and River Valley (18-3) both lie in wait.
WIAA Division 4
Baraboo Sectional
The Division 4 bracket has its share of collective talent. Not only have Darlington and Cuba City been ranked all season, but there are five teams sitting either undefeated or with one loss total.
SWAL co-champion Darlington is riding the momentum of beating rival Cuba City (19-3) on the road last Thursday. Next up for the Redbirds is a first-round date with Iowa-Grant (2-20). A second-round matchup would be against the winner of the Lancaster (1-20) and Mineral Point (15-7) contest.
If Darlington can make it through the first two rounds unscathed, lying in the weeds will likely be the Cubans in the regional final at Lancaster High School.
Senior Alex Erickson (21.3 ppg), Darlington's all-time scoring leader, lives for the moment against Cuba City. In his last seven games against the Cubans, Erickson has averaged 23.8 ppg, and that includes his blip of just 10 points in a loss earlier this season, which was avenged by a 31-point night Feb. 24.
In the DeForest Regional, New Glarus (11-11) will have to battle it out with first Belleville (2-20), then Cambridge (13-9) before taking on either Deerfield (17-5), Waterloo (8-14) or Pardeeville (11-11).
That would set up a sectional final in Monroe on March 10 between the Lancaster and DeForest regional champions for the right to enter sectionals.
In order to qualify for state, the last block in the road will likely be undefeated and top-ranked Blair-Taylor (22-0), which allowed just three teams to stay within 10 points all year.
WIAA Division 5
Watertown Sectional
Barneveld (17-4) may have gotten the No. 1 seed in the Evansville Regional, but Monticello is riding the momentum after a season-finale win over Barneveld Feb. 25. The win tied the Ponies and the Eagles for the Six Rivers East title for the third straight year.
Barneveld still gets the first-round bye, however, while Monticello has to host Albany (4-18), a young team that stayed within nine points of the Ponies on Feb. 22.
Juda (14-8) and Argyle (5-17) will battle in the first round, with the winner likely traveling to Monticello.
Black Hawk (7-15) and Pecatonica (4-18) will face off in the first round, with the winner getting the daunting task of attempting to be the first team to send Barneveld to back-to-back losses since January of 2008.
Of course, it may not matter which team wins the regional or sectional semifinal: top-ranked Randolph (19-3) sits in the way. The Rockets won the state title last year, the school's sixth since 2002. Six Rivers East champion Benton (21-1), which won the 2009 title and is currently ranked second overall, is on the other side of the bracket and is a favorite to reach the state title.
"It's just one game at a time," said Monticello senior Tyler Ritchard (22.6 ppg).
But daunting tasks aside, March is the month of madness for a reason - as basketball has proved again and again, never doubt the underdog.
"It's kind of what high school basketball is all about," Monticello coach Mark Olson said.
"That's what's so weird about basketball: Momentum," Monroe coach Pat Murphy said. "When you have it on your side, you're good to go. When they have it on their side, you're on your heels."
Between both college and high school hoops, public attention hits its peak each year at this time - tournament time. And while the Duke's, Kentucky's and George Mason's of the world light up television screens from breakfast until the nightly news, it is a prep game that has everybody clattering in southern Wisconsin this year. And with good reason.
Three local schools have found themselves hanging around the various prep polls all season - Monroe (18-4), Darlington (20-2) and Monticello (17-5). Not coincidentally, all three finished as conference champions in their respective divisions. Now those three schools will petition with the Basketball Gods for their Hoosiers moment - their chance to go from small town stars to state champions. With the new five-division format this year, replacing the four divisions that had been used since 1991, that chance may seem a bit easier now.
Each team will not be without adversity, however, as other area teams and the rest of the state will try to bump them off on the road to state.
"I don't want to see the day it ends, but it's going to," Monticello senior Corey McGowan said. "I want to be the only D-5 team to win their last game. That's where I want to be. We have not gotten that far and I want to get that far."
Here's a breakdown of all the area schools, their divisions, and what can be expected to happen:
WIAA Division 2
Janesville Craig Sectional
Monroe, a No. 2 seed, has a first-round bye in the Verona Regional. That means the Cheesemakers will not play Tuesday, but will have until Friday to get their gameplan together. McFarland (17-5) and Reedsburg (11-11) will vie for the rights to come to Monroe.
"We know whoever is going to win will be really good. We have to go back and work on what we do instead of worrying about what other teams are going to do to us," Murphy said.
The winner of Friday's game will be in Verona Saturday night against either Madison Edgewood (15-7), DeForest (11-11) or Portage (3-19).
In the top half of the sectional sits No. 1 seed Waunakee (21-1), who beat Monroe in a head-to-head battle back in January. Waunakee, currently ranked No. 1 in the state, picked up its only loss to a team from Minnesota.
"Our main thing is bringing intensity," senior guard Michael Barrett said.
Sauk Prairie (12-10), which had a surprise run to state last year, Baraboo (12-10) Mount Horeb (14-8) and Monona Grove (15-7) are all looking to knock off Waunakee.
The sectional semifinal, which could pit a rematch between the Cheesemakers and Warriors, is slated for Thursday, March 10 at Middleton with the sectional final scheduled for March 12.
A team with tournament experience and 10 seniors, the Cheesemakers look to have the upper hand in the regional. Senior Bryan Tordoff (14.9 points per game) is playing in his fourth year on varsity, getting to state in each of his first two seasons. Barrett (18.8 ppg) and Michael Turek joined Tordoff on Monroe's state runner-up team in 2008 as sophomores.
"Now that the regular season is over, we know that we have one more game here on our home court," Barrett said. "We've been playing here since we were in fourth grade so it's just starting to hit us that we have to keep winning and we can keep playing. We want this to last as long as possible."
Coach Murphy also has become accustomed to getting his team ready for a championship run. Murphy has guided four teams to state, winning the gold ball in 2007.
"It would be amazing to make a run this year, my senior year," guard Damian Penniston said. "I love everyone on this team. I think we can make a run if we pull our heads together."
WIAA Division 3
Middleton Sectional
It's hard to say any team that finished the year 13-9 and finished second in their conference didn't quite meet expectations. But this is the story of Brodhead - a senior dominated team with a 6-foot-10, D-1 recruit.
J.J. Panoske, who will play for Horizon League champion UW-Milwaukee next year, averaged over 23 points a game this year and had five games in which he eclipsed the 30-point mark - including a 40-point performance in just three quarters in a thrashing of Orfordville Parkview.
But no team is just one player, and Brodhead is no different. No other Cardinal player averaged double figures and the offense (1,126 total points, 51.1 ppg) means the defense has to be pretty steady. This year the Cardinals allowed 994 points (45.1 ppg) in the regular season, but six times let their opponent score more than 60 points. All six of those games were losses.
In two losses to Rock Valley South champion Clinton (19-3), who would likely be Brodhead's regional final opponent, the Cardinals gave up 63 and 78 points and lost by a combined 39 points.
First Brodhead, which has a first-round bye, will have to take care of the winner of Beloit Turner (11-11) and Parkview (1-19). Should the Cardinals take care of business in the Janesville Craig Regional, they would surely have a tougher time in the sectional final, where perennial sectional contenders Wisconsin Dells (17-5) and River Valley (18-3) both lie in wait.
WIAA Division 4
Baraboo Sectional
The Division 4 bracket has its share of collective talent. Not only have Darlington and Cuba City been ranked all season, but there are five teams sitting either undefeated or with one loss total.
SWAL co-champion Darlington is riding the momentum of beating rival Cuba City (19-3) on the road last Thursday. Next up for the Redbirds is a first-round date with Iowa-Grant (2-20). A second-round matchup would be against the winner of the Lancaster (1-20) and Mineral Point (15-7) contest.
If Darlington can make it through the first two rounds unscathed, lying in the weeds will likely be the Cubans in the regional final at Lancaster High School.
Senior Alex Erickson (21.3 ppg), Darlington's all-time scoring leader, lives for the moment against Cuba City. In his last seven games against the Cubans, Erickson has averaged 23.8 ppg, and that includes his blip of just 10 points in a loss earlier this season, which was avenged by a 31-point night Feb. 24.
In the DeForest Regional, New Glarus (11-11) will have to battle it out with first Belleville (2-20), then Cambridge (13-9) before taking on either Deerfield (17-5), Waterloo (8-14) or Pardeeville (11-11).
That would set up a sectional final in Monroe on March 10 between the Lancaster and DeForest regional champions for the right to enter sectionals.
In order to qualify for state, the last block in the road will likely be undefeated and top-ranked Blair-Taylor (22-0), which allowed just three teams to stay within 10 points all year.
WIAA Division 5
Watertown Sectional
Barneveld (17-4) may have gotten the No. 1 seed in the Evansville Regional, but Monticello is riding the momentum after a season-finale win over Barneveld Feb. 25. The win tied the Ponies and the Eagles for the Six Rivers East title for the third straight year.
Barneveld still gets the first-round bye, however, while Monticello has to host Albany (4-18), a young team that stayed within nine points of the Ponies on Feb. 22.
Juda (14-8) and Argyle (5-17) will battle in the first round, with the winner likely traveling to Monticello.
Black Hawk (7-15) and Pecatonica (4-18) will face off in the first round, with the winner getting the daunting task of attempting to be the first team to send Barneveld to back-to-back losses since January of 2008.
Of course, it may not matter which team wins the regional or sectional semifinal: top-ranked Randolph (19-3) sits in the way. The Rockets won the state title last year, the school's sixth since 2002. Six Rivers East champion Benton (21-1), which won the 2009 title and is currently ranked second overall, is on the other side of the bracket and is a favorite to reach the state title.
"It's just one game at a time," said Monticello senior Tyler Ritchard (22.6 ppg).
But daunting tasks aside, March is the month of madness for a reason - as basketball has proved again and again, never doubt the underdog.
"It's kind of what high school basketball is all about," Monticello coach Mark Olson said.
