For both boys and girls basketball this season, there are plenty of interesting match ups and brackets for the state tournament.
Each side is unique in its own way, however I cant help but feel that the boys side is more wide open than the girls.
In the girls brackets, both Monroe and Brodhead appear to be the clear favorite in their Division 2 regional. Monroe faces a weak Evansville squad while Brodhead hosts a dismal Platteville - whom which Monroe destroyed earlier in the year.
The only real challenge for these two teams would be each other or McFarland. Brodhead will likely face McFarland in the second round and then the winner will face off against Monroe on Saturday for the regional championship.
I would not be surprised to see both the Cheesemakers and the Cardinals face off in the Regional semifinal. However, both teams face a tough road with Columbus, Reedsburg, Richland Center and Madison Edgewood all in the sectional. There is no guaranteed trip for Monroe to get back to state, and Brodhead is clicking at the right time.
In Division 3, both Darlington and New Glarus have a tough schedule to even make it to the Regional finals.
Should Darlington get by Belleville on Tuesday, the Redbirds would have to face one of the states top teams, Cuba City, for the third time this season.
New Glarus faces the difficult task of traveling to Orfordville Parkview. Brodhead split with Parkview this season and the Vikings have been getting votes in the state rankings all season long.
In Division 4, Black Hawk appears to have a semi-easy schedule to get to state.
Mike Flanagans Warriors face lowly Madison Abundant Life to start and then get the winner of the Southwestern-Shullsburg game. For the first two rounds, Black Hawk has to play just good enough in order to cruise right on through.
Monticello faces a tough task at Benton while Pecatonica hosts Argyle. All eyes point to a third meeting between Black Hawk and Pec in the Regional final.
On the flip side, Albany and Juda each picked up favorable first round match ups versus Trinity Academy and Williams Bay. However, both teams will likely meet in the second round. The winner will face either Burlington Catholic Central, Johnson Creek or Faith Christian. I personally believe that both of these teams have a chance of winning that game, setting up a possible all-Six Rivers East sectional semifinal.
That winner could meet fellow Six Rivers East mate Barneveld or Six Rivers West foe Potosi at the Alliant Energy Center in Madison for the State semifinals. Now that says something about the state of southwestern Wisconsin small schools and girls basketball.
On the boys side, things appear to be a little more complicated.
In Divison 2, Monroe plays host to Mount Horeb and Brodhead hosts 5-seed McFarland. Monroe knows McFarland from playing against them over the past few decades in the Badger South, so that match up is not super scary should the Cheesemakers avoid a stunning loss to the Vikings.
However, Brodhead has played very well in the second half of the season, and has something all postseason teams covet - a big man in the paint (69 J.J. Panoske). Monroe hasnt played as well. After a tough weekend to close out 2008, the Cheese started 2009 on a roll in January. That run, sparked with game-winning shots and breakout performances, were somewhat overshadowed by low scoring games and a blind lack of improvement. To no avail, Monroe did hold on to capture the Badger South title.
However, with Brodhead running at full steam with a man in the middle, can Monroes perimeter game hold off the Cardinals in the postseason should the two teams meet up? When playing at their best, I feel Monroe is one of the top 10 teams in the state, regardless of division. However, I do not know where to put them as of right now.
What I do know is, one of these teams will likely be crowned the regional champ and have to face off against either River Valley or Wisconsin Dells in the sectional semifinals. To get to state, a win will have to come over Madison Edgewood, East Troy, or a heavy shooting Lakeside Lutheran squad.
In Division 3, New Glarus and Darlington seem to be on a crash course for the second round. The Knights have to get past conference foe and highway rival Belleville in the first round while the Redbirds have to top Mineral Point.
The potential second round match up between the two local teams would pin a spread out balanced attack against a one-man wrecking crew.
New Glarus is filled with athletes, can run the floor and shoot the 3. Darlington has sophomore sensation Alex Erickson, who is getting late-season complimentary play from Ethan Pickett to balance the scoring.
The match up would like have an over/under of 150 total points in the game, and I would probably take the over.
However, whichever team gets out still has a tough road to the Kohl Center with Cuba City, Marshall and La Crosse Aquinas all in the same sectional.
In Division 4, Black Hawk seems to have possibly the toughest road of capable teams. In Jerry Mortimers final season as coach, his Warriors travel to Shullsburg in the opening round and, with a win, would have to take on powerhouse Benton in the second round.
Pecatonica and Monticello meet up in the first game, and the winner would likely play (and beat) the winner of the Argyle-Southwestern contest.
The Darlington regional could pin Black Hawk against Monticello in an epic third meeting of the two teams. Both teams won bitter close contests during the regular season, with Black Hawk coming away with the win last week in overtime at home.
Juda and Albany are on the other side of the sectional and will meet up in Albany for the second time in two weeks. The winner would get to see Catholic Central. In order to even get to sectionals, either team would have to beat Randolph. Anyone who knows high school basketball in this state knows that Randolph year in and year out is likely the top team in Division 4. This year is no different.
So here is a good luck wish to all the area teams. Hopefully we will see a few of you in Madison as the season winds down.
Each side is unique in its own way, however I cant help but feel that the boys side is more wide open than the girls.
In the girls brackets, both Monroe and Brodhead appear to be the clear favorite in their Division 2 regional. Monroe faces a weak Evansville squad while Brodhead hosts a dismal Platteville - whom which Monroe destroyed earlier in the year.
The only real challenge for these two teams would be each other or McFarland. Brodhead will likely face McFarland in the second round and then the winner will face off against Monroe on Saturday for the regional championship.
I would not be surprised to see both the Cheesemakers and the Cardinals face off in the Regional semifinal. However, both teams face a tough road with Columbus, Reedsburg, Richland Center and Madison Edgewood all in the sectional. There is no guaranteed trip for Monroe to get back to state, and Brodhead is clicking at the right time.
In Division 3, both Darlington and New Glarus have a tough schedule to even make it to the Regional finals.
Should Darlington get by Belleville on Tuesday, the Redbirds would have to face one of the states top teams, Cuba City, for the third time this season.
New Glarus faces the difficult task of traveling to Orfordville Parkview. Brodhead split with Parkview this season and the Vikings have been getting votes in the state rankings all season long.
In Division 4, Black Hawk appears to have a semi-easy schedule to get to state.
Mike Flanagans Warriors face lowly Madison Abundant Life to start and then get the winner of the Southwestern-Shullsburg game. For the first two rounds, Black Hawk has to play just good enough in order to cruise right on through.
Monticello faces a tough task at Benton while Pecatonica hosts Argyle. All eyes point to a third meeting between Black Hawk and Pec in the Regional final.
On the flip side, Albany and Juda each picked up favorable first round match ups versus Trinity Academy and Williams Bay. However, both teams will likely meet in the second round. The winner will face either Burlington Catholic Central, Johnson Creek or Faith Christian. I personally believe that both of these teams have a chance of winning that game, setting up a possible all-Six Rivers East sectional semifinal.
That winner could meet fellow Six Rivers East mate Barneveld or Six Rivers West foe Potosi at the Alliant Energy Center in Madison for the State semifinals. Now that says something about the state of southwestern Wisconsin small schools and girls basketball.
On the boys side, things appear to be a little more complicated.
In Divison 2, Monroe plays host to Mount Horeb and Brodhead hosts 5-seed McFarland. Monroe knows McFarland from playing against them over the past few decades in the Badger South, so that match up is not super scary should the Cheesemakers avoid a stunning loss to the Vikings.
However, Brodhead has played very well in the second half of the season, and has something all postseason teams covet - a big man in the paint (69 J.J. Panoske). Monroe hasnt played as well. After a tough weekend to close out 2008, the Cheese started 2009 on a roll in January. That run, sparked with game-winning shots and breakout performances, were somewhat overshadowed by low scoring games and a blind lack of improvement. To no avail, Monroe did hold on to capture the Badger South title.
However, with Brodhead running at full steam with a man in the middle, can Monroes perimeter game hold off the Cardinals in the postseason should the two teams meet up? When playing at their best, I feel Monroe is one of the top 10 teams in the state, regardless of division. However, I do not know where to put them as of right now.
What I do know is, one of these teams will likely be crowned the regional champ and have to face off against either River Valley or Wisconsin Dells in the sectional semifinals. To get to state, a win will have to come over Madison Edgewood, East Troy, or a heavy shooting Lakeside Lutheran squad.
In Division 3, New Glarus and Darlington seem to be on a crash course for the second round. The Knights have to get past conference foe and highway rival Belleville in the first round while the Redbirds have to top Mineral Point.
The potential second round match up between the two local teams would pin a spread out balanced attack against a one-man wrecking crew.
New Glarus is filled with athletes, can run the floor and shoot the 3. Darlington has sophomore sensation Alex Erickson, who is getting late-season complimentary play from Ethan Pickett to balance the scoring.
The match up would like have an over/under of 150 total points in the game, and I would probably take the over.
However, whichever team gets out still has a tough road to the Kohl Center with Cuba City, Marshall and La Crosse Aquinas all in the same sectional.
In Division 4, Black Hawk seems to have possibly the toughest road of capable teams. In Jerry Mortimers final season as coach, his Warriors travel to Shullsburg in the opening round and, with a win, would have to take on powerhouse Benton in the second round.
Pecatonica and Monticello meet up in the first game, and the winner would likely play (and beat) the winner of the Argyle-Southwestern contest.
The Darlington regional could pin Black Hawk against Monticello in an epic third meeting of the two teams. Both teams won bitter close contests during the regular season, with Black Hawk coming away with the win last week in overtime at home.
Juda and Albany are on the other side of the sectional and will meet up in Albany for the second time in two weeks. The winner would get to see Catholic Central. In order to even get to sectionals, either team would have to beat Randolph. Anyone who knows high school basketball in this state knows that Randolph year in and year out is likely the top team in Division 4. This year is no different.
So here is a good luck wish to all the area teams. Hopefully we will see a few of you in Madison as the season winds down.
