Girls Basketball Bracket Breakdown - Division 3 - Sections 1-2
With girls basketball playoffs starting on Tuesday, let’s take a look at the teams competing with the dream of bringing the Gold Ball back home at the end of the tournament. We’ll take a look at every team in the tournament, their ranking according to us at Zaleski Sports, and a key player to watch for each team.
*Stats Courtesy of Wissports*
*Team Records Courtesy of the WIAA*
*Zaleski Sports Rankings are from the complete regular season, including week after Bracket Release*
Section 1 (Final at Amery)
Sectional A (Semi at Barron)
(1) Baldwin-Woodville Blackhawks (18-6) – Zaleski Sports Rank: 10 – Middle Border Champion
Opening matchup: Friday 2/23 vs winner of Northwestern/Bloomer
Player to Watch: #23 Maggie Jensen, Jr (9.6 PPG, 7.3 Rebounds, 1.2 Blocks)
(2) Somerset Spartans (14-10) – Zaleski Sports Rank: 28 – 5th in Middle Border
Opening matchup: Friday 2/23 vs winner of St. Croix Central/Amery
Player to Watch: #10 Julia Rybacki, Sr (17.2 PPG, 5.3 Rebounds, 5.8 Steals – 1,006 Career Points)
(3) Prescott Cardinals (15-9) – Zaleski Sports Rank: 20 – 2nd in Middle Border
Opening matchup: Friday 2/23 vs winner of Barron/Spooner
Player to Watch: #3 Lila Posthuma, Sr (15.5 PPG, 8.9 Rebounds, 3.8 Assists – 1,187 Career Points)
(4) Ellsworth Panthers (15-9) – Zaleski Sports Rank: 23 – 4th in Middle Border
Opening matchup: Friday 2/23 vs winner of St. Croix Falls/Osceola
Player to Watch: #2 Molly Janke, Sr (18 PPG, 10.4 Rebounds, 4.4 Assists, 3.4 Steals – 1,708 Career Points)
(5) St. Croix Falls Saints (17-7) – Zaleski Sports Rank: 24 – Heart O’North Champion
Opening matchup: Tuesday 2/20 vs Osceola
Player to Watch: #23 Kelsey Cooper, Sr (16.2 PPG, 11.8 Rebounds, 1.7 Blocks – 1,075 Career Points)
(6) Barron Golden Bears (17-7) – Zaleski Sports Rank: 25 – T-2nd in Heart O’North
Opening matchup: Tuesday 2/20 vs Spooner
Player to Watch: #13 Hailee Halverson, Sr (13.4 PPG, 7.5 Rebounds)
(7) St. Croix Central Panthers (10-14) – Zaleski Sports Rank: 45 – 6th in Middle Border
Opening matchup: Tuesday 2/20 vs Amery
Player to Watch: #14 Elsah Rubis, Jr (11.2 PPG, 11 Rebounds)
(8) Northwestern Tigers (13-11) – Zaleski Sports Rank: 50 – 5th in Heart O’North
Opening matchup: Tuesday 2/20 vs Bloomer
Player to Watch: #21 Shayna Wick, Sr (14.8 PPG, 5.1 Rebounds, 3 Steals)
(9) Bloomer Blackhawks (11-13) – Zaleski Sports Rank: 53 – 5th in Cloverbelt-West
Opening matchup: Tuesday 2/20 at Northwestern
Player to Watch: #15 Danielle Latz, Sr (10.3 PPG, 6.1 Rebounds, 2.8 Steals)
(10) Amery Warriors (9-15) – Zaleski Sports Rank: 56 – T-6th in Middle Border
Opening matchup: Tuesday 2/20 at St. Croix Central
Player to Watch: #10 Luci Aizpurua, Jr (13.3 PPG, 6.2 Rebounds, 4.1 Steals)
(11) Spooner Rails (6-16) – Zaleski Sports Rank: 71 – 6th in Heart O’North
Opening matchup: Tuesday 2/20 at Barron
Player to Watch: #2 Savanna Burke, Sr (14 PPG, 7.7 Rebounds, 2.7 Steals)
(12) Osceola Chieftains (2-22) – Zaleski Sports Rank: 73 – 8th in Middle Border
Opening matchup: Tuesday 2/20 at St. Croix Falls
Player to Watch: #20 Maddie Newton, Jr (12.1 PPG, 3.1 Steals)
Sectional B (Semi at Arcadia)
(1) Elk Mound Mounders (24-0) – Zaleski Sports Rank: 1 – Dunn-St. Croix Champion
Opening matchup: Friday 2/23 vs winner of Adam-Friendship/G-E-T
Player to Watch: #5 Ellie Schiszik, Jr (15.4 PPG, 3.7 Steals – 1,130 Career Points)
(2) Aquinas Blugolds (21-3) – Zaleski Sports Rank: 4 – Mississippi Valley Champion
Opening matchup: Friday 2/23 vs winner of Viroqua/Stanley-Boyd
Player to Watch: #1 Samantha Davis, So (22.3 PPG, 7.4 Rebounds, 3.7 Steals – 1,011 Career Points)
(3) Altoona Railroaders (17-7) – Zaleski Sports Rank: 11 – 3rd in Middle Border
Opening matchup: Friday 2/23 vs winner of Mauston/Black River Falls
Player to Watch: #55 Alyssa Wirth, Sr (11 PPG, 6.1 Rebounds, 1.3 Blocks – 1,189 Career Points)
(4) Wisconsin Dells Chiefs (18-6) – Zaleski Sports Rank: 21 – T-2nd in South Central
Opening matchup: Friday 2/23 vs Arcadia
Player to Watch: #13 Natalie Backhaus, So
(5) Arcadia Raiders (15-9) – Zaleski Sports Rank: 38 – 2nd in Coulee
Opening matchup: Friday 2/23 at Wisconsin Dells
Player to Watch: #11 Tatum Drazkowski, Fr (10.5 PPG, 11.3 Rebounds, 3.4 Steals)
(6) Mauston Golden Eagles (15-9) – Zaleski Sports Rank: 55 – 4th in South Central
Opening matchup: Tuesday 2/20 vs Black River Falls
Player to Watch: #4 Kylie Heller, Jr (13.8 PPG, 5.5 Rebounds, 2 Steals)
(7) Viroqua Blackhawks (7-17) – Zaleski Sports Rank: 80 – T-5th in Coulee
Opening matchup: Tuesday 2/20 vs Stanley-Boyd
Player to Watch: #14 Rachel Diehl, Sr
(8) Gale-Ettrick-Trempealeau Red Hawks (5-19) – Zaleski Sports Rank: 78 – 4th in Coulee
Opening matchup: Tuesday 2/20 vs Adams-Friendship
Player to Watch: #22 Tatum Johnson, Sr (8.8 PPG, 7.2 Rebounds, 2.2 Steals)
(9) Adams-Friendship Green Devils (5-19) – Zaleski Sports Rank: 72 – 5th in South Central
Opening matchup: Tuesday 2/20 at Gale-Ettrick-Tremealeau
Player to Watch: #14 Evelyn Shaw, Sr
(10) Stanley-Boyd Orioles (3-21) – Zaleski Sports Rank: 77 – 7th in Cloverbelt-West
Opening matchup: Tuesday 2/20 at Viroqua
Player to Watch: #10 Lauren Potaczek, Jr (10.7 PPG)
(11) Black River Falls Tigers (2-22) – Zaleski Sports Rank: 82 – 7th in Coulee
Opening matchup: Tuesday 2/20 at Mauston
Player to Watch: #3 Bella Falcon, Jr (14.4 PPG)
Section 2 (Final at Brillion)
Sectional A (Semi at Oconto Falls)
(1) Wittenberg-Birnamwood Chargers (22-2) – Zaleski Sports Rank: 12 – 2nd in CWC-East
Opening matchup: Friday 2/23 vs winner of Waupaca/Peshtigo
Player to Watch: #42 Melaina Granquist, So (18 PPG, 10.1 Rebounds, 3.2 Steals, 1 Block)
(2) Freedom Irish (17-7) – Zaleski Sports Rank: 22 – 2nd in North Eastern
Opening matchup: Friday 2/23 vs winner of Tomahawk/Sturgeon Bay
Player to Watch: #3 Gracie Martzahl, Jr (8.4 PPG, 2.4 Assists, 2.1 Steals)
(3) Oconto Falls Panthers (13-11) – Zaleski Sports Rank: 47 – T-5th in North Eastern
Opening matchup: Friday 2/23 vs winner of Northland Pines/Clintonville
Player to Watch: #15 Maddy Maloney, Jr (8.9 PPG, 4.9 Rebounds, 1.6 Steals)
(4) Menominee Indian Eagles (9-15) – Zaleski Sports Rank: 52 – T-5th in CWC-East
Opening matchup: Friday 2/23 vs Amherst
Player to Watch: #0 Urijih Reevis, So (16.2 PPG, 8.3 Rebounds, 2.1 Steals)
(5) Amherst Falcons (13-11) – Zaleski Sports Rank: 48 – 3rd in CWC-East
Opening matchup: Friday 2/23 at Menominee Indian
Player to Watch: #44 Scout Spadoni, Sr (20.2 PPG, 11.4 Rebounds – 1,002 Career Points)
(6) Northland Pines Eagles (7-16) – Zaleski Sports Rank: 60 – T-5th in Great Northern
Opening matchup: Tuesday 2/20 vs Clintonville
Player to Watch: #23 Aubrey Beyer, Sr (7 PPG, 7.8 Rebounds, 1 Block)
(7) Tomahawk Hatchets (7-17) – Zaleski Sports Rank: 75 – 7th in Great Northern
Opening matchup: Tuesday 2/20 vs Sturgeon Bay
Player to Watch: #5 Freya Alberg, So (10.2 PPG)
(8) Waupaca Comets (7-17) – Zaleski Sports Rank: 74 – 8th in North Eastern
Opening matchup: Tuesday 2/20 vs Peshtigo
Player to Watch: #1 Hailey Bechard, So (12.9 PPG, 4.6 Rebounds, 5.5 Steals)
(9) Peshtigo Bulldogs (2-22) – Zaleski Sports Rank: 67 – 9th in Packerland
Opening matchup: Tuesday 2/20 at Waupaca
Player to Watch: #20 Holly Pesch, Jr (9.5 PPG)
(10) Sturgeon Bay Clippers (4-18) – Zaleski Sports Rank: 84 – 8th in Packerland
Opening matchup: Tuesday 2/20 at Tomahawk
Player to Watch: #21 Dasha Yeltysheva, Jr (14.2 PPG, 2 Steals)
(11) Clintonville Truckers (3-20) – Zaleski Sports Rank: 87 – 9th in North Eastern
Opening matchup: Tuesday 2/20 at Northland Pines
Player to Watch: #34 Natalie Sunita, Sr (13.5 PPG, 10 Rebounds, 1.4 Blocks)
Sectional B (Semi at Chilton)
(1) Xavier Hawks (17-7) – Zaleski Sports Rank: 8 – Bay Conference Champion
Opening matchup: Friday 2/23 vs winner of Denmark/Kiel
Player to Watch: #30 Carsyn Stempa, Sr (12.4 PPG, 5 Rebounds, 3.8 Steals – 934 Career Points)
(2) Wautoma Hornets (18-6) – Zaleski Sports Rank: 18 – T-2nd in South Central
Opening matchup: Friday 2/23 vs winner of Chilton/Brillion
Player to Watch: #11 Alayna Panich, Sr (15.5 PPG, 6.3 Rebounds, 4.8 Assists, 3.6 Steals – 1,079 Career Points)
(3) Berlin Indians (13-10) – Zaleski Sports Rank: 30 – 5th in East Central
Opening matchup: Friday 2/23 vs winner of Winneconne/Two Rivers
Player to Watch: #34 Callie Kurczek, Jr (14.5 PPG, 7.8 Rebounds)
(4) Wrightstown Tigers (14-9) – Zaleski Sports Rank: 36 – 3rd in North Eastern
Opening matchup: Friday 2/23 vs winner of Wrightstown/Little Chute
Player to Watch: #2 Ella Verbeten, So (12.9 PPG, 5.3 Rebounds, 2.5 Steals)
(5) Omro Foxes (16-8) – Zaleski Sports Rank: 27 – 2nd in Flyway
Opening matchup: Tuesday 2/20 vs Little Chute
Player to Watch: #20 Julia Koch, Sr (15.2 PPG, 5.6 Rebounds, 3.8 Assists – 1,116 Career Points)
(6) Winneconne Wolves (11-12) – Zaleski Sports Rank: 37 – T-3rd in East Central
Opening matchup: Tuesday 2/20 vs Two Rivers
Player to Watch: #25 Grace Mitchell, Fr (13.7 PPG, 7 Rebounds, 2.7 Steals)
(7) Chilton Tigers (16-8) – Zaleski Sports Rank: 39 – 3rd in Eastern Wisconsin
Opening matchup: Tuesday 2/20 vs Brillion
Player to Watch: #11 Adahlyn Hoerl, Jr (21 PPG, 9.3 Rebounds, 4.5 Assists – 1,159 Career Points)
(8) Denmark Vikings (14-10) – Zaleski Sports Rank: 49 – 4th in North Eastern
Opening matchup: Tuesday 2/20 vs Kiel
Player to Watch: #21 Kiarrah Micolichek, So (11.1 PPG, 1.7 Steals)
(9) Kiel Raiders (9-15) – Zaleski Sports Rank: 59 – 4th in Eastern Wisconsin
Opening matchup: Tuesday 2/20 at Denmark
Player to Watch: #34 Maddie McDole, So (11.5 PPG, 4.5 Rebounds, 3.3 Steals)
(10) Brillion Lions (9-15) – Zaleski Sports Rank: 62 – 5th in Eastern Wisconsin
Opening matchup: Tuesday 2/20 at Chilton
Player to Watch: #3 Camden Hale, Jr (13.1 PPG, 4.2 Rebounds, 2 Steals)
(11) Two Rivers Purple Raiders (1-22) – Zaleski Sports Rank: 88 – 8th in Eastern Wisconsin
Opening matchup: Tuesday 2/20 at Winneconne
Player to Watch: #22 Kaylee Jensen, Jr (8.1 PPG, 6.1 Rebounds)
(12) Little Chute Mustangs (0-23) – Zaleski Sports Rank: 90 – 10th in North Eastern
Opening matchup: Tuesday 2/20 at Omro
Player to Watch: #12 Addi Daelke, Sr (6.8 PPG)