Preview: WIAA Tournament Division 3 Sectional Semifinals
The WIAA Division 3 State Tournament resumes on Thursday. Here’s a breakdown of the remaining seven matchups in the field.
SECTIONAL 1
#1 Prescott (22-2) vs. #3 Ellsworth (20-4) at New Richmond
Prescott rolled through the Middle Border Conference with a perfect 14-0 record. Will their conference rival Ellsworth, who finished second, be able to reverse the trend?
The Cardinals dropped the Panthers 102-83 in the most recent meeting. Prescott also hasn’t been defeated by a team within the Wisconsin border all season. North Dakota State baseball commit Peter Brookshaw is a walking bucket, averaging 30.0 ppg this season
Since Dec. 28, Ellsworth has only lost one game, taking 15 of their last 16. The only team to knock them off during that run? Prescott.
*Wisconsin Dells advanced with a 61-55 victory over Gale-Ettrick-Trempealeau on Wednesday
SECTIONAL 2
#1 Xavier (24-0) vs. #2 Wrightstown (20-4) at Menasha
Appleton Xavier hasn’t lost a game since Mar. 19, 2016 – the Division 3 state championship game. Taking home the gold ball last season, the Hawks are strong contenders to repeat, riding a 52-game winning streak. Minnesota-Duluth commit Hunter Plamann has been sensational this season, averaging 22.6 points and 7.5 assists per game.
Can Wrightstown hang with a Xavier squad that averages 91.9 points per game? The North Eastern Conference champs have a couple of big scorers, led by Mayson Hazaert (18.2 ppg).
#1 Valders (21-3) vs. #3 Southern Door (20-4) at Ashwaubenon
Two Conference title winners square off in this sectional semifinal. Valders took the Eastern Wisconsin crown, while Southern Door rolled through the Packerland with a perfect 16-0 mark.
The Eagles are probably feeling a little fortunate after surviving an overtime affair with New Holstein on Saturday. Despite the scare, Southern Door comes in hot, having won 13 of their last 14.
Top seed Valders also got everything they could handle from Sheboygan Falls in the regional final.
SECTIONAL 3
#1 Platteville (19-5) vs. #2 Edgerton (19-5) at Oregon
Platteville needs to be on upset alert. Edgerton is an efficient offensive team with a grind-it-out style. Senior Jacob Fox (15.1 ppg) can take over a game and hit big shots in crunch time.
Led by Donovan Blevins (16.0 ppg), Platteville took the SWC Conference title. The Hillmen have looked sharp in March, winning both playoff games by an average of 24.5 ppg.
#1 Martin Luther (21-3) vs. #3 East Troy (19-5) at Fort Atkinson
Martin Luther has proven to be a state title contender all season. The three-headed monster of Trequan Carrington (16.4 ppg), Ace Evans (14.4 ppg), and Xzavier Jones (9.7 ppg) are as tough a trio to handle in Division 3.
The Rock Valley Conference champions are getting 21.0 ppg from A.J. Vukovich. A versatile, mismatch problem, Vukovich has led the Trojans to wins in 11 of their last 12 games.
These two teams met on Dec. 21 with Martin Luther coming out with a 54-51 victory.
SECTIONAL 4
#1 Waupun (23-1) vs. #2 Laconia (17-7) at Watertown
Marcus Domask (22.8 ppg) led Waupun to a state championship as a freshman. Can the skilled wing do it again? The Warriors have dropped just one game all season at the hands of Kettle Moraine Lutheran, who’s won 20 games and is still alive in tournament play.
Jaylen Mahone (24.0 ppg) has led Laconia to a strong second half of the season. Since beginning the year 9-6, the Spartans have gone 8-1 to this point.
Laconia and Waupun met on Jan. 13 with the Warriors grabbing a 57-49 win on the road.
#2 Dominican (19-5) vs. #4 Kettle Moraine Lutheran (20-5) at Brookfield Central
Dominican has the pieces to win a state title. Abe Scruggs (14.4 ppg), Gacoby Jones (20.8 ppg), and Alex Antetokounmpo (14.5 ppg) are all scholarship talents at the next level. The Knights can get some help from their secondary options, they’re a dangerous contender in this sectional.
Coming off a major upset over Brown Deer, Kettle Moraine Lutheran is on a tear, having won 11 of their last 12 games. The Chargers are very balanced across the board, making them tough to defend as there’s not one or two players you can really key on defensively.