Tickets to the dance: Girls basketball playoff action begins Feb. 21
By Paul Lecker
Sports Reporter
Girls basketball teams around the state learned their paths to the 2017 WIAA State Girls Basketball Tournament as the WIAA released its brackets on Sunday night.
Teams in five divisions will compete for spots at the state tournament, which will be March 9-11 at the Resch Center in Green Bay.
Regional quarterfinals will be held Tuesday, Feb. 21, with semifinals on Feb. 24 and finals on Feb. 25. Sectionals are set for March 2 and March 4.
Locally, Marshfield (13-8) is the No. 5 seed in bottom half of the Division 1 Sectional 1 bracket and will play at No. 4 Chippewa Falls (15-6) in a regional semifinal Feb. 24.
Spencer, Stratford, and Auburndale — per usual — are in the same Sectional 2 bracket in Division 4.
Stratford (15-6) is the No. 4 seed and will host Coleman (4-16) in a regional quarterfinal on Feb. 21.
Auburndale (10-11) is the No. 9 seed and will play at No. 8 Crandon (13-6), and Spencer (7-14) is the 11th seed and will play at No. 6 Crivitz (17-4) in regional quarterfinals Feb. 21.
In Division 5 Marshfield Columbus Catholic (12-9) is the No. 6 seed in Sectional 2 and will play at home against No. 11 Marion (6-15) in a regional quarterfinal Feb. 21.
Stratford Tigers: On the rebound
Stratford started the season 8-0 before suffering some close losses. The Tigers lost by one point to Marawood Conference South Division champion Marathon, fell to Wisconsin Rapids Assumption by one in overtime, and also lost an overtime game by three to Wausau Newman Catholic.
To finish the tough spot in its schedule, Stratford lost on the road to a 17-1 Wittenberg-Birnamwood squad 36-35 on Feb. 6.
Instead of folding under the stress of the stretch in which it went just 5-6, Stratford rallied with two Marawood South wins and seems to be a team back on the rise.
“Our goal, every day, is it’s going to make us stronger down the stretch,” Stratford coach Tammie Christopherson said of the close losses. “We have to stay focused and have to get in the gym. We’ve had some heartbreakers this year, and they’ve never quit once. They’ve come back tough every time.”
Andie Zuelke, Stratford’s 6-foot-1 center, averages 13.3 points and nine rebounds per contest. After some big games early in the season, including scoring 24 against Rib Lake and 25 against Crandon, teams have collapsed on her in the post, forcing her to move her game to the outside as well as put more pressure on her teammates to score from the outside.
“All season it took us to get confidence to shoot from the outside,” Christopherson said. “In the last three games, we’ve been hitting from the outside. They’ve been clogging Andie (Zuelke) with three people, and now she’s hitting from the outside. Kaylee (Hollatz), Taya (Nett), Sammy (Griesbach) is even looking at the basket. If they’re going to clog us underneath, we have to find a different way to score.
“I feel like we stumbled, but we didn’t fall. Now, we’re getting it back together again and at the right time. We want to make a deep run in the playoffs.”
Paul Lecker is publisher of MarshfieldAreaSports.com, a contributor to Hub City Times Sports. You can reach him by email at [email protected].
2017 WIAA State Girls Basketball Playoffs
Division 1
Sectional 1
Regional semifinals, Feb. 24
No. 8 Oshkosh West at No. 1 Appleton North
No. 5 Appleton East at No. 4 Oshkosh North
No. 6 Stevens Point at No. 3 Neenah
No. 7 Wisconsin Rapids at No. 2 Appleton West
No. 8 Superior at No. 1 Hudson
No. 5 Marshfield at No. 4 Chippewa Falls
No. 6 Wausau West at No. 3 D.C. Everest
No. 7 Eau Claire Memorial at No. 2 Eau Claire North
Sectional 4
Regional quarterfinals, Feb. 21
No. 17 Milwaukee Hamilton/Audubon at No. 16 West Allis Central
No. 19 Milwaukee South at No. 14 Milwaukee Reagan
No. 18 Milwaukee Bradley at No. 15 Milwaukee Pulaski/Arts/Carmen South
Regional semifinals, Feb. 24
Hamilton/Audubon-West Allis Central winner at No. 1 Milwaukee King
No. 9 Milwaukee Vincent at No. 8 Racine Horlick
No. 12 Racine Park at No. 5 Franklin
No. 13 Racine Case at No. 4 Milwaukee Divine Savior Holy Angels
South-Reagan winner at No. 3 Brookfield Central
No. 11 Milwaukee Riverside at No. 6 Brookfield East
No. 10 Greenfield at No. 7 West Allis Hale
Pulaski/Arts/Carmen South-Bradley winner at No. 2 Oak Creek
Sectional 2
Regional quarterfinals, Feb. 21
No. 17 Green Bay East at No. 16 Manitowoc
No. 18 Sheboygan South at No. 15 Green Bay Preble
Regional semifinals, Feb. 24
Green Bay East-Manitowoc winner at No. 1 Germantown
No. 9 Kettle Moraine at No. 8 Kimberly
No. 12 Menomonee Falls at No. 5 Sussex Hamilton
No. 13 Waukesha South at No. 4 Bay Port
No. 14 Hartford at No. 3 Hartland Arrowhead
No. 11 Waukesha West at No. 6 Sheboygan North
No. 10 Fond du Lac at No. 7 Mequon Homestead
Preble-Sheboygan South winner at No. 2 De Pere
Sectional 3
Regional quarterfinals, Feb. 21
No. 17 Kenosha Bradford at No. 16 Madison West
No. 18 Beloit Memorial at No. 15 Kenosha Indian Trail
Regional semifinals, Feb. 24
Bradford-West winner at No. 1 Mukwonago
No. 9 Oconomowoc at No. 8 Kenosha Tremper
No. 12 Janesville Parker at No. 5 Verona
No. 13 Madison La Follette at No. 4 Middleton
No. 14 Madison Memorial at No. 3 Madison East
No. 11 Lake Geneva Badger at No. 6 Watertown
No. 10 Janesville Craig at No. 7 Muskego
Indian Trail-Beloit Memorial winner at No. 2 Sun Prairie
Division 2
Sectional 1
Regional quarterfinals, Feb. 21
No. 9 Sparta at No. 8 La Crosse Central
No. 11 New Richmond at No. 6 River Falls
No. 10 Ashland at No. 7 La Crosse Logan
No. 9 Antigo at No. 8 Rhinelander
No. 11 Wausau East at No. 6 Shawano
No. 10 Waupaca at No. 7 Mosinee
Regional semifinals, Feb. 24
Sparta-Central winner at No. 1 Onalaska
No. 5 Tomah at No. 4 Rice Lake
New Richmond-River Falls winner at No. 3 Holmen
Logan-Ashland winner at No. 2 Menomonie
Antigo-Rhinelander winner at No. 1 Hortonville
No. 5 Medford at No. 4 Merrill
Wausau East-Shawano winner at No. 3 New London
Mosinee-Waupaca winner at No. 2 Lakeland
Sectional 4
Regional quarterfinals, Feb. 21
No. 9 Waukesha North at No. 8 Greendale
No. 11 Milwaukee St. Anthony at No. 6 Waukesha Catholic Memorial
No. 10 Milwaukee Bay View/Lifelong Learning at No. 7 South Milwaukee
No. 9 Milwaukee Madison at No. 8 Milwaukee Lutheran
No. 12 Milwaukee Morse-Marshall at No. 5 Wisconsin Lutheran
No. 11 Milwaukee Messmer at No. 6 Wauwatosa West
No. 10 Milwaukee North at No. 7 Milwaukee Washington
Regional semifinals, Feb. 24
Waukesha North-Greendale winner at No. 1 New Berlin West
No. 5 Whitnall at No. 4 Cudahy
St. Anthony-Catholic Memorial winner at No. 3 New Berlin Eisenhower
South Milwaukee-Bay View/Lifelong Learning winner at No. 2 Pewaukee
Milwaukee Madison-Milwaukee Lutheran winner at No. 1 Milwaukee Pius XI Catholic
Wisconsin Lutheran-Morse-Marshall winner at No. 4 Shorewood
Messmer-Wauwatosa West winner at No. 3 Whitefish Bay
Washington-North winner at No. 2 Wauwatosa East
Sectional 2
Regional quarterfinals, Feb. 21
No. 9 Kaukauna at No. 8 Green Bay West
No. 11 Marinette at No. 6 Ashwaubenon
No. 10 Menasha at No. 7 Green Bay Southwest
No. 9 Brown Deer at No. 8 Port Washington
No. 11 Glendale Nicolet at No. 6 West Bend West
No. 10 West Bend East at No. 7 Kewaskum
Regional semifinals, Feb. 24
Kaukauna-Green Bay West winner at No. 1 West De Pere
No. 5 Green Bay Notre Dame at No. 4 Pulaski
Marinette-Ashwaubenon winner at No. 3 Seymour
Green Bay Southwest-Menasha winner at No. 2 Luxemburg-Casco
Brown Deer-Port Washington winner at No. 1 Beaver Dam
No. 5 Grafton at No. 4 Slinger
Nicolet-West Bend West winner at No. 3 Cedarburg
Kewaskum-West Bend East winner at No. 2 Plymouth
Sectional 3
Regional quarterfinals, Feb. 21
No. 9 Reedsburg at No. 8 Baraboo
No. 11 Sauk Prairie at No. 6 Monona Grove
No. 10 Oregon at No. 7 Portage
No. 9 Fort Atkinson at No. 8 Delavan-Darien
No. 11 Elkhorn at No. 6 Waterford
No. 10 Westosha Central at No. 7 Jefferson
Regional semifinals, Feb. 24
Reedsburg-Baraboo winner at No. 1 Stoughton
No. 5 Mount Horeb at No. 4 Waunakee
Sauk Prairie-Monona Grove winner t No. 3 DeForest
Portage-Oregon winner at No. 2 Monroe
Fort Atkinson-Delavan-Darien winner at No. 1 Union Grove
No. 5 Milton at No. 4 Burlington
Waterford-Elkhorn winner at No. 3 McFarland
Jefferson-Westosha Central winner at No. 2 Wilmot
Division 3
Sectional 1
Regional quarterfinals, Feb. 21
No. 9 Barron at No. 8 Osceola
No. 11 Ellsworth at No. 6 Baldwin-Woodville
No. 10 Spooner at No. 7 Prescott
No. 9 Viroqua at No. 8 Black River Falls
No. 10 Mauston at No. 7 Arcadia
Regional semifinals, Feb. 24
Barron-Osceola winner at No. 1 Hayward
No. 5 Northwestern at No. 4 Amery
Ellsworth-Baldwin-Woodville winner at No. 3 St. Croix Central
Prescott-Spooner winner at No. 2 Somerset
Viroqua-Black River Falls winner at No. 1 Gale-Ettrick-Trempealeau
No. 5 Bloomer at No. 4 Altoona
No. 6 Westby at No. 3 West Salem
Arcadia-Mauston winner at No. 2 Elk Mound
Sectional 4
Regional quarterfinals, Feb. 21
No. 9 Omro at No. 8 Watertown Luther Prep
No. 12 Ripon at No. 5 Mayville
No. 11 Berlin at No. 6 Columbus
No. 10 North Fond du Lac at No. 7 Campbellsport
No. 9 Milwaukee Carmen at No. 8 Racine St. Catherine’s
No. 11 Milwaukee Obama SCTE at No. 6 Milwaukee St. Thomas More
No. 10 St. Francis at No. 7 University School of Milwaukee
Regional semifinals, Feb. 24
Omro-Watertown Luther Prep winner at No. 1 Waupun
Mayville-Ripon winner at No. 4 Lomira
Columbus-Berlin winner at No. 3 Poynette
Campbellsport-North Fond du Lac winner at No. 2 Winneconne
Carmen Northwest-St. Catherine’s winner at No. 1 Greendale Martin Luther
No. 5 Milwaukee School of Languages at No. 4 Kettle Moraine Lutheran
St. Thomas More-Obama SCTE winner at No. 3 Brookfield Academy
University School-St. Francis winner at No. 2 Whitefish Bay Dominican
Sectional 2
Regional quarterfinals, Feb. 21
No. 9 Oconto Falls at No. 8 Oconto
No. 11 Tomahawk at No. 6 Appleton Xavier
No. 10 Clintonville at No. 7 Northland Pines
No. 9 Chilton at No. 8 Denmark
No. 12 Two Rivers at No. 5 Southern Door
No. 13 Sturgeon Bay at No. 4 Kiel
No. 14 New Holstein at No. 3 Kewaunee
No. 11 Cedar Grove-Belgium at No. 6 Oostburg
No. 10 Sheboygan Falls at No. 7 Brillion
Regional semifinals, Feb. 24
Oconto-Oconto Falls winner at No. 1 Freedom
No. 5 Fox Valley Lutheran at No. 4 Little Chute
Tomahawk-Xavier winner at No. 3 Peshtigo
Northland Pines-Clintonville winner at No. 2 Amherst
Chilton-Denmark winner at No. 1 Wrightstown
Brillion-Sheboygan Falls winner at No. 2 Valders
Sectional 3
Regional quarterfinals, Feb. 21
No. 9 Adams-Friendship at No. 8 Lodi
No. 11 Westfield at No. 6 Nekoosa
No. 10 Prairie du Chien at No. 7 River Valley
No. 9 Brodhead at No. 8 East Troy
No. 12 Lake Mills at No. 5 Clinton
No. 13 Evansville at No. 4 Marshall
No. 11 Palmyra-Eagle at No. 6 Big Foot
No. 10 Beloit Turner at No. 7 Lakeside Lutheran
Regional semifinals, Feb. 24
Adams-Friendship-Lodi winner at No. 1 Wisconsin Dells
No. 5 Dodgeville at No. 4 Wautoma
Nekoosa-Westfield winner at No. 3 Richland Center
River Valley-Prairie du Chien winner at No. 2 Platteville
Brodhead-East Troy winner at No. 1 Whitewater
Palmyra-Eagle-Big Foot winner at No. 3 Edgerton
Lakeside Lutheran-Turner winner at No. 2 Madison Edgewood
Division 4
Sectional 1
Regional quarterfinals, Feb. 21
No. 9 Phillips at No. 8 Unity
No. 12 Chequamegon at No. 5 Abbotsford
No. 13 Cumberland at No. 4 Grantsburg
No. 11 Chetek-Weyerhaeuser at No. 6 Colby
No. 10 Athens at No. 7 Ladysmith
No. 9 Plum City/Elmwood at No. 8 Spring Valley
No. 12 Cadott at No. 5 Boyceville
No. 11 Stanley-Boyd at No. 6 Mondovi
No. 10 Glenwood City at No. 7 Fall Creek
Regional semifinals, Feb. 24
Phillips-Unity winner at No. 1 St. Croix Falls
Colby-Chetek-Weyerhaeuser winner at No. 3 Washburn
Ladysmith-Athens winner at No. 2 Cameron
Plum City/Elmwood-Spring Valley winner at No. 1 Durand
Boyceville-Cadott winner at No. 4 Osseo-Fairchild
Mondovi-Stanley-Boyd winner at No. 3 Colfax
Fall Creek-Glenwood City winner at No. 2 Eau Claire Regis
Sectional 4
Regional quarterfinals, Feb. 21
No. 9 Kohler at No. 8 Winnebago Lutheran
No. 12 Dodgeland at No. 5 Fond du Lac St. Mary’s Springs
No. 13 Wayland Academy at No. 4 Ozaukee
No. 11 Random Lake at No. 6 Markesan
No. 10 Princeton/Green Lake at No. 7 Horicon
No. 9 Milwaukee Destiny at No. 8 Milwaukee Hope Christian
Regional semifinals, Feb. 24
Kohler-Winnebago Lutheran winner at No. 1 Oshkosh Lourdes
Markesan-Random Lake winner at No. 3 Laconia
Horicon-Princeton/Green Lake winner at No. 2 Howards Grove
Destiny-Hope Christian winner at No. 1 Kenosha St. Joseph
No. 5 Milwaukee Golda Meir at No. 4 Lake Country Lutheran
No. 6 Racine The Prairie School at No. 3 Racine Lutheran
No. 7 Kenosha Christian Life at No. 2 Shoreland Lutheran
Sectional 2
Regional quarterfinals, Feb. 21
No. 9 Auburndale at No. 8 Crandon
No. 12 Wabeno/Laona at No. 5 Bonduel
No. 13 Coleman at No. 4 Stratford
No. 11 Spencer at No. 6 Crivitz
No. 10 Menominee Indian at No. 7 Edgar
No. 9 Neenah St. Mary Central at No. 8 Iola-Scandinavia
No. 12 Manawa at No. 5 Manitowoc Roncalli
No. 11 Stevens Point Pacelli at No. 6 Gibraltar
No. 10 Weyauwega-Fremont at No. 7 Algoma
Regional semifinals, Feb. 24
Auburndale-Crandon winner at No. 1 Wittenberg-Birnamwood
Spencer-Crivitz winner at No. 3 Marathon
Edgar-Menominee Indian winner at No. 2 Neillsville
St. Mary Central-Iola-Scandinavia winner at No. 1 Manitowoc Lutheran
Roncalli-Manawa winner at No. 4 Mishicot
Pacelli-Gibraltar winner at No. 3 Shiocton
Algoma-Weyauwega-Fremont winner at No. 2 Reedsville
Sectional 3
Regional quarterfinals, Feb. 21
No. 9 Fennimore at No. 8 Montello
No. 11 Whitehall at No. 6 Necedah
No. 10 Onalaska Luther at No. 7 Boscobel
No. 9 New Glarus at No. 8 Lancaster
No. 12 Parkview at No. 5 Belleville
No. 11 Iowa-Grant at No. 6 Cambridge
No. 10 Waterloo at No. 7 Deerfield
Division 5
Sectional 1
Regional quarterfinals, Feb. 21
No. 9 Butternut at No. 8 Shell Lake
No. 12 Frederic at No. 5 Luck
No. 13 Webster at No. 4 Northwood
No. 14 Winter at No. 3 Bayfield
No. 11 Drummond at No. 6 Siren
No. 10 Solon Springs at No. 7 Hurley
No. 15 Mellen at No. 2 Mercer
No. 16 New Auburn at No. 1 Clayton
No. 9 Bruce at No. 8 Prairie Farm
No. 12 Turtle Lake at No. 5 Owen-Withee
No. 13 Birchwood at No. 4 Prentice
No. 14 Lake Holcombe at No. 3 Flambeau
No. 11 Thorp at No. 6 Clear Lake
No. 10 Gilman at No. 7 Rib Lake
No. 15 Cornell at No. 2 Chippewa Falls McDonell
Regional semifinals, Feb. 24
Butternut-Shell Lake winner at No. 1 South Shore
Sectional 4
Regional quarterfinals, Feb. 21
No. 9 Randolph at No. 8 Argyle
No. 12 Johnson Creek at No. 5 Oakfield
No. 13 Cambria-Friesland at No. 4 Fall River
No. 14 Pecatonica at No. 3 Rio
No. 11 Madison Abundant Life Christian/St. Ambrose at No. 6 Central Wisconsin Christian
No. 10 Albany at No. 7 Juda
No. 15 Madison Country Day at No. 2 Barneveld
No. 9 University Lake/Trinity Academy at No. 8 Williams Bay
No. 12 Faith Christian at No. 5 Milwaukee Heritage Christian
No. 13 Milwaukee Salam at No. 4 Hilbert
No. 11 Elkhart Lake-Glenbeulah at No. 6 Sheboygan Lutheran
No. 10 Sheboygan County Christian at No. 7 Burlington Catholic Central
Regional semifinals, Feb. 24
Randolph-Argyle winner at No. 1 Black Hawk
University Lake/Trinity Academy-Williams Bay winner at No. 1 Living Word Lutheran
Sheboygan Lutheran-Elkhart Lake-Glenbeulah winner at No. 3 Hustisford
Catholic Central-Sheboygan County Christian winner at No. 2 Milwaukee Academy of Science
Sectional 2
Regional quarterfinals, Feb. 21
No. 16 Pittsville at No. 1 Tri-County
No. 9 Almond-Bancroft at No. 8 Port Edwards
No. 12 Tigerton at No. 5 Wisconsin Rapids Assumption
No. 13 Northland Lutheran at No. 4 Wild Rose
No. 14 Greenwood at No. 3 Wausau Newman Catholic
No. 11 Marion at No. 6 Marshfield Columbus Catholic
No. 10 Rosholt at No. 7 Bowler
No. 15 Wisconsin Valley Lutheran at No. 2 Loyal
No. 9 Lena at No. 8 Suring
No. 12 Florence at No. 5 Gillett
No. 13 Sevastopol at No. 4 Green Bay NEW Lutheran
No. 14 Goodman/Pembine at No. 3 Three Lakes
No. 11 Oneida Nation at No. 6 Niagara
No. 10 Gresham at No. 7 Phelps
No. 15 Marinette St. Thomas Aquinas at No. 2 Elcho
Regional semifinals, Feb. 24
Lena-Suring winner at No. 1 Wausaukee
Sectional 3
Regional quarterfinals, Feb. 21
No. 16 Weston at No. 1 Bangor
No. 9 Eau Claire Immanuel Lutheran at No. 8 Eleva-Strum
No. 12 Alma/Pepin at No. 5 Independence
No. 13 Gilmanton at No. 4 Augusta
No. 14 Granton at No. 3 Blair-Taylor
No. 11 Royall at No. 6 Cashton
No. 10 New Lisbon at No. 7 Lincoln
No. 15 Wonewoc-Center at No. 2 Hillsboro
No. 16 Southwestern at No. 1 Shullsburg
No. 9 Ithaca at No. 8 Potosi
No. 12 Kickapoo at No. 5 River Ridge
No. 13 Highland at No. 4 Benton
No. 14 La Farge at No. 3 Seneca
No. 11 De Soto at No. 6 Belmont
No. 10 Cassville at No. 7 Wauzeka-Steuben
No. 15 North Crawford at No. 2 Riverdale
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