A Few FREE Thoughts On Wisconsin Sectionals – As Told Through Emoji’s
With Wisconsin sectionals coming out for volleyball five months before the opening day of practice even begins, let’s talk about it. Having experience in teaching, coaching, and now covering volleyball in multiple states I’d like to think I have an open mind and I’ll admit, a bias. A bias towards the athletes, coaches, and communities who are impacted by the decisions of how sectionals are drawn. What better way to express my thoughts through a few emoji’s on the 2019 Wisconsin Volleyball Sectionals.
Southeast Wisconsin….What Are We Going To Do With You?
I was really optimistic about the Milwaukee area that there would be some changes in Division 1. However, there is still going to be some state quality matches in Section 5 that might even happen before the sectional semifinals. Arrowhead, Brookfield Central, Cedarburg, DSHA, Germantown, and Hamilton are going to be top ten worthy this year. You could probably make a case for some of these schools to make a run at a state title. Aubrey Hamilton of Arrowhead is going to Notre Dame, Mckenna Wucherer of Brookfield Central going to Minnesota, Cedarburg will have Kiara Reinhardt going to Creighton while teammate Maddie Barber will be heading to Villanova, and Hamilton has Sarah Schrader going to UW-Milwaukee. That’s not to mention the other athletes on these teams who will be high caliber collegiate players. To have a mini state tournament before hand is really unfortunate for these athletes and really for the state of Wisconsin high school volleyball to only get one of these teams to be in the final eight in Green Bay. Meanwhile, in Section 7 which Greendale has won the past four years there is a move of Union Grove who will have a solid team in 2019. Section 8 had a two team race with Mukwonago and Waukesha West who both lost some significant players to graduation and injury, however Kettle Moraine and Pewaukee should be a solid team for this upcoming season. Section 6 has traditionally always belonged to Burlington and Westosha Central. Union Grove is now out of that section, but how can you count out Burlington even with some major losses to graduation for 2019? Point being, players like Aubrey Hamilton, Mckenna Wucherer, and Kiara Reinhardt who are some of the best in the state will be staying home. Key Graduations in Division 5
It may not necessarily be a birthday party, but there are going to be some teams celebrating in Northwest Wisconsin with the graduation of some big time players from Clayton who have owned the area in volleyball and basketball. Mercer has always been a team who has been close to punching their ticket to the state tournament. Luck has always made a push, but be on the look out for Clear Lake who has a solid group of athletes returning and McDonnell Central Catholic who has one of the top setters in Division 4 in Maggie Craker who is now a Junior. They will also be the host of the sectional final.
Division 3 Teams Waving Goodbye To Lake Country Lutheran
Big change in Division 2 and Division 3. Lake Country Lutheran who has won back to back state titles in Division 3 will be moving up to Division 2. I’m sure Waterloo will be just fine not seeing them after LCL has ended their season at the state tournament and in the regional play the past two years. This leaves Southern Wisconsin wide open in Section 3 of Division 3. LCL is still returning plenty of solid players, and their bread and butter is always winning at the serve and serve receive game with Rylee Vaughn and Adriana Studer. Alyna Ritter runs the show as a setter coming back for her Senior year along with middle Gaby Garcia. This puts Lake Country Lutheran, Lakeside Lutheran, and East Troy all in the same section. What?!? Four state championships in the past two years all in the same section this year (LCL – 2017, 2018, Lakeside Lutheran – 2017, East Troy – 2018)
Division 2 – Section 4 – Wisconsin Lutheran, Kettle Moraine Lutheran, and Catholic Memorial. Same story, different year. This was the same case last year when it came down to these three and University School of Milwaukee where Wisconsin Lutheran defeated Catholic Memorial and then lost to Kettle Moraine Lutheran in the Sectional Final who went on to finish state runner up. These three teams will probably be in the top five in the entire state again this year, And once again will have to run into each other before the state tournament. I know geographically they are all close, it happens, but I feel like there are a few alternatives that could change some of these matchups.
Where’s Pewaukee? Two years ago Pewaukee was in Division 2, defeating Kettle Moraine Lutheran who was top ranked at the time to only run into Catholic Memorial in the Sectional Final. Last year with a rather young, but very talented squad they ran into Arrowhead in the Regional Final and this year they are in Section 8 with Kettle Moraine, Mukwonago, and Waukesha West. If it’s that easy to move Pewaukee around each year and send Wauwatosa East and West in separate sections, why not other schools? What if? Maybe I have a little natural bias towards the Iowa State Tournament because I grew up watching it and went back this year to cover the event. Five classes, eight teams make it to the state tournament in each class (40 Teams Total), and teams often do not find out who is even in their section until the beginning of October. Why? So that way they can draw the regional lines later in the season that can get the best teams to state. The matchups, the crowds, the atmosphere at state is electric because you get the best teams with typically the best fan bases there. Oh and you pay $10 for all day to watch volleyball from the 10 AM match to the 7:30 night cap and everything inbetween. I’m not saying that River Falls needs to be in the same section as Wilmot Union or Kenosha Indian Trail in opposite corners of the state, but I do think there could be alternatives as to how the sectional lines are drawn.
As for Southeast Wisconsin? Throw the teams into a hat and seed the top 16 and put them as the top four seeds in four different sections in Division 1 and fill in the rest, the same could be done as a modified version in Division 2. The furtherst drive for those schools is probably a lot closer than Hudson playing DC Everest in Section 1 (2 hours 30 minutes), I think overall there has to be a more creative way to balance geography and talent to get the best matchups the final weekend of the season. Wisconsin has a lot of great high school volleyball.
As for other alternatives, what if the state tournament was expanded and teams even got to play a guaranteed two games? If teams are traveling from Western Wisconsin, making a three to four hour trip, they might be more likely to travel with fans if they get more than one game. An alternative site for matches could always be the Kress Center across town on the campus of UW-Green Bay, gorgeous facility. Minnesota teams are guaranteed two games at the state tournament, matches are played out for 3rd and 5th place and the all tournament team is announced at the championship game (and you do not need to be apart of the coaches association to have athletes on the all tournament team). Positive Changes Have Been Came And Are Still Coming – I am going to end this with optimism. I am excited that there are changes being made in the right direction with seeding the state tournament and being flexible with site changes. I am also really excited to see a combined boys and girls state tournament. I know teams that are a short drive from Wisconsin Lutheran College to watch the boys volleyball state tournament will not be happy about that, but I think this has the makings to be a really special event. I would love nothing more than to see the boys game continue to grow into other parts of Wisconsin.
Oh and one more thing, if the Resch Center could open up the seating on the endzone of the arena that would be great! Ok, mic drop. I’m out!