Living Word Athletic

Wisconsin Predictions: [Click "show more" to see more about my favorite, leading contenders, sleepers, and young guns teams for Division 4.] Division 4: Favorite: Laconia (@LaconiaGirlsBB ) Laconia (27-3, #6) won the state championship last season (after earning silver balls in 2019 & 2022). They return all but 1 player from last year's roster, including their top 5 scorers, highlighted by a deep jr class. Returners include sr @CallistaVB (5'11"--7.6ppg, 7.7rpg) & jrs @tierney_madigan (5'10"--12.5ppg, 5.4rpg), @PaytonMorgan21 (5'9"--10.4ppg), @AubreyNLeonard (5'8"--9.5ppg, 3.7apg), @Eva_Engel3 (5'10"--6.1ppg), & @DuelMolly (5'7"--5.3ppg). In addition, fr @Finley_Morgan03 (5'8") & Hayden Johnson (5'10") could compete for time in the main rotation. [Madigan & Morgan earned WBCA D4 All-State, while Leonard earned HM.] Leading Contenders: The Prairie School (@tpsgbb ) The Prairie School (24-4, #5) lost in a sectional final to Laconia (27-3, #6) last year, but the 2 split into different sectionals this season. Like Laconia, Prairie only graduated 1 sr last year, returning their top 4 scorers in jr Jasonya "J.J." Barnes (5'8"--20.4ppg, 9.2rpg, 3.7apg), sr @reese_jara2024 (5'9"--14.4ppg, 6.3rpg), jr @megdecker8 (5'5"--12.3ppg, 6.1rpg, 5.1apg, 4.2spg), & sr @avacwhite2024 (5'4"--7.6ppg, 3.5apg, 3.1spg). Prairie is looking for their first trip to state since 2013; they also won a title in 2004. [Barnes earned WBCA D4 All-State, while Jaramillo & Decker earned HM.] Cuba City (@cubanathletics ) Cuba City (25-3, #7) reached a sectional final last season before losing to eventual state runner-up Aquinas (28-2, #1) by 4. [Aquinas has moved up to D3.] CC returns 6 of their top 7 scorers, including their top 3, w/ jrs @OliviaOlson22 (5'7"--17.2ppg, 5.4apg, 4.0spg), @ellavosberg (5'9"--15.3ppg), & @deacrist (6'0"--7.3ppg, 8.0rpg) as well as soph Ashley VanNatta-Rowe (5'3"--9.0ppg) all back. Cuba City holds the records for most state tournament appearances (16) and most championships (11) & this group will look to add to that over the next 2 years. [Olson earned WBCA D4 All-State, while Vosberg earned HM.] Colfax (@vikingscolfax )/McDonell Catholic (@Macksgbb ) winner Colfax (21-7) entered the postseason unranked last year, but advanced to a state semifinal before falling to eventual champion Laconia (27-3, #6). McDonell Catholic (26-5, #8 in D5) won the D5 state championship last season. Colfax returns all but 2 players, including 4 of their top 5 scorers led by srs @mckenna_shipman (5'7"--16.9ppg, 6.5rpg) & Jeanette Hydukovich (6'0"--6.8ppg, 6.3rpg, 2.1bpg). McDonell will miss current @ViterboWBB fr Marley Hughes, but returns 7 of their 8 scorers, including sr @BHSUWBB commit @EmilyCo21033206 (5'7"--15.7ppg, 5.0rpg, 5.2apg, 4.1spg), sr @dorn_aubrey (6'0"--14.3ppg, 9.9rpg, 1.1bpg), & jr @SophiaSchmidga0 (5'10"--6.6ppg). Colfax & McDonell are in opposite halves of the sectional & would be set to meet up in a sectional final. [Cooper & Dorn earned WBCA D5 All-State, while Shipman earned D4 HM.] Sleepers: Sheboygan Lutheran Sheboygan Lutheran (20-6) lost to eventual state champion Laconia (27-3, #6) in a regional final in (sectional 4 was brutal last year). However, in the newly revamped sectionals, SL & Laconia have been moved into opposite sides of sectional 2. SL lost just 1 player to graduation & returns their top 6 scorers, including jr PG @AddyVerhagen (5'5"--14.4ppg, 4.2apg) & lots of length in srs Ripon commit @Alexand10838674 (5'10"--9.8ppg, 6.7rpg) & Faith Pape (6'1"--9.1ppg, 7.8rpg), & jrs @Tay_Brigham25 (5'11"--12.6ppg, 5.6rpg, 3.4apg) & @alexisbeger24 (5'10"--11.2ppg, 4.2apg). SL is looking for their 1st trip to state. [Verhagen earned WBCA D4 All-State HM.] Regis (@RegisGBB ) Regis (12-13) finished in the bottom half of the Cloverbelt-West (the same conference as D5 champion McDonell Catholic) last year for the 1st time that I can recall. Regis may be set for a bounce back year, however, as they return all but 1 player, including their top 5 scorers highlighted by sr @AshleyChilson33 (6'1"--18.6ppg, 10.9rpg). In addition, sr PG @ava_highman10 (5'6"--11.9ppg, 5.5rpg as soph) will be back after missing her jr yr w/ an ACL injury. They are in the same half-sectional as Colfax (21-7). Regis qualified for state 6 times between 2003 & 2016 w/ championships in 2003 & 2011. [Chilson earned WBCA D4 All-State HM.] Living Word Lutheran (@LW_Wolves ) LWL (18-8) lost to Random Lake (15-12) in a regional final, but returns 5 of their top 6 scorers, including their top 3 in sr Elise Raymond (5'7"--12.5ppg, 5.6rpg) & sophs Delaney Winkelmann (5'8"--12.0ppg, 7.4rpg, 5.8apg, 3.2spg, 1.5bpg) & Kaleah Alles (5'8"--11.9ppg, 6.8rpg). In addition, their lineup could be enhanced by the arrival of fr @elainar34 (5'5"). LWL has yet to make an appearance at state. Young Guns Team: Oconto Oconto (18-8) lost in a regional semifinal to state semifinalist Mishicot (21-7) last season. However, their top 4 scorers were fr & sophs last year, including jr @AddisynViestenz (5'4"--17.3ppg, 5.9rpg, 4.6spg, 1.0bpg), & sophs @rylie_shallow (5'4"--9.0ppg, 3.2spg) & Natalie Schlueter (5'9"--7.8ppg, 7.0rpg). [It appears that soph @thomson_madilyn (5'10"--13.7ppg) has transferred to Lena, however.] Oconto has yet to make it to state. YGT HM: Abundant Life/St. Ambrose AL/SA (11-12) lost a 1-pt decision to Pecatonica (10-14) in the 1st round of regionals. They could, however, get that record over 0.500 this season w/ the return of their top 6 scorers, including 5 that were fr or sophs last year. Leading the youth movement are jr Magdalen Simon (5'8"--16.1ppg, 7.5rpg, 3.3apg, 3.0spg) & soph Emma Belter (6'0"--7.8ppg, 6.6rpg, 2.6bpg), while sr leadership will be provided by sr Megan Rockwell (5'10"--13.3ppg, 5.1rpg). Abundant Life had a state tournament appearance back in 2003. Stats Source: wissports.net