Congratulations to the UW-Stout women and the UW-Stevens Point men for advancing to the NCAA tournament this week by winning the WIAC tournament last week. The Pointers host the winner of Loras, IA vs St. John's MN on Saturday. The Blue Devils host Simpson, IA on Friday night.

 

Tough luck for the UWEC Blugold women who came up just short against Stout in the WIAC championship game. The Lady Blugolds return everyone next season though and will add 1,000 point scorer Jackie Hauser from Whitehall.  Look for UWEC to be the pre-season conference favorite next season.

 

Kudos to the WIAA for moving Friday night's Girls sectional game between Eau Claire North and Eau Claire Memorial to Altoona.  The game should be a dandy as both teams have really been playing well lately and last meeting was just a one point affair won by the Huskies. Look for the winner of this game to advance to Madison.

 

Look for Osceola to emerge from the D2 sectional in Chippewa Falls.

Look for Osseo-Fairchild to win the D3 sectional at Eau Claire North.

Look for Flambeau to win the D4 sectional in Spooner and for

Independence to win the D4 sectional at La Crosse Central.

 

Good luck to all area teams competing this week.

 

Alright, I've been putting it off but let's look at the boys brackets from Divisions 1-4

 

Division 1 Marshfield sectional: Look for Superior and their # 1 seed to advance to sectionals to face the winner of EC North/ EC Memorial. Whomever emerges from the sectional-semifinal will have their hands full with Wausau East in the sectional final.

 

Division 2 Rice Lake Regional:  Look for # 1 New Richmond who finished 2nd in the Middle Border Conference this season to face Spooner from the Heart O' North in the Regional final.

D2 Spooner Regional:  Look for Altoona, Rice Lake, and  Baldwin-Woodville to all compete for the Regional title.

 

D3 Amery Regional:  Look for Glenwood City and Luck to meet in the Regional final.

D3 Hayward Regional: Look for Cameron, Ladysmith and Chetek to compete for the Regional crown.

D3 Ellsworth Regional: Look for Regis and Prescott to repeat their memorable Regional final from a year ago.

D3 Altoona Regional: Look for Thorp, Fall Creek and Stanley-Boyd to be the major contenders with Stanley-Boyd being the sleeper team in the entire tournament.

 

D4 Webster Regional: Look for South Shore to emerge from that Regional.

D4 Cumberland Regional: Look for Clayton, Clear Lake and Birchwood to be competing.

D4 Chippewa Falls Regional:  Abbotsford, Gilman, Eau Claire Immanuel, and Greenwood are all solid teams.....one heck of a Regional!!!

D4 Eau Claire Memorial Regional: Possible  Elmwood vs Eleva-Strum Regional final looming!!

D4 Neillsville Regional: Look for Blair-Taylor to win this one.

 

The Wisconsin Badgers lost Brian Butch to a dislocated/fractured elbow in their game at Ohio State on Sunday. He's out at least 4 weeks and when he went down so did the Final Four hopes for the Badgers. Look for them to get ousted in the round of 32 or 2nd round of the upcoming NCAA tournament. Alando Tucker hasn't proven he can carry a team on his back yet ala Dwyane Wade when he played for Marquette.