Bracket Breakdown: Division 2
The spring playoffs begin this Thursday in Divisions 2 through 4, and we’ve got them completely covered from the first pitch of the regional quarterfinals to the last out of the state championship game. Today we’ve got the most comprehensive breakdown of the Division 2 field that you can find. Read on for a breakdown of all the action.
The Division 2 field has a few strong candidates for the title of tournament favorites. There are certainly several teams that are considered contenders on both sides of the bracket. Milwaukee Lutheran and Lodi stand out above the rest. The preseason No. 1 and No. 2 (respectively) have both lived up to their titles. The Red Knights are 18-6 this year despite playing in the tough Wisconsin Little Ten Conference. Lodi, the champion of the Capitol North Conference, has cruised to a 22-2 record this spring. The Blue Devils have not lost since April 23, when they fell to Kenosha Tremper, one of the top teams in Division 1. Over the course of the season, they have tallied wins over Beloit Turner (22-2 record), Columbus (18-4) and Division 1 team DeForest (15-6).
Of course, there are strong teams in every sectional. Here’s a breakdown of each individual bracket.
Sectional 1
This sectional is full of solid teams, and there’s no clear favorite to advance to the state tournament. Regional D looks like it’ll be the toughest. Top-seeded Wisconsin Dells won the South Central Conference and boasts a 12-6 record this year. They split their season series with No. 2 seed Westfield, who is 14-5 this spring. The No. 3 seed Mauston (17-8 record) is also dangerous, along with No. 4 Wautoma, who can beat anyone when Indiana commit Jack Eagan is on the mound.
Regional A could be anyone’s to win. The top seed, Rice Lake, plays in the Big Rivers Conference, which is a largely Division 1 conference. The Warriors went 9-12 this year, with most of their wins coming against Division 2 teams in non-conference play. In fact, they did not lose a game against any of the teams in their regional this year. They beat No. 2 seed Ashland, No. 3 seed Hayward, No. 4 seed Barron and No. 6 Northwestern. However, in the playoffs, anything can happen. Ashland is 11-7 this year. The Oredockers have made it to the regional final in two consecutive years, but the sectional tournament has eluded them lately. They’re motivated to finally win a regional trophy.
Regional B could see the rivalry between Ellsworth and Prescott renewed in the regional finals again this year. Despite this being a down year for some of the teams in this regional, they shouldn’t be taken lightly. The top-seeded Panthers are 10-7 this season with one game left to play, and they’re looking to return to sectionals after missing out last year. No. 2 seed Prescott is 16-7 this spring, but they lost to Ellsworth both times they played them. However, the Cardinals do have some good wins over the other teams in their sectional, like Altoona and Ashland. No. 3 seed Baldwin-Woodville is also capable of making a run to sectionals. They’ve beaten both Ellsworth and Prescott this year.
Regional C has a pretty clear-cut hierarchy to it. Altoona and West Salem are the definite favorites to make it to the regional finals. Altoona is 14-5 this year with one game left on the schedule, and they won the Cloverbelt West Conference without too much trouble. Alex Jinkins (.371 average, 11 extra base hits, 23 RBIs) and Jake Nelson (.410 average, 17 RBIs) have been producers in the lineup for Altoona this year. No. 2 seed West Salem made it to the state tournament last year, and they are 12-10 this season. They have some nice wins under their belt this year against the likes of Westby and Viroqua. No. 3 seed Gale-Ettrick-Trempeauleau could be a dark horse in this regional. They’re 14-10 this year and split their regular season series with West Salem.
Sectional 2
This sectional may be even more wide open than sectional one. There are some great teams in this sectional, but most of them are concentrated in the same half of the bracket. Regional C is definitely the most difficult. Top-seeded Waupaca won the North Eastern Conference this year, and they have an 18-4 record with one more game to play this week. However, they split their season series with No. 2 seed Freedom (18-7 this year). Further, Freedom got swept by No. 3 seed Fox Valley Lutheran (14-11 with one game left this year) not too long ago. Even No. 4 seed Little Chute has proven they can hang with the other teams in the regional (they beat Freedom earlier this season). Don’t expect too many blowouts in this regional.
Regional A is the home of Mosinee, who have won a regional title three years in a row. The top-seeded Indians are the strong favorites to get to sectionals for the fourth straight year. They are 16-4 with a game remaining this year, and they’ve only allowed more than three runs in a game two times this season. No. 2 seed Tomahawk is 13-6 this year, and they split their regular season series with Mosinee. They’re the team with the best chance of taking down the Indians before sectionals. The rest of the teams in this regional will need a little bit of luck to make a run to sectionals. No. 3 seed Lakeland is 7-13 this year, and they could pull off an upset or two along the way.
Regional B doesn’t have any of the top-ranked teams in it, so it’s really anyone’s to claim. This regional is usually dominated by Notre Dame, but with the Tritons now in Division 1, we’ll see a new team emerge as regional champion. Top-seeded Seymour is 12-11 this season, but their record is a little deceiving. They have played a very tough schedule this season with games against teams like West De Pere, Bay Port, Lodi, Green Bay Preble, Freedom and Waupun. Their strength of schedule may have prepared them to make a playoff run. No. 2 seed Oconto Falls has hovered around .500 this year, but they do have quality wins over Freedom, Waupaca and Oconto on their résumé. Marinette, the three seed, started off the year 8-0 but finished with a 13-8 record. They have already beaten Oconto Falls and No. 4 seed Clintonville this year.
Regional D is led by No. 1 seed Luxemburg-Casco and No. 2 seed Southern Door. Luxemburg-Casco is 16-7 this year, and they have beaten every team in the regional besides Southern Door and No. 6 seed Chilton (who they haven’t played this season). Meanwhile, Southern Door is 17-4 this year, and they beat top-seed Luxemburg-Casco late in the season. It seems safe to think that one of the top two seeds will win this regional. No. 3 seed Valders is 14-9 this year, but they got beaten handily when they played Luxemburg-Casco earlier in the season.
Sectional 3
Regional A is full of evenly-matched teams. The top seed and defending sectional champion, River Valley, is 18-4 this season. They’ve got a good chance of returning to sectionals if they play to the level they’re capable of. No. 2 seed Dodgeville is also a good team. They’re 14-6 this year, and they split their season series with River Valley. Look for one of those two teams to advance out of this regional.
Regional B is home to top-seeded Lodi. The Blue Devils are 22-2 this season, with wins over several of the top teams in Division 2. They are the firm favorites to win the regional title. The other teams in this regional are around .500 at best. Edgewood (11-10) and Portage (14-11) could spring an upset, but Lodi is the top seed for a reason.
Beloit Turner is definitely the team to beat in Regional C. The Trojans are 22-2 and the champions of the Rock Valley South this year. Their only losses came at the hands of Lodi and Catholic Memorial back on April 22. Since then, they’ve won 14 straight games. The No. 2 seed in this sectional, Evansville, lost to Turner by 10 runs when they played this year. No. 3 seed Monroe had better luck against Turner, only losing by three to the Trojans this May.
Regional D figures to be a battle between the top three seeds. No. 1 seed Martin Luther is 17-5 this year. They made it to sectionals in Division 3 last year, and they’ll try to do the same at the Division 2 level this season. No. 2 seed Whitewater has what it takes to make a run of their own, though. The Whippets are 19-6 this year with wins over Division 1 teams like Onalaska and Hartford.
Sectional 4
Waupun is the strong favorite to win Regional A. The Warriors are 15-7 this year, and they’re looking to return to the state tournament for the first time since 2013. In games against other teams from this regional, they’re 6-1. Their only loss came against No. 2 seed Ripon. The Tigers are 12-9 this season, and they figure to have the best chance of taking down Waupun.
Regional B has two of the best teams in Division 2. Top-seeded Columbus is 18-4 this season. They are just one of two teams that beat Lodi this spring. No. 2 seed Campbellsport is also 18-4 this year. They have some quality wins to their name, including two over Waupun. It would be a big upset if any of the lower seeds made it out of this regional.
Regional C will likely be a tough one to win. No. 1 seed Jefferson is 19-6 this season, and they have some players who can single-handedly turn the tide of a game. Ian Drays (.513 average, 22 RBIs) in particular has been impressive this spring. No. 2 seed Catholic Memorial had to grind through a tough schedule this year, and they may be better off for it in the playoffs. They are 14-11 this year, and they’ve beaten teams like Oconomowoc, Martin Luther and Milwaukee Lutheran. No. 3 seed Kettle Moraine Lutheran is capable of pulling off an upset or two. They’re 14-10 this year and they’ve beaten the likes of Waupun and Ripon.
Finally, Regional D hosts the defending state champion Milwaukee Lutheran. The Red Knights boast an 18-6 record and are primed to defend their title with a stellar pitching staff. They are the heavy favorites to win this regional. No. 2 seed St. Francis shouldn’t be taken lightly, though. The Mariners are 19-7 this year with multiple wins over Division 1 teams. However, they lost their regular season series against No. 3 seed University School. It’ll be interesting to see what the regional final matchup ends up being for Milwaukee Lutheran if they are able to avoid an early upset.
