Bracket Breakdown: Division 3
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 3 field that you can find. Read on for a breakdown of all the action.
This is the best that the Division 3 field has been in recent years. There is very little to distinguish between the top teams, and there will be several heavyweights competing for a state title. Coleman has been the top-ranked team in Division 3 ever since our preseason rankings came out, and for good reason. The Cougars are 22-0 this year (they have one final regular season game on Thursday). They’re not the only undefeated team in the field, though. St. Mary Catholic finished the regular season with a 20-0 record, while Markesan is also sitting pretty at 20-0. Of course, teams like defending sectional champions Aquinas (18-7) and Lake Country Lutheran (21-4) are dangerous as well. Here’s a breakdown of all four sectionals.
Sectional 1
Most of top seeds in sectional one are all pretty high-powered. Regional A’s No. 1 seed is Unity, who is 18-3 this year. They won the Lakeland West Conference by one game this year. Over their last nine games, the Eagles are 8-1. No. 2 seed St. Croix Falls is 14-6 this spring. However, they got swept in their season series against Unity. No. 3 seed Clayton/Turtle Lake fared a little better against Unity this year. They split their season series with the Eagles and finished in second in the Lakeland West.
Regional B is arguably the most evenly matched part of this sectional. There’s no dominant team to be found. Top-seeded Chequamegon finished in second place in the Marawood North, and they are the defending sectional champion. Caleb Armstrong (.444 average in conference play), the Marawood North player of the year, can make a big impact on games for the Screaming Eagles. Phillips earned the No. 2 seed, even though they finished in third in the Marawood North standings. Austin Edwards (.472 average in conference play) and Ryan Gionnoni (.361 average in conference play) both make the Phillips lineup tick. Expect one of the top two seeds to make it out of this regional.
Regional C is home to several strong teams. Elk Mound is the top seed. The Mounders are 17-2 this year, with one more game to go. Pitcher Brandon Bohl (10-1, 0.42 ERA, 122 strikeouts) is having an all-state caliber season for the Mounders, and it’s hard to imagine them losing when he’s on the mound. Spring Valley, the No. 2 seed, is 11-6 this spring. They won the Dunn St. Croix Small Division this year. They made it to the state tournament in Division 4 last year, so they’ve got valuable playoff experience. The No. 3 seed is Regis, who had a solid regular season campaign that saw them finish well over the .500 mark.
Like Regional C, Regional D has a couple of high quality teams. Durand got the top seed with a 16-8 record and a Dunn St. Croix Large Division championship. Hunter Black (12-1, 0.77 ERA, 96 strikeouts) has been absolutely dominant on the mound this year for the Panthers. Osseo-Fairchild, the No. 2 seed, has also had a good season. They finished in second place in the Cloverbelt West, only behind Altoona. As the No. 3 seed, Fall Creek has a chance to pull off an upset or two. They’ve already beaten both of the top two seeds this season.
Sectional 2
Sectional two is without a doubt the toughest bracket in the Division 3 tournament. It is home to the top two teams in Division 3, and other conference champions as well.
Marawood South champion Marathon headlines Regional A. The Red Raiders are 17-4 this year, and they’re hungry for a second straight state tournament berth. Karter Underwood (.459 average, 13 RBIs in conference play) and Landen Williamson (.474 average, 15 RBIs in conference play) have been forces at the plate this year, while Ryan Gassner (5-0, 0.54 ERA in conference play) has stifled opposing offenses all season long. The No. 2 seed is Spencer, who is 13-5 this year. They took second place in the Cloverbelt East this spring, and they could pose a threat to Marathon.
Central Wisconsin 8 champion Pacelli is the top seed in Regional B. The Cardinals are 24-2 this season, with quality wins over the likes of Aquinas and Bonduel. They’re the strong favorites to win this regional. No. 2 seed Amherst is 13-9 this year, but they were outscored by Pacelli 22-3 in two games this spring. No. 3 seed Iola-Scandinavia is 10-12 this season, and they could potentially make a run to the regional finals for a shot at Pacelli.
Regional C is probably the toughest regional in Division 3. Coleman, the top-ranked team in Division 3, is the No. 1 seed. The Cougars are 22-0 this spring, and they’ve won most of their games by blowing out the other team. They simply do not lose when Matt Osterberg (10-0, 0.37 ERA, 84 strikeouts) is on the mound. The road to sectionals won’t be easy for Coleman, though. Oconto, the champion of the Packerland Conference, is the No. 2 seed in the regional. The Blue Devils are 14-6 this season, but they’ve stumbled to three losses in the last two weeks. Crandon is the No. 3 seed, and they’re 15-3 this year. They lost to Coleman by five earlier this year, but they’re capable of pulling off a postseason upset. Kyle Wagoner has been dominant on the mound for the Cardinals. If Coleman returns to sectionals this year, they’re going to be battle-tested.
Regional D is home to the No. 2 team in Division 3, St. Mary Catholic. The Zephyrs are 20-0 this spring. Practically every player in their lineup can be a difference maker. Tyler Nelson (.509 average, 29 stolen bases), Mike Seveska (.500 average, 30 RBIs, 3 home runs), Trevor Hogenson (.382 average, 30 RBIs, 4 home runs) and Caleb Davidson (.387 average, 22 RBIs) have all been hot hitters for the Zephyrs this year. Mack Blashka (7-0, 0.52 ERA, 80 strikeouts) has allowed opposing teams to score in just one outing this year. The No. 2 seed, Bonduel, will have their work cut out for them if they want to reach sectionals. The Bears are 14-4 this year, and they’ve got strong pitching as well. Trevor Pedersen has two no-hitters to his name this spring. Brillion is the No. 3 seed, and they are also a tough team. They’re 16-6 this season, but they got outscored by St. Mary Catholic 28-0 in two games this year.
Sectional 3
Cochrane-Fountain City figures to make a lot of noise in Regional A. They’re 21-3 this season, and their team batting average is over .300 this year. None of their starting pitchers has an ERA above 2.50. Arcadia, the No. 2 seed, is the co-champion of the Coulee Conference this year. No. 3 seed Whitehall is 15-5 this year, and they pose a potential threat to the top two seeds in the regional.
Defending sectional champion Aquinas is the top seed in Regional B. The Blugolds are 18-7 this year with one game remaining. They know what it takes to get to the state tournament, and they’re looking for back-to-back berths. No. 2 seed Westby (15-7) will try to stand in their way. However, they lost to the Blugolds earlier in the year. No. 3 seed Brookwood finished well over .500 this year, and they’re not a team to be taken lightly.
Regional C’s early favorite is top-seeded Prairie du Chien. The Blackhawks are 20-1 this year, and they won the SWC title. They have good wins over River Valley, Onalaska, Aquinas and La Crosse Logan under their belt. No. 2 seed Darlington is 15-5 this season and won the SWAL title. They have the best chance of knocking off Prairie du Chien before sectionals. The other teams in the regional will need luck on their side to make a deep run.
Cambridge is the top seed in Regional D. The Blue Jays finished in second place of the Capitol South and have a 13-7 record this year. JT Parish has been dominant on the mound for them this season. No. 2 seed Deerfield is 13-7 this season and has a share of the Trailways South title. Blake Ehrke (.333 average, 2 home runs, 19 RBIs) has been a top hitter for the Demons this year. Wisconsin Heights is also capable of making a run to sectionals.
Sectional 4
The hierarchy in Regional A is pretty clear. The top seed Gibraltar is 12-10 this year, and they are the defending regional champions. They know how to win during the playoffs. None of the other teams in this regional finished above .500, so it’s really Gibraltar’s to lose.
Regional B is much tougher than Regional A. No. 1 seed Markesan is undefeated at 20-0 this year. The Hornets have a number of high-quality players on their roster. Cody Ryan has been phenomenal at the plate (.460 average, 30 RBIs) and on the mound (6-0, 0.39 ERA). Overall, the Hornets have four starters batting over .400. They could have a tough opponent in No. 2 seed Lourdes Academy. The Knights are 17-4 this spring, and pitcher Sam Gelhar (6-0, 0.59 ERA) has shut down hitters all year long. Expect the top two seeds to meet in the regional final.
Lake Country Lutheran, the defending state champion, is the top seed in Regional C. The Lightning are 21-4 this season and they look ready to defend their title. They have wins over Catholic Memorial, St. Francis and Martin Luther this year. No. 2 seed Winnebago Lutheran (16-4) has also had a strong season this year, and they could give LCL a tough game if they face each other. No. 3 seed St. Mary’s Springs finished behind only Winnebago Lutheran in the Flyway Conference, and they’re a dangerous team as well. No. 4 seed Brookfield Academy might be the best four seed in the bracket. They have a 17-7 record, and they beat LCL earlier in the season. This regional will be hotly contested.
Regional D doesn’t have any top-ranked teams in it. Top seed Palmyra-Eagle is 13-10 this year, while No. 2 seed Shoreland Lutheran is 11-12. None of the other teams finished close to .500, so it would be a big surprise if anyone besides the top two seeds made it to sectionals.
