Bracket Breakdown: Division 1
The Division 1 playoffs begin on Tuesday, and we're taking a comprehensive look at the bracket. Things kick off with the regional semifinals on Tuesday, with the regional finals following on Thursday. Continue reading as we offer the most in-depth look at the playoffs you'll find anywhere.
Sectional 1 (Stevens Point)
The Stevens Point sectional is home to our No. 3 ranked team in the state, Eau Claire North. The Huskies are 18-2 and won the Big Rivers Conference this year. They also happen to be the defending sectional champion. If anyone is going to beat North, they’ll need to be able to score a lot of runs to keep up with their offense. That’s been incredibly difficult this year, as the Huskies have held opponents to an average of 2.05 runs per game.
Second-seeded Chippewa Falls is 15-7 this year, and has one of their most talented teams in recent years. The Cardinals have a handful of quality wins under their belt, but got swept by Eau Claire North earlier in the year. They lost five of their final eight games in the regular season. However, when Xavier commit Trevor Olson is on the mound, the Cards can hang with any team in the state.
Eau Claire Memorial, the three seed, is 19-5 this spring. The Old Abes will need to turn their fortunes against the top seeds around if they want to reach the state tournament. They went a combined 1-3 against Eau Claire North and Chippewa Falls this season. They did sweep La Crosse Central, the top seed in sectional 3. Memorial is talented, but will need to play its best baseball to reach the state tournament.
Fourth-seeded Stevens Point has had an interesting season so far. The Panthers are 14-13, and it has been a bit of a down year given their program’s lofty standards. Still, it would be foolish to count them out in this bracket. They swept two games from Chippewa Falls in May, and split their season series with Wausau West, the No. 2 seed in sectional 2. For those scoring at home, that means they’re 3-1 against No. 2 seeds this year. They also split two games with La Crosse Central, the No. 1 seed in sectional 3. The Panthers have been inconsistent this year, but will be dangerous if they put things together.
The other seeds in the sectional don’t have a ton to write home about. No. 5 seed River Falls is 11-10 this season, while No. 6 seed Wisconsin Rapids is 9-14. Seventh-seeded Marshfield beat SPASH and Tomah (No. 2 seed in sectional 3) this year, but hasn’t done too much else. There’s some upset potential with these lower seeds, but they would really need to kick it into high gear to make a deep run.
Sectional 2 (Wausau West)
Sectional 2 features two heavyweights that have played great baseball all year long. Top-seeded Green Bay Preble is undefeated at 26-0 this season and enters the playoffs as the top-ranked team in the state. The Fox River Classic Conference champions reached the state semifinals last year, so they have the experience of a deep playoff run. Their pitching staff boasts four college commits, and the numbers back that up. The Hornets have tossed two no-hitters this season, and have routinely held opponents to fewer than three runs. They’ve faced seven of the teams in this sectional this year, and beaten all of them. If they play their game, another state tournament berth should be very attainable.
No. 2 seed Wausau West could pose a significant challenge in this bracket. The Warriors are 18-4 this season and are the champions of the Wisconsin Valley Conference. They got beaten by Preble in the sectional semifinals in heartbreaking fashion last year, which should serve as motivation this postseason. West mashes the ball around the park. They hit 10 home runs in conference play alone this season. The Warriors haven’t managed to beat any top-tier teams this year (their only chance came against Eau Claire North, who they lost to by one run). Still, they have the bats and the arms to make it to Appleton for the first time since 2011.
Third-seeded De Pere is 14-10 this year. They haven’t been great this season, but they’ve been pretty solid. Outfielder Lucas Reynolds, a preseason honorable mention All-Wisconsin selection, led the FRCC in hitting this year. The Redbirds’ best win this year was over Stevens Point, the No. 4 seed in sectional 1. They’ve got talent, but they will need to beat some top teams for the first time in order to make a deep run. They were swept by Preble earlier in the year.
No. 4 seed Green Bay East/West is arguably the most intriguing team in this bracket. After reaching the sectional final last year, the Devilcats went 15-11 this year. They ended the year with a 10-4 stretch. You have to figure they would love to get another shot against Preble, who has knocked them out of sectionals two years in a row and swept them in the regular season this year. With Winona State commit Max Van Boxel on the mound, East/West has upset potential. The Devilcats are hot, and are a team to keep an eye on in this part of the bracket.
Fifth-seeded D.C. Everest is 11-9 this year and has a favorable opening round matchup against No. 12 Wausau East, who they swept this year. No. 6 seed Rhinelander is very interesting. The Hodags are 16-5 this year, but they haven’t played as tough of a schedule as other teams in the bracket. It will be interesting to see how they fare against better competition. Their record is impressive, and if they’re as good as it indicates, they are a very dangerous six seed.
It has been a down year for No. 7 seed Bay Port. The Pirates are still 15-11 though, and they won 10 of their last 14 games in the regular season. They’re probably a team that the higher seeds would like to avoid if possible. No. 8 seed Notre Dame has a strong ace in Jon Zacharias, who kept them very close to an upset of Green Bay Preble earlier in the year with double digit strikeouts against the Hornets. They’ll need to beat ninth-seeded Ashwaubenon (9-12) to have another shot at Preble, though.
Sectional 3 (La Crosse Central)
This sectional is an interesting one. It doesn’t have any true juggernauts in the bracket, but it does have a number of solid teams that could punch their tickets to Appleton. Top-seeded La Crosse Central has home field advantage here, and posted a 16-7 record this season. They are the champions of the Mississippi Valley Conference, finishing ahead of second-seeded Tomah. The Timberwolves went 17-6 this spring and figure to be a contender in this bracket. If it comes down to a matchup with Central, the Red Raiders swept Tomah in two close games this year. Could they beat a good team a third time?
No. 3 seed Baraboo is a Badger North Conference co-champion. The Thunderbirds are 14-8 this spring, and have appeared at the state tournament as recently as 2015. Ace Tom Ginther, a North Dakota State recruit, gives them a chance to beat any of the top teams in the sectional. If they can get to sectionals, they have just as good of a shot at reaching the state tournament as the top two seeds do.
Fourth-seeded Waunakee also won a share of the Badger North Conference title. The Warriors are 15-8 this year, and are a strong No. 4 seed. They enter the playoffs having won five of their last six games. They split their regular season series with Baraboo, and crushed No. 5 seed Onalaska when they squared off. The Hilltoppers are 11-12 this season and finished in the middle of the MVC standings.
Sixth-seeded Middleton is an intriguing team in this sectional. The Cardinals were sectional champions a year ago, and are 16-10 this season. They played a tougher schedule than anyone else in this part of the bracket. To emerge with the record they did is impressive, and they have the potential to make a deep run again this year.
The other seeds in the sectional all performed pretty much the same this year. No. 7 Reedsburg is 12-9 this season. No. 8 Portage is 12-11, and No. 9 Holmen is 11-13.
Sectional 4 (Kaukauna)
This sectional always promises to be one of the toughest in the state, and while it may not be at quite the same level as it was in recent years, it still should make for some great baseball. Top-seeded Kimberly has reached the state semifinals three years in a row, and got to the state championship game twice in that span. The Papermakers are 17-8 this spring and enter the playoffs ranked No. 13 in our latest power rankings. They played a grueling nonconference schedule that saw them beat Sun Prairie (No. 1 seed in sectional six) and Kenosha Tremper (No. 2 seed in sectional eight). They split their season series with No. 2 seed Hortonville. The Polar Bears enter the postseason with a 20-5 record and ranked No. 12 in our latest power rankings. They are the co-champions of the Fox Valley Association along with Kimberly. The only possible rubber match between the two would take place in the sectional finals.
No. 3 seed Oshkosh North is 17-7 this season and finished just behind Kimberly and Hortonville at the top of the FVA standings. The Spartans are led by a strong pitching staff. No. 1 starter Josh Leib has a 1.20 ERA this year, and No. 2 guy Brett Ellestad has a 1.99 ERA. North has won five of its last six games, and could pose a threat to the top two seeds in the bracket.
Fourth-seeded Oshkosh West is 14-8 this spring. The Wildcats have enjoyed a successful year, and finished tied for fourth in the FVA. However, they ended the year losing four of their last six games. They’ll need to turn their recent fortunes around, because they could be in for a tough matchup in their playoff opener against No. 5 seed West De Pere. The Phantoms are 17-9 this year and won the Bay Conference. They’ve reached the sectional finals three years in a row, but have not reached the state tournament since 2010. Some strong individual talent could help spur them to an upset or two this postseason.
No. 6 seed Appleton East is 10-11 this year. The Patriots gave Kimberly a couple of tough games this year, but came up short both times. They also split their season series with Fond du Lac (No. 4 seed in sectional six). They’ll need to be at their absolute best to make a deep run.
No. 7 seed Neenah has struggled to find consistency this year. The Rockets are 13-13 with some impressive wins, but also some forgettable losses. They swept Stevens Point (No. 4 seed in sectional one) and Fond du Lac (No. 4 seed in sectional six) this spring, and split their series with Kimberly. They just haven’t been able to maintain that level of performance throughout the year. If they’re on their game, they are certainly an upset threat. It’s just a matter of which Neenah team shows up.
Eighth-seeded Menasha is 10-13 this year while No. 9 seed Appleton West is 9-17. No. 10 seed Manitowoc Lincoln has played around .500, as has No. 11 Appleton North. No. 12 Kaukauna is 5-19 heading into the postseason.
Sectional 5 (Verona)
Janesville Craig is the top seed in this sectional, and the Cougars are the strong favorite to make it to Appleton. They finished the year with a 22-2 record and won the tough Big Eight Conference. They have been sectional champions two years in a row, and are more than capable of adding another plaque to the trophy case. Over the course of the year, they picked up wins over Sun Prairie (No. 1 seed in sectional six) and Burlington (No. 1 seed in sectional eight). They split their season series with No. 2 seed Madison West. The Regents enter the playoffs at 15-8. They have a few impressive wins this year, including ones over Janesville Craig and Oconomowoc (No. 2 seed in sectional six). They’ve had one of their most successful seasons in recent years, and have definitely earned the No. 2 seed.
Third-seeded Verona enters the postseason at 12-11. The Wildcats’ biggest claim to fame this year is a sweep of Sun Prairie, the top seed in sectional six. They had the Cardinals’ number this year, but went 0-4 against the top two seeds in this sectional. They’ve reached the sectional finals three years in a row, but have not made it to the state tournament in that span.
Beloit Memorial is the No. 4 seed. The Purple Knights are 15-10 this season. They scored a win over Madison West this year, but got swept by both Janesville Craig and Verona. Most of their wins this season came when their pitching held opponents to a couple of runs or less. When they needed to outslug a team, things generally didn’t go their way.
No. 5 seed Oregon won the Badger South Conference this season. They played well against conference opponents, but it was a slightly different story in nonconference play. They went 9-3 in conference play, but finished around .500 overall. Most of the teams in this sectional are not from their conference, so they’ll need to turn their fortunes around in that regard.
Sixth-seeded Madison Memorial started out the year hot, but finished with an 11-15 record. The Spartans split their season series with Madison West, but got swept by Janesville Craig, Verona and Beloit Memorial. They would get another shot at Verona if they win their opener, but they have a bit of a tough draw. They might face Michigan recruit Dillon Nowicki on the mound when they play No. 11 seed Stoughton.
No. 7 seed Elkhorn has had a good season, posting a 15-9 record. The Elks haven’t played as tough of a schedule as some of the teams in this bracket, but their record is impressive nonetheless. They could potentially give Madison West a tough game if they win their opening round game.
No. 8 seed Fort Atkinson is 12-11 entering the postseason, while No. 9 Janesville Parker is 9-12. No. 10 Milton went 9-13 in the regular season, and No. 12 Madison La Follette is 2-22.
Sectional 6 (Sun Prairie)
Sun Prairie is the host of this sectional and is the No. 1 seed in the bracket, meaning they will have home field advantage up to the state tournament. The Cardinals played a brutal schedule this year and emerged with a 20-6 record. They collected wins over Kimberly (top seed in sectional four), Janesville Craig (top seed in sectional six), Madison West (No. 2 seed in sectional six) and Antigo (who is 21-2 this year). They also beat Oconomowoc, who is the No. 2 seed in this sectional. The Raccoons are 19-5 this season and have a few quality wins of their own. They’ve beaten Arrowhead (top seed in sectional seven), Catholic Memorial (18-4 this year) and Waterford (No. 3 seed in sectional eight). They faced Sun Prairie in sectional play in each of the last two years, with the winner advancing to the state tournament both times. They could realistically do the same thing this year.
No. 3 seed Beaver Dam started the season 7-0 but won just seven of its last 15 games to finish 14-8. The Golden Beavers split their season series with Oconomowoc, so they know they can compete with the top two seeds. If they can avoid shooting themselves in the foot, they have potential to make a deep sectional run.
No. 4 seed Fond du Lac enters the playoffs at 16-8. They did very well in nonconference play and finished toward the top of the Fox Valley Association. They haven’t faced any of the teams in this sectional this season, so they’re a relative unknown here. They’re certainly good enough to challenge the top seeds.
Fifth-seeded Watertown is also 16-8 this year. The Goslings have wins over Arrowhead (top seed in sectional seven), Kenosha Tremper (No. 2 seed in sectional eight) and Beaver Dam this year. If the seeding meetings had taken place a couple of weeks later in the season, Watertown would likely have been seeded higher. That makes them dangerous for a No. 5 seed.
Sixth-seeded Sheboygan North started out the year hot, but cooled off a bit down the stretch. The Golden Raiders are 12-10 entering the postseason. Weston Jurk hit .364 in conference play this year and posted a 3.02 ERA on the mound to lead the pitching staff. North will face No. 11 seed Slinger (5-19) in their opener.
No. 7 seed Monona Grove is 9-12 heading into the playoffs, while No. 8 seed DeForest is 12-14. Their games against Madison East (5-14) and Hartford (9-13), respectively, could be tossups.
Sectional 7 (Milwaukee Bay View)
As has been the case for the last few years, it would be a stunning upset if any team other than top-seeded Arrowhead advances out of this sectional. The Warhawks are one of the top teams in the state, and very few teams in their sectional can hope to hang with them. They have an 18-4 record this year, which is easily the best in this portion of the bracket. They reached the state championship game last year, and are in great position to at least return to Appleton this June.
Of the Milwaukee City Conference teams, Riverside is arguably the best. They went 15-9 this year and have some really good individual talents in Antonio Valadez, Tyrese Mitchell and Savier Pinales. The Tigers got the No. 2 seed in the sectional. They lost to Arrowhead earlier in the year.
No. 3 seed Milwaukee Reagan is 12-5 this year. The Huskies lost their season series with Riverside, two games to one. They also have some good individual talent, highlighted by slugger Pablo Baez, who is hitting over .400 this year.
It would be fairly surprising if any of the other seeds reached the sectional finals. No. 4 Milwaukee King is 10-9 this year, and it really doesn’t get any better after them. No. 7 seed Milwaukee South is 13-3, but played in the very weak Milwaukee City Blue Division.
Arrowhead is Goliath in this sectional. We’ll see if anybody can play the role of David.
Sectional 8 (Burlington)
Defending state champion Burlington is the No. 1 seed in this sectional. The Demons are 18-4 heading into the playoffs. They won the Southern Lakes Conference title for the second straight season, and had a lot of success against the other teams in this sectional. The Demons are definitely good enough to return to the state tournament.
No. 2 seed Kenosha Tremper is 19-5 this year. The Trojans won the Southeast Conference and have some strong individual talent on their squad. Garrett LaBreche is hitting .500 this year, and ace Andrew Freiburg has a 1.27 ERA. Tremper has gotten knocked out of the postseason by low seeds two years in a row, so they’re bound to be motivated to exorcise those demons and make a run this year.
No. 3 seed Waterford is 16-7 this season. The Wolverines narrowly missed out on a share of the Southern Lakes Conference title. They split their season series with Burlington, but it wasn’t enough to catch the Demons in the standings. When their bats are going, it’s hard to beat the Wolverines. In their wins this year, they routinely scored six or more runs.
Wilmot, the No. 4 seed, enters the playoffs on a huge hot streak. The Panthers have won 12 games in a row and have a 16-5 record. Ace Kyle Gendron has a sub-two ERA this season, and Illinois State recruit Gunner Peterson is hitting over .400. They have wins over Burlington and Waterford this year. A deep run by the Panthers is certainly doable given how hot they’ve been.
No. 5 seed Kenosha Indian Trail (14-11) hasn’t exactly lived up to expectations this year, but they should be dangerous in a single elimination format. The Hawks have a bona fide ace in Auburn recruit Ryan Hoerter, who has been lights out this spring. They can beat anybody when he’s on the mound. A potential second round matchup with Wilmot would be very interesting.
Sixth-seeded Kenosha Bradford is 12-12 this year with a win over Kenosha Tremper. The Red Devils haven’t been very consistent this year, but the postseason will offer a fresh start for the team. They’ll face No. 11 Racine Park (5-16) in the first round.
Westosha Central is 15-10 and got the No. 7 seed. The Falcons have a strong offense highlighted by Creighton recruit Garrett Gilbert (.405 batting average) and Josh Leslie (.419) which could help them pull off an upset or two when all is said and done.
No. 8 Union Grove is 9-16, and No. 9 Racine Horlick is 9-10. No. 10 Badger enters the playoffs at 9-13, and No. 12 seed Racine Case is 5-14.
