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Girls state basketball tournament tips off Thursday

Big Eight Conference fans will see some familiar sights.

So will the rest of the Wisconsin, especially with the return of two-time defending Division 1 champion Milwaukee Vincent, when the girls WIAA state basketball tournament tips off Thursday at the Alliance Energy Center in Madison.

Second-ranked Vincent (22-1) resumes its bid for a third straight title with a 3:15 p.m. game against Neenah (20-3). But first, it will be time to decide the “real” Big Eight champion when Middleton (17-3) goes against Verona (19-4) in the 1:35 p.m. Division 1 opener.

That matchup has extra-special meaning, beyond the fact that it’s the season’s third meeting between the teams that shared the Big Eight title. It also pairs Verona coach Angie Murphy against her high school coach, Middleton veteran Jeff Kind.

Murphy, the former Angie Halblieb, did more than just play for Kind. She was the star of Middleton’s most notable season—a 1993 state runner-up finish behind Jennah Burkholder and Janesville Parker—and still holds six tournament records, including most points in a game (44) and most points in three games (92).

Now, Murphy’s next goal is to take a major step in setting the record straight against her alma mater. As Verona’s sixth-year head coach, the former University of Kasnas standout is 0-6 against Middleton, including 53-48 and 48-42 losses this season.

Chapter 7 in the rivalry will feature Verona star Leslie Schaefer, a 6-4 senior and Kent State recruit, against some of the state’s top three-point shooters. Middleton will hit the Wildcats with an attack that has featured 139 three-point goals (an average of 5.8 per game), led by Emily Newman’s 57 and Lauren Acker’s 49.

Middleton returns to state for the second straight year and fifth time overall. Along with 1993, the Cardinals were runners-up in 2003, but they lost to Vincent in last year’s quarterfinals.

In their rematch with Verona, the Cardinals face a team that knocked off the all-time leader in state appearances, Janesville Parker, in the sectional finals for the second straight year. Verona reached the state semifinals last year before also to losing to Vincent.

Meanwhile, in returning to the state tournament, Vincent comes off a 51-45 sectional final victory over previously unbeaten and top-ranked Mukwonago. But the challenges for the Vikings in this experienced eight-team field may be formidable, starting with Neenah.

Neenah is making its seventh state appearance, but first since a streak of six straight ended in 1981. That run produced a championship in 1978 and runner-up finishes in 1976 and 1980.

The Rockets placed second in the Fox Valley Association this season. They won the Neenah Sectional by beating Oshkosh West, last year’s state runner-up and a two-time champion.

De Pere (22-1) is making its second straight trip to state and fifth overall. The Redbirds won the title in 2005 and the Class A championship in the second of back-to-back appearances in 1983.

The Redbirds are Fox River Classic champions this season and have lost only to third-ranked state qualifier Milwaukee King, 66-50. They won their sectional with a 44-33 victory over Appleton West, which finished 20-3 after winning the Fox Valley Association.

Third-ranked De Pere steps into the quarterfinals against fifth-rated Brookfield Central (22-1), which returns to the tournament field for the second consecutive year and for the third time overall. The Lancers’ first-ever trip to state back in 1985 resulted in a Class A title.

They earned their berth this season by edging sixth-ranked Muskego, 33-32, in the Greenfield sectional final.

Marshfield (22-1) is appearing in the state tournament for the second straight year and fourth time in the last six years. The eighth-ranked Tigers made it this time with a 50-37 sectional final win over fourth-rated Eau Claire North, which handed their only regular-season loss.

Marshfield faces King (20-3), which features one of the tournament’s most notable players in 6-1 senior Sarina Simmons, a Marquette recruit. The Generals are in the state tournament for the third time, trying to atone for quarterfinal losses in their two previous appearances.

They shared the Milwaukee City Conference title with Vincent this season and handed the Vikings their only defeat, 67-53, after losing 66-62 in the first meeting.

Division 2

Defending champion Monroe (23-2) is making its seventh appearance at state and looking for a fourth title under 21st-year coach Kevin Keen.

The Cheesemakers’ last two state tournament appearances have produced titles, having also won in 2006. Their back-to-back appearances in 1988 and 1989 produced a title in 1989 and runner-up finish the year before.

Monroe was the Badger South co-champion this season with seventh-ranked Madison Edgewood, whom the Cheesemakers defeated, 40-34, in the Janesville Craig sectional final.

They’ll tip off at 1:35 p.m. Friday against 2007 champion Grafton, which is making its third straight state appearance and features one of the top players in 5-11 senior Sarah Eichler, a UW-Green Bay recruit. The sixth-ranked Black Hawks (22-2) reached Madison by knocking out eighth-rated Ripon and another of the state’s top players in University of Wisconsin recruit Taylor Wurtz.

Durand (22-2) makes its 10th appearance at state and its first since 1997. The Panthers have won two state championships, with back-to-back conquests in 1986-87. They also were runners-up in 1996.

The Panthers face Green Bay Notre Dame (17-8), which is back in the tournament for the first time since losing to Jefferson in the 2005 championship game. They won the state title in 2001, their only other appearance.

Division 3

Defending champion Oostburg (22-3) is back at state for the third straight year and the seventh time overall.

The Flying Dutchmen also won state championships in 1990 and 1994. This season, they placed second in the Central Lakeshore Conference and qualified for state by beating The Hope School, 46-35, in the West Bend sectional final.

They’ll begin play at 9:05 a.m. Thursday against perennial power Cuba City (25-0), which is making its 12th appearance at state. The top-ranked Cubans have won more state titles than any other program with eight, including 1977, 1980, 1990, 1991, 1993, 2005, 2006 and 2007.

They won the Southwest Wisconsin Activities League again this season and the Reedsburg Sectional with a 54-43 win over La Crosse Aquinas. Their toughest postseason game was a 68-59 win over Orfordville Parkview in a regional final that was tied at halftime.

Second-ranked Amherst (25-0) is making its fourth consecutive state appearance and its sixth overall. The Falcons won the state championship in 1999 and were runners-up in 2007.

They’ll tip off against Fall Creek (20-5), which is making its 10th appearance in the state tournament and its first since 1998. The Crickets won championships in 1985, 1987, 1988 and 1996 and had runner-up finishes in 1986, 1990, 1994 and 1998.

Division 4

Meansha St. Mary (22-3) is back for another shot at the title after falling a game short in its first state tournament appearance last year.

The Zephyrs lost to Flambeau, 61-36, in the championship game.

As a member the now-defunct WISAA, St. Mary Central won the Division 2 title in 1998. The Zephyrs finished third in the Olympian Conference this season.

They’ll begin play Friday against third-ranked Lakeland Conference champion Siren (25-0), which earned its first appearance in the tournament with a 40-34 win over Greenwood in the Spooner sectional final.

Potosi (24-1), the highest-rated Division 4 state qualifier at No. 2, is making its second state tournament appearance after a runner-up finish in 1999. The Chieftains defeated top-ranked Wisconsin Rapids Assumption, 37-34, in the La Crosse Central sectional final.

The Chieftains from the Six Rivers West begin state play against Six River East qualifier South Wayne Black Hawk (23-3), which finished eighth in the AP state ratings and beat Randolph, 44-30, in the Fort Atkinson sectional final.