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Girl’s Race to State Takes Shape

By Dan Bauer, WiPH Staff, 01/14/25, 3:30PM CST

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As the January temperatures drop, the race for the twenty-fourth WIAA State Tournament heats up. Most teams have past the half-way point of their game schedule as they push through the dreary winter days. Like vampires they head to school in the dark and head back home after practice still in the dark. It is the stretch of the season that tests every player’s attitude and every coach’s ability to keep his team motivated and excited.

These “dog days” of winter have derailed the fast starts of a few contenders. The Fond du Lac Warbirds opened the season with eight straight wins, but have been 5-4 since. Brookfield raced to an 8-2 start that included a five-game winning streak, but have fallen losing six of their last seven. And Arrowhead also won eight of their first ten, but have since struggled, losing five of six.

The weekly girl’s rankings have been a lock-step march led by Bay Area, Superior and the defending champion Central Wisconsin Storm in that order. They are a combined 41-5 and have clearly been the kings of the forest. Lurking just below them is Hayward and St. Croix Valley, both who have engineered wins over the Storm. All five have been in the Top Six Poll, all season.

Superior has upcoming games with both Hayward and the Storm, but those will be the only remaining games between the top five until playoffs begin. Those wishing to see a Bay Area-Superior clash will only get their wish if both teams head to Madison in March.

Each of the sectional battles promises to be entertaining and highly competitive. Section One boasts three Top Six teams in Superior, CWS and Hayward. The Storm has emerged from this section three of the last four years. The sectional final will be held in Superior. CWS holds the best offense (5.0) and defense (1.24), based on average goals per game.

Section Two looks to be an absolute dogfight with as many as five or six teams showing the ability to emerge. They want to televise the seeding meeting on pay-per-view. The Fusion is at the top of a precarious sectional with eight wins as the top mark along with Black River Falls. Top offense and defense marks go to CFM, 4.0 scored and BR Falls 1.88. Section final will be at Somerset (Western Wisconsin).

The Bay Area Ice Bears, appear to be on a mission as they sport a deep and veteran group hungry to avenge last years championship loss. The Warbirds and Lakeshore Lightning have 13 and 12 wins respectively and coming on strong is Fox Cities at 9-4. As expected, Bay Area’s 5.13 goals scored and 0.80 allowed is tops in the sectional. The Champion Center in Neenah will host the sectional final.

Finally, Section Four, has been quiet to start the season. Cap City, last years representative, the Lynx and Beaver Dam all got off to slow starts. Cumulatively they began the season 2-15-1. Since then, all three have been moving in the right direction. Beaver Dam, at 2.93 goals scored and 2.07 allowed leads section four. Rock County will host the sectional final at Janesville.

It was just announced today that Matt Szypura of Hudson has been appointed president of the Girl’s Wisconsin Hockey Coaches Association for this year. Matt replaces Mark Thorn, former head coach at Onalaska.

Here is a closer look at each sectional.

SECTION ONE

Superior (13-1) appears to be the front runner having won ten straight with their only loss coming to North Shore, Minnesota. Senior Makaela Reinke leads the Spartan and the state in points (40), goals (28), game-winning goals (6) and shorthanded goals (4). Her linemate Adalyn Benson has been white hot as of late scoring ten goals in her last six games including two hat tricks and an overtime game-winner. The Spartans have the states second best offense averaging 5 goals a game and powerplay at 28.6%.

Winning five of their last six games, the Central Wisconsin Storm (14-3) has used a stingy defense, allowing a mere 1.18 goals a game, and the states most potent powerplay, 37.8% to put themselves in position for their annual trip to state. They have only missed qualifying for state twice, 2020 and 2023.

Gabi Heuser, the senior who will head to MSOE next year, has been electric with 19 goals and 15 assists, good for #2 in the state. Her supporting cast includes, Madeline Kelter who leads the state in assists with 20, Sophie Bohlin with a state’s best eight powerplay goals and the states top scoring defenseman Ava Rode, 20 points. The freshman goaltending duo of Taylor Simonson and Cami Flohr has been outstanding.

The Hayward Co-op (9-5-1) lost a hard-fought 2-1 overtime game to North Shore, Minnesota a week ago. Captain Reese Sheehan said after, “This is the best game we have played all season.” Her head coach agreed as the Hurricanes look to peak when it matters most. The team is 9-3 when Sheehan gets a point, but the Hurricanes goaltending is their bread and butter. Senior Greta Woelber (1.58GAA, 92.8S%) and Junior Makenna Hutchison (1.36GAA) and the state’s second best save percentage at 93.8% have spearheaded the fourth best goals allowed average at 1.60.

The youthful Wisconsin Valley Union (6-8) started fast at 4-2, but have slipped losing six of eight. Forward/defenseman Jenna Jones leads the team with 18 points. Molly Fox is an exciting WVU freshman to keep an eye on. The Eagles of Northland Pines (3-10) are rebuilding a young team around goaltender Lucy Nowak who has seen the state’s third most shots—483. Medford (1-7-1) is a competitive and enthusiastic group led by forwards Zayleah Leonhardt and Kara Kennedy. Kudos to goaltender in training Chloe Pipkorn for learning the games toughest position on the fly.

SECTION TWO

St. Croix Valley (8-6) sit on top of a potential powder keg of challengers as they try to make back-to-back trips to Madison. The Fusion has impressive wins over both CWS and Hayward. Their losses have been to Superior, twice, CWS, Bay Area Hasting, Minnesota and Hudson. Jane Volgren has backed up her fantastic freshman year leading the team with 18 points and 12 goals. Sophomore netminder Katelyn Gustafson has been rock solid with a 5-2 record.

Next on the list is anybody’s guess, but I will go with Eau Claire Area (7-7). ECA has been competitive in every game this season with the exception of a 8-1 loss to the Storm. My Hockey Rankings has ECA playing the second toughest schedule in the state behind sectional foe Western Wisconsin. The goaltending tandem of Amy Thul and Evi Pritzl (back from an injury), has been rock solid.

Western Wisconsin (6-9-1) has quietly put themselves into the conversation. The Stars have won four straight, due mostly to the goal scoring of Ashley Jensen, with twelve goals in five games. Five of their nine losses have come to teams from across the border. The Stars have endured the state’s most challenging schedule that has included seven Minnesota opponents.

Fresh off a 2-1 win over the Warbirds, Black River Falls (8-7-2) has won three of four and has proven they can play with anyone. They have scrapped with the state’s best dropping close games to Superior 2-1, Bay Area 3-0, Fusion 3-2 and ECA 2-1. Junior Alexa Moore (1.56GAA, 92.3S%) is one of the states top goalies.  Camryn Steele a sophomore and freshman Piper Mathison help lead a steady defensive effort for the Tigers.

We’re not done yet, as Chippewa Falls-Menomonie (5-7), have won three of four after a slow start. The Sabers have been led by an impressive pair of freshmen in Avery Lindstrom (12G – 12A) and Allison Xu (9G – 14A). They have the states fourth best offense averaging four goals a game.

Hudson (4-8-1) with a win over the Fusion Is a team that can never be counted out. They are a young team with only four seniors and seventeen freshmen and sophomores. Defensemen Juliana Cahoon and Erin Madigan, both juniors, are two of the states best blueliners. First year head coach Jamie Olson is rebuilding the Coulee Region Cyclones (3-10-1) after a one-win season in 2024. Senior goaltender Diane Hanson has returned to form and been a bright spot.

SECTION THREE

On paper the Bay Area Ice Bears (14-1) look unbeatable. They sport both the state’s stingiest defense at 0.80 goals per game and most prolific offense at 5.13 goals per game. They have yet to allow an opponent to get twenty shots on goal in a game. Their top-rated penalty kill (95.7%) has allowed only two goals all season. Their only blemish is a 2-1 loss to Blake, Minnesota. Senior Julianne Bradford (9G – 17A) recently passed Courtney Wittig to become the Ice Bears All-Time assist leader. Junior Faye Brunke (14G – 13A) has a thirteen-game point streak going and goalie Reese Spiering possesses the top state GAA at 0.89 and leads in shutouts with six.

A torrid 8-0 start by the Fond du Lac Warbirds (13-4) was under the radar as they opened the season with a tournament in Michigan. Since then, they have scuffled a bit at 5-4. Impressive freshmen goaltender Kennedy Kohlman (1.77GAA, 90.5S%) is second in the state with eleven wins. Senior Allison Waara and sophomore Callie Rottman have combined for twenty-six goals.

Sophomore Elizabeth Bowers (2.13GAA, 92.1S%), with ten wins, has been instrumental in Lakeshore Lightnings (12-3-1) consistent season. The Lightning, with one of the states youngest rosters, has dipped into the Top Six Poll, but not been able to stay there. They are looking for that signature win.

Down at Tri-County Arena in Neenah, Blake Hackbarth’s Fox Cities Stars (9-4) are slowly climbing up the ladder. They have a huge week in store as they travel to Brookfield and Arrowhead before their showdown with the Ice Bears at home, Saturday night. The Stars have won four in a row.

Brookfield (9-8) and Arrowhead (9-7) both started the season on fire at 8-2, but have cooled off losing eleven of their last thirteen. Junior Arrowhead goaltender Bri Chimiel has a 5-2 record for Arrowhead. Br ookfield’s Macy Blooming has been a dominating force in net compiling the highest save percentage at 94.2%, while seeing the second most shots with 486. Ella Vranak has four game winning goals for the Glacier. The graduation of a talented senior class has left University School (6-8-1) in a rebuilding mode. It has been an up and down season for the Wildcats and first year coach Sarah Pearson.

SECTION FOUR

The hottest team in the sectional is Beaver Dam (9-5) who has won eight of nine, with the lone loss coming to Bay Area. The Golden Beavers, who have endured some tough seasons since breaking away from the Warbirds, started the year 1-4, but have since turned it around. Freshman Brenna Rhodes is their leading scorer with eighteen goals. Their top seven defense, allowing just 1.93 goals a game, will get tested when they host CWS this week.

The streaky Cap City Cougars (7-9) opened the season with five straight losses, then won their next five. They lost a key sectional battle with Beaver Dam last week, 3-2. Goaltender Sophie Martinelli has seen 499 shots, the most in the state. The sophomore hasn’t blinked while turning in a stellar 93% save percentage.

After the Metro Lynx (4-8-1) dynamic comeback win over Badger Lightning, Head Coach Steve Simpson proclaimed his group, “was on the right path.” The Lynx Maddie Justman scored with three seconds left to tie the game, and then Maggie Onopa won it fifty-three seconds into overtime. They followed it up with another OT win, 3-2 over Rock County, two days later.

Badger Lightning (4-9) has rebounded from a 1-6 start, going 3-3 over their last six. They have big sectional games with Beaver Dam and Cap City this week. Riding the hot goaltending of sophomore Anika Mueller (2.13GAA, 94.0S%), the Stoughton Icebergs (4-6-1) have gone 4-1-1 over their last six games. The Icebergs feature some exciting young players in sophomores Ashlyn Bartels and Hazel Rothering and freshman Kaydence Henke. Rock County (3-10) started 3-2, but has been in an eight game drought since. They will attempt to snap that streak as they host the Icebergs and Viroqua this week.

Head Coach Paul Severson has played some games with eight skaters as his Viroqua Blackhawks (0-14) continue to “play hard for three periods” as they hunt down that first win of the season. Injuries and illness have crippled the state’s smallest roster with only fourteen players.

In thirty-six days, the state’s twenty-seven teams will put their regular seasons behind them and begin a second season that they hope will end with a trip to Madison and a chance to hoist the WIAA State Tournament championship trophy. The countdown is on.

 


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