The Div. 2 Wausau East sectional
This half of the Wausau East sectional is set up for a third straight post-season meeting between Lakeland and Menomonie in the Feb. 29 semifinal, but Rice Lake just might be capable enough to stop that from happening.
Menomonie got the top seed in the computer rankings with its 20-3 overall record, which includes a championship mark of 11-2 in the tough Big Rivers Conference. The Mustangs hold a one-game lead over 10-3 Hudson and Eau Claire Memorial and would clinch the outright title by winning at River Falls Friday. The Mustangs have experienced guards, size inside and like to push the tempo whenever possible under head coach Storm Harmon. They are 6-0 against sectional teams.
Lakeland couldn’t have missed out on the top seed by much. The defending sectional champions are 22-2, the undisputed champions of the Great Northern Conference at 12-0 and they are 12-0 against sectional teams after winning 58-55 at third-seeded Rice Lake Tuesday. Lakeland is led by star junior Kristina Ouimette, who averages 28 points and 7 rebounds per game.
Last year, Lakeland beat Menomonie in the sectional final at Medford 60-59. The year before, Menomonie beat the T-Birds 56-44 in Hayward in the final.
The difference this year is they would meet in the sectional semifinal and, in all likelihood, three-time defending state champion Green Bay Notre Dame will be waiting for the winner on the other side in the March 2 sectional final.
As demonstrated with its close loss Tuesday, thirdseeded Rice Lake certainly is capable of throwing a wrench into Menomonie’s and Lakeland’s plans. The Warriors are 16-7 and a solid 8-5 in the Big Rivers. They’re led by University of Northern Iowa recruit Eliana Sheplee, who averages 22 points and 8.5 rebounds.
River Falls (11-12, 7-6 BRC) beat Rice Lake 54-50 on Thursday and is a dangerous 8-seed –– very likely a team underseeded by the computer. Mosinee is a solid squad that is 15-7 but also lost handily to Lakeland twice and fell to Medford by 20 on Jan. 26. Medford (11-12) is a young, surging 6-seed, having won eight of its last 11.
Among those hopeful of knocking off Notre Dame (211) on the other side of the sectional are 2-seed Marinette (18-4) and 3-seed Rhinelander (16-7). Fifth-seeded Shawano (16-7) won its game with Rhinelander Tuesday 67-49, lost by eight to Lakeland in November and blasted Marinette by 30 in December. The Hawks, who opened their season by winning in Medford, split with fourthseeded New London (17-6) in the Bay Conference.
