The Div. 5 Antigo sectional
The Division 5 Antigo sectional is highlighted by Stevens Point Pacelli, but there are some capable squads who could make some noise.
The top-seed in the Merrill half of the bracket, the Cardinals are flying high at 22-1 overall. They’ve clinched the Central Wisconsin South title at 12-0 and are coming off a solid 67-49 win Tuesday over Wisconsin Rapids Assumption, who has been the top-ranked team in Division 5 for most of the year. In Assumption’s defense, it also lost at D3 power La Crosse Aquinas on Monday in a schedule quirk.
Led by 20 points per game from 5-10 freshman Jaedyn Zdroik, Pacelli is riding a 20-game winning streak that includes two close conference wins over Pittsville, two more close conference wins over Almond-Bancroft and dominant UW-SP Sentry Classic wins over potential sectional opponents Edgar and Columbus Catholic.
Pacelli awaits the winner of the nine/eight game between Rib Lake (9-14) and Three Lakes-Phelps (8-14) in the regional semifinals.
The third-seeded Greenwood Indians, however, showed Pacelli can be beat. They knocked off the Cardinals 56-49 back on Nov. 30 to kickstart their muchimproved season in the Eastern Cloverbelt. They went from a bottom team in the league to a second-place tie with Owen-Withee, who they split with, and sit 16-6 overall and 10-4 in league play. Two of those losses, of course, are to annual ECC power Neillsville.
Pittsville is capable of getting to the March 2 sectional final. The Panthers nearly got Pacelli on Feb. 6, falling 41-39, beat 4-seed Athens Monday 52-46 and dominated Greenwood 66-43 back on Dec. 12. The Panthers are 10-2 in the Central Wisconsin Small, also earning two quality wins over the 17-6 Almond-Bancroft squad.
Athens can’t be counted out either. The Blue Jays have the experience, size and physicality that can cause some matchup problems at the Division 5 level, led by seniors Addison Lavicka, Jazelle Hartwig and Sophia Coker.
Lena (21-2) is the top seed on the other side of the sectional bracket. Arguably it’s best win was a 52-41 victory over Auburndale on Dec. 29.
