EDITOR'S NOTE: The SWNews4U.com SW Wisconsin Dream Tournament is 68-team March Madness-style high school basketball tournament (for both boys and girls), consisting of the greatest teams in Southwest Wisconsin history, since 1960.
We introduced the boys' bracket and teams in our area newspapers April 8-9 and 15-16. We introduced the girls' bracket and teams April 22-23 and 29-30. Beginning this week (May 6-7), with the boys' first-round selections, we will pick the winners for each round in our newspapers, until we crown the All-Time champions for both tournaments. We will publish the girls' first-round winners next week (May 13-14).
Below are the team capsules for the boys teams in the West Regional.
1) 1995 Cassville
1995 Division 4 state championCoach: Dennis Uppena
Record: 27-0, 16-0 Blackhawk champion
Tournament run: The #1-ranked Comets defeated Potosi 72-36, Wauzeka 86-44, and Seneca 82-29, in regionals, then Kickapoo 85-59, and Necedah 53-35, at sectionals to advance to state for the fifth-straight year. Cassville defeated Prentice 78-64 and Oakfield 56-43 to win a second-straight D4 state championship.
Key Players:
Sam Okey (Sr.) 31 ppg, 14 rpg, 5.5 apg, 7 bpg, 1st-team All-Blackhawk, Wisconsin’s 1995 “Mr. Basketball”, McDonald’s All-American, member of WBCA Hall of Fame, played D1 college basketball at Wisconsin and Iowa, and professionally overseas and in the CBA, Cassville’s all-time leading scorer with 2,539 points.
Scott Uppena (Sr.) 10 ppg, 3 rpg, 1st-team All-Blackhawk, son of coach Dennis Uppena
John Koopman (Sr.) 8 ppg, 4 rpg, 3.3 apg, honorable mention All-Blackhawk
Tim Ackerman (Jr.) 9.8 ppg, 4 rpg, honorable mention All-Blackhawk
Todd Ackerman (Jr.) 6 ppg, 3 rpg
Dynasty Note: Coach Uppena, along with Okey, Chad Infield, Scott Uppena and Cory Sauser led Cassville to a conference title and D4 state championship during the 1994 season. Okey and Infield were also members of Cassville’s state runner-up teams in 1993 and 1992, along with Brian Koopman.
2) 2017 Barneveld
2017 Division 5 state championCoach: Jim Myers
Record: 26-3, 12-1 Six Rivers East champion
Tournament run: The Golden Eagles defeated Johnson Creek 87-27, Randolph 56-31 and Rio 54-51 in regionals, then Pecatonica 45-44 and Hilbert 62-42 to win the sectional title,before beating Columbus Catholic 72-52 and Shullsburg 58-28 in the D5 state tournament.
Key Players:
Matthew Myers (Sr.) 13.8 ppg, 4.2 apg, 2.4 rpg, 2.4 spg, 1st-team All-SRE, went on to play D3 college basketball at Concordia-Wisconsin and Edgewood College, son of coach Jim Myers
Mike Zouski (Sr.) 12.9 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 1st-team All-SRE
Kauy Fargo (Jr.) 8.7 ppg, 3.6 rpg, honorable mention SRE, 2018 WBCA D5 1st-team All-State, 2018 WBCA All-Star
Luke Evans (Sr.) 6.8 ppg, 5.4 rpg, honorable mention SRE
Malcolm Reed (So.) 8.7 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 2019 WBCA 1st-team All-State, 2020 WBCA All-Star, went on to play at Madison College
Dynasty Note: A year earlier, Barneveld went 23–5, won a 12-0 conference title and advanced to the D5 state tournament before losing to Burlington Catholic Central 37-35 in a D5 state semifinal.
3) 1972 Bloomington
1972 Class B state champion
Coach: Ron Benish
Record: 24-1, 16-0 Blackhawk champion
Tournament run: The Bluejays defeated Fennimore 97-53, Hazel Green 85-58, and Mineral Point 71-57 in regional action, then Brookwood 91-45, and North Crawford 58-45 at sectionals. Defeated Kohler, 70-51, and #1-ranked Crivitz, 78-56, to win the Class B State Championship.
Key Players:
Tom Martin (Jr.) 21.4 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 4.1 spg, 1st-team All-Blackhawk, 1st-team Class B all-tournament team
Jeff Vorwald (Jr.) 18.8 ppg, 8.0 rpg. 1st-team All-Blackhawk, 1st-team Class B all-tournament team, played college basketball at Loras
Ron Vorwald (Sr.) 10 ppg, 6.2 rpg, 1st-team All-Blackhawk, 1st-team Class B all-tournament team
Greg Hermsen (Sr.) 17 ppg, 11.4 rpg, honorable mention All-Blackhawk, 1st-team Class B all-tournament team
Tom Metcalf (Sr.) 6.8 ppg, 1.1 rpg, honorable mention All-Blackhawk
Dynasty Note: The 1971 Bluejays posted an 18-4 mark and won the Blackhawk conference title (14-2) before losing to Cuba City in a Class B regional final 61-47.
4) 1967 Platteville
1967 single class state semifinalistCoach: Royce Reeves
Record: 24-2, 13-0 SWAL champion
Tournament run: The Hillmen defeated Dodgeville 61-38, Lancaster 70-48 and Cuba City 65-37 to win the regional title, then defeated Cassville 71-54 in a sub-sectional game. The Hillmen beat Evansville 85-71 and Madison West 65-53 to win a sectional title and earn a berth in the single-class state tournament. Platteville opened the state tourney with a 68-59 win over Green Bay West, before a 68-59 loss to eventual champion Milwaukee Lincoln, then finished the year with a 62-59 loss to Appleton in the third-place game.
Key Players:
Jim Lawinger (Sr.) 26.7 ppg, 5 rpg, SWAL Player of the Year, first-team All-SWAL, finished his career as Platteville’s leading scorer with 1,197 points, went on a Hall of Fame college career in basketball, football and track and field at D3 UW–Platteville.
Dennis Nodolf (Sr.) 12 ppg, 10 rpg, also went on to play at UW–Platteville
Steve Klaas (Sr.) 11.3 ppg, 3 apg, also went on to play at UW–Platteville
Tom Barth (Sr.) 6 ppg
Bill Hake (Sr.) 4.5 ppg
Gary Leffler (Sr.)
Bob Faherty (Jr.), went on to play D3 college football at UW–Platteville
Dynasty Note: Coach Reeves and Lawinger led the 65-66 Hillmen to a 21-2 mark, a second straight SWAL title and a trip to the single class sectional final before losing to #1-ranked Madison East. The 64-65 Hillmen went 17-0 in the regular season, but lost the first round of regionals to Monroe.
5) 1974 Mineral Point
1974 Class C state runner-upCoach: Gary Douglas
Record: 25-1, 14-0 Southern 8 champion
Tournament run: The Pointers defeated Barneveld 92-47 and Pecatonica 88-58, Bloomington 73-56 and Potosi 96-57 to win the regional title, then Blair 67-43 and North Crawford 53-52 in overtime at sectionals. The Pointers then defeated Prentice 67-62 in the state semifinals before falling to McFarland 65-43 in the Class C state championship game.
Key Players:
Jim Bennett (Sr.) 16.3 ppg, 10.5 rpg, 1st-team All-Southern 8, AP 1st-team All-State, played college basketball at UW–Platteville
John Schmit (Sr.) 13.1 ppg, 8.3 rpg, 1st-team All-Southern 8
Ron Carey (Sr.) 10.6 ppg, 1st-team All-Southern 8
Jeff Koehler (Sr.) 10.2 ppg, 2nd-team All-Southern 8
Jeff Reynolds (Sr.) 10.1 ppg, 8.7 rpg
Dynasty Note: Coach Douglass and Bennett led the Pointers to sectionals a year earlier in 1973.
6) 1979 Prairie du Chien
1979 Class B state runner-upCoach: John Howard
Record: 19-6, 9-3 tied for 2nd in the SWAL
Tournament run: Defeated Platteville 65-47, Richland Center 67-63 and Lancaster 85-65 to win the Class B regional title, then beat, Evansville 93-72 and undefeated Onalaska 81-70 to win the Wisconsin Dells sectional final. Prairie du Chien defeated Freedom 89-71 in the Class B state semifinals, then lost to Elkhorn 79-66 in the title game. Elkhorn won the state title with a 13-12 record after a 3-10 start
Key Players:
Carl Shedivy (Sr.) 14 ppg, 19 ppg in two state games, 1st-team All-SWAL, UPI 4th-team All-State, WBCA All-Star
Tom Herreid (Sr.) 12.5 ppg, 2nd-team All-SWAL
Bruce White (Sr.) 12 ppg, honorable mention All-SWAL
Bruce Reilly (Sr.) 10 ppg
Brad White (Jr.) 10 ppg
Brent Hutchens (Jr.) 9 ppg
Jeff Nack (Jr.)
7) 2020 Cuba City
2020 Division 4 sectional finalist (season cancelled early)Coach: Jerry Petitgoue
Record: 25-0, 14-0 SWAL champion
Tournament run: The #1-ranked Cubans advanced to the WIAA Division 4 sectional final after defeating SWAL-rival and #6-ranked Darlington 55-48 in a sectional semifinal showdown. The boys’ tournament was cancelled by the WIAA following the sectional semifinal round due to concerns about the Covid-19 pandemic. This team is the first varsity team in Coach Petitgoue’s 53 seasons as head coach and 49 seasons at Cuba City to finish the season with an undefeated record.
Key Players:
Brayden Dailey (Jr.) 23.7 ppg, 9.9 rpg, 1.8 spg, 1.4 apg, 1st-team All-SWAL, WBCA D4 All-State, has D1 college offers from UW–Green Bay, UW–Milwaukee and Missouri State, son of 1989 Iowa–Grant’s Shawn Dailey.
Brady Olson (Sr.) 16.5 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 4.6 apg, 2.5 spg, 1st-team All-SWAL, WBCA D4 1st-team All-State, son of 1993 Dodgeville’s Aaron Olson.
Jackson Noll (Sr.) 11.6 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 1.3 spg, 1st-team All-SWAL, WBCA D5 honorable mention All-State
Jack Misky (Jr.) 15.1 ppg, 7.1 rpg, 1st-team All-SWAL
Riley Richard (Sr.) 5.4 ppg, 3.7 apg
Carter Olson (Sr.) 2.9 ppg, son of 1993 Dodgeville’s Aaron Olson.
Dynasty Note: Dailey transferred from Mineral Point to Cuba City following his sophomore year, joining a Cubans’ team that went 17-7, 10-4 in the SWAL (3rd place) a year earlier.
8) 2004 Dodgeville
2004 Division 2 state qualifier
Coach: Chuck Tank
Record: 23-3, 12-0 SWAL 1 champion
Tournament run: The top-seeded Dodgers defeated Platteville 69-39, McFarland 67-39 and Monroe 60-57 in regionals, then Lakeside Lutheran 49037 and Monona Grove 42-40 at sectionals to advance to state. The Dodgers’ season ended with a 75-49 loss to Seymour in the D2 state semifinals.
Key Players:
Josh Culver (Jr.) 9 ppg, 4.8 apg, 1st-team All-SWAL 1, 2005 SWAL 1 Player of the Year, Dodgeville’s all-time assist leader with 477, went on to play at D3 Edgewood College
David Tews (Jr.) 16 ppg, 5.7 rpg, 1st-team All-SWAL 1, 897 career points
Jeremy Martin (Jr.) 13.5 ppg, 6.9 rpg, 1st-team All-SWAL 1
Karl Reynolds (Sr.) 12.5 ppg, 1st-team All-SWAL 1
Kevin McGraw (Jr.) 10 ppg, 1st-team All-SWAL 1
Dynasty Note: Dodgeville’s four junior starters on the ‘04 team returned a year later to lead the Dodgers to a 21-1 record in 2005 and another undefeated conference title, but were bounced from the playoffs in a D2 regional final loss to eventual state qualifier Monroe, 54-46.
9) 2016 Prairie du Chien
2016 Division 3 state qualifierCoach: Andy Banasik
Record: 24-3, 12-0 SWC champion
Tournament run: After a first-round bye, the top-seeded Blackhawks defeated River Valley 72-55, Wisconsin Dells 55-40 to win the regional title, then Lodi 59-49 and East Troy 59-49 to win the sectional crown and the program’s 8th trip to state and first since 1986.
Key Players:
Conner George (Sr.) 11.9 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 2.7 apg, 2 spg, 1st-team All-SWC
Nate Banasik (Jr.) 11 ppg, 5 rpg, 1st-team All-SWC, son of 1986’s Prairie du Chien’s Andy Banasik
Chas Sagedahl (Sr.) 9.8 ppg, 4 rpg, 2nd-team All-SWC
Casey Hogenson (Sr.) 8.3 ppg, 3 rpg, 2nd-team All-SWC
Wesley Schwager (Sr.) 5 ppg, 4 rpg
Cory Check (So.) 4.8 ppg
Dynasty Note: Sagedahl and Nathan Banasik led the Blackhawks to a 21-3 finish and a second straight SWC title in 2017.
10) 1980 West Grant
1980 Class C sectional runner-upCoach: Gary Ripley
Record: 21-1, 16-0 Blackhawk champion
Tournament run: The Falcons defeated Fennimore 64-57, Bloomington 60-49 and North Crawford 69-65 to win a regional crown, before losing to Altoona, 69-59, in a Class C sectional final.
Key Players:
James Kalinowski (Sr.) 15.9 ppg, 1st-team All-Blackhawk
Chuck Christ (Sr.) 15.5 ppg, 1st-team All-Blackhawk
Bob Vorwald (Sr.)
Todd Wilkinson (Sr.)
Ron Huser (Jr.)
Scott Plondke (Fr.) Played at Dubuque Wahlert during his junior and senior seasons. Played D1 college basketball at Wisconsin, Northern Iowa and then at D3 UW-Platteville.
11) 2006 Fennimore
2006 Division 3 sectional runner-upCoach: Mark Fifrick
Record: 24-1, 12-0 SWAL 2 champion
Tournament run: Defeated Boscobel 41-24, Wisconsin Heights 56-43 and River Ridge 50-40 to win a D3 regional title, then beat Mineral Point 56-44 in a sectional semifinal before falling to eventual D3 state runner-up Westby 57-38 in the sectional final.
Key Players:
Kevin Everson (Sr.) 16.3 ppg, 6.9 rpg, 5 apg, SWAL 2 Player of the Year, 1st-team All-SWAL 2, WBCA D3 All-Star
Derek Hubbard (Sr.) 15 ppg, 1st-team All-SWAL 2, WBCA D3 All-Star
Eric Swan (Sr.) 10 ppg, honorable mention SWAL 2
Billy Lease (Sr.) 7.5 ppg, honorable mention SWAL 2
Trevor Prochaska (Sr.)
Jon Holthaus (Jr.)
Brandon Hertrampf (Jr.)
Jake Wiederholt (So.)
12) 1988 Lancaster
1988 Class B sectional qualifierCoach: Dale Parr
Record: 23-1, 12-0 SWAL 1 champion
Tournament run: The #3-ranked Flying Arrows defeated Cuba City 70-52, Prairie du Chien 56-54 in overtime and River Valley 71-37 to win a Class B regional title (the last in Lancaster history), then lost to Monona Grove 76-67 in sectional semifinal game at UW–Platteville.
Key Players:
Scott Houtakker (Sr.) 18.4 ppg, 9.8 rpg, 1.4 bpg, SWAL 1 Player of the Year, 1st-team All-SWAL 1, went on to play at D3 UW–Whitewater.
Kirk Peschel (Sr.) 11.1 ppg, 5.5 apg, 5.1 rpg, 3.4 spg, 1st-team All-SWAL 1, had D1 college football interest from Iowa
Rob Thole (Sr.) 9.5 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 1st-team All-SWAL 1
Jamie Reuter (Sr.) 9.8 ppg, 2.8 apg, honorable mention All-SWAL 1
Mike Carson (Sr.) 9.6 ppg, 4.8 rpg, honorable mention All-SWAL 1
Wade Duncan (Sr.) 7.4 ppg, 4.9 rpg
Ed Ross (Sr.) 3 ppg
Note: Houtakker (thigh), Reuter (knee) and Duncan (knee) were all hobbled during Lancaster’s playoff run.
13) 2017 Seneca
2017 Division 5 sectional qualifierCoach: Dave Boland
Record: 24-1, 14-0 Ridge & Valley champion
Tournament run: Defeated Riverdale 70-31, Shullsburg 61-51 and Wauzeka–Steuben 61-51 at regionals, then suffered a 67-66 season-ending loss to Southwestern in the sectional semifinals.
Key Players:
Noah Allen (Sr.) 19.2 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 3.1 apg, R&V co-Player of the Year, 1st-team All-R&V, WBCA D5 1st-team All-State, WBCA All-Star
Jared Payne (Jr.) 16 ppg, 8.4 rpg, 7.4 apg, R&V co-Player of the Year, 1st-team All-R&V, WBCA D5 honorable mention All-State, 2019 WBCA D5 1st-team All-State, 2019 WBCA D5 All-Star
Cody Ostrander (Sr.) 7 ppg, honorable mention All-R&V
Terrance Clark (Jr.) 3.9 ppg, 3.5 rpg,
Kolton Chambers (So.) 2.9 ppg
Izaiah Caya (Sr.) 2.8 ppg
Dynasty Note: Seneca went 23-4 and reached the D5 sectional semifinals again in 2018, after going 22-3 and reaching the D5 sectional semis in 2016. Boland’s Indians won four straight conference titles from 2015-18.
14) 2013 Black Hawk
2013 Division 5 sectional qualifierCoach: Cory Manlick
Record: 23-2, 11-1 Six Rivers East champion
Tournament run: Defeated Oakfield 67-33, Cambria-Friesland 56-38 and Potosi 73-46 to win a D5 regional title, then gave eventual state champion and #1-ranked Randolph its closest game of the tournament in a 56-53 sectional semifinal loss.
Key Players:
Seth Butler (Jr.) 13.2 ppg, 1st-team All-SRE
Heath Butler (So.) 10.3 ppg, 1st-team All-SRE
Merik Meythaler (Sr.) 7.6, honorable mention All-SRE
Coltin Piefer (Jr.) 6.1, honorable mention All-SRE
Cuyler Meier (Sr.) 5.9, honorable mention All-SRE
Dynasty Note: The Warriors went 19-6, 9-3 and shared the SRE title a year later in 2014 with Barneveld.
15) 2007 River Valley
2007 Division 2 sectional qualifierCoach: Jeff Johnson
Record: 20-3, 8-2 SWC co-champion
Tournament run: The top-seeded Blackhawks had a first-round bye, then defeated Prairie du Chien 49-40 and Portage 58-43 to win a D2 regional title before losing to eventual D2 state champion Monroe 55-45 in the sectional semifinals.
Key Players:
Luke Baryenbruch (Sr.) 16.3 ppg, 1st-team All-SWC
Joey Gorman (Sr.) 12.6 ppg, 1st-team All-SWC
Ty Gruber (Sr.) 9.3 ppg, 1st-team All-SWC
Steven Liegel (Sr.) 8 ppg, honorable mention SWC
Marc Manske (Sr.) 5.5 ppg
Dynasty Note: Dodgeville’s four junior starters on the 2004 team returned a year later to lead the Dodgers to a 21-2 record in 2005 and another undefeated conference title, but were bounced from the playoffs in a D2 regional final loss to eventual state qualifier Monroe, 54-46.
16) 1990 Black Hawk
1990 Division 4 regional semifinalistCoach: Jerry Mortimer
Record: 18-4, 17-1 State Line League champion
Tournament run: After a 77-38 win over Barneveld, the SLL champion Warriors me up with SWAL 2 champion Darlington in a Class C regional semifinal clash. The Warriors held a four-point lead with 1:37 left, but Darlington tied the game at 40 to force overtime and eventually won in double overtime 49-42 on the way to winning the Class C state championship.
Key Players:
Craig Meyer (Sr.) 21 ppg, 10 rpg, 6 bpg, State Line League Player of the Year, 1st-team All-SLL, AP honorable mention All-State, finished his career as the Warriors all-time leading scorer. with 1,413 points (now 2nd place), went on to play D1 college basketball at Loyola University and UW–Milwaukee
Michael Meier (Sr.) 1st-team All-SLL
Jayson Haldiman (Sr.) 2nd-team All-SLL
Rodney Gertsch (So.)
Corey Milz (Sr.) just retired as Black Hawk’s football coach after leading the Warriors to a third D7 state championship.
Dynasty Note: The Warriors went 17-6 and won the State Line League title a year earlier in 1989.
16) 2003 Riverdale
Coach: Scott MauRecord: 14-7, 7-5 4th in SWAL 2
Tournament run: The Chieftains earned the No. 3 seed in their regional bracket, but were upset in the opening round by No. 6 seed Onalaska Luther 70-53 which played most of the regular season without three suspended starters.
Key Players:
Andy Miles (Sr.) 15.5 ppg, 8 rpg, 1st-team All-SWAL 2, finished second in the SWAL 2 Player of the Year voting
Eric Stetler (Sr.) 10 ppg, 1st-team All-SWAL 2
Dusty Kasarek (Sr.) 8.5 ppg, honorable mention SWAL 2
Ryan Peterson (Sr.) 7 ppg, honorable mention SWAL 2
Zach Thompson (Jr.) 6 ppg,
Matt Anderson (Sr.) 6 ppg
Micah Thingvold (Sr.) 3 ppg
Collin Dean (So.) two-time first-team All-SWAL 2 as a junior and senior
Note: The Riverdale boys have never won a conference or regional title.
