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 girls' bracket and teams April 22-23 and 29-30. Beginning last week (May 6-7), with the boys' first-round selections, we will pick the winners for each round in our area newspapers, until we crown the All-Time champions for both tournaments. We will publish the girls' first-round winners this week (May 13-14).
Below are the team capsules for the girls teams in the South Regional.
1) 2015 Cuba City
2015 Division 4 state championCoach: Jeff Pustina
Record: 28-0, 14-0 SWAL champion
Tournament run: The Cubans wrapped up a string of three straight appearances at the WIAA Division 4 State Tournament by winning their second straight gold ball with a 56-43 victory over Fall Creek to finish off a perfect season under Coach Pustina. Cuba City defeated Lancaster 79-33 and Mineral Point 75-47 in regional play, then Cambridge 60-42 and La Crosse Aquinas 70-44 in sectionals, and Fond du Lac St. Mary’s Springs 62-56 in the D4 state semifinals to reach the title game.
Key Players:
Jessi Marti (Jr) 15.3 ppg, two-time SWAL Player of the Year, 1st-team All-SWAL, WBCA D4 1st-team All-State, 2016 WBCA D4 All-Star, finished her career as Cuba City's all-time leading scorer with more than 1,600 career points, went on to play D2 college ball at Northern University (S.D.)
Mollie Wedige (Sr) 13.9 ppg, 1st-team All-SWAL pick, WBCA D4 All-State honorable mention, WBCA D4 All-Star, finished career with 1,240 points
Chloe Pustina (Sr) 11.1 ppg, 4.5 apg, 1st-team All-SWAL, WBCA D4 1st-team All-State, WBCA D4 All-Star, finished career with 1,074 points, went on to play D3 college ball at UW-Oshkosh.
Shay Lierman (Sr) 1st-team All-SWAL pick; 9.8 ppg
Kaitlyn Kaiser (Jr) 1st-team All-SWAL pick; 6.4 ppg
Dynasty Note: Coach Pustina’s Cubans posted an 80-3 overall mark, including 42-0 in league play en route to three straight SWAL titles over the three-year span with a 25-2 record in 2013 and a 27-1 record in 2014. Marti, Wedige, Pustina, Lierman and Kaiser were all starters for the Cubans during this three-year run. In 2013, eventual champion Algoma defeated the Cubans 62-39 in a state semifinal game. The Cubans returned the next season to avenge that loss with a 49-28 triumph in the 2014 state final. Pustina and Wedige were also starters as freshmen, helping the 2012 Cubans (23-3, 13-1) win a share of the SWAL title and reach the D3 sectional finals.
2) 1999 Barneveld
1999 Division 4 state championCoach: Jim Myers
Record: 27-0, 14-0 SRE champion
Tournament run: The top-ranked Golden Eagles finished off back-to-back undefeated seasons by downing #2-ranked Potosi 49-42 in the 1999 title clash to capture their second straight D4 gold ball. Barneveld defeated previously unbeaten Three Lakes 45-38 in the state semifinals.
Key Players:
Jess Arneson (Sr) 19.2 ppg, 7.3 rpg, SRC State Line Player of the Year, Six Rivers-State Line Player of the Year, 1st-team all-conference, AP 3rd-team all-state, went on to play D1 college basketball at UW–Green Bay
Liz Meyer (Sr) 11.1 ppg, 5.7 rpg, 1st-team All-Conference;
Megan Hodgson (Sr) 6.7 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 2nd-team all-conference, went on to play D3 basketball at UW–Stevens Point, current assistant Athletic Director at UWSP, former women’s head basketball coach at UW–Platteville
Staci Dimpfl (Jr) 6.7 ppg, 2nd-team all-conference; 6.7 ppg
Shannon Clerkin (So) 10 ppg, 6.3 rpg, honorable mention AC
Heidi Hodgson (Sr) 5.1 ppg, 3.4 rpg.
Casey Thousand (Sr) 6.7 ppg
Dynasty Note: Coach Myers, Arneson, Hodgson, Dimpfl and Meyer teamed up to lead the 1998 Golden Eagles to a 26-0 mark, a 12-0 conference title and a D4 state title with a victory over Shullsburg native John Heinberg’s Cashton Eagles 52-39 in the title game.
3) 1977 Cuba City
1977 Class B state championCoach: Syd Sincock
Record: 23-0, 14-0 Southern 8 champion
Tournament run: The “Cubanettes” defeated Kewaskum 53-45 in a WIAA Class B state semifinal contest, and then knocked off Omro 50-41, to capture the school’s first-ever state championship. Cuba City was the lone undefeated team in the state during the season.
Key Players:
Mary Kay Leifker (Sr) 17 ppg, 4.3 spg, 2.7 apg, unanimous Southern 8 All-Conference selection, Class B All-Tournament team
Deb Tranel (Sr) 9.6 ppg, 6.1 rpg, 1st-team All-Southern 8
Lynn Timmerman (Fr) 7.8 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 1st-team All-Southern 8
JoAnn Steinbach (Sr) 4.9 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 2.6 spg, 2.0 apg, honorable mention Southern 8
Dynasty Note: In 1978, coach Sincock and the Cubans returned to the Class B state tournament, but were defeated by eventual champion Lomira in a semifinal clash 55-42.
4) 1991 Monticello
1991 Class C state championCoach: Ken Bartelt
Record: 26-1, 14-0 State Line League champion
Tournament run: The #6-ranked Ponies defeated Wisconsin School for the Deaf 78-36, Monticello 47-44 and Albany 79-46 in regional play, Benton 54-34 and #2 Randolph 53-49 in sectionals to earn first trip to state, then defeated Independence 58-37 and Lena 66-56 to win the Class C state title.
Key Players:
Shana Komprood (Sr) 16.4 ppg, 1st-team SLL, was named to the All-Tournament team.
Mindy Rosenstiel (Sr) 14.7 ppg, 1st-team SLL
Michelle Rosenstiel (Jr) 10.8 ppg
Laura Peterson (Fr) 6.6 ppg
Angie Masching (Jr) 4.1 ppg
5) 1984 West Grant
1984 Class C state runner-upCoach: Bob Barr
Record: 24-2, 13-1 Blackhawk co-champion
Tournament run: The Falcons defeated Iowa-Grant 78-25, Highland 55-41, Bloomington 57-52 in overtime, and Belmont 52-51 to win the regional title, then defeated Ithaca 58-50 and Whitehall 58-47 in sectional action. West Grant defeated Owen-Withee 66-47 in the state semifinals before losing to Johnson Creek 52-50 in the Class C state championship.
Key Players:
Lacey Myers (Sr) 16.0 ppg, honorable mention AP All-State selection
Maureen Vorwald (Sr) 15.5 ppg, honorable mention AP All-State selection, went on to play D3 college basketball at UW–La Crosse
Tracy Wheeler (Sr) 19.2 ppg
Vickie Myers (Sr) 15.5 ppg
Note: West Grant players were excluded from any All-Conference honors in 1984 because coach Barr did not attend the all-conference meeting. The remaining coaches at the meeting voted 4-3 to exclude West Grant from receiving any honors.
Dynasty Note: Vorwald was a 1st-team All-Blackhawk selection, and Wheeler an honorable-mention selection on the 1982 West Grant team that won the conference title and reached the Class C state tournament, where they lost to Prentice, 75-55, in the state semifinals. Also on that team were seniors Karen Wilkinson and Dianne White, both 1st-team All-Blackhawk picks. On the 1983 West Grant team, Vorwald, Wheeler and Lacey Meyers were 1st-team All-Blackhawk selections, while Vickie Meyers was 2nd-team All-Blackhawk.
6) 2009 Potosi
2009 Division 4 state runner-upCoach: Darby Blakley
Record: 25-2, 12-0 SRW champion
Tournament run: The Chieftains defeated Cassville 71-29, Belmont 52-24 and River Ridge 51-23, in regional action, then Weston 46-25 and Assumption 37-34 in sectional action. Potosi defeated Black Hawk 49-42 in D4 state semifinal action, before losing to Neenah St. Mary Central 45-42 in the D4 state championship.
Key Players:
Thresia Elskamp (Sr) 11.9 ppg, 6.4 rpg, Six Rivers West Player of the Year, AP 4th-team All-State, WBCA D4 All-Star, Played college basketball at MATC at at Georgia College (Milledgeville, GA). Helped MATC win a NJCAA DIII National Championship in 2010.
Morgan Lass (Sr) 10.5 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 1st-team All-SRW, WBCA D4 All-Star, played college basketball at MATC and helped the Wolfpack win a NJCAA DIII National Championship in 2010.
Alison Tobin (Sr) 9.0 ppg, 6.3 rpg, 1st-team All-SRW, played college basketball at Edgewood College.
Danielle Flesch (Sr) 4.9 ppg, , 2.9 rpg, honorable mention All-SRW.
Reba Keene (Jr) 3.3 ppg, 3.1 rpg, honorable mention All-SRW.
Katie Reynolds (Sr) 4.9 ppg, 3.6 rpg
Brianna Reising (Jr) 3.8 ppg, 2.2 rpg
Dynasty Note: Elskamp, Lass, Tobin and Flesch were also key members of the 2008 Potosi team (22-3, 11-1), which won conference and regional titles before losing to Eleva-Strum 67-55 in a D4 sectional semifinal. The 2008 Chieftains went 18-5, 10-2 and shared the SRW title with River Ridge.
7) 2011 River Ridge
2011 Division 5 state runner-upCoach: Caron Townsend
Record: 20-8, 10-2 SRW co-champion
Tournament run: The Timberwolves finished as runner-ups in the first-ever Division 5 state tournament, defeating Prentice in overtime, 43-42, and then falling to Wausau Newman Catholic, 55-28, in the championship game.
Key Players:
Jessica Mergen (Sr) 11.5 ppg, 8.6 rpg, 1st-team All-SRW
Megan White (Sr) 10.5 ppg, 1st-team All-SRW
Mickey Breuer (Sr) 7.9 ppg, honorable mention SRW
Traci Kirschbaum (Jr) 9.3 ppg, 5.7 rpg
Angie Breuer (Jr) 4.0 ppg
Meagan Herrick (Fr) 3.9 ppg
Brittany Bradley (Sr) 3.6 ppg
Dynasty Note: The 2010 Timberwolves went 18-6, won the SRW title and advanced to the D4 regional finals before a 40-29 loss to Potosi.
8) 2005 Kickapoo
2004 Division 4 state qualifierCoach: Eric Wiegel
Record: 25-1, 14-0 Ridge & Valley champion
Tournament run: The Panthers defeated Melrose-Mindoro 60-28, De Soto 55-39 and Cashton 51-50 in regional play, then Hillsboro 50-37 and Gilmanton 52-37 in sectionals to advance to state for the first and only time in school history before suffering their only loss of the season to Owen-Withee 62-59 in a D4 state semifinal game.
Key Players:
Pearl Wallace (Jr) 16.5 ppg, 10.2 rpg, Ridge & Valley Player of the Year and the La Crosse Tribune Player of the Year, still Kickapoo’s all-time girls’ leading scorer with 1,213 points and all-time leader with 945 rebounds, was also R&V Player of the Year in 2006, went on to play D3 college basketball at Concordia University in Mequon and was 1st-team All-Northern Athletics Conference in 2010.
Kyla Torkelson (Sr) 9.6 ppg, 6 rpg
Abilene Koch (Sr) 8.9 ppg, played four years at Viterbo University in La Crosse.
Dynasty Note: The 2003 Panthers went 23-2 and advanced to the D4 sectional finals before a 48-30 loss to Eau Claire Regis.
9) 2001 Richland Center
2001 Division 2 sectional runner-upCoach: Steve Board
Record: 22-2, 12-0 SWAL 1 champion
Tournament run: After a first-round bye, the #9-ranked Hornets defeated Monroe 57-40 and Platteville 44-18 to win the regional title, and Reedsburg 53-34 before a 52-45 D2 sectional final loss to Waunakee.
Key Players:
Karen Fruit (Sr.) 19.5 ppg, 5 rpg, two-time SWAL 1 Player of the Year, AP All-State, WBCA All-Star, went on to play D1 volleyball at UW-Milwaukee
Kim Fruit (Sr) 15.5 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 1st-team All-SWAL 1, WBCA D2 All-Star, went on to play D3 volleyball at UW–Whitewater
Ann Wilson (Jr) 12.2 ppg, 7 rpg, 1st-team SWAL 1, went on to play college basketball at Viterbo
Erin Templin (Fr) 7.7 ppg, 6.8 rpg, honorable mention SWAL 1
Dynasty Note: The Fruit twins led Richland Center to three straight SWAL 1 titles and the 2000 Hornets to a 17-5 mark and a berth in the D2 regional finals. Wilson and Templin led the #7-ranked 2002 team to a 21-3 mark and another 12-0 SWAL 1 championship and a return to the sectional finals before a loss to undefeated eventual champion Columbus.
10) 1989 Mineral Point
1989 Class C sectional runner-upCoach: Chuck Bennett
Record: 24-2, 12-0 SWAL 2 champion
Tournament run: The #10-ranked Pointers defeated Wisconsin Heights 71-26, Monticello 75-47, Pecatonica 61-33 and Barneveld 53-40 in regional play, and Cambridge 54-52 before a 53-46 loss to Wrightstown in the Class B sectional finals.
Key Players:
Janet Schubert (Jr) 16 ppg, 7 rpg, 5 apg, 4 spg, two-time, SWAL 2 Player of the Year, 1st-team All-SWAL 2, 1990 WBCA All-Star, first female Pointer to top 1,000 points with 1,021, went on to play D1 college basketball at UW-Milwaukee
Jenny Kinch (Jr) 1st-team All-SWAL 2
Carolyn Kinch (Sr) 1st-team All-SWAL 2
Tammy Richardson (Sr)
Denise James (Sr)
Dynasty Note: The 1990 Pointers finished 19-4 overall after winning a second straight SWAL 2 title and ended the season with a Class C 48-47 regional final loss to West Grant (22-2).
11) 1988 Benton
1988 Class C sectional runner-upCoach: Paul Raley
Record: 21-4, 12-2 Blackhawk champion
Tournament run: The Zephyrs defeated Southwestern 46-30, Belmont 58-40, Cassville 50-46 and Iowa-Grant 65-56 to win the regional title, then defeated #7-ranked Boscobel 50-40 before a 58-44 loss to eventual Class C state champion #2-ranked Fall Creek (26-1) in the sectional finals.
Key Players:
Nikki Leibold (Jr) 14 ppg, 8.6 rpg, 5.6 spg, 4.4 apg, Blackhawk Player of the Year, 1st-team All-Blackhawk
Michelle Korish (Jr) 1st-team All-Blackhawk
Jan Stoffel (Jr) 1st-team All-Blackhawk
Ellen Sincock (Sr)
Debi Runde (So)
Dynasty Note: The 1989 Zephyrs went a perfect 20-0 during the regular season and won another Blackhawk Conference title, but were upset by Bloomington 44-41 in a Class C sub-regional game.
12) 2003 Mineral Point
2003 Division 3 sectional runner-upCoach: Chuck Bennett
Record: 18-5, 10-2 SWAL 2 champion
Tournament run: The Pointers defeated Iowa-Grant 62-32, Fennimore 54-38 and top-seeded Cuba City 43-32 to win the regional title, and then took down River Ridge 43-30 to advance to the sectional final game, where they were beaten by eventual D3 state champion Clinton 43-30.
Key Players:
Jessica Henke (Sr) 1st-team All-SWAL 2
Jessi Sporle (So) 1st-team All-SWAL 2
Becky Thomas (Jr) 1st-team All-SWAL 2
Jenna Vogel (Jr) Honorable mention SWAL 2
Brittany Hardyman (Jr) Honorable mention SWAL 2
Kim Carey (Jr) Honorable mention SWAL 2
12) 2018 Darlington
2018 Division 4 sectional qualifierCoach: Kelly Rose
Record: 19-5, 13-1 SWAL champion
Tournament run: The SWAL champion Redbirds advanced to sectionals for the second season in a row with a bye, and regional wins over Wisconsin Heights, 82-38, and Mineral Point, 57-53, but fell to top-ranked and eventual Division 4 state champion La Crosse Aquinas, 73-36, for the second straight season in a sectional semifinal game.
Key Players:
Kaylee Meyers (Sr) 17.5 ppg, SWAL Player of the Year, currently playing college ball at the UW-Platteville.
Kathleen Mathias (Sr) 13.1 ppg, 1st-team All-SWAL, currently played college ball at the University of Dubuque.
Kennedy Rankin (Sr) 8.1 ppg, 1st-team All-SWAL
Bethany McDonald (Jr) 7 ppg
Dynasty Note: Coach Rose, Meyer, Mathias and Rankin led the 2017 Redbirds to an 18-8 mark and a trip to the D4 sectional finals for first-time in school history before losing to La Crosse Aquinas 64-40.
13) 2019 Prairie du Chien
2019 Division 3 sectional qualifierCoach: Paula Shedivy
Record: 20-2, 9-1 SWC champion
Tournament run: After a first-round bye the #10-ranked Blackhawks defeated Madison Edgewood 60-43 and Wisconsin Dells 61-48 to win a D3 regional title, before losing to SWC rival Platteville 48-39 in a sectional semifinal.
Key Players:
Lily Krahn (Fr) 14.6 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 3.5 apg, 1st-team All-SWC, has a D1 offer from UW–Milwaukee
Gabby Ritchie (Sr) 11 ppg, 5.9 rpg, 1st-team All-SWC, went on to play at D2 Minnesota-Moorhead State
Macy Banasik (so) 10.7 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 3.3 apg, 2nd-team All-SWC
Ella Hager (So) 4.8 ppg, 3 rpg, honorable mention SWC
Allison Allbee (Fr) 5.1 ppg, 3.3 rpg
Makenzie Knapp (So) 4 ppg, 4.7 rpg
Dynasty Note: The Blackhawks won 18 straight games before a loss to Platteville in the regular season finale. Krahn and Banasik led the 2020 Prairie du Chien girls to an 18-7, mark a second-place finish in the SWC and a return to the D3 sectional semifinals, again falling short against the rival Hillmen 49-44.
14) 2019 River Ridge
2019 Division 5 sectional qualifierCoach: Caron Townsend
Record: 21-3, 10-0 SRW champion
Tournament run: The Timberwolves defeated De Soto 71-13, Riverdale 41-40, and Wauzeka-Steuben 47-34, in D5 regional action, then lost to #1-ranked and eventual state champion Black Hawk 58-27 in sectional semifinals.
Key Players:
Taylor Langmeier (Sr) 16.5 ppg, 7.2 rpg, 2.7 spg, 1.5 apg, 1st-team All-SRW,
Skylar White (Jr) 18.8 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 4.5 spg, 2.6 apg, 2019 and 2020 Six Rivers West Player of the Year, two-time WBCA D5 All-State, 2020 WBCA All-Star
McKenzie Graf (Jr) 7.1 ppg, 2.2 rpg, honorable-mention All-SRW.
Rylee Zinkle (Jr) 4.2 ppg, 1.4 rpg.
Faith Schier (Jr) 2.5 ppg, 3.2 rpg
Dynasty Note: In 2018, Langmeier, White, Graf, Zinkle and Schier were all key members of River Ridge’s regional champion team that lost to Shullsburg 36-34 in the D5 sectional semifinals. White and company led the 2020 Timberwolves to 24-3 mark and a berth in the D5 sectional finals before a 62-54 loss to Bangor ended the season.
15) 2020 Wauzeka
2020 Division 5 sectional qualifierCoach: Ben McCullick
Record: 21-5, 13-1 Ridge & Valley co-champion
Tournament run: The Hornets claimed their first regional championship title since 1990 by defeating Weston 69-44, Riverdale 57-34 and Ridge & Valley co-champion Kickapoo 57-34. SRW champion River Ridge defeated Wauzeka-Steuben 62-37 in a WIAA D5 sectional semifinal contest.
Key Players:
Maddie Reichmann (So) 15.6 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 2.7 apg, 2.6 spg, 1st-team All-R&V
Ravyn Krachey (Sr) 9.7 ppg, 6.3 rpg, 1st-team All- R&V
Tabitha Check (Sr) 5.3 ppg, 3.7 rpg, honorable mention All- R&V
Kayden Groom (So) 5.5 ppg, 5.6 rpg
McKenzie Olsen (Sr) 4.5 ppg, 6.5 rpg
Gabby Groom (Jr) 2.7 ppg
Dynasty Note: The Hornets went 20-4, won a share of the conference title and advanced to the D5 regional finals in 2019 before losing to River Ridge, 47-34
16) 2012 Belmont
2012 Division 5 regional runner-upCoach: Kaleen McGettigan
Record: 21-4, 9-1 SRW co-champion
Tournament run: The Braves defeated Cassville 64-13 and Cashton 55-34 in the first two rounds to advance to the D5 regional championship game where they lost to SRW co-champion Potosi 60-56.
Key Players:
Kailee Kamps (Sr) 18.5 ppg, 7 rpg, Six Rivers West Player of the Year, 1st-team All-SRW, WBCA D5 All-State, WBCA D5 All-Star, finished her career as the school’s all-time leading scorer with 1,427 points, went on to compete in D1 track and field at Minnesota
Molly Bockhop (Sr) 9.1 ppg, 4.2 rpg 1st-team All-SRW
Cassie McCarthy (Jr) 8.2 ppg, 4.8 rpg honorable mention SRW
Keegan Kamps (Fr) 5.8 ppg, 6.4 rpg, honorable mention SRW
Jordyn Kamps (So) 4.6 ppg, 5.2 rpg
Amanda Adams (Sr) 3 ppg, 5.3 rpg
