GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) – The W.I.A.A. Girls State Basketball tournament tips off Tuesday night with opening round regional play. Most teams in the Division 1 Field will have byes to the regional semifinals on Friday. A few lower seeded schools will begin however as Green Bay East travels to Manitowoc in a 15-18 seed matchup with the winner to face second seeded Homestead. The same holds for Appleton West, a 15 seed playing at #18 Chippewa Falls. Neenah, Germantown, Brookfield East and Kettle Moraine are the four number one seeds in Division 1.
In Division 2, all eyes will be on the Notre Dame Tritons. They are the two time defending state champions and are vying to become just the sixth team in state history to capture three titles in a row. The top ranked, 23-1 Tritons are the top seed in their sectional bracket and will open Friday against the Tuesday night 8-9 winner between Seymour and Plymouth. Other opening night matchups in D2 have #10 Pulaski at #7 Ashwaubenon and #11 Waupaca at # 6 Antigo in the bracket for the western half of the state.
NEC champion Freedom is the top seed in Division 3. Conference rival Wrightstown is seeded second. Area matchups in that sectional include Sturgeon Bay at Clintonville in the 11-6 game, #10 Little Chute will be at #7 Oconto Falls. In the lower half of that sectional bracket where Oostburg is seeded first, #5 seed Kiel will be home to #12 Campbellsport, 11th seeded Two Rivers is at number 6 Sheboygan Falls and the 7-10 game has Denmark at Chilton.
St. Mary Catholic is seeded first with a bye in Division 4. Crandon is also a number one seed. They’ll await tonight’s winner between #9 Algoma at #8 Southern Door. The 5-12 matchup is Crivitz at Oconto . In the lower half of the bracket, #6 Shiocton will host #11 Roncalli and #10 Kewaunee is at #7 Menominee Indian with the winner getting second seeded Coleman Friday night.
In Division 5, Wabeno-Laona is the top seed. They will face the winner of the 8-9 game, Wausaukee at Gillett. Second seeded Sevastopol will host the 7-10 winner between Bowler at Suring. Lourdes Academy is also a D5 top seed and they will draw the 8-9 winner between NEW Lutheran/Providence Academy at Reedsville. Oneida Nation is a 12 seed at #5 Central Wisconsin Christian.
Sectionals take place March 2 and 4 with the State Tournament returning to the Resch Center March 9-11.
