Division 5, Sectional 1: First Look

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>We continue a late summer trek through the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association sectionals, today looking at Division 5, Sectional 1.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Top Teams:</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Bayfield<br>Flambeau<br>Mellen<br>New Auburn<br>Prentice<br>Rib Lake<br>Spring Valley<br>Turtle Lake</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Overview:</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Solon Springs won the Sectional 1 crown a year ago, but the Eagles lost all five starters from a club that finished 27-3 and battled eventual Division 5 state champion Columbus Catholic down to the wire in the state semifinals last March. This field is pretty wide open, although some feel Spring Valley is the team to beat due to the rigorous competition the Cardinals encounter in the Dunn-St. Croix Conference. Coach Rob Bosshart starts his 35th season as the head coach at Spring Valley with an experienced group back from a 19-7 season. Leading the way for the Cardinals are seniors [player_tooltip player_id='1878607' first='Cade' last='Stasiek'] (6-0), [player_tooltip player_id='2492770' first='Masyn' last='Wolf'] (6-7), [player_tooltip player_id='2624630' first='Caleb' last='Bartko'] (6-4), Tanner Dicus (6-1) and Trevor Forster (5-10). Over in the competitive Lakeland West Conference, Turtle Lake and Luck hope to challenge for the league crown along with Division 4 powers Clear Lake, Grantsburg and Unity. Turtle Lake is led by junior [player_tooltip player_id='2406762' first='Brandon' last='Wagner'] while Luck's top performer is senior [player_tooltip player_id='2447836' first='Ty' last='Roehm']. Mellen is one of the favorites to win the Northern Lights Conference title. Coach Don Moreland, now in his 29th year as head coach at the school, has a solid core of returning players, led by juniors [player_tooltip player_id='2547238' first='Xander' last='Beeksma'] (6-1) and [player_tooltip player_id='2634498' first='Ryan' last='Henri'] (6-2). Bayfield also should have a strong outfit in the Northern Lights and is led by sharpshooting senior [player_tooltip player_id='2432839' first='Quintin' last='Bresette']. Prentice and Rib Lake rank among the better squads in the Marawood North Conference along with Division 4 Phillips. Prentice is led by juniors [player_tooltip player_id='2412829' first='Evan' last='Lord'] and [player_tooltip player_id='2629213' first='Aidan' last='Hause'] while Rib Lake's top players are juniors Seth Borchardt and [player_tooltip player_id='2629230' first='Talon' last='Scheithauer']. <br><br><strong>Pre-Season All-Sectional Team:</strong><br></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["2406762"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-66d63fd5e5e99"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">A mobile and improving forward who can score, rebound and defend, Wagner had a strong sophomore campaign for Turtle Lake, averaging 15.2 points and 7.6 rebounds. The second-team all-league performer has deep shooting range and finished with 60 three-point baskets as a sophomore. He then had a good spring/summer for [program_tooltip program_id='2503195' first='Diamond' last='Hoops'], and figures to be one of the premier frontcourt players in the Lakeland West Conference in 2024-25. Wagner will play for a new head coach as his mother, Angie Wagner, has replaced Tadd Peterson as the Lakers' head coach.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":[2493656],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-66d63fd5e5f11"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Bresette has helped Bayfield increase its victory total in each of the past three seasons and hopes to do so again as a senior. The smooth shooting point guard has deep range, can score from the mid range and does a great job of drawing fouls on his way to the basket. After earning second-team all-Northern Lights Conference recognition as a sophomore, Bresette picked up first-team laurels last season. He averaged more than 24.0 ppg as a junior and a career-best 55 points in a win over South Shore as a sophomore. Bresette surpassed 1,000 career points in early February when he had 38 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists in a win over Mercer. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["2547240"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-66d642bb68e11"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Keenan Dahl stepped down as New Auburn's head coach in August in order to take over the coaching duties at Bloomer. He leaves behind a very strong squad as the Trojans return six key players from a squad that went 17-7. The top returning player for New Auburn is senior forward [player_tooltip player_id='2547240' first='Justin' last='Melland'], a 6-foot-5, 205-pound forward and two-time first-team all-Lakeland East Conference player. Melland led New Auburn in scoring (15.6 ppg) and rebounding (10.8 rpg) as a junior and is one of three returning starters along with Chris Elmhorst (5-11) and Colten Lotts (6-3). Seniors Kai Harder (6-2), Andrew Gotham (6-2) and Sawyer Jones (5-7) also return for New Auburn, which is expected to contend for the league title along with Flambeau. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["2447836"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-66d642bb68e5f"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Roehm is one of the few players in Wisconsin back for another year of high school basketball after averaging a double/double as an underclassmen. The 6-foot-3 senior wing put up huge numbers for coach Josh Bazey's club a year ago, netting 21.6 points and 14.2 rebounds an outing while helping Luck to a 8-19 record. He hopes to help the Cardinals to more victories this time around as he teams with senior [player_tooltip player_id='2628761' first='Zak' last='Walters'] (5-10) to give Luck a potent one-two scoring punch as Walters averaged 14.4 ppg as a junior. A three-year varsity performer for Luck, Roehm begins his senior campaign with 1,174 career points and is a returning first-team all-Lakeland West Conference performer. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["2547396"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-66d642bb68ea0"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">One of the top returning scorers in the state, Schultz put up eye-popping numbers a year ago by averaging 25.6 points per game for Northwood, which finished 9-16. He scored 30 or more points eight times, including a career-best 44 in a road victory over Lac Courte Oreilles. A three-year starters and returning first-team all-Lakeland West Conference player, Schultz has scored 1,250 career points. He is one of four returning starters for Northwood along with senior Cole Neva and juniors Ian Woodhull and Jaxson Link. New coach Jackson Terry calls Schultz the best player in the 10-team league and it's hard to argue that contention after examining Schultz's impressive productivity.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Pre-Season Pick to Click:</strong><br><br>Spring Valley is one of just two Division 5 programs in the Dunn-St. Croix Conference and the other D5 school, Plum City/Elmwood, is in Sectional 3. Playing against mostly Division 4 programs all winter should help Spring Valley once the playoffs roll around. So should the return of a talented roster that includes four starters in seniors [player_tooltip player_id='1878607' first='Cade' last='Stasiek'], [player_tooltip player_id='2492770' first='Masyn' last='Wolf'], [player_tooltip player_id='2624630' first='Caleb' last='Bartko'] and Tanner Dicus. Stasiek received first-team all-league laurels as a junior and is the top returning scorer for the Cardinals at 15.7 ppg. His physical strength and toughness will be key assets for coach Rob Bosshart's squad. Wolf, a massive 6-foot-7 forward with a soft shooting touch and nimble feet, was a second-team all-league performer in 2023-24 after averaging 9.3 ppg and 8.8 rpg. Bartko contributed 5.4 ppg and 3.2 rpg while Dicus started two years ago before sitting out last season. Also back is a key reserve in senior guard Trevor Forster. Depth might be a bit of a concern, but Spring Valley is expected to challenge for both the Dunn-St. Croix and Sectional 1 championships this season. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->