Predictions for Saturday’s Division 1-2 sectional finals

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Results from my sectional semifinal predictions followed by my overall mark in each division:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Division 1:</strong> 5-3 (50-14)<br><strong>Division 2:</strong> 5-3 (66-17)<br><strong>Division 3:</strong> 4-4 (67-23)<br><strong>Division 4: </strong>5-3 (80-11)<br><strong>Division 5:</strong> 6-2 (99-17)<br><em><strong>TOTAL: </strong>25-15 (362-82) (82 percent)</em><br><br><strong>DIVISION 1</strong><br></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Sectional 1</strong><br><strong>No 2 seed Marshfield (21-6) vs. No. 13 seed Kimberly (13-13) at Wisconsin Rapids Lincoln (1 p.m.)</strong><br><br>Kimberly most certainly is an unlikely participant in this contest as a 13 seed, but the Papermakers have simply played at a whole new level since the start of the playoffs. Already with wins over Holmen, Appleton North and Kaukauna, interim coach Josh Hopfensperger is 4-1 since taking over for former coach Freddie Owens, who resigned in late February. Marshfield's poise, experience and talent might just be too much to overcome. <em>Marshfield 61, Kimberly 56</em><br><br><strong>Sectional 2<br>No. 1 seed De Pere (26-1) vs. No. 7 seed Oshkosh North (18-9) at Appleton North (2 p.m.)</strong><br><br>De Pere has been pushed in its last two games against Arrowhead and Sheboygan North. But the Redbirds survived both encounters to reach the sectional semifinal round for the fifth straight year. Oshkosh North has been on a roll of late and beat Bay Port, Homestead and Fond du Lac en route to the sectional final. This game features two of the five finalists for Mr. Basketball in De Pere's [player_tooltip player_id='1351717' first='Zach' last='Kinziger'] and Oshkosh North's [player_tooltip player_id='1282617' first='Xzavion' last='Mitchell']. <em>De Pere 68, Oshkosh North 61</em><br><br><strong>Sectional 3<br>No. 2 seed Waunakee (22-5) vs. No. 5 seed Sun Prairie East (21-6) at Oregon (1 p.m.)</strong><br><br>Sun Prairie East has plenty of firepower on its side the all-Big Eight Conference performers [player_tooltip player_id='1481176' first='Chris' last='Davis Jr.'] (36.8 ppg) and wing [player_tooltip player_id='2304732' first='Max' last='Raimer'] (18.2 ppg) leading the way. The Cardinals beat top-seeded and previously unbeaten Kettle Moraine 80-71 in the sectional semifinals to get a shot at earning a trip to the Kohl Center for the WIAA State Tournament. Waunakee got 25 points and 13 rebounds from senior [player_tooltip player_id='1749696' first='Eli' last='Selk'] in its sectional semifinal victory over Verona. This figures to be a close game and the team that is able to control tempo the most might just come out on top. <em>Waunakee 76, Sun Prairie East 72</em><br><br><strong>Sectional 4<br>No. 1 seed Wisconsin Lutheran (25-2) vs. No. 2 seed West Allis Central (21-5) at Waukesha South (4 p.m.)<br></strong><br>Another outstanding matchup at the sectional-final lineup between two stellar outfits. The two teams split their Woodland West games with Wisconsin Lutheran won in early January while West Allis Central won in February. In fact, West Allis Central has won eight in a row heading into the rubber match with the Vikings, the defending Division 2 state champions. The game features plenty of stellar players and two outstanding coaches in Ryan Walz of Wisconsin Lutheran and Dave Mlachnik of West Allis Central. <em>Wisconsin Lutheran 73, West Allis Central 68</em><br><br><strong>DIVISION 2<br><br>Sectional 1<br>No. 1 seed Wausau East (19-7) vs. No. 3 seed West Salem (20-6) at Wisconsin Rapids Lincoln (6 p.m.)</strong><br><br>West Salem rallied from a 21-point deficit to beat Onalaska in overtime behind 25 points from senior guard [player_tooltip player_id='2388785' first='Kyle' last='Hehli'] in the sectional semifinal. West Salem also beat La Crosse Central in the regional final. Wausau East got past New Richmond by a point, also in overtime, in the sectional semifinal. [player_tooltip player_id='2111727' first='Jesse' last='Napgezek'] had 20 points to top the Lumberjacks. West Salem has some firepower from deep while Wausau East likes to get the ball and attack the hoop. <em>West Salem 74, Wausau East 66</em><br><br><strong>Sectional 2<br>No. 1 seed Notre Dame (21-6) vs. No. 3 seed Cedarburg (19-8) at Manitowoc Lincoln (1 p.m.)</strong><br><br>Notre Dame got a three-point shot from senior Drew Suidzinski as the final horn sounded to beat Pulaski 53-52 in the sectional semifinals. [player_tooltip player_id='2388798' first='Adam' last='Guyette'], an Oshkosh recruit, led Notre Dame to its first sectional final with 21 points. Cedarburg, meanwhile, is on an absolute roll behind Parkside recruit [player_tooltip player_id='1544731' first='Logan' last='Zahour']. The Bulldogs have won 11 of 12 games since the start of February. Cedarburg beat North Shore rivals Port Washington, Nicolet and Slinger thus far in the playoffs. <em>Notre Dame 56, Cedarburg 55</em><br><br><strong>Sectional 3<br>No. 2 seed Wauwatosa West (21-6) vs. No. 1 seed Mount Horeb (25-2) at Oconomowoc (1 p.m.)</strong><br><br>Wauwatosa West beat Brookfield Central in the sectional semifinal after splitting with the Lancers during Greater Metro Conference play. Sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='2288469' first='Jalen' last='Brown'] had 25 points and senior [player_tooltip player_id='1240337' first='Jake' last='Hansen'] added 23 and five made triples as the Trojans pulled away in the second half against Brookfield Central. Mount Horeb is playing without leading scorer [player_tooltip player_id='1561888' first='Josh' last='Manchester'], who is out with an injury, but still managed to hold off Monona Grove 49-45. The Vikings are a physical team and have won 13 games in a row. <em>Wauwatosa West 55, Mount Horeb 49</em><br><br><strong>Sectional 4<br>No. 1 seed Waterford (24-3) vs. No. 1 seed Racine Park (25-2) at Whitefish Bay (1 p.m.)</strong><br><br>Both teams had very competitive sectional semifinal games with Waterford toppling Whitnall 56-49 and Racine Park going into overtime to beat Greenfield 73-69. These two Racine County powers each won league crowns with Waterford winning the Southern Lakes and Racine Park capturing the Southeast. <em>Racine Park 70, Waterford 63 </em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->