Division 1 Semifinal Recap: 2026 WIAA State Tournament

Appleton North gave Wisconsin Lutheran all it could handle Friday evening at the Kohl Center in Madison. But in the end, the unbeaten and nationally ranked Vikings of Wisconsin Lutheran had just enough to hold off the hard-charging Lightning 68-61 in a Division 1 semifinal of the 2026 WIAA State Tournament. Appleton North, making its first ever trip to the state tournament, shot 51 percent from the field, made seven three-point shots and committed only four turnovers against a Wisconsin Lutheran squad that started two 6-foot-7 players in [player_tooltip player_id='1552512' first='Zavier' last='Zens'] and [player_tooltip player_id='2613959' first='Kinston' last='Knueppel'], a 6-8 player in [player_tooltip player_id='2839409' first='Jamail' last='Sewell'] and a 6-10 forward in [player_tooltip player_id='2140949' first='Kager' last='Knueppel']. The two-time defending state champion Vikings, who improved to 29-0 under coach Ryan Walz, led 37-27 at intermission and stretched its lead to 12 points on a couple of occasions early in the second half. But Appleton North's resilient group fought tooth-and-nail with the Vikings and played with poise, inspiration and grit to keep it close until the end. The Lighting of coach Chris Kellett got as close as 53-51 with 5:42 left on a pair of free throws from talented sophomore wing [player_tooltip player_id='2447768' first='Matt' last='Rosplochowski'], but could get no closer the rest of the way as Wisconsin Lutheran made its foul shots and got a big steal and dunk from Zens to stay in front. Zens, who was named by the Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association as the 2026 recipient of the Mr. Basketball award on Thursday, had 21 points, four rebounds, three assists and two steals while proving to be a matchup problem with his ability to score from the perimeter and in the paint. It seemed every time Appleton North was putting game pressure on Wisconsin Lutheran, Zens responded with a big basket, a big assist or a big steal. [player_tooltip player_id='2613959' first='Kinston' last='Knueppel'] played one of his better games of the season for Wisconsin Lutheran by finishing with 20 points and four rebounds while [player_tooltip player_id='2140949' first='Kager' last='Knueppel'] contributed 17 points, eight rebounds, two assists, two blocked shots and a steal. Wisconsin Lutheran shot 60 percent for the game despite playing against a determined, prepared and physical Appleton North defense. Rosplochowski had 18 points while senior guard [player_tooltip player_id='1561874' first='Nathan' last='Ramus'] led Appleton North with 20 points. Senior [player_tooltip player_id='1561879' first='Will' last='Sweeney'] added 12 points while senior [player_tooltip player_id='1561908' first='Grant' last='Hardy'] had four points, four rebounds and three assists while also playing with impressive energy and smarts on defense. Appleton North's seven-point setback was the closest a Wisconsin team has come to beating Wisconsin Lutheran so far this season. The Vikings, who won their four playoff games prior to the state tournament by an average of 46 points, move on to play Madison Memorial in the Division 1 state-title game. BOXSCORE Appleton North (27-34 = 61) Sweeney 12, Rosplochowski 18, Ramus 20, Hardy 4, Zdzieblowski 2, Ryan 5, Arft 0, Kuehl 0. Three-point field goals: Rosplochowski 3, Ramus 2, Ryan 1, Sweeney 1. FT: 10-15. Fouled out: None. Record: 24-5. Wisconsin Lutheran (37-31 = 68) Ka. Knueppel 17, Walz 2, Zens 21, Sewell 4, Ki. Knueppel 20, Tranberg 4, Newman 0, Hahn 0. Three-point field goals: Ka. Knueppel 2, Zens 1, Ki. Knueppel 1, Tranberg 1. FT: 15-19. Fouled out: None. Record: 29-0. Madison Memorial 75, De Pere 62 Madison Memorial tied a WIAA State Tournament record for most three-point field goals made in a Division 1 game by making 12 shots from distance en route to a convincing state semifinal win over De Pere. Madison Memorial (27-2) shot a remarkable 71 percent from outside the arc (12 of 17) and got 22 points and six triples from senior guard [player_tooltip player_id='1756988' first='Anthony' last='Miller'] to turn back De Pere, which ends its season with a 25-4 record. Coach Steve Collins' Spartans seized control of the game early in the second half on baskets from freshman [player_tooltip player_id='2450160' first='Lavonte' last='Johnson'] and senior [player_tooltip player_id='2495043' first='Andrew' last='Braun'], along with a triple from Miller. [player_tooltip player_id='1561947' first='Caleb' last='Liggon'] hit a triple with 7:46 left to extend the Spartans' lead to double digits at 55-43 and De Pere could not get its deficit under 10 points the rest of the game. In addition to Miller's 22 points, Madison Memorial got 20 points, seven rebounds and four assists from Bradley University baseball recruit [player_tooltip player_id='1561947' first='Caleb' last='Liggon']. Braun, who will play college basketball next year at Lawrence University in Appleton, added 10 points, eight rebounds and three assists while junior [player_tooltip player_id='2460859' first='Kimyora' last='Cross Jr']. (6-5) came off the bench to score 15 points and grab seven rebounds. De Pere was led by senior guard [player_tooltip player_id='2400483' first='Jack' last='Bookter'], who finished with 19 points, and junior [player_tooltip player_id='2502918' first='Will' last='Krueger'], who had 13 points and seven rebounds. The Redbirds were outscored 17-4 in bench points. BOXSCORE Madison Memorial (33-42 = 75) Miller 22, Braun 10, C. Liggon 20, Johnson 2, Slack 4, Cross 15, Lisowski-Semb 2, Carreon 0, Banyai 0, Prosser 0, Sims 0, Ingersoll 0, Runde 0, Boyd 0. Three-point field goals: Miller 6, Liggon 4, Braun 1, Cross 1. FT: 13-19. Fouled out: None. Record: 27-2. De Pere (32-30 = 62) Maniscalco 11, Bookter 19, Krueger 13, Herlache 11, Reimer 4, Cohen 4, Miller 0, Gregoire 0, Gichobi 0, W. Frelich 0, Hansen 0, W. Frelich 0, Graff 0. Three-point field goals: Herlache 3, Krueger 2, Maniscalco 2, Bookter 2. FT: 11-13. Fouled out: None. Record: 25-4.

Appleton North gave Wisconsin Lutheran all it could handle Friday evening at the Kohl Center in Madison.

But in the end, the unbeaten and nationally ranked Vikings of Wisconsin Lutheran had just enough to hold off the hard-charging Lightning 68-61 in a Division 1 semifinal of the 2026 WIAA State Tournament.

Appleton North, making its first ever trip to the state tournament, shot 51 percent from the field, made seven three-point shots and committed only four turnovers against a Wisconsin Lutheran squad that started two 6-foot-7 players in Zavier Zens Zavier Zens 6'7" | SF Wisconsin Lutheran | 2026 State WI and Kinston Knueppel Kinston Knueppel 6'7" | SF/SG Wisconsin Lutheran | 2028 State #70 Nation WI , a 6-8 player in Jamail Sewell Jamail Sewell 6'8" | SF/PF Wisconsin Lutheran | 2027 WI and a 6-10 forward in Kager Knueppel Kager Knueppel 6'10" | SF/SG Wisconsin Lutheran | 2027 State #71 Nation WI .

The two-time defending state champion Vikings, who improved to 29-0 under coach Ryan Walz, led 37-27 at intermission and stretched its lead to 12 points on a couple of occasions early in the second half.

But Appleton North's resilient group fought tooth-and-nail with the Vikings and played with poise, inspiration and grit to keep it close until the end.

The Lighting of coach Chris Kellett got as close as 53-51 with 5:42 left on a pair of free throws from talented sophomore wing Matt Rosplochowski Matt Rosplochowski 6'2" | SG/PG Appleton North | 2028 State WI , but could get no closer the rest of the way as Wisconsin Lutheran made its foul shots and got a big steal and dunk from Zens to stay in front.

Zens, who was named by the Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association as the 2026 recipient of the Mr. Basketball award on Thursday, had 21 points, four rebounds, three assists and two steals while proving to be a matchup problem with his ability to score from the perimeter and in the paint. It seemed every time Appleton North was putting game pressure on Wisconsin Lutheran, Zens responded with a big basket, a big assist or a big steal.

Kinston Knueppel Kinston Knueppel 6'7" | SF/SG Wisconsin Lutheran | 2028 State #70 Nation WI played one of his better games of the season for Wisconsin Lutheran by finishing with 20 points and four rebounds while Kager Knueppel Kager Knueppel 6'10" | SF/SG Wisconsin Lutheran | 2027 State #71 Nation WI contributed 17 points, eight rebounds, two assists, two blocked shots and a steal.

Wisconsin Lutheran shot 60 percent for the game despite playing against a determined, prepared and physical Appleton North defense.

Rosplochowski had 18 points while senior guard Nathan Ramus Nathan Ramus 6'2" | PG/SG Appleton North | 2026 State WI led Appleton North with 20 points. Senior Will Sweeney Will Sweeney 5'10" | PG Appleton North | 2026 State WI added 12 points while senior Grant Hardy Grant Hardy 6'4" | SF/SG Appleton North | 2026 State WI had four points, four rebounds and three assists while also playing with impressive energy and smarts on defense.

Appleton North's seven-point setback was the closest a Wisconsin team has come to beating Wisconsin Lutheran so far this season. The Vikings, who won their four playoff games prior to the state tournament by an average of 46 points, move on to play Madison Memorial in the Division 1 state-title game.

BOXSCORE

Appleton North (27-34 = 61)
Sweeney 12, Rosplochowski 18, Ramus 20, Hardy 4, Zdzieblowski 2, Ryan 5, Arft 0, Kuehl 0. Three-point field goals: Rosplochowski 3, Ramus 2, Ryan 1, Sweeney 1. FT: 10-15. Fouled out: None. Record: 24-5.
Wisconsin Lutheran (37-31 = 68)
Ka. Knueppel 17, Walz 2, Zens 21, Sewell 4, Ki. Knueppel 20, Tranberg 4, Newman 0, Hahn 0. Three-point field goals: Ka. Knueppel 2, Zens 1, Ki. Knueppel 1, Tranberg 1. FT: 15-19. Fouled out: None. Record: 29-0.

Madison Memorial 75, De Pere 62

Madison Memorial tied a WIAA State Tournament record for most three-point field goals made in a Division 1 game by making 12 shots from distance en route to a convincing state semifinal win over De Pere.

Madison Memorial (27-2) shot a remarkable 71 percent from outside the arc (12 of 17) and got 22 points and six triples from senior guard Anthony Miller Anthony Miller 6'0" | SG Madison Memorial | 2026 State WI to turn back De Pere, which ends its season with a 25-4 record.

Coach Steve Collins' Spartans seized control of the game early in the second half on baskets from freshman Lavonte Johnson Lavonte Johnson 6'5" | SF Madison Memorial | 2029 State WI and senior Andrew Braun Andrew Braun 6'2" | SG/PG Madison Memorial | 2026 State WI , along with a triple from Miller.

Caleb Liggon Caleb Liggon 6'5" | SG/PG Madison Memorial | 2026 State WI hit a triple with 7:46 left to extend the Spartans' lead to double digits at 55-43 and De Pere could not get its deficit under 10 points the rest of the game.

In addition to Miller's 22 points, Madison Memorial got 20 points, seven rebounds and four assists from Bradley University baseball recruit Caleb Liggon Caleb Liggon 6'5" | SG/PG Madison Memorial | 2026 State WI . Braun, who will play college basketball next year at Lawrence University in Appleton, added 10 points, eight rebounds and three assists while junior KJ Cross Jr KJ Cross Jr 6'5" | PF Madison Memorial | 2027 State WI . (6-5) came off the bench to score 15 points and grab seven rebounds.

De Pere was led by senior guard Jack Bookter Jack Bookter 5'11" | SG De Pere | 2026 State WI , who finished with 19 points, and junior Will Krueger Will Krueger 6'5" | SF/PG De Pere | 2027 State WI , who had 13 points and seven rebounds. The Redbirds were outscored 17-4 in bench points.

BOXSCORE

Madison Memorial (33-42 = 75)
Miller 22, Braun 10, C. Liggon 20, Johnson 2, Slack 4, Cross 15, Lisowski-Semb 2, Carreon 0, Banyai 0, Prosser 0, Sims 0, Ingersoll 0, Runde 0, Boyd 0. Three-point field goals: Miller 6, Liggon 4, Braun 1, Cross 1. FT: 13-19. Fouled out: None. Record: 27-2.
De Pere (32-30 = 62)
Maniscalco 11, Bookter 19, Krueger 13, Herlache 11, Reimer 4, Cohen 4, Miller 0, Gregoire 0, Gichobi 0, W. Frelich 0, Hansen 0, W. Frelich 0, Graff 0. Three-point field goals: Herlache 3, Krueger 2, Maniscalco 2, Bookter 2. FT: 11-13. Fouled out: None. Record: 25-4.