Biggest winners in WIAA sectional placements

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The recent revealing of sectional placements for the 2027 WIAA boys' basketball tournament left some coaches extremely pleased and others less than excited. The following is a look at five schools -- one in each division -- who came out the best with their new placements. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>DIVISION 1</strong><br><br><strong>Neenah</strong><br>There are no new schools in Division 1. In fact, just 65 schools now comprise the entire Division 1 field as eight schools dropped to Division 2. Nine schools did move from one D1 sectional to another D1 sectional so they will get the chance to play different opponents in the post season. Neenah is the biggest winner in that regard as the Rockets move from Sectional 1 to Sectional 2. Although there are plenty of very good teams in the Sectional 2 field -- Arrowhead, Brookfield East and Sheboygan North, for example -- Neenah won't have to go through the likes of D.C. Everest, Kaukauna, Kimberly and Stevens Point, which remain in Sectional 1. Bay Port and De Pere, two teams expected to again have strong teams in 2026-27, also move from Sectional 2 to Sectional 1. In nothing else, Neenah likely won't have to play as many teams from its own conference, the Fox Valley Association, in the playoffs as five of 10 teams in the league are in Sectional 1. Speaking of which, the FVA has five teams in Sectional 1 and five in Sectional 2, giving the loop a decent chance of advancing two teams to the state tournament. Meanwhile, all 10 of the teams in the Big Eight Conference remain in Sectional 3. The WIAA could easily move some of those Big Eight teams to Sectional 4 to split up the conference a bit. However, the governing body decided not to exercise that option.<br><br><strong>DIVISION 2<br><br>Homestead</strong><br>The enrollment threshold for Division 1 is 1,200 students and above. Homestead slipped to 1,161 so the Highlanders find themselves in Sectional 2 of Division 2 and thus avoid playing in that loaded Division 1, Sectional 2 field. It's an opportune time for coach Sean Criders' program to play in Division 2 as Homestead has a veteran, deep and talented squad led by Northern Illinois recruit [player_tooltip player_id='2138098' first='Michael' last='Rogers Jr.'] and sharpshooting wing [player_tooltip player_id='2140968' first='Oliver' last='Belot']. A strong junior class, led by [player_tooltip player_id='2398988' first='Nick' last='Grice'], [player_tooltip player_id='2398490' first='Ben' last='Hills'] and [player_tooltip player_id='2509484' first='Jaylen' last='Trotter'], also figure to play prominent roles for Homestead, which competes in the rugged North Shore Conference. The Highlanders, to be sure, will face some stiff competition in their sectional as defending D2 runner-up Slinger, led by the brother combination of [player_tooltip player_id='2351190' first='Jack' last='Kohnen'] and [player_tooltip player_id='2398448' first='Joey' last='Kohnen'], could square off against Homestead in a sectional semifinal. At the same time, most would agree the number of quality opponents is significantly less in Division 2, Sectional 2 than in Division 1, Sectional 2. <br><br><strong>DIVISION 3<br><br>West Salem</strong><br>The Panthers played in Division 2 the past two seasons due to the WIAA's success formula. However, despite qualifying for the state tournament for the fourth time in the past five seasons last March, West Salem's point total over a three-year span fell below the success formula criteria for staying in Division 2. And with an enrollment of 563 students, West Salem falls below the 600 and above threshold for Division 2. That leaves coach Shane Schmeling's squad in Sectional 1 of Division 3 instead of Sectional 1 of Division 2, which includes some exceptionally strong teams in La Crosse Central, Marshfield, Onalaska, River Falls and Sauk Prairie, among others. Altoona, Aquinas, Northwestern, Prescott and perhaps Gale-Ettrick-Trempealeau are landmines to navigate in West Salem's new division, but the Panthers have proven in recent years they are poised for success in the post season, both in Division 2 and Division 3. <br><br><strong>DIVISION 4<br><br>Stanley-Boyd</strong><br>The Orioles, on paper, have one of their strongest teams in recent history back for the 2026-27 season. And, after playing in Division 3 a year ago, coach Dakota Nichols finds his program among the Division 4, Sectional 2 entrants. Led by 6-foot-9 senior and North Dakota state recruit [player_tooltip player_id='2411648' first='Charlie' last='Hoel'], Stanley-Boyd immediately ranks among the favorites from Sectional 2 to advance to the state tournament. In addition to the return of Hoel, Stanley-Boyd also welcomes back [player_tooltip player_id='2696683' first='Josiah' last='Demske'] (6-7), [player_tooltip player_id='2873574' first='Brayten' last='Mallo'] (5-10) and [player_tooltip player_id='2828192' first='Brenner' last='Myers'] (6-0), among others. Sharpening their toughness throughout the regular season while competing in the Western Cloverbelt Conference figures to aid Stanley-Boyd once the playoffs roll around. And the fact league powers Fall Creek, Regis and McDonell Central are in different sectionals makes things all the more enticing for the fans of the Orioles. Still, teams like Hurley, Marathon and Saint Mary Catholic figures to be big hurdles to overcome for the Orioles in Division 4, Sectional 2. <br><br><strong>DIVISION 5<br><br>Clear Lake</strong><br>A drop of 20 students -- from 188 two years ago to 168 last year -- has cleared the way for Clear Lake to compete in Division 5 after playing last winter in Division 4. The Warriors went 20-8 a year ago and bring back three double-figure scorers in [player_tooltip player_id='2429609' first='Caleb' last='Arcand'] (6-2), [player_tooltip player_id='3019456' first='Max' last='Everts'] (6-4) and [player_tooltip player_id='3019464' first='Miles' last='Johnson'] (6-3). That level of experience makes Clear Lake among the early favorites to win Sectional 1 in Division 5. The fact Clear Lake plays in a very competitive league full of several Division 4 programs in the Dunn-St. Croix Conference should only enhance the Warriors' chances for post-season success. Drummond, Columbus Catholic, Loyal, Mellen, Prentice and Rib Lake rank among additional strong teams in Sectional 2, but Drummond in the lone school of that group to join Clear Lake in the upper-half of the bracket. <br><br><br><br></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->