Will C-FC Be A-OK With a Trip to the Resch? A Preview of Girls Division Four Sectional Three

2008 RECAP
This was the definitive "five-set thriller" sectional as no fewer than four key matches were decided in the maximum number of sets. For starters, Potosi defeated Spring Valley in the sectional final with a 15-12 fifth set victory. One round earlier, Spring Valley beat Royall in a sectional semifinal with a 17-15 fifth set victory. And one round earlier still, Spring Valley topped Cochrane-Fountain City with a 15-13 fifth set victory. Meanwhile, in the other sectional semifinal, Potosi outlasted Weston in a 15-9 fifth set victory. Phew, it wears us out just typing about it. (Note: We had a really tough time finding all-conference lists for most of the schools in this sectional so it was equally tough finding players to watch. Any help with lists or names would be greatly appreciated.)

2009 CONTENDERS AND RANDOM NOTES

Regional A

• Alma The Rivermen graduated Maggie Grisen, who had received first-team Dairyland all-conference honors last season. However, they return senior Ali Ritscher, who was honorable mention Dairyland all-conference in 2008.
  
• Cochrane-Fountain City Senior Erica Willadsen was a unanimous first-team Dairyland all-conference selection last season. She has more than 1,100 career kills in her three seasons of high school volleyball, including 30+ kills in the aforementioned five-set loss to Spring Valley in the regional final. She's also an outstanding backrow player. Senior Katie Baures and junior Kelly McCamley were second-team Dairyland all-conference last season.
• Elmwood The Raiders lost to Spring Valley in the first round of last season's playoffs. They're in the Dunn-St. Croix Small conference.
• Gilmanton The Panthers will look to senior Erin Davis, an honorable mention Dairyland all-conference selection last season. They had the thankless task of facing a tough Cochrane-Fountain City squad in the first round of last season's playoffs.
  
• Independence It'll be a senior-led season for the Indees: Senior Stephanie Walek was first-team Dairyland all-conference last season, while senior Calla Nelson made second-team and senior Brittany Dascher honorable mention.
• Pepin Unfortunately, we can't find an all-conference list for the Dunn St. Croix Small conference so we don't have much on the Lakers.
  
• Plum City The Blue Devils are also in the Dunn St. Croix Small conference. They defeated Pepin in the first round of last season's playoffs before falling to Spring Valley.
  

Regional B

• Cashton The Eagles are in the Scenic Bluffs conference and took No. 2 seed Royall to four sets in the first round of last season's playoffs.
  
• De Soto We're light on specifics about the Pirates or how they stack up in this regional or the Ridge & Valley conference, but the link will take you to a roster page and we assume it's somewhat current. In last season's playoffs, they took No. 3 seed North Crawford to four sets in the first round.
  
• Hillsboro The Tigers are perennial favorites within this sectional and the Scenic Bluffs conference. Last season, they lost to Royall in the regional final. Junior outside Taylor Peterson and junior DS Julie Stekel went to the Resch as freshmen in 2007.
  
• Kickapoo We need more information on this Ridge & Valley conference team.
  
• La Farge The Wildcats are in the Ridge & Valley conference.
• New Lisbon The Rockets are in the Scenic Bluffs conference.
• North Crawford They made it to the second round last season before falling to Royall.
  
• Royall The Panthers are are a favorite in the Scenic Bluffs conference, as well as this regional. They'll likely rely heavily on junior Hailey Brown, who was honorable mention all-state last season.

Regional C

• Cassville We need more information on this Six Rivers West conference team.
• Highland They're also in the Six Rivers West conference and were one of only two conference teams to take a set from Potosi during the regular season (the other was Shullsburg). They feature junior middle Kendall Wienkes.
• Ithaca We need more information on this Ridge & Valley conference team.
• River Ridge We need more information on this Six Rivers West conference team.
• Seneca We need more information on this Six Rivers West conference team.
• Wauzeka-Steuben They're in the Ridge & Valley conference.
• Weston The Silver Eagles defeated Seneca last season for the regional title and took Potosi to five games in their sectional meeting. They lost two Ridge & Valley all-conference performers, but return senior all-conference players Hilary Frey and Lindsay Escher, along with two junior starters (thanks, anonymous).
• Wonewoc-Center We need more information on this Scenic Bluffs conference team.

Regional D

• Argyle We need more information on this Six Rivers East conference team.
• Barneveld We need more information on this Six Rivers East conference team.
• Belmont We need more information on this Six Rivers West conference team.
• Pecatonica The Vikings had a five-set thriller of their own in last season's playoffs, winning their first-round match over Belmont with a 15-11 fifth-set outcome.
• Potosi The Chieftains reached the Resch last season in the aforementioned thrilling fashion, but have graduated many of their statistical leaders from 2008, including two first-team Six Rivers selections in Danielle Flesch and Teresa Ellskamp. Senior middle Brianna Reising (138 kills in 2008) and senior outside Katie Reynolds (207 kills in 2008) will likely be asked to pick up much of the burden.
• Shullsburg They took a set from Potosi last season in their Six Rivers West conference match, which was quite an accomplishment since they were one of only two teams to do so. In the 2008 playoffs, they reached the second round. They feature junior setter Anna Burgess and middle Jayde Russell.
  
• Southwestern Two years ago, junior setter/outside Haley Jansen and junior middle Amy Tranel were honorable mention SWAL all-conference as freshmen. Last year, both moved up to first-team as sophomores.
  

OUR PREDICTION
Cochrane-Fountain City over Potosi in, you guessed it, five incredibly competitive sets.

2009 KEY LINKS

• WVCA Division 4 Scores
• Rosters (to come)

2009 SEASON NOTES

• Southwestern junior Amy Tranel named "Prep Huddle Hero" by Madison.com, 9/1/09