Fall Creek enters season ranked No. 1 among Division 3 schools
posted by Mark Miller at 11/2/2009
By Mark Miller
WisSports.net Editor Private schools, more specifically Racine St. Catherine’s (three times), Whitefish Bay Dominican (twice) and La Crosse Aquinas (once), have won the last six state championships at the WIAA Division 3 level.
That impressive streak may be coming to an end in 2009-10.
With all five starters back from a club that went 21-5 and lost to St. Catherine’s in the state semifinals, Fall Creek enters the season as the top-ranked team among Division 3 schools in the upcoming edition of the Wisconsin Basketball Yearbook, which will hit the streets in mid November.
In addition, third-ranked Blair-Taylor and fourth-ranked Cuba City also boast highly competitive teams that are more than capable of ending the private-school title streak at the Division 3 level.
St. Catherine’s, which has won three of the last four Division 3 titles after capturing the Division 2 crown in 2005, lost nine seniors off of last year’s team that beat Aquinas in the state finals and finished 25-2. At the same time, longtime coach Bob Letsch returns an elite-level player in point guard Steve McWhorter, who recently gave a verbal commitment to play at NCAA Division I Indiana State.
Fall Creek is led by a pair of talented wing forwards in 6-foot-6 Jordan Reetz and 6-5 Luke Tweed. Both are versatile, experienced players who can score, rebound, defend and pass. Seniors Matt Dickinsen, Cullen Haldeman and Andy Kragness also return to the starting rotation for coach Rick Storlie.
The Crickets will get all they can handle, both in the Cloverbelt West and potentially in their sectional, from rival Eau Claire Regis, which enters the new campaign ranked No. 2 in the state and features a talented lineup that includes seniors Adam Ganske and Jack Eaton, along with junior Connor Miller.
Indeed, the highly anticipated league matchups, not to mention a potential sectional final, pitting Fall Creek against Regis will be among the hottest tickets in the state this season. Fall Creek plays at Regis on Dec. 22 before hosting the Ramblers on Feb. 11. Both games are no doubt already circled on the calendar of Fall Creek and Regis fans.
Blair-Taylor returns the bulk of its lineup from a club that went 23-3 and lost to eventual state champion Benton in the WIAA Division 4 state semifinals. Coach Randy Storlie, the brother of Fall Creek’s Rick Storlie, has three double-figure scorers back in Cody Cartrette, Hank Kujak and Lucas Howe.
Cuba City is led by high-scoring and athletic wing guard Evan Richard, a UW-Milwaukee recruit who possesses a 39-inch vertical leap. Seniors Derek Tranel, Wells Kaiser and Brandon Stecklein also return to the starting rotation for the Cubans, who went 22-2 last season under veteran coach Jerry Petitgoue.
The 25th edition of the Wisconsin Basketball Yearbook will be shipped in mid November. Over the next several days, we’ll release the preseason team rankings that appear in this year’s edition of the WBY, which includes conference-by-conference previews, hundreds of photos, statistics, rosters, schedules, team and player rankings and much, much more.
To order your copy of the WBY, simply go to
www.wishoops.net and click on the ordering info link next to the cover of this year’s edition.
And now, here are the preseason team rankings for Division 3:
1. Fall Creek … Five starters return from a club that advanced to the WIAA Division 3 State Tournament.
2. Eau Claire Regis … Ramblers figure to slug it out with Fall Creek in the Cloverbelt West once again in 2009-10.
3. Blair-Taylor … Blair-Taylor makes the move from Division 4 to Division 3 with a veteran lineup.
4. Cuba City … Milwaukee recruit Evan Richard and point guard Derek Tranel lead a veteran lineup.
5. Whitefish Bay Dominican … Traditionally tough Knights figure to rely on toughness and young talent in 2009-10.
6. Viroqua … Defending Coulee Conference champions return two first-team all-conference selections in Joseph Poshepny and Beny Collins.
7. Racine St. Catherine’s … Angels lost nine seniors to graduation, but return an elite guard in senior Steve McWhorter.
8. Winnebago Lutheran … Senior-dominated Vikings eager for success in the Wisconsin Flyway Conference.
9. Brillion … Longtime coach Peter Kittel has plenty of size and skill on his deep roster.
10. Brookfield Academy … North Dakota recruit Troy Huff and junior Frederick Willis lead the way for the Blue Knights.
HONORABLE MENTION: Algoma, Amherst, Auburndale, Cambridge, Cameron, Colby, Colfax, Crandon, Darlington, Flambeau, Gillett, Heritage Christian, Hurley, Kenosha Christian, Ladysmith, Marathon, Necedah, Neillsville, Oostburg, Poynette, Roncalli, Saint Croix Central, Saint Croix Falls, The Prairie School, Three Lakes, Washburn, Westby, Weyauwega-Fremont, Whitehall, Wild Rose, Wisconsin Heights.
Comments 13
On
11/2/2009 1:04:34 PM
rockets06 wrote:
This is ridiculous - Cedar Grove makes it to the Quarters and loses to the eventual State Champs and do not get evenan honorable mention ranking while Oostburg does - who lost second round and CG finished above in Conference and also a team like Colby who lost second round. Baffles me.
On
11/2/2009 1:38:03 PM
MarkMiller wrote:
The Central Lakeshore Conference coaches voted Sheboygan Christian No. 1 in the league followed by Oostburg. Cedar Grove lost two double-figure scorers to graduation and actually tied Oostburg for second place in the CLC a year ago. In addition, Oostburg's JV team won 10 more games than Cedar Grove last season.
On
11/2/2009 2:05:04 PM
Ridin24 wrote:
Mark makes a valid point. And besides, its only Honorable Mention. And its the pre-season rankings. They don't mean anything. Nobody has played any games. Everybody has the same record. Pretty soon its the way they play that will have to do prove their status
On
11/2/2009 2:06:32 PM
Ridin24 wrote:
Also the rankings aren't like the BCS. Rankings don't get you to sectionals or state; wins do.
On
11/2/2009 6:47:03 PM
db_11 wrote:
No Laconia? I thought they were supposed to be tough again this year.
On
11/2/2009 7:51:08 PM
AL_Bundy wrote:
Is anyone else having problems getting on the forum web page. I cant cget on. I agree with everyones thoughts. All that matters is who wins their last game/
On
11/2/2009 8:37:37 PM
ths09 wrote:
rockets06,
Colby lost in the second round but were undefeated and the number 2 team in the state. They woulda destroyed Cedar Grove Belgium last year so that was a ridiculous statement
On
11/2/2009 10:59:47 PM
rockets06 wrote:
You do not know that Colby would have beat the Rockets or not... Rockets lost to number 1 and Colby lost to number 2... I understand the Rockets finsihing 3rd in Conference, but I would have thought that knowing Christain will be near the top of D4 and Oostburg getting votes, CG would also. I understand, I am just saying... Another point was that they did lose two double digit scorers but they return Jesse Anderson and he had a big year with supporters around him.
On
11/2/2009 11:01:33 PM
rockets06 wrote:
Colby lost two double digit scorers in Rahm and Sebold and also lost other contributing seniors.
On
11/3/2009 8:19:24 AM
sportsfan wrote:
Yes Rockets06, there are some questionable Honorable Mention listings....but it's only pre-season. Let's check back after 10 or so games into the season and see where everyone is. But these sure are fun to discuss!
On
11/3/2009 5:27:14 PM
1clcfan wrote:
Easy Rocket06 This is Honorable Mention in a preseason poll.Wait until the end of December to complain about the polls.
On
11/4/2009 9:16:57 PM
ths09 wrote:
i agree that colby doesnt deserve to be in the preseason rankings this year. They lost their entire starting 5 and a couple important subs. I was just saying that you saying that they werent that good last year cuz they lost in second round is ridiculous
On
11/12/2009 10:42:57 AM
sportsfan wrote:
I'm surprised that Roncali isn't ranked higher....did they lose much from their state team?
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