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#1 New London (23-3) vs. #1 Milton (22-3) @ 1:35 Friday - New London has had a little easier road to the state tournament, not facing one #1 seed in regional or sectional play.  They won their playoff games by an average of 30 points, although their game against Sparta was just a 7 point game.  The Bulldog's are led by juniors Tara Knapstein and Bridget Pethke.  Knapstein, a 5-foot-10 forward averages 12.3 points and 5.1 rebounds per game while classmate Pethke averages 8.6 points per game.  No doubt New London would like to win this game and get one more chance at Luxemberg-Casco, who they finished behind in conference play.  However, Milton will do everything in their power to assure that rematch doesn't occur.  The Red Hawks are led by two forwards, senior Liz Eide (pictured) and Morgan Blumer.  Eide, who is 6-foot-2, averages 15.5 points per game while 5-foot-11 sophomore Blumer chips in another 14.8.  With the size of this Milton team, New London may have trouble stopping the Red Hawks.  

Key to the game - New London is going to have to contain Miton's "bigs."  Milton isn't a flashy team in terms of what they do, but they continue to find ways to win.

MY PICK - Milton over New London

#1 Luxemburg-Casco (25-1) vs. Whitefish Bay (21-5) @ 3:15 pm Friday -  Luxemburg-Casco seems to every year be in the conversation as a state contender and have not made it back to Madison since 2004.  They were able to defeat Kaukauna, Ashwaubenon, Fox Valley Lutheran and Beaver Dam to make the trip down to Madison.  The Spartans are led by 6-foot-1 senior Janelle VandenPlas (pictured) who averages 22.1 points and 6.7 rebounds per game.  She just scored her 1000th point last week, which is impressive considering she missed all but one game her freshman and sophomore year due to a knee injury.  Classmate, Kelsey Joniaux adds another 10.3 points and 3.1 assists for the Spartans.  They offensively average 58 points per game while only give up 34 points per game.  Whitefish Bay is coming off possibly the upset of the tournament, a 44-42 victory over defending D2 state champions, New Berlin Eisenhower.  Bay has size themselves in leading scorers, Maya Jonas (6-foot-1 freshman) and Elisabeth Johnston (5-foot-10 sophomore).  Jonas is averaging 11.3 points per game and just gets better each time she steps on the court. Johnston averages 10.1 more for the Blue Dukes, who don't average as many points per game as L-C at 42.3 points per game, but are similar in what they allow at 32.8 points per game.  

Key to the game - Defense on the bigs.  Whichever team can contain the other team's posts will prevail.  Both teams are led by identically sized players.  Experience should give L-C the edge.

MY PICK - Luxemburg-Casco over Whitefish Bay