A few local and area teams are still alive in the WIAA Boys Basketball Tournament.
Starting with Division 3, the top-seeded and yet unbeaten Kiel Raiders dispatched Denmark and Little Chute with little resistance to being named regional champs, but their path to Madison will get much more difficult in the Sectional round. They will be squaring off with the #2 seed, Xavier, at Brillion High School. Then, if they win, they will face either the #1 seed, Freedom, or the #2 seed, Southern Door, which will be squaring off at Green Bay Preble.
In Division 4, the Cinderella story of the postseason has been Roncalli. The Jets had to get through #11 Markesan, #3 Howards Grove, and #7 Laconia just so they could face the Goliath of the bracket, #1 Kohler. The Blue Bombers have won each of their first two games by at least 19 points, including a 102-80 route of St. Mary Springs. The Jets and Bombers will square off at Two Rivers High School in the Sectional Semifinals.
In Division 5, Reedsville has shown why they are the #1 seed. They knocked off Valley Christian, Goodman/Pembine, and Florance each by at least 30 points. They will now square off against the two seed, Lourdes Academy, in a game that will be played in Pulaski. Lourdes dominated their way to the regional final, where Gillett put up a fight, but the Knights were able to pull out a 3-point win.
In Division 2, it is another battle of #1 vs #2. The second-seeded Plymouth squad bulldozed their way through Menasha and Notre Dame, while top-seeded Ashwaubenon had little trouble getting through Marinette and Pulaski. The Panthers and Jaguars will do battle for a spot in the sectional finals in Ashwaubenon.
Finally, in Division 1, De Pere has proven why they are the #1 seed. They easily dispatched Green Bay Preble and Fond Du Lac en route to the sectional round. They will be facing a 4th-seeded Homestead team that knocked off Manitowoc Lincoln and eeked out a three-point win over Hamilton. That game will be played at Sheboygan South, while on the other side of the bracket, #5 Kaukauna will be facing the #1 seed, Marshfield. The Galloping Ghosts trotted their way through Wausau West and Appleton East while the Rams took down Chippewa Falls and Kimberly. That game will be played at Waupaca.
All sectional semifinal games will begin at 7:00 this Thursday, with the Sectional Finals scheduled for this Saturday, where the state tournament competitors will be determined.