Three Things to Watch
* Don’t forget about the Old Abes: Eau Claire Memorial finally may have lost a Big Rivers Conference game, but that doesn't change the Abes' status as favorites in the Division 1 sectional.
Memorial isn't as dominant as last year — it would be hard to be — but the Abes still put a ton of quality on the field. Lisa Marco, Carrie Kishaba, Emily Humphreys and friends are top-notch players.
* Impact freshmen: Second-seeded River Falls and No. 4 Eau Claire North are two teams capable of challenging the Old Abes. Both have freshmen playing key roles.
Left wing Kelsey Buchholz has emerged as one of the Huskies' top performers this season. She takes all of the team's corner kicks and also provides quality service on crosses, tallying five assists to go along with her five goals. If Buchholz and the Huskies can beat Hudson in their playoffs opener, they could set up an intriguing second-round matchup with Memorial.
A very solid River Falls team has been getting a ton of production from defensive midfielder Taylor Kizlik, a good ball-winner who distributes well for the possession-oriented Wildcats.
Keep an eye on River Falls in the bottom half of the bracket.
* Division 2 Warriors: Rice Lake has shown marked improvement this season. The Warriors ended a string of last-place finishes in the Big Rivers Conference. Rice Lake finished 2-8-2 in conference play this year, earning two wins over Menomonie and drawing with River Falls and North. The Warriors have played everyone tough and now drop down to Division 2 for the playoffs. With the experience they’ve gained against D1 teams, they have a real shot at doing some damage in the D2 bracket.
"I think we’re starting to want a little more than just showing up and playing hard," Warriors coach Mike Shomion said.
"I think if anything, it sets us up better for next year, as far as the conference. We can go in saying, 'Hey, you know you can play with these guys. So let’s take the next step — not just staying close all the time but maybe pulling out a few of these games.'"
— Joe Ziemer
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