Playoffs begin for local teams

The Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association girls basketball playoffs begin today for three local teams.

Superior, in Division 1, and Northwood and South Shore, in Division 5, all had byes for Tuesday’s first-round games. All three teams are among the favorites in their brackets, and all three hope to advance deep into the playoffs.

Superior Spartans

The Superior girls finished the regular season with a loss to Hayward, the Spartans’ first loss of the season to a Wisconsin team. Superior’s other two losses came to Minnesota teams ranked among the top in the state — DeLaSalle and Eden Prairie.

The loss dropped Superior from sixth to ninth among Division 1 schools in this week’s AP poll, but head coach Phil Roe is not worried about his team

“I think the loss against Hayward actually helped us focus on a few areas we could improve upon as a team and in a weird way probably helped us have two of our best weeks of practice heading into (tonight’s) game,” Roe said.

Superior claimed the Lake Superior Conference title with a perfect 8-0 record and finished with a 19-3 record in regular season play, including 8-1 against Wisconsin opponents. Two of Superior’s three losses came just over a week apart in February.

The Spartans play Hudson at 7 p.m. today in Superior. Hudson, the No. 8 seed, defeated Wausau East 61-39 Tuesday night.

If the Superior wins the Spartans will host the winner of the Eau Claire North and Wausau West game on Saturday. Wausau West is the No. 4 seed, while ECN is the No. 5 seed.

“The girls have gotten a lot better over the course of the season, and we are excited to be the first Spartan girls team to have the No. 1 seed and to have the opportunity to play two home games,” Roe said. “Hudson is a good, scrappy team who has played some really close games with the Big Rivers champs, Chippewa Falls and Eau Claire North. The girls are prepared both mentally and physically for challenge.”

Spartan Girls Basketball

2012-13 Regular Season

Tue., Dec. 4 — Duluth Denfeld W, 80-27

Tue., Dec. 11 — Eau Claire North W, 63-59

Thu., Dec. 13 — Proctor W, 79-17

Fri., Dec. 14 — Chisago Lakes W, 65-39

Tue., Dec. 18 — Duluth Denfeld W, 61-38

Fri., Dec. 21 — Chippewa Falls W, 61-59

Thu., Dec. 27 — Wausau West W, 66-57

Fri., Dec. 28 — D.C. Everest W, 59-56

Thu., Jan. 3 — Ashland W, 63-47

Tue., Jan. 8 — Hermantown W, 66-31

Tue., Jan. 15 — Cloquet W, 79-50

Fri., Jan. 18 — Eden Prairie L, 66-48

Sat., Jan. 26 — Eau Claire Memorial W, 64-63

Mon., Jan. 28 — Duluth Marshall W, 76-32

Thu., Jan. 31 — Duluth East W, 75-45

Fri., Feb. 1 — Grand Rapids (Minn.) W, 85-52

Mon., Feb. 4 — Esko (Minn.) W, 65-63

Thu., Feb. 7 — Ashland W,69-29

Sat., Feb. 9 — DeLasalle L, 77-61

Tue., Feb. 12 — Duluth East W, 82-50

Thu., Feb. 14 — Rice Lake W, 74-51

Mon., Feb. 18 — Hayward L, 40-38

Northwood Evergreens

The Northwood girls could have a rematch looming in the playoffs with two of the three teams that defeated them in the regular season. South Shore, which defeated Northwood 53-44, would face the Evergreens in the sectional semifinals in Hayward if both teams win out. South Shore in the No. 1 seed in the northern half of the sectional bracket, while Northwood is the No. 2 seed.

If Northwood advances to the sectional finals, the Evergreens could face a rematch with Clayton. The Evergreens and Bears split their regular season games and finished tied for second in the Lakeland Central Conference.

Clayton earned a No. 1 seed in the southern half of the bracket. Owen-Withee, a 2012 state qualifier, holds the other No. 1 seed and is a favorite to return to state. Owen-Withee defeated Northwood in the sectional finals last season, 58-35.

Northwood takes on Winter today to open the playoffs. Winter, the No. 7 seed, defeated No. 10-seed Bayfield 57-44 on Tuesday.

In the lower half of the bracket, Owen-Withee and Clayton rolled to big wins. Owen-Withee defeated Rib Lake 70-17, and Clayton downed New Auburn 80-2.

Northwood Girls Basketball

2012-13 Regular Season

Tue., Nov. 27 — Luck W, 49-42 (3 OT)

Fri., Nov. 30 — Solon Springs W, 74-39

Tue., Dec. 4 — Drummond W, 32-30

Fri., Dec. 7 — Cameron L, 73-30

Tue., Dec. 11 — Clayton L, 33-22

Fri., Dec. 14 — Clear Lake W, 63-36

Tue., Dec. 18 — Shell Lake W, 46-34

Thu., Dec. 20 — Turtle Lake W, 49-24

Thu., Dec. 27 — Nekoosa L, 40-33

Fri., Jan. 4 — Webster W, 68-18

Fri., Jan. 11 — Frederic W, 63-25

Tue., Jan. 15 — South Shore L, 53-44

Fri., Jan. 18 — Prairie Farm W, 57-28

Sat., Jan. 19 — Siren W, 55-40

Tue., Jan. 22 — Shell Lake W, 53-28

Thu., Jan. 24 — Cameron L, 69-48

Fri., Feb. 1 — Clear Lake W, 77-30

Tue., Feb. 5 — Clayton W, 40-33

Thu., Feb. 7 — Turtle Lake W, 47-25

Tue., Feb. 12 — Flambeau W, 65-44

Fri., Feb. 15 — Prairie Farm W, 55-18

Thu., Feb. 21 — Ashland L, 37-33

South Shore Cardinals

The Cardinals are also hoping for a rematch in the playoffs. Northwood defeated South Shore 53-47 last season in a WIAA Division 5 regional final game.

During the regular season the Cardinals took their first step toward avenging that loss by defeating Northwood 53-44 in Minong. Northwood trailed just 44-41 with 2:05 to go, but the Cardinals pulled away at the free-throw line in the final minutes.

South Shore takes on No. 8 seeded Shell Lake today. The Lakers defeated Washburn 51-46 Tuesday.

If the Cardinals win, they will host either No. 4-seeded Luck or No. 5-seeded Siren on Saturday.

South Shore Girls Basketball

2012-13 Regular Season

Tue. Nov. 27 — Chequamegon W, 62-34

Fri. Dec. 7 — Washburn W, 63-26

Tue. Dec. 11 — Solon Springs W, 90-47

Fri. Dec. 14 — Butternut W, 83-18

Fri. Dec. 21 — Drummond W, 51-29

Thu. Dec. 27 — Butternut W, 80-16

Fri. Dec. 28 — Phelps W, 59-44

Fri. Jan. 4 — Bayfield W, 74-43

Tue. Jan. 8 —Mercer W, 93-33

Fri. Jan. 11 — Hurley W, 73-61

Tue. Jan. 15 — Northwood W, 53-44

Thu. Jan. 17 — Cromwell W, 83-49

Fri. Jan. 18 — Ironwood W, 71-20

Thu. Jan. 24 — Wakefield-Marenisco W, 94-17

Mon. Jan. 28 — Mellen W, 81-41

Thu. Jan. 31 — Washburn W, 47-19

Mon. Feb. 4 — Solon Springs W, 96-41

Mon. Feb. 11 — Drummond W, 63-43

Tue. Feb. 12 — Butternut W, 97-13

Thu. Feb. 14 — Bayfield W, 98-23

Tue. Feb. 19 — Chequamegon W, 61-41

Fri. Feb. 22 — Bessemer W, 78-23

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