WBB: Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[stoutguy]

It isn't unusual for the SIDs to simply pick last year's winner to be the favorite so Stout's droping to fourth may show how much of an impact losing Duoss has in the minds of the SIDs.   Of course how good the SIDs are at predicting the winner is a subject open to debate.  But it's interesting to see their reaction.

I'm really anxious to see the WARHAWK team this year.  We should be very competitive. 

I think the SID's are making way too much of Duoss not being there and way too little of Mark Thomas still there.  I think WW will be very good along with EC and Stout will find a way to be there as well.  RF, Oshkosh, Superior, Platteville, and Point, and even La Crosse I think will be off the pace of these teams.

[bulk19]

buf -
Yep. Angie Foschi did decide to hang up her shoes, having had two ACL surgeries over her playing career... Last night, during the team's intrasquad game, she was on the bench as a student assistant coach; she  hopes to pursue coaching at some point...

Re recent posts here regarding Ashley Imperiale: Yep, the first-team all-state guard plans to transfer from UWL to UW-Milwaukee, to try to make it as a walk on (as confirmed in today's La Crosse Tribune)...

[UWRF]

Ha oops my bad with the mix up there on the records should have read closer.

Interesting piece of info uncovered tonight at the scrimmage... Kim Sorenson was not there.  A roster hasn't been announced so im not sure if her absence was due to a scheduling conflict or the fact she is no longer with the team. Kelsie Flanscha was not with the team as expected. 

If the Sorenson absence was legit it could be a REALLY long season for the Falcons.  Without her you are probably looking at the team in the cellar of the WIAC (possibly even with her). 

They struggled tonight... though the press looked good against the scout team 

[billys]

It isn't unusual for the SIDs to simply pick last year's winner to be the favorite so Stout's droping to fourth may show how much of an impact losing Duoss has in the minds of the SIDs.   Of course how good the SIDs are at predicting the winner is a subject open to debate.  But it's interesting to see their reaction.

I'm really anxious to see the WARHAWK team this year.  We should be very competitive. 

I think the SID's are making way too much of Duoss not being there and way too little of Mark Thomas still there.  I think WW will be very good along with EC and Stout will find a way to be there as well.  RF, Oshkosh, Superior, Platteville, and Point, and even La Crosse I think will be off the pace of these teams.

They basically hit what I thought ... flip WW/Point. Stout is a 3rd or 4th place team to me ... right back where they were before the tallest, best player in the league. Still good, just not as good as the top two.

Curious why you think Point is way off of those top three you list? Veteran team with some nice guards.

Now that we've learned a little more ... I picked LaX for 5th w/Imperiale ... now I toss them right into the mix of 5-9 ... toss up. If I had to pick one to surprise from that group? Boy, Oshkosh probably a year away. Platteville, no seniors, okay juniors. RF-no. Superior 10 freshmen and 4 sophs!

I guess La Crosse 5th by default.

[BDB]

They basically hit what I thought ... flip WW/Point. Stout is a 3rd or 4th place team to me ... right back where they were before the tallest, best player in the league. Still good, just not as good as the top two.

While I agree about Point being strong, to say that the Blue Devil program has been all about Kelsey Duoss is not correct. If one player could make a program why wouldn't every team in the WIAC be as strong as another.

How about 4 conference titles and 4 tournament titles in the last 6 years. Duoss was not on all those teams. When 1997 Kelsey was Junior High probably and had nothing to do with that conference title.

Will Stout win the conference this year? Maybe. 4 in a row would be unbelievable. But to say that this program has been all about Duoss isn't giving all the other Blue Devil players and the coach proper respect.

[billys]

They basically hit what I thought ... flip WW/Point. Stout is a 3rd or 4th place team to me ... right back where they were before the tallest, best player in the league. Still good, just not as good as the top two.

While I agree about Point being strong, to say that the Blue Devil program has been all about Kelsey Duoss is not correct. If one player could make a program why wouldn't every team in the WIAC be as strong as another.

How about 4 conference titles and 4 tournament titles in the last 6 years. Duoss was not on all those teams. When 1997 Kelsey was Junior High probably and had nothing to do with that conference title.

Will Stout win the conference this year? Maybe. 4 in a row would be unbelievable. But to say that this program has been all about Duoss isn't giving all the other Blue Devil players and the coach proper respect.

BDB- I've always enjoyed your postings because even with your admitted bias you're always pretty straight up. But I feel you're being incredibly defensive here. At what point in my initial post did I say that their program was all about Kelsey Duoss? If I look at their roster today compared to the rest of the league I think they're the third or fourth best team. I don't think I diminished anything; just don't think they're as good as the top two. I know you're all Stout biased and they could very easily win the league this year ... wouldn't shock me. But this roster reminds me of the teams directly before Duoss ... when they were a third place team. Why is that disrespect to anyone? And why is that a horrible prediction in a conference like the WIAC? It's one thing if one were to pick them for 7 or 8. But 3rd/4th? Seems like a nice place to be to me.

BUT ... since it was obviously directed at me; I'll gladly address the rest as the devils advocate. Personally I think you're underestimating Kelsey a little bit with the response.
If one player could make a program why wouldn't every team in the WIAC be as strong as another. Because with this reasoning (which was yours apparently, not mine) the best player would make that team the best. The best players on each team are not equal ... I don't really understand where you were going with that.

How about 4 conference titles and 4 tournament titles in the last 6 years. Duoss was not on all those teams. Nope ... but she was on three on them. And I don't think it's a coincidence they had a couple of third place years before her and then turned the corner when she showed up.

I think Mark's as good a coach as the league has had. No question about it. But as long as it was brought up ... no, I don't think they would have won the last three titles without Duoss ... and I'm not sure Mark would argue that. Heck, didn't they share two of those? Is that disrespect to the coaches and other players? No. The Spurs wouldn't win titles without Tim Duncan but I sure think Popavich, Parker, Ginobli and the rest of those guys are good/great players. You take the best player off of any team; they probably won't win as much and there's no arguing she wasn't their best player. 97-66 at Point the day she didn't play gave some idea of how important she may have been.

Duoss goes right after Nechuta as the best players in the WIAC in this decade. She impacted how every team had to prepare and match-up for Stout. She altered so much down low defensively and to her credit improved dramatically every year which you don't always see already great players do. Her first year she was below 60% from the line; the last two years she was over 70%. She became relatively unstoppable.

Personally I don't think this team is as good as the last three. But I think if you put Duoss on it again; I'd pick them to win it. I guess you need to explain to why that's disrespect. She was a GREAT player.

[BDB]

billys, well done. I agree with your statements for the most part.

Duoss was an outstanding player for the Devils. I guess I was being defensive because so much has been focused on her and not the rest of the team and it took all of them to win the 3 championships in a row.

Guilty as charged. 

[stoutguy]

Billys,
I also am "guilty as charged", in reference to how I discounted SP in the SID's pick discussion.  I think my problem is one of picking teams I really want to be strong.  I struggle with pulling for Shirley.  She just "rubs me the wrong way" and always has.  She has never done anything to me that should make me think that way.  It's just my nature to have an opinion and sometimes without merit.

[billys]

billys, well done. I agree with your statements for the most part.

Duoss was an outstanding player for the Devils. I guess I was being defensive because so much has been focused on her and not the rest of the team and it took all of them to win the 3 championships in a row.

Guilty as charged. 

I appreciate that. I just wanted to make it clear I was showing no disrespect to Mark, Mark N., Erin Crank or those other kids whatsoever.

[billys]

Billys,
I also am "guilty as charged", in reference to how I discounted SP in the SID's pick discussion.  I think my problem is one of picking teams I really want to be strong.  I struggle with pulling for Shirley.  She just "rubs me the wrong way" and always has.  She has never done anything to me that should make me think that way.  It's just my nature to have an opinion and sometimes without merit.

Understandable ... I've been around the league long enough to know where you're coming from. 

[The Champ]

When I've seen Stout, I've always thought they generally have two decent units, but when they get to that third team it's pretty weak.  They usually come in and try to run faster than the first two units and kick the ball around like a soccer match.  But, I think Coach T is OK with that because he's resting his top two units and still forcing the other team to chase around his third unit, wearing them out.  Of course, when injuries happen he can pull from that third unit to fill holes and they do fine, but when the third unit is in as a whole they generally aren't very good.  Just my observation.

I know Stout has a "we play 18 kids a game" reputation, but generally in the games against really strong teams, Coach T shortens that bench up to a traditional 9-12 players.  I'm recalling some great battles against UWSP and Oshkosh (before the fall) when 10 kids might be all that see the floor, until the last few mop-up seconds.

Of course the third unit is not as good as the first two. 

That group is typically mostly freshman.  A recipe for total disaster on most teams...  Coach T makes it work most of the time - and you're right - the objective is to wear down the opponents.

As far as playing 18 - that is usually not the case for Coach T's teams.  Usually more like 13 - 15.  In real tight games that could drop to 9 - 12, but by rotating his players most of the season his better players are in better shape than if they'd been playing 30+ minutes in most games. 

However, FWIW, in the last regular season game against UWO - 20 players recorded 2 or more minutes of playing time...

[The Champ]

It isn't unusual for the SIDs to simply pick last year's winner to be the favorite so Stout's droping to fourth may show how much of an impact losing Duoss has in the minds of the SIDs.   Of course how good the SIDs are at predicting the winner is a subject open to debate.  But it's interesting to see their reaction.

I'm really anxious to see the WARHAWK team this year.  We should be very competitive. 

BW

Stout graduated Kelsey Duoss, Savanah Oeltjen and Amanda Geissler from the starters last season, the loss of Jenny McDermid from the second unit.

They also lost of both Asst Coaches.

It truly doesn't surprise me that in the WIAC -  a conference well known for producing 3 - 4 teams in the top 25 in the country - that Stout would be an extreme darkhorse to repeat as WIAC Champion.

Was down in Madison yesterday watching the team play the Badgers.  The Badgers really are in a totally different class!  But I came awy extremely impressed with the way Julia Hirssig (sophomore) has stepped into the role vacated by Kelsey.  Despite giving up 2 - 4 inches to several of the Badgers she made her presence known on the court.

Wish nothing but the best for your Warhawks and Coach Kari - well except for two (maybe three) games this year.

[The Champ]

She was a GREAT player.

I know what you meant, but I'd like to add this...

Saw her parents yesterday at the Badger/Blue Devil game.  She's really enjoyed playing Pro Ball down in Australia!  But she sprained her ankle and has missed the last 4 games.

Vickie (her mom) said that it's been different for Kelsey down there coming off the bench though...

[UWRF]

The WIAC projection article mentioned that RF was losing their top 7 scores from last year, which includes would be Sr. PG Kim Sorenson who was going to have to be the key player.  RF is going to need some girls to really step up in hopes of salvaging the season.  Like I said earlier I went to the scrimmage on Friday night and I didnt see anyone who was capable of taking over a game in WIAC, so I am a little worried about this season for the Falcons. 

[UWRF]

Kim Sorenson transfered to Winona