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Published March 18, 2011, 09:55 AM

Morning State Sports Briefs: Three defending champions one step away from girls state tourney

Wisconsin Sports
-- Three defending champions are just one step away from returning to the girls’ state high school basketball tournament.

Three defending champions are just one step away from returning to the girls’ state high school basketball tournament.

Division-One titlist Milwaukee Pius XI won its sectional opener last night. And so did New Berlin Eisenhower in Division-Two and D-Four champ Wausau Newman, who’s playing in the new Division-Five. All five of the AP’s divisional Number-one teams are still alive – Middleton, Luxemburg-Casco, Whitefish Bay Dominican, Eau Claire Regis, and Black Hawk. But four of the eight top-seeds in Division-One lost last night – Marshfield, Appleton North, Pulaski, and Muskego. Sixteen teams are still playing in Division-One, and eight each in the other four divisions. They’ll play their sectional finals tomorrow night.

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A second chance for Mellen High School did not last long in the girls’ state high school basketball playoffs. Mellen lost to Siren 66-25 in last night’s opening sectional contest in Division-Five. Mellen had been eliminated from the playoffs last Saturday, when they fell to South Shore of Port Wing by 12 points in their regional final. But South Shore had to forfeit the sectionals, after a previously-scheduled band trip by most of its players left just four available for this week. The trip began last Saturday, but two players stayed behind so the team could finish the regionals. The two then took off for Seattle. Officials at Mellen were floored this week when they were asked if they wanted to get back in the tournament. They did it with South Shore’s blessing.

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Milwaukee Bucks’ guard Michael Redd could make his return as early as Wednesday night against Sacramento. It depends on how well he does in a full-contract practice early next week. It’s been 14 months since Redd played in an NBA game. He’s been rehabilitating his left knee, after he tore the ACL and MCL ligaments for a second time in January of last year against the Lakers in Los Angeles. Meanwhile, Bucks’ center Andrew Bogut was back at practice yesterday. He missed Wednesday night’s overtime loss to Orlando with a migraine headache. The Bucks hope to break a three-game losing streak tonight when they host the New Jersey Nets. Milwaukee remains two-and-a-half games behind Indiana for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference with 15 games left. The Bucks are 26-41. New Jersey comes in at 22-44.

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The University of Wisconsin women’s basketball team will host Illinois State on Sunday afternoon in the second round of the WNIT Tournament. Illinois State advanced last night with a 72-59 home win over Central Michigan. The Badgers won their tournament opener on Wednesday by 20 points over Butler. Wisconsin is 16-14. Illinois State is 21-10 under first-year coach Stephanie Glance. Senior Emily Hanley leads the Redbirds with 14 points and seven rebounds a game, while shooting 52-percent from the floor.

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University of Wisconsin defenseman Justin Schultz is one of 10 finalists for the Hobey Baker Award as the top player in men’s college hockey. The sophomore is the nation’s top blue-line scorer with 18 goals and 47 points. He’s the 11th Badger to be named a finalist. Ex-Wisconsin forward Blake Geoffrion won the honor a year ago.

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Three Wisconsin women’s hockey players have been named as All-Americans. Senior Meghan Duggan and junior Hilary Knight were selected to first team by the coaches’ association. Sophomore Brianna Decker was a second team pick. All three were honored last night at a reception in Erie Pennsylvania, where the NCAA Frozen Four begins this evening. The top-ranked Badgers will play Boston College in a national semi-final. Also at the reception, Wisconsin goaltender Becca Ruegsegger won the NCAA’s “Elite-88” award. She was honored for having the highest grade point average among the athletes taking part in the finals. Ruegsegger has a 4.0 GPA in African Languages and Literature.

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The University of Wisconsin is in ninth place after the opening day of the NCAA women’s swim meet in Austin, Texas. The Badgers have 56 points. Georgia is the leader with 129. UW picked three All-American awards. The Wisconsin 400-yard medley relay team placed fifth. Beckie Thompson, Maggie Meyer, Rebecka Palm, and Ashley Wanland swam a school-record time of three minutes and 31.73 seconds. Thompson also qualified for the finals of the 50-yard freestyle. And the Badger 200-yard freestyle relay team made the finals of their event.

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The University of Wisconsin softball team extended its winning streak to seven games yesterday, with a 7-4 victory over Harvard at the San Diego Classic. The Badgers scored four runs in the first inning, with the help of three Harvard errors. Wisconsin also scored three in the second to seal its victory. Meghan McIntosh pitched her third complete game of the year, giving up four runs – one earned – on 10 hits with four walks and five strikeouts. Wisconsin is now 13-7, after winning eight-of-its-last-nine. Harvard dropped to 7-5.

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SCORES

Grls' high school basketball sectionals

Division 1

Stevens Point Super Sectional

Appleton East 46, Appleton North 38

Eau Claire North 43, La Crosse Central 40

Oshkosh West 49, Fond du Lac 39

Superior 44, Marshfield 31

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Wisconsin Lutheran Super Sectional

Milwaukee Pius XI 43, Brookfield Central 30

Milwaukee Vincent 59, Milwaukee Rufus King 54

Oak Creek 53, South Milwaukee 40

Racine J.I. Case 84, Milwaukee Bradley Tech 54

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Oshkosh Super Sectional

De Pere 40, Kimberly 25

Green Bay Preble 46, Pulaski 44

Hartland Arrowhead 51, Kettle Moraine 47

Glendale Nicolet 54, Sussex Hamilton 32

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Lake Geneva Badger Super Sectional

Franklin 62, Muskego 50

Janesville Craig 54, Janesville Parker 53

Middleton 75, Madison East 66

Verona 60, Oconomowoc 53

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Division 2

Marshfield Sectional

New London 63, Medford 38

Sparta 48, Rice Lake 44

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Oshkosh West Sectional

Beaver Dam 44, West Bend East 33

Luxemburg-Casco 55, Fox Valley Lutheran 38

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Sun Priaire Sectional

Milton 48, Delavan-Darien 39

Waunakee 61, Reedsburg 40

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West Allis Central Sectional

New Berlin Eisenhower 56, Wisconsin Lutheran 23

Whitefish Bay 38, Wauwatosa West 18

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Division 3

Chippewa Falls Sectional

Altoona 41, Neillsville 39

Ladysmith 44, Amery 34

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Ashwaubenon Sectional 2

Freedom 48, Oconto Falls 26

Kewaunee 40, Brillion 33

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De Forest Sectional

Edgerton 71, Lakeside Lutheran 65

Prairie du Chien 40, Westfield 26

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Waukesha West Sectional

Whitefish Bay Dominican 68, East Troy 58

Winnebago Lutheran 36, Columbus 34

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Division 4

Eau Claire Memorial Sectional

Boyceville 48, Hurley 42

Eau Claire Regis 72, Owen-Withee 32

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Waupaca Sectional

Algoma 76, Oshkosh Lourdes 62

Edgar 47, Auburndale 42

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Baraboo Sectional

Belleville 62, Darlington 38

Westby 49, Eleva-Strum 30

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Waukesha North Sectional

Oostburg 39, Markesan 23

Somers Shoreland Lutheran 46, Milwaukee Heritage Christian 43

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Division 5

Spooner Sectional

Prentice 54, Turtle Lake 29

Siren 66, Mellen 25

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Pulaski Sectional

Menasha St. Mary's 61, Niagara 49

Wausau Newman 65, Wabeno 14

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La Crosse Central Sectional

Cashton 46, Independence 35

River Ridge 44, Seneca 40, OT

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Watertown Sectional

South Wayne Black Hawk 56, Burlington Catholic Central 44

Elkhart Lake-Glenbeulah 51, Waupun Central Wisconsin Christian 42

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