THE TOURNAMENT: The 40th Annual Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association Softball State Tournament will take place Thursday-Saturday, June 11-13, at the Goodman Diamond on the University of Wisconsin campus in Madison, Wis. Ticket prices for the tourney are $8 per session for quarterfinals and semifinals, $6 for each championship game and $14 for an all-day ticket on each day. Tickets are available at the stadium or online with a convenience fee per session ticket:
http://www.expressoticketing.com/wiaa/pickevent.aspx?ECN=7
CHAMPIONSHIPS SCHEDULE AND PAIRINGS: The single elimination tournament features eight teams in Division 1 and four each in Divisions 2, 3 and 4. The second game of each session will begin approximately 35 minutes following the first game.
Thursday, June 11
Division 1 Quarterfinals
Game-1: DeForest (21-9) vs. Germantown (23-5) - 9 a.m.
Game-2: Kimberly (21-6) vs. Watertown (20-8) - 11 a.m.*
Game-3: Chippewa Falls (24-4) vs. Westosha Central (25-4) - 1:30 p.m.
Game-4: Bay Port (24-3) vs. Kenosha Bradford (20-9) - 3:30 p.m.*
Division 2 Semifinals
Game-1: Turner (27-2) vs. Waupun (26-4) - 6 p.m.
Game-2: La Crosse Logan (26-1) vs. New London (25-5) - 8 p.m.*
Friday, June 12
Division 4 Semifinals
Game-1: Juda/Albany (23-4) vs. Oakfield (25-3) - 9 a.m.
Game-2: McDonell Central (21-5) vs. Pacelli (22-5) - 11 a.m.*
Division 3 Semifinals
Game-1: Poynette (28-1) vs. Lomira (19-5) - 1:30 p.m.
Game-2: Bloomer (24-6) vs. Laconia (27-3) - 3:30 p.m.*
Division 1 Semifinals
Game 5: Winner of Game 1 vs. Winner of Game 2 - 6 p.m.
Game 6: Winner of Game 3 vs. Winner of Game 4 - 8 p.m.*
Saturday, June 13
Division 4 Championship Game - 10:05 a.m.
Division 3 Championship Game - 12:35 p.m.
Division 2 Championship Game - 3:05 p.m.
Division 1 Championship Game - 5:35 p.m.
* Approximate times
PRE-FINALS LIVE ON NFHS NETWORK: The Division 1 quarterfinals and the semifinals of all four divisions of the WIAA State Softball Tournament will be streamed live on the WIAA.TV portal of the NFHS Network on a consumer subscription basis. To purchase a subscription to the live programming, log-on to www.nfhsnetwork.com and click on the “JOIN NOW” button in the upper right corner of the page.
CHAMPIONSHIP GAMES ON FS WISCONSIN: Watch the WIAA State Softball Championship finals of all four divisions live on FS Wisconsin or on the FS Wisconsin Alternate Channel. The Divisions 3 and 4 games are schedule on FS Wisconsin with the Divisions 1 and 2 games scheduled on the FS Wisconsin Alternate Channel. Check local cable listings for the channel in your area. For more information of the Fox Sports Alternative Channel, visit the website at: http://msn.foxsports.com/wisconsin/story/fox-sports-wisconsin-alternate-channel-information-121713
TEAM TOURNAMENT HISTORY: The WIAA has been sponsoring the State Softball Tournament since 1976. Stevens Point leads all programs in State titles won with eight. Kimberly has claimed seven titles, and Marion has six. Both Denmark and Oakfield have won five. Ashwaubenon and Stevens Point have the most State Tournament appearances with 16. Kimberly has now qualified 14 times. Homestead and Oakfield have reached State 12 times, and Verona has played in 11 State Tournaments.
LAST YEAR: Kimberly won the Division 1 State championship by outlasting Westosha Central 6-5 in 15 innings in the championship game. Mosinee notched a 2-0 shutout over New London to capture the Division 2 title. Arcadia was the Division 3 champion by virtue of its 1-0 win over Laconia in the State final. Oakfield won the Division 4 title by downing Cochrane-Fountain City 7-3 in the championship game.
THE DIVISION 1 FIELD: Defending champion Kimberly will make its second straight appearance and its 14th overall. The Papermakers have won seven State titles. They were the Class A champions in 1980 and 1981, the Class B champions in 1988 and 1989, and the Division 2 champions in 1993. They won Division 1 championships in 2007 and again last year. They were third in the standings of the Fox Valley Association this season, and they are the representatives from the Kaukauna Sectional following an 11-7 win over Kaukauna in the final. Westosha Central returns for another run at the title. The Falcons finished runner-up last season after winning the championship in 2013. They qualify for the fourth consecutive season and for the eighth time overall. They also finished runner-up in 1995. The Falcons are the champions of the Southern Lakes Conference this spring. They clubbed Union Grove 12-2 in six innings in the Union Grove Sectional final to continue their quest for a repeat title. Chippewa Falls makes its first State appearance since 2012, when the Cardinals won the State title, and their 11th appearance overall. They have finished runner-up twice, in 2006 and in 2009. They finished atop the Big Rivers Conference standings this year and are the representatives out of the D.C. Everest Sectional following a 4-3 win over Stevens Point in the final. Germantown will appear in the State Tournament for the fourth straight season and for the sixth time overall. The Warhawks’ first appearance at State produced a Division 1 championship in 1996, but they haven’t advanced past the semifinals in their five most recent experiences. They finished first in the North Shore Conference standings this season. They advance as representatives out of the Homestead Sectional with a 3-1 win over Divine Savior Holy Angels in the final. It will be Watertown’s first State appearance since 2010 and its eighth overall. The Goslings previous experiences at State have produced a pair of runner-up finishes, one in 1981 and another in 1984. They are the champions of the Wisconsin Little Ten Conference and the representatives from the Watertown Sectional after defeating Menomonee Falls 8-2 in the final. Kenosha Bradford returns to the State Tournament for the second time in the last three seasons and its fourth overall. The Red Devils were runner-up in 2013 after advancing to the semifinals in 2011 and to the quarterfinals in 2009. They are the champions of the Southeast Conference this season and they advance from the sectional they hosted by edging past Oak Creek 4-3 in the final. Bay Port has qualified for the State Tournament for the first time. The Pirates’ advance to the quarterfinals comes virtue of its 1-0 shut out over Ashwaubenon in the sectional final held at Ashwaubenon. They are the champions of the Fox River Classic Conference this season. DeForest is also participating in its first-ever State Tournament. The Norskies are the champions of the North Division of the Badger Conference this season. They advance to the State quarterfinals following an 8-7 victory over La Crosse Central in the final of the Waunakee Sectional.
THE DIVISION 2 FIELD: Last year’s runner-up New London will make its third consecutive appearance at State and its fourth overall. They won the State title in 2013 and was runner-up in 2005. The Bulldogs’ 6-2 win over Luxemburg-Casco in the Shawano Sectional final earned them another shot at a State title. They placed in a tie for second in the Bay Conference standings this spring. La Crosse Logan qualifies for State for the third time overall and for the first time since 2005 when the Rangers fell in the Division 1 quarterfinals. Their only other appearance resulted in the same fate back in 1998. The Rangers’ return to the State Tournament comes by virtue of a 5-1 win over Baldwin-Woodville in the Medford Sectional final. They are the champions of the Mississippi Valley Conference this season. Turner also qualifies for State for the third time. The only other appearances came in Class B in 1984, which resulted in a loss in the semifinals, and in Division 3 in 2002, which produced a runner-up finish. The Trojans ousted McFarland 7-1 in the final of the Evansville Sectional to earn their berth in the State Tournament field. They are the champions of the South Division of the Rock Valley Conference this season. The only other experience for Waupun in the State Tournament came in Class A back in 1985 when the Warriors lost in the quarterfinals. They advance to State for the second time following a 5-4 win over New Berlin Eisenhower in the Germantown Sectional finals. The Warriors finished the regular season atop the standings in the Eastern Wisconsin Conference.
THE DIVISION 3 FIELD: Last year’s runner-up Laconia is back at State for the second straight season and for the third time overall. The Spartans first experience in the State Tournament came in 2009, which resulted in a runner-up finish. This season, they were the champions in the Flyway Conference, and they are representing the Marathon Sectional after outlasting Oconto 5-4 in eight innings in the final. Poynette is making its eighth State Tournament appearance and its first since 2012. The Pumas won the Division 2 title in 1998 and have added Division 3 crowns in 2005 and 2011. They also have had three runner-up finishes, in 1999, 2003 and 2012. They are the champions in the North Division of the Capitol Conference this season, and they have advanced to State through the Boscobel Sectional with a convincing 10-0 victory over Cuba City in the final. Lomira makes its first-ever appearance in the State Tournament following the Lions’ 2-1 win over Chilton in the sectional final held at Chilton. They were runner-up to Laconia, which has also qualified in the Division 3 field, in the Flyway Conference this spring. Bloomer advances to the State Tournament for the first time since its only other appearance in 1982 when the Blackhawks fell in the semifinals of Class B. They were runners-up in the Heart O’ North Conference this season. Their first State experience in 33 years comes virtue of a 3-1 victory over Grantsburg in the Durand Sectional final.
THE DIVISION 4 FIELD: Defending champion Oakfield is making its 12th State appearance overall and its sixth in the last eight years. The perennial power has won five State championships, including four in the last six seasons. The Oaks are pursuing their sixth State title overall with Division 4 championships in 2009, 2011, 2012 and again last year, as well as the Division 3 crown in 1997. They were also the Division 4 runners-up in 2004. This season, they won the North Division of the Trailways Conference title. The Oaks earned their opportunity to pursue back-to-back titles by beating Racine Lutheran 13-2 in six innings in the sectional final played at Germantown. Pacelli qualifies for State for the sixth time and for the first time since a string of three straight appearances ended in 2013. The Cardinals won the Division 3 title in 2012 and the Division 4 championship in 2003. In addition, they finished runner-up in Division 3 in 2011. Prior to joining the WIAA, the Cardinals won six consecutive titles from 1992-97 while a member of WISAA. This season, they finished runner-up in the Central Wisconsin 8 Conference and have advanced through the sectional played in Athens with a 2-0 shutout over Three Lakes/Phelps in the final. McDonell Central makes its fourth appearance at State and its first since 2011 when the Macks finished runner-up. The Macks won the State championship in 2008, and settled for a runner-up finish in Division 3 in their first-ever tournament experience in 2005. This season, the Macks claimed the title in the Western Division of the Cloverbelt Conference. They doubled-up on Cochrane-Fountain City 4-2 in the sectional final held at Gilman to earn their return to the tourney field. Juda/Albany is appearing in the State Tournament for the first time. The Panthers advance to the State semifinals following a 4-3 triumph over Cashton in the Riverdale Sectional final. During the regular season, they finished first in the Six Rivers Conference standings.
NEED THE QUALIFIERS?: Information for qualifying teams in the State Tournament are available on the restricted media area of the WIAA website.
FOLLOW THE TOURNEY ON TWITTER: Receive the updates of the State Softball Tournament on the WIAA State Tournament Twitter account @wiaawistate with the hashtag #wiaawisb.
NEED RESULTS?: The quickest way to get results will be to access the softball homepage on the WIAA website at: http://www.wiaawi.org/Sports/Softball.aspx and choose the appropriate results links.
Written by WIAA Communications