WIAA State Softball: Coleman Kicks Off First State Appearance Thursday (2024)

The WIAA State Softball Tournament gets underway on Thursday with Kaukauna, Mosinee, Coleman and Pacelli representing area conferences.

THE TOURNAMENT:The 48th Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association State Softball Tournament will take place Thursday-Saturday, June 6-8, at Goodman Diamond on the University of Wisconsin campus in Madison, Wis.

Division 1

Quarterfinals – Thursday, June 6
Game-1: #2 Kenosha Bradford (25-3) vs. #7 Cedarburg (24-4) – 8 a.m.
Game-2: #3 Sun Prairie East (22-2) vs. #6 Watertown (20-4) – 10 a.m.*
Game-3: #1 Kaukauna (26-0) vs. #8 Hamilton (19-7) – Noon*
Game-4: #4 Milton (24-2) vs. #5 New Richmond (21-3)- 2 p.m.*

Semifinals – Friday, June 7
Game-5: Winner of Game 1 vs. Winner of Game 2 – 7 p.m.
Game-6: Winner of Game 3 vs. Winner of Game 4 – 9 p.m.*

Championship – Saturday, June 8
Game-7: Winner of Game 5 vs. Winner of Game 6 – 6:30 p.m.*

Division 2

Semifinals – Friday, June 7
Game-1: #1 Mosinee (28-1) vs. #4 Lake Mills (23-4) – 2:30 p.m.
Game-2: #2 New Berlin Eisenhower (21-4) vs. #3 Waupun (18-4) – 4:30 p.m.*

Championship – Saturday, June 8
Game-3: Winner of Game 1 vs. Winner of Game 2 – 4 p.m.

Division 3

Semifinals – Friday, June 7
Game-1: #1 Mishicot (29-0) vs. #4 Laconia (20-8) – 10 a.m.*
Game-2: #2 Brodhead (19-4) vs. #3 Prescott (19-8) – Noon*

Championship – Saturday, June 8
Game-3: Winner of Game 1 vs. Winner of Game 2 – 1 p.m.*

Division 4

Semifinals – Thursday, June 6
Game-1: #1 Fall Creek (28-2) vs. #4 Coleman (21-4) – 4:30 p.m.
Game-2: #2 Cuba City (22-2) vs. #3 Auburndale (21-3) – 6:30 p.m.*

Championship – Saturday, June 8
Game-3: Winner of Game 1 vs. Winner of Game 2 – 10:30 a.m.*

Division 5

Semifinal – Thursday, June 6
Game-1: #1 Oakfield (25-3) vs. #4 Thorp (21-7) – 8:30 p.m.*

Semifinal – Friday, June 7
Game-2: #2 Pacelli  (26-2) vs. #3 Assumption (17-6) – 8 a.m.

Championship – Saturday, June 8
Game-3: Winner of Game 1 vs. Winner of Game 2 – 8 a.m.

* Games begin approximately 30 minutes following previous game.

LAST YEAR:Top-seeded Kaukauna won its third Division 1 title in a row last season with a 4-0 win over second-seeded Superior in the championship game. In Division 2, second-seeded Freedom won the title for the second straight season with an 8-0 shutout over fourth-seeded New London in the final. Top-seeded Brodhead captured the Division 3 crown with a 1-0 win over third-seeded Mayville in the championship game. In Division 4, fourth-seeded Iola-Scandinavia outscored third-seeded Waterloo 10-6 in the title game to win the crown, and Pacelli, the #1 seed, earned the championship with a 9-6 win over third-seeded Oakfield in the Division 5 final.

THE DIVISION 1 FIELD: Three-time defending champion Kaukauna is the top seed. The Galloping Ghosts return to the State Tournament for the sixth time overall and for the fourth year in a row. They captured the gold trophy in each of their previous State appearances, including 2010, 2017, 2021, 2022 and 2023. They advance to the State quarterfinals this season from the Pulaski Sectional by shutting out Ashwaubenon 4-0 in the final. They are the champions of the Fox Valley Association this spring. Entering the State Tournament, the Galloping Ghosts have won a remarkable 107 games in a row dating back to May of 2021.

THE DIVISION 2 FIELD: Top-seeded Mosinee will make its third appearance at State. The Indians’ have advanced to the title game in both of its previous experiences. They won the championship in 2014 and finished runner-up in their most recent appearance in 2018. The Indians edged Rice Lake 1-0 in the sectional final held at Altoona, and they finished atop the Great Northern Conference standings this spring.

THE DIVISION 3 FIELD: Mishicot is the #1 seed in the bracket. The Indians are making their third State appearance in the past four tournaments (not including the canceled 2020 season) and their sixth overall. They won the Division 4 championship in 2021 and advanced to the championship game in 2019, which resulted in a runner-up finish. Their return to the tourney field comes following a 3-0 victory over Peshtigo in the Oconto Sectional final. The Indians finished first in the Big East Conference this season. Defending champion Brodhead is the #2 seed.

THE DIVISION 4 FIELD: Coleman is seeded fourth, making its first appearance in program history. The Cougars are the champions of the Marinette & Oconto Conference this spring. They began celebrating their initial trip to State following a 4-2 win over Random Lake in the Crivitz Sectional final.

THE DIVISION 5 FIELD: Defending champion Pacelli was issued the #2 seed in the bracket. The Cardinals make their sixth appearance in the last seven tournaments – excluding the canceled season of 2020 – and their 12th overall. They have won Division 4 titles in 2003, 2015 and 2023, and finished runner-up in 2017. They also won a Division 3 title in 2012 with a runner-up finish in 2011. Prior to joining the WIAA, the Cardinals won six consecutive titles from 1992-97 while a member of WISAA. This season, they are the champions in the South Division of the Central Wisconsin Conference. The Cardinals advanced to State through the Stevens Point Sectional, culminating with a 10-0, six- inning win over Newman Catholic in the final.