Many teams took the final weekend of the regular season to rest and regroup, leading to just a handful of programs playing more than their weekly league matches. With that regard, the Final WVCA Coaches Poll of 2023 saw very few shakeups within the top 10 in each division.
Divine Savior Holy Angels, Oconomowoc, Appleton North, Manitowoc Lincoln, and Hamilton have been locked into that order of top five in Division 1 for the greater half of the season. Waunakee remained at No. 6, while Mukwonago overtook Oak Creek for No. 7 this week. The Knights fell to No. 8, ahead of No. 9 Arrowhead and No. 10 Bay Port.
Division 2 saw a huge Thursday showdown of top-four teams with Fox Valley Lutheran picking off Luxemburg-Casco in North Eastern Conference action, surging the Foxes to the No. 2 spot behind Xavier. Despite the loss, L-C rose one spot to No. 3, sending Pewaukee to No. 4 in the final poll. The top-ranked Hawks swept another kettle of top-10 Hawks in Shawano this week with the latter falling one spot to No. 10. Badger Small trio shuffled in the middle of the rankings, with McFarland, Sauk Prairie, and Edgewood claiming No. 5-7 in that order. Oconto Falls rose to No. 9, just behind No. 8 Bloomer.
The top 10 teams in Division 3 combined to go 18-0 overall, thus there was zero movement in this week's final poll. Top-ranked St. Croix Falls leads a quartet of regulars in Howards Grove, McDonell Central, and Laconia into the final poll--the Spartans' 31-0 regular season marking the only unbeaten remaining. No. 5 Barron looks to be on a Regional Final collision course with late riser and No. 8 Webster. Lake Country Lutheran holds solid at No. 6 ahead of No. 7 Cuba City. Bonduel dropped one spot to No. 9, while St. Mary Catholic rounds out the top 10.
Division 4 was truly a wildcard entering of the season, yet the top teams from early in the season have seemingly risen above. Columbus Catholic held onto the top spot entering this week's playoffs ahead of No. 2 Royall. The Panthers knocked off No. 7 Wonewoc-Center twice in Scenic Bluffs play over the last couple weeks--the Wolves' lone two losses of the season. Newman Catholic has quietly regained its grip in central Wisconsin this season at No. 3, ahead of No. 4 Prentice, No. 5 Wabeno/Laona, and No. 6 Athens. Pacelli crept up to No. 8 this week, displacing No. 9 Barneveld. Eau Claire Immanuel Lutheran hung onto the No. 10 spot in this final poll.
It's been a riveting season all year long--good luck to all in the WIAA playoffs beginning this week!
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