Winneconne girls basketball makes 1st sectional championship since 2010

Winneconne defeated Brillion 61-44 to reach their first sectional championship since the 2009-10 season.

Published on Mar. 6, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

The Winneconne girls basketball team defeated Brillion 61-44 in the sectional semifinals, advancing to their first sectional championship game since the 2009-10 season. Winneconne jumped out to an early lead and forced 16 Brillion turnovers, with key contributions from bench players Ari Reetz and Neela Gardner when starters Grace Mitchell and Harper Neace got into foul trouble. Winneconne will now face defending Division 3 state champion Oostburg in the sectional final.

Why it matters

Winneconne's sectional final appearance is a significant milestone for the program, as they have not reached this stage since 2010. The team has made it to the sectional semifinals the past two seasons but fallen short, so this year's run represents an important breakthrough. Reaching the sectional final also puts Winneconne one win away from the state tournament, a highly coveted goal.

The details

Winneconne jumped out to an 11-4 lead early, pressing Brillion and forcing 16 turnovers in the game. However, Winneconne's two leading scorers, Grace Mitchell and Harper Neace, got into foul trouble in the first half. With them on the bench, bench players Ari Reetz and Neela Gardner stepped up, scoring 7 points each to keep Winneconne ahead 28-25 at halftime. In the second half, Winneconne pulled away, taking a 43-30 lead and holding Brillion scoreless for two lengthy stretches. Mitchell hit a key 3-pointer late to seal the win.

  • Winneconne last reached the sectional championship in the 2009-10 season.
  • Winneconne made it to the sectional semifinals in the 2023-24 and 2024-25 seasons, but lost to Xavier both times.

The players

Grace Mitchell

A junior on the Winneconne girls basketball team who scored a team-high 14 points in the sectional semifinal win.

Harper Neace

One of Winneconne's leading scorers who was in foul trouble in the first half but finished with 11 points.

Ari Reetz

A Winneconne bench player who scored 7 points in the first half to help keep the team ahead.

Neela Gardner

A Winneconne bench player who also scored 7 points in the first half to contribute to the team's lead.

Troy Buelow

The head coach of the Winneconne girls basketball team.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“We've been talking about it for a while now, how this is the game that we've gone (out) the last two years. It was really important to us to come out tonight and win. It feels good.”

— Grace Mitchell, Junior (thenorthwestern.com)

“That's what won us the game. I think I actually turned to the girls and said, 'This is why defense matters.' There's going to be night that the shooting doesn't travel from gym to gym, but the defense will always keep us where we want to (be).”

— Troy Buelow, Head Coach (thenorthwestern.com)

“At halftime that's what we said. We're like 'We just got to come out and play better defense and things are going to go our way.' Which they did. It felt good to have that cushion.”

— Grace Mitchell, Junior (thenorthwestern.com)

What’s next

Winneconne will face defending Division 3 state champion Oostburg in the sectional championship game on Saturday, March 7 at 7 p.m. at Chilton High School.

The takeaway

Winneconne's sectional final appearance represents a significant breakthrough for the program, as they have not reached this stage since 2010. The team's defensive intensity and contributions from their bench players were key factors in securing the win over Brillion and advancing to face the formidable Oostburg squad in the championship game.