The WIAA softball tournament begins May 21 with teams from the Manitowoc and Sheboygan area in action.
Here are the four teams, in alphabetical order, with the best path to the state tournament in Madison by virtue of earning a top four seed.
Elkhart Lake-Glenbeulah
The Resorters are seeded fourth in their Division 5 half sectional but would face a tough road to reach state for the first time.
Elkhart Lake will host No. 5 Williams Bay in the regional semifinals and then face top-seeded and No. 6-ranked Juda/Albany in the regional finals.
Next up would likely by No. 2 seeded and No. 4-ranked Cambria-Friesland in the sectional semifinals followed by top-ranked Almond-Bancroft.
New Holstein
New Holstein is the No. 2 seed in its Division 3 half sectional won’t know who it plays in the regional semifinals right away.
The Huskies have reached the state tournament once before in 2022, finishing a state runners-up.
Ranked No. 9 in its division, New Holstein would probably take on No.3-seeded Wrightstown followed by top-seeded and No. 8-ranked Southern Door in the sectional semifinals.
In the sectional final the most likely opponent would be No. 2-ranked Wittenberg-Birnamwood.
Plymouth
Plymouth is seeking the third trip to state in program history and first since 2012.
The No. 3-seeded Panthers host No. 6 Winneconne in the Division 2 regional semifinals and then would likely square off with 9th-ranked and second-seeded Kewaskum in the regional finals.
At sectionals the most probable path would be facing top-seeded and 3rd-ranked Denmark followed by 4th-ranked Fox Valley Lutheran or 7th-ranked Luxemberg-Casco.
Random Lake
Random Lake is ranked 10th in Division 4 and seeded second in its half sectional.
The Rams have never reached the state tournament in program history.
The postseason begins for Random Lake hosting No. 7 Ozaukee and then would probably meet No. 3 Oakfield in the regional finals.
Sectionals is where things would get more difficult as the Rams would potentially face No. 3-ranked Johnson Creek and then likely top-seeded Algoma.
Complete Manitowoc/Sheboygan first round softball schedule
May 21
Division 2
No. 10 Sheboygan South at No. 7 Sheboygan Falls/Kohler
Division 3
No. 9 Chilton at No. 8 Mishicot
No. 10 Sturgeon Bay at No. 7 Kiel
No. 9 Cedar Grove-Belgium at No. 8 Berlin
No. 10 Mayville at No. 7 Oostburg
Division 4
No. 10 Weyauwega-Fremont at No. 7 Roncalli
Division 5
No. 9 Reedsville at No. 8 Port Edwards
May 26
Division 1
No. 12 Sheboygan North at No. 5 Oshkosh West
No. 11 Manitowoc Lincoln at No. 6 Kaukauna
Division 2
No. 5 Two Rivers at No. 4 Campbellsport
No. 6 Winneconne at No. 3 Plymouth
Division 3
No. 6 Valders at No. 3 Wrightstown
TBD at No. 2 New Holstein
No. 5 Howards Grove at No. 4 Winnebago Lutheran
Division 4
No. 5 Manitowoc Lutheran at No. 4 Markesan
No. 8 Sheboygan Lutheran/Christian at No. 1 Johnson Creek
No. 7 Ozaukee at No. 2 Random Lake
Division 5
No. 5 Williams Bay at No. 4 Elkhart Lake-Glenbeulah
Contact Tom Dombeck at 920-686-2965 or tdombeck@htrnews.com. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @Tom_Dombeck.
This article originally appeared on Manitowoc Herald Times Reporter: These 4 Manitowoc/Sheboygan softball teams have best shot at WIAA states
Reporting by Tom Dombeck, Manitowoc Herald Times Reporter / Manitowoc Herald Times Reporter
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