MILWAUKEE – The Burlington boys volleyball team (16-11) may be entering today’s WIAA state tournament as an underdog, but the program’s history would say otherwise.
This is the fifth time the Demons have advanced to Wisconsin’s elite 8, and the second time in three years.
In 2012, a more talented Burlington squad was one win away from a state title.
According to the Journal Sentinel, Burlington senior Josh Ketterhagen is averaging five kills per set and hitting .419. He is the team’s biggest threat offensively, and his 22 kills propelled the local boys to a three-game sweep of Kenosha Bradford in the sectional final.
Also, Middleton is 1-3 against the state field with a victory over New Berlin United and losses to Racine Horlick, Catholic Memorial and Appleton North. Cardinals assistant coach Sean Foley is a Marquette graduate and the brother of Hilltoppers setter Dan Foley.
Middleton (24-7) is a perennial state power, and the two teams have faced each other with a trip to state on the line in the past.
The Demons are extremely hot, having gone 10-2 in their last 12 matches and having won nine straight games in a breeze of a postseason run.
The game is at 3 p.m. today at Wisconsin Lutheran College in Milwaukee. If Burlington wins, it plays Saturday at 10 a.m.
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The skinny – Though the unseeded Demons face No. 4 Middleton and have a worse record, Burlington is peaking at the right time, as they say. With Jacob Drettwan, Ketterhagen, Zach DeRosier, Tanner Swantz and more spearheading a cohesive, consistent unit, Burlington will no doubt be competitive in this one.
Expect first-year head coach Kayla Uhlenhake to have a few tricks up her sleeve. Her ability to relate to the players has resulted in a solid relationship with the guys. That’s key for any team’s success.
PREDICTION: Burlington 3, Middleton 2.
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