STATE CHAMPIONSHIP PREVIEW: Can Catholic Central’s skill counter McDonell’s size

Old MacDonald had a farm….you know the rest.

I’m sorry, it’s the first thing I think of when I see the name of Burlington Catholic Central’s opponent in today’s WIAA Division 5 state championship game.

OK, I have a daughter that will be 2 in May, Coraline Rose, and she LOVES Old MacDonald. Wheels on the Bus, Barney, the Dance Time Boys, you name it.

But the McDonell Central Macks aren’t playing any little kiddie games, despite the fact my dad calls McDonald’s “Macks.” He’ll be 80 in October, it’s funny.

Have a sense of humor, people, it’s a beautiful Saturday morning here in Madison, as I type this blog across the street from the Alliant Energy Center.

In about 90 minutes, Southern Lakes Newspapers editor/sports assistant Jason Arndt and I will drive a whopping 1.9 miles to the “House that Herb built,” the Kohl Center, one of the most prestigious sports landmarks in Wisconsin and maybe the Midwest. Anyone?

It will be a nice change from Friday morning, when Arndt, a Racine resident, drove all the way to my house in Burlington and we left for Madison at 6:45 a.m., yuck.

As I tend to do on “vacation,” AKA anytime I stay at a hotel, even if it’s for work, because this is fun for me, I gather intel from the people.

I woke up at 7 this morning to check out the heated indoor pool and hot tub, and I couldn’t help but notice a man playing basketball with his sons. Since all the chatter I overheard was about the boys state basketball tournament, especially how Division 1 upstart Muskego will go for a huge upset tonight against undefeated defending state champion Stevens Point, I couldn’t help but introduce myself.

He said he is from Chetec, Wisconsin, about two hours north Eau Claire. That’s getting up there in Arctic freeze land.

It turns out he lives close to McDonell Central High School, and he’s a junior varsity boys basketball coach, so naturally he knows everything about everything. Just kidding, coaches, you’re the reason I have a job.

He said he’s seen the Macks play in person several times this season, and their length is elite.

With a 6-foot-7 center, who the man called their third option, and an athletic 6-foot-4 forward leading the way, McDonell also has one senior, a 6-foot-1 point guard who scored in double figures to help beat Green Bay NEW Lutheran, 70-51, Friday.

The best player on the floor for the Macks was Hayden Baughman, a 6-foot-5 wing who scored 23 points including three triples, with nine rebounds.

Grayson Knowlton, a 6-6 junior, added 10 rebounds and four blocks. Don’t forget about the 6-7 guy, Alex Ohde, who had 10 points and six rebounds.

Here’s WIAA’s Todd Clark’s background of MDC before the tournament.

McDonell Central will appear at State for the first time since their initial appearance in 2012 that resulted in a loss in the semifinals. The Macks’ 73-61 win over Washburn in the Spooner Sectional earned them their second trip to Madison. They tied with Regis for the championship in the Western Division of the Cloverbelt Conference this season.

The one krytonite, said Paul, the man from the hotel swimming pool, to McDonell’s dribble-drive offense and superior size is skilled, athletic guards.

That’s something Burlington has in droves.

Ben Heiligenthal, Brandon Vandehei, Frankie Koehnke, Cole Pankau and Aaron Rueber can all play multiple positions, they’re all athletic and they can all shoot.

Heiligenthal’s ability to play the point and run the offense could be the difference in today’s game, but if McDonell can impose its will down low, it will wear down the Hilltoppers.

Expect Andrew Kempken and Heiligenthal to be busy in the paint, possible double-teaming McDonell’s big men.

Stay tuned to www.myracinecounty.com, www.mykenoshacounty.com, www.mywalworthcounty.com, Twitter (@mikeramczyk17 and @thejasonarndt) and Facebook (SLN Racine County, SLN Kenosha County, SLN Walworth County, Burlington Standard Press) and YouTube at Southeast Wisconsin Preps Report for news, analysis, photos, videos and more from Ramczyk, Arndt and photographer Rick Benavides.