MONROE - It took almost two minutes for anyone to score in Saturday's WIAA Division 2 girls basketball state championship game.
When Emily Rufenacht sank a jump shot with 6:05 left in the first quarter, it gave the Lady Cheesemakers the first points of the game and a lead they never lost in a 42-34 victory over Freedom.
Rufenacht led Monroe with 13 points, but wasn't the only hero in the game, which gave the Cheesemakers their second state title in three years.
Ashley Hermanson secured a double-double, with 10 points and 11 rebounds.
Freedom held fellow sophomore post player Jamie Armstrong to four points, but Armstrong contributed in other ways, pulling down nine rebounds and blocking five Irish shots.
Freshman Kyleigh Sellnow came through when Gwen Sutter got in foul trouble. The guard notched 11 points and dished out a team-high three assists. Seven of Sellnow's points came in a second quarter in which the Cheesemakers extended a 7-4 lead to a 20-13 advantage by the half.
"If there's such a thing as a sixth starter, she's sitting right beside me," head coach Kevin Keen said of Sellnow.
Despite the girls' best efforts, Freedom refused to go away. Monroe led by just three, 28-25, heading into the fourth quarter. A 5-0 run to open the frame put Monroe far enough ahead that the Irish had to take chances on defense and foul over the last 1:20 to try and catch up.
They never did, and Monroe left the Alliant Energy Center in Madison state champions. The Cheesemakers came home via Monroe Fire Department escort to a crowded high school gym, where a sea of red welcomed the girls home.
As the school band played, the girls, still clad in their warm-up suits, carried in the gold ball.
The rally ended with the playing of the school song. It seemed everyone sang. The mob known as Cheesemakers fans, the fans who watched the girls on the floor in Madison, came onto the floor in Monroe to congratulate them.
It was a fitting end to a championship weekend.
- By Jim Winter and Tere Dunlap
When Emily Rufenacht sank a jump shot with 6:05 left in the first quarter, it gave the Lady Cheesemakers the first points of the game and a lead they never lost in a 42-34 victory over Freedom.
Rufenacht led Monroe with 13 points, but wasn't the only hero in the game, which gave the Cheesemakers their second state title in three years.
Ashley Hermanson secured a double-double, with 10 points and 11 rebounds.
Freedom held fellow sophomore post player Jamie Armstrong to four points, but Armstrong contributed in other ways, pulling down nine rebounds and blocking five Irish shots.
Freshman Kyleigh Sellnow came through when Gwen Sutter got in foul trouble. The guard notched 11 points and dished out a team-high three assists. Seven of Sellnow's points came in a second quarter in which the Cheesemakers extended a 7-4 lead to a 20-13 advantage by the half.
"If there's such a thing as a sixth starter, she's sitting right beside me," head coach Kevin Keen said of Sellnow.
Despite the girls' best efforts, Freedom refused to go away. Monroe led by just three, 28-25, heading into the fourth quarter. A 5-0 run to open the frame put Monroe far enough ahead that the Irish had to take chances on defense and foul over the last 1:20 to try and catch up.
They never did, and Monroe left the Alliant Energy Center in Madison state champions. The Cheesemakers came home via Monroe Fire Department escort to a crowded high school gym, where a sea of red welcomed the girls home.
As the school band played, the girls, still clad in their warm-up suits, carried in the gold ball.
The rally ended with the playing of the school song. It seemed everyone sang. The mob known as Cheesemakers fans, the fans who watched the girls on the floor in Madison, came onto the floor in Monroe to congratulate them.
It was a fitting end to a championship weekend.
- By Jim Winter and Tere Dunlap