MADISON - Monroe girls basketball team lost a stunner 31-30 to Winneconne in the WIAA Division 2 state semifinals Friday, ending the Cheesemakers' run for state gold.
Winneconne senior Maggie Peerenboom hit a 12-foot jumper with about 44 seconds left in the game to give the Wolves a 31-30 lead. With 16 seconds left, the Cheesemakers dodged a couple of bullets by just beating a five-second call with a timeout on an inbounds play. The Cheesemakers also dodged a near jump ball and senior Chelsea Brice's potential game-winning 3-pointer glanced off the rim and out of bounds.
In a crazy final 2.7 seconds, Winneconne senior Kathryn Koeck threw a baseball pass the full length of the floor for a costly turnover with 1.4 seconds left. Officials ruled that Winneconne senior Hannah Eiden touched the ball before it went out of bounds. Instead of getting the ball out of bounds under their own hoop, the Cheesemakers were forced to go the full length of the court. The inbounds pass to Monroe junior Kylee Ritschard was tipped and Ritschard couldn't get off a desperation fullcourt shot before the buzzer.
"It would have been nice to have that one back under our basket," Monroe coach Kevin Keen said. "It doesn't come down to one play. It's frustrating for all of us."
For more details on the game, see Sports.
Winneconne senior Maggie Peerenboom hit a 12-foot jumper with about 44 seconds left in the game to give the Wolves a 31-30 lead. With 16 seconds left, the Cheesemakers dodged a couple of bullets by just beating a five-second call with a timeout on an inbounds play. The Cheesemakers also dodged a near jump ball and senior Chelsea Brice's potential game-winning 3-pointer glanced off the rim and out of bounds.
In a crazy final 2.7 seconds, Winneconne senior Kathryn Koeck threw a baseball pass the full length of the floor for a costly turnover with 1.4 seconds left. Officials ruled that Winneconne senior Hannah Eiden touched the ball before it went out of bounds. Instead of getting the ball out of bounds under their own hoop, the Cheesemakers were forced to go the full length of the court. The inbounds pass to Monroe junior Kylee Ritschard was tipped and Ritschard couldn't get off a desperation fullcourt shot before the buzzer.
"It would have been nice to have that one back under our basket," Monroe coach Kevin Keen said. "It doesn't come down to one play. It's frustrating for all of us."
For more details on the game, see Sports.