ARGYLE - Kurt Ritschard is a little fuzzy on the math when it comes to the Six Rivers East losing streak the Argyle girls basketball team toted into his first season as coach.
That's because Ritschard didn't really want to know. He and the Orioles had plans much bigger than just stopping the ugly skid.
"Our goal was to turn the program around and make people respect us," he said. "The way we've been playing lately, I think teams are starting to respect us more."
Count Monticello coach Tom Eveland and the Ponies firmly in the respect column.
With a Senior Night crowd in the house, senior Danielle Treuthardt and junior Kayla Ostby scored eight points apiece and the Orioles played a stifling brand of defense to defeat Monticello 36-27.
Argyle ended a conference losing streak at least in the 40s - that's as far back as Ritschard can say for sure - by beating Pecatonica on Jan. 21 and had since also defeated Six Rivers East foe Albany. But those teams have a combined
1-15 record in the league.
Beating Monticello (9-8, 5-4 Six Rivers East) is an entirely different story for Argyle (5-12, 3-5).
Big smiles were everywhere outside the Orioles' locker room for a group that's never experienced beating Monticello.
"It means everything," Treuthardt said. "We've been constantly beaten by them. We've been wanting to beat Monticello for the longest time and it feels great."
Said Ostby: "This is the best win of our lives so far. This is such a confidence booster. We know we can compete with Monticello now, and they compete with (upper-echelon Six Rivers East teams) Black Hawk and Juda, so we can compete with anyone."
Ostby said it was even sweeter that the victory came on a night honoring seniors Frida Cuevas, Katie Dammen, Cortney Gilbertson and Treuthardt.
"They've put in a great effort and they deserved something out of the season," Ostby said.
Monticello freshman Alyssah Kubly scored a team-high eight points and her 3-pointer early in the second quarter gave the Ponies their last lead at 7-6. Treuthardt and sophomore Rachel Saalsaa each scored two baskets in the paint in an 8-0 spurt that gave Argyle a 14-7 lead.
Saalsaa scored again in a 6-0 Orioles run to end the half and push Argyle's lead to 21-11.
Monticello also trailed big at halftime two nights earlier in its victory against Juda, but rallied from the 22-14 deficit to defeat the Panthers 38-36.
There would be no rally this time. Argyle pushed its lead to 28-13 midway through the third quarter and Monticello never got closer than nine points.
"This is huge for our program," Ritschard said. "I give the girls a lot of credit - they played very well defensively and offensively they executed. I wish we could have made more free throws, but we'll take it."
Indeed, had the Orioles not shot 29 percent (8 of 28) from the foul line, they likely would have topped the 14-point margin by which Monticello defeated them on Dec. 22.
The key to the defensive effort, Ritschard said, was the four-player rotation of Cuevas, juniors Kimberly Pink and Rachel Tollakson, and freshman Jenna Langmeier making things difficult on Monticello senior point guard Becky Nelson.
"Our plan was to shut down Nelson and try to take her out of the equation and put somebody else in a position where they were uncomfortable," Ritschard said. "The girls did an excellent job."
Monticello coach Tom Eveland gave credit where it was due.
"It was a big game against Juda (on Tuesday) and then we come down here and let our guard down and that's what happens," Eveland said. "The Orioles have been improving all year. They're getting better.
"We couldn't buy a shot. We had shots underneath that weren't going in and (Argyle) made shots."
Monticello had to play long stretches without sophomore Marissa Berg, a key offensive cog, due to foul trouble.
"That's been occurring quite a bit lately and we have to work on that," Eveland said. "She plays hard and that's why she gets the fouls. She has to quit reaching."
Argyle, on the other hand, plans to do nothing but reach for even higher heights with five games left in the regular season.
"Now it feels like we can beat any team," Treuthardt said. "It really does."
That's because Ritschard didn't really want to know. He and the Orioles had plans much bigger than just stopping the ugly skid.
"Our goal was to turn the program around and make people respect us," he said. "The way we've been playing lately, I think teams are starting to respect us more."
Count Monticello coach Tom Eveland and the Ponies firmly in the respect column.
With a Senior Night crowd in the house, senior Danielle Treuthardt and junior Kayla Ostby scored eight points apiece and the Orioles played a stifling brand of defense to defeat Monticello 36-27.
Argyle ended a conference losing streak at least in the 40s - that's as far back as Ritschard can say for sure - by beating Pecatonica on Jan. 21 and had since also defeated Six Rivers East foe Albany. But those teams have a combined
1-15 record in the league.
Beating Monticello (9-8, 5-4 Six Rivers East) is an entirely different story for Argyle (5-12, 3-5).
Big smiles were everywhere outside the Orioles' locker room for a group that's never experienced beating Monticello.
"It means everything," Treuthardt said. "We've been constantly beaten by them. We've been wanting to beat Monticello for the longest time and it feels great."
Said Ostby: "This is the best win of our lives so far. This is such a confidence booster. We know we can compete with Monticello now, and they compete with (upper-echelon Six Rivers East teams) Black Hawk and Juda, so we can compete with anyone."
Ostby said it was even sweeter that the victory came on a night honoring seniors Frida Cuevas, Katie Dammen, Cortney Gilbertson and Treuthardt.
"They've put in a great effort and they deserved something out of the season," Ostby said.
Monticello freshman Alyssah Kubly scored a team-high eight points and her 3-pointer early in the second quarter gave the Ponies their last lead at 7-6. Treuthardt and sophomore Rachel Saalsaa each scored two baskets in the paint in an 8-0 spurt that gave Argyle a 14-7 lead.
Saalsaa scored again in a 6-0 Orioles run to end the half and push Argyle's lead to 21-11.
Monticello also trailed big at halftime two nights earlier in its victory against Juda, but rallied from the 22-14 deficit to defeat the Panthers 38-36.
There would be no rally this time. Argyle pushed its lead to 28-13 midway through the third quarter and Monticello never got closer than nine points.
"This is huge for our program," Ritschard said. "I give the girls a lot of credit - they played very well defensively and offensively they executed. I wish we could have made more free throws, but we'll take it."
Indeed, had the Orioles not shot 29 percent (8 of 28) from the foul line, they likely would have topped the 14-point margin by which Monticello defeated them on Dec. 22.
The key to the defensive effort, Ritschard said, was the four-player rotation of Cuevas, juniors Kimberly Pink and Rachel Tollakson, and freshman Jenna Langmeier making things difficult on Monticello senior point guard Becky Nelson.
"Our plan was to shut down Nelson and try to take her out of the equation and put somebody else in a position where they were uncomfortable," Ritschard said. "The girls did an excellent job."
Monticello coach Tom Eveland gave credit where it was due.
"It was a big game against Juda (on Tuesday) and then we come down here and let our guard down and that's what happens," Eveland said. "The Orioles have been improving all year. They're getting better.
"We couldn't buy a shot. We had shots underneath that weren't going in and (Argyle) made shots."
Monticello had to play long stretches without sophomore Marissa Berg, a key offensive cog, due to foul trouble.
"That's been occurring quite a bit lately and we have to work on that," Eveland said. "She plays hard and that's why she gets the fouls. She has to quit reaching."
Argyle, on the other hand, plans to do nothing but reach for even higher heights with five games left in the regular season.
"Now it feels like we can beat any team," Treuthardt said. "It really does."
