MONROE - It was a tale of two halves, and after a 57-42 loss to Madison Edgewood, Monroe coach Pat Murphy was searching for answers.
Monroe (8-10, 3-7 Badger South) opened the game with a 15-3 run highlighted by senior Jake Hirsbrunner drilling a 3-pointer and scoring 11 of his team-high 13 points in the first half. Monroe senior Noah Tostrud scored on a putback and Hirsbrunner hit a 3-pointer to start the second quarter to give the Cheesemakers a 15-3 lead.
In the second half, it was like someone flipped a switch. The Crusaders went to a press and overcame a seven-point halftime deficit. The Cheesemakers committed 11 turnovers in the second half and the Crusaders scored in transition and took advantage of some second chance scoring opportunities on offensive rebounds.
"They beat us up in the second half," Murphy said. "We didn't really respond well. They got us on our heels and we never recovered. We always want to beat Edgewood. It's a disappointment to lose to them twice."
Edgewood senior Jeffrey Zellner, who didn't attempt a shot in the first half, scored seven points to spark a 7-0 run to erase the Cheesemakers' 24-17 lead at the half. Zellner knocked down a 3-pointer with 6 minutes, 12 seconds left in the third quarter to tie the game at 24. Edgewood junior Bryce Haefer drilled a 3-pointer midway through the third to give the Crusaders a 29-24 lead.
"In the first half everything was crisp," Hirsbrunner said. "In the second half, we were a different team. We knew what they were going to do. We just didn't execute. We turned the ball over. I'm as guilty as anyone. I made some dumb turnovers. It was dumb turnovers and getting sloppy on defense."
Murphy said the Cheesemakers weren't surprised the Crusaders went to a press.
"They have been doing that all year," Murphy said. "We made some lazy passes. They got on a run and we really didn't respond well."
Edgewood senior Alexander Wendler scored a game-high 17 points and Haefer scored 15 points. Zellner chipped in nine points.
Monroe junior Kevin Noriega scored eight points. Senior Charlie Kind scored six points and had 11 rebounds and senior Kylan Helmeid added six points.
Noriega questioned the team's energy and intensity in the second half.
"Our defense just started deteriorating," Noriega said. "Our help defense was bad, and after our defense was bad it affected our offense. We have to be intense and in the game, play all four quarters. Our intensity just failed."
Despite the Crusaders' surge in the third quarter, the Cheesemakers closed the period with a bang. Kind grabbed an offensive rebound and hit a fade away jumper before the buzzer to slice the Crusaders' lead to 36-32.
Haefer knocked down another 3-pointer and Wendler converted a conventional three-point play to give the Crusaders a 42-32 lead with 5:27 left in the fourth. Helmeid banked in a shot about midway through the fourth to cut the Crusaders' lead to 44-35, but that is as close as the Cheesemakers would get. Edgewood added to their lead with senior Evan Brondoc scoring on a layup with 3:12 to go to extend the Crusaders' lead to 48-35.
The best part for some of the Cheesemakers is the loss won't linger with a non-conference game at Waunakee at 4 p.m. today.
"We left something out on the floor," Hirsbrunner said after the loss to Edgewood. "I think we have to go to Waunakee and leave everything out there on the court."
Monroe (8-10, 3-7 Badger South) opened the game with a 15-3 run highlighted by senior Jake Hirsbrunner drilling a 3-pointer and scoring 11 of his team-high 13 points in the first half. Monroe senior Noah Tostrud scored on a putback and Hirsbrunner hit a 3-pointer to start the second quarter to give the Cheesemakers a 15-3 lead.
In the second half, it was like someone flipped a switch. The Crusaders went to a press and overcame a seven-point halftime deficit. The Cheesemakers committed 11 turnovers in the second half and the Crusaders scored in transition and took advantage of some second chance scoring opportunities on offensive rebounds.
"They beat us up in the second half," Murphy said. "We didn't really respond well. They got us on our heels and we never recovered. We always want to beat Edgewood. It's a disappointment to lose to them twice."
Edgewood senior Jeffrey Zellner, who didn't attempt a shot in the first half, scored seven points to spark a 7-0 run to erase the Cheesemakers' 24-17 lead at the half. Zellner knocked down a 3-pointer with 6 minutes, 12 seconds left in the third quarter to tie the game at 24. Edgewood junior Bryce Haefer drilled a 3-pointer midway through the third to give the Crusaders a 29-24 lead.
"In the first half everything was crisp," Hirsbrunner said. "In the second half, we were a different team. We knew what they were going to do. We just didn't execute. We turned the ball over. I'm as guilty as anyone. I made some dumb turnovers. It was dumb turnovers and getting sloppy on defense."
Murphy said the Cheesemakers weren't surprised the Crusaders went to a press.
"They have been doing that all year," Murphy said. "We made some lazy passes. They got on a run and we really didn't respond well."
Edgewood senior Alexander Wendler scored a game-high 17 points and Haefer scored 15 points. Zellner chipped in nine points.
Monroe junior Kevin Noriega scored eight points. Senior Charlie Kind scored six points and had 11 rebounds and senior Kylan Helmeid added six points.
Noriega questioned the team's energy and intensity in the second half.
"Our defense just started deteriorating," Noriega said. "Our help defense was bad, and after our defense was bad it affected our offense. We have to be intense and in the game, play all four quarters. Our intensity just failed."
Despite the Crusaders' surge in the third quarter, the Cheesemakers closed the period with a bang. Kind grabbed an offensive rebound and hit a fade away jumper before the buzzer to slice the Crusaders' lead to 36-32.
Haefer knocked down another 3-pointer and Wendler converted a conventional three-point play to give the Crusaders a 42-32 lead with 5:27 left in the fourth. Helmeid banked in a shot about midway through the fourth to cut the Crusaders' lead to 44-35, but that is as close as the Cheesemakers would get. Edgewood added to their lead with senior Evan Brondoc scoring on a layup with 3:12 to go to extend the Crusaders' lead to 48-35.
The best part for some of the Cheesemakers is the loss won't linger with a non-conference game at Waunakee at 4 p.m. today.
"We left something out on the floor," Hirsbrunner said after the loss to Edgewood. "I think we have to go to Waunakee and leave everything out there on the court."
