MONROE - The Cheesemakers brought back nearly its entire roster from last year's state-qualifying team. The experience showed as Monroe controlled Brodhead all game in the season opener Saturday, winning 51-41.
"It was a little ragged at times, but I thought for our first ball game, though physical at times, we played pretty hard," Cheesemakers head coach Kevin Keen said.
Monroe's three top seniors, Ashley Hermanson, Gwen Sutter and Jamie Armstrong, each reached double figures in scoring. The points weren't easy to come by, but added scoring from Kylee Ritschard and Chelsea Brice allowed for the absence of Kyleigh Sellnow to go over smoothly.
"It was good to see Chelsea Brice and Kylee Ritschard filled in well for Kyleigh Sellnow, and Kristin McArdle came off the bench and played well, as did Jaclyn Ditter," Keen said.
Monroe jumped out to a 7-2 lead midway through the first quarter after a 3-pointer and a coast-to-coast breakaway by Sutter, who finished with 10 points. Sutter then connected with Hermanson in the opening minute of the second quarter to put the Cheesemakers up 15-7.
"We were off a lot, we have a lot to work on, but we know we will get better. It was the first game, so it was nerve-racking," said Hermanson, a University of Nebraska-Kearney recruit.
By halftime, Monroe was ahead 30-18, the final bucket coming just before the buzzer as Armstrong hit a deep two from the wing.
"It's never a good thing to lose, but the good thing about playing a team like Monroe is that you're going to find out your weaknesses early in the season, rather than at the end of January," Brodhead head coach Brad Pickett said. "Monroe's a good team and we could just never get over that six-eight point spread that they had on us for a while."
In the third quarter, the Cheesemakers exploded. After the Cardinals scored six of the first nine points in the half, Monroe went on a 10-2 run to lead 43-25.
In the fourth, the Cheesemakers scored just one field goal while shooting 6-for-6 from the free throw line. Brodhead, meanwhile, crept back into the game.
Dana Lewis, the Cardinals 6-foot, 2-inch starting center who tussled with her AAU teammate - Hermanson - in the paint all game, scored nine of her game-high 15 points in the final frame, including a half-court shot at the buzzer, sending the crowd into a frenzy.
"It was a challenge, they played really well. But I think we proved that we're not scared and we're going to come out hard," Lewis said.
A majority of Brodhead's starting lineup graduated after the 2008-09 season. Replacing them is a hard task, but Pickett likes what he sees from his freshmen, Taylor Douglas and Mariah Ahrens, as well as junior Mariah Mohns (13 points). Mohns, who stands just 5-foot, 10-inches, guarded Armstrong (6-foot, 2-inches) all game, holding the all-state forward to just four field goals in the game, and only three in the paint.
"I have to be honest, coming into the game I thought we were going to struggle in the post, but Mariah proved herself. It's nice to know that I have someone else who, even though they are smaller, can hold their own in the post," Lewis said.
Pickett agreed.
"We talked to Mariah earlier in the week and told her she was going to have that matchup. She's an energetic kid and doesn't mind being physical. She did a nice job," he said. "(And) you play Monroe and you are going to find out a lot about your freshmen, and I thought they played extremely well."
Monroe plays at Madison La Follette Tuesday night. On Friday, the Cheesemakers host last year's Badger South co-champion, Madison Edgewood.
"We've got a tough week coming up, but it's good to get one under our belt," Keen said.
"It was a little ragged at times, but I thought for our first ball game, though physical at times, we played pretty hard," Cheesemakers head coach Kevin Keen said.
Monroe's three top seniors, Ashley Hermanson, Gwen Sutter and Jamie Armstrong, each reached double figures in scoring. The points weren't easy to come by, but added scoring from Kylee Ritschard and Chelsea Brice allowed for the absence of Kyleigh Sellnow to go over smoothly.
"It was good to see Chelsea Brice and Kylee Ritschard filled in well for Kyleigh Sellnow, and Kristin McArdle came off the bench and played well, as did Jaclyn Ditter," Keen said.
Monroe jumped out to a 7-2 lead midway through the first quarter after a 3-pointer and a coast-to-coast breakaway by Sutter, who finished with 10 points. Sutter then connected with Hermanson in the opening minute of the second quarter to put the Cheesemakers up 15-7.
"We were off a lot, we have a lot to work on, but we know we will get better. It was the first game, so it was nerve-racking," said Hermanson, a University of Nebraska-Kearney recruit.
By halftime, Monroe was ahead 30-18, the final bucket coming just before the buzzer as Armstrong hit a deep two from the wing.
"It's never a good thing to lose, but the good thing about playing a team like Monroe is that you're going to find out your weaknesses early in the season, rather than at the end of January," Brodhead head coach Brad Pickett said. "Monroe's a good team and we could just never get over that six-eight point spread that they had on us for a while."
In the third quarter, the Cheesemakers exploded. After the Cardinals scored six of the first nine points in the half, Monroe went on a 10-2 run to lead 43-25.
In the fourth, the Cheesemakers scored just one field goal while shooting 6-for-6 from the free throw line. Brodhead, meanwhile, crept back into the game.
Dana Lewis, the Cardinals 6-foot, 2-inch starting center who tussled with her AAU teammate - Hermanson - in the paint all game, scored nine of her game-high 15 points in the final frame, including a half-court shot at the buzzer, sending the crowd into a frenzy.
"It was a challenge, they played really well. But I think we proved that we're not scared and we're going to come out hard," Lewis said.
A majority of Brodhead's starting lineup graduated after the 2008-09 season. Replacing them is a hard task, but Pickett likes what he sees from his freshmen, Taylor Douglas and Mariah Ahrens, as well as junior Mariah Mohns (13 points). Mohns, who stands just 5-foot, 10-inches, guarded Armstrong (6-foot, 2-inches) all game, holding the all-state forward to just four field goals in the game, and only three in the paint.
"I have to be honest, coming into the game I thought we were going to struggle in the post, but Mariah proved herself. It's nice to know that I have someone else who, even though they are smaller, can hold their own in the post," Lewis said.
Pickett agreed.
"We talked to Mariah earlier in the week and told her she was going to have that matchup. She's an energetic kid and doesn't mind being physical. She did a nice job," he said. "(And) you play Monroe and you are going to find out a lot about your freshmen, and I thought they played extremely well."
Monroe plays at Madison La Follette Tuesday night. On Friday, the Cheesemakers host last year's Badger South co-champion, Madison Edgewood.
"We've got a tough week coming up, but it's good to get one under our belt," Keen said.
