BARABOO - The postseason magic ran out for the Monroe girls basketball team Saturday night, but not before the seniors enjoyed a memorable upset and the underclassmen got a good taste of March Madness.
University of Wisconsin-Green Bay recruit Samantha Terry poured in 29 points to power Baraboo to a 54-41 victory in a Division 2 regional final against a Cheesemakers squad that one night earlier had knocked off top-seeded Monona Grove.
The Cheesemakers were within six points of the No. 4-seeded Thunderbirds in the third quarter before Baraboo closed the quarter on an 11-2 run capped by Terry's 30-footer at the buzzer.
"Going from having (the deficit) at six to that 15 at the end of the third quarter was the final thing we couldn't overcome," Monroe coach Sam Mathiason said.
"At six points, we were finding a way to hang in there. For as good as Terry and Emily Brinker (12 points), two kids who can really find ways to score, are, we were hanging around."
Baraboo (18-6) advances to face Reedsburg (21-3) in a sectional semifinal on Thursday at Middleton.
For Monroe (7-18, 3-9 Badger South), a No. 9 seed after a trying regular season, playing three tournament games was a strong way to finish.
"We had a little bit of that excitement of March Madness we all hear about," Mathiason said. "We were right there in the middle of it. Unfortunately it came to an end.
"I thought we played hard. It had been a long week."
Baraboo led 42-27 entering the fourth quarter. Monroe senior forward Brooke McBain scored seven of her team-high 11 points in the first two minutes of the fourth quarter to help Monroe pull within 44-34 before the Thunderbirds closed out the victory.
The game capped the MHS careers of McBain and five classmates - Abbey Foulker, Molly Hlubek, Chelsea Haffele, Gracie Schilt and Ashley Segner.
"Brooke stepped up her game from her junior year to her senior year, and that's what you hope a senior will do," Mathiason said of the Cheesemakers' leading scorer and rebounder. "She was the leader on the offensive end that you need."
Hlubek asserted herself at the point guard position.
"She played some great defense and handled the ball for us. Her minutes went way up this season," Mathiason said.
Foulker and Haffele both started at times.
"Their roles were more in a defensive nature," Mathiason said. "A lot of times defense is something people don't see, but they both gave us a great effort to help us play good defense and they both had their offensive flurries."
Of Schilt and Segner, Mathiason said, "They came out and worked hard and did their best. They kept trying to get better and make us better as practice players every day."
The coach said knocking off Monona Grove 44-41 on Friday - the Silver Eagles (20-3) had topped Monroe 38-27 and 48-25 during Badger South play - is a victory few associated with the program will soon forget.
"What you'll remember about this group is capping off the season by beating the No. 1 seed in MG," Mathiason said. "To be able to go into their gym against a team that played as hard as they did all year, and to get that win, is a positive memory that this group will look back upon."
University of Wisconsin-Green Bay recruit Samantha Terry poured in 29 points to power Baraboo to a 54-41 victory in a Division 2 regional final against a Cheesemakers squad that one night earlier had knocked off top-seeded Monona Grove.
The Cheesemakers were within six points of the No. 4-seeded Thunderbirds in the third quarter before Baraboo closed the quarter on an 11-2 run capped by Terry's 30-footer at the buzzer.
"Going from having (the deficit) at six to that 15 at the end of the third quarter was the final thing we couldn't overcome," Monroe coach Sam Mathiason said.
"At six points, we were finding a way to hang in there. For as good as Terry and Emily Brinker (12 points), two kids who can really find ways to score, are, we were hanging around."
Baraboo (18-6) advances to face Reedsburg (21-3) in a sectional semifinal on Thursday at Middleton.
For Monroe (7-18, 3-9 Badger South), a No. 9 seed after a trying regular season, playing three tournament games was a strong way to finish.
"We had a little bit of that excitement of March Madness we all hear about," Mathiason said. "We were right there in the middle of it. Unfortunately it came to an end.
"I thought we played hard. It had been a long week."
Baraboo led 42-27 entering the fourth quarter. Monroe senior forward Brooke McBain scored seven of her team-high 11 points in the first two minutes of the fourth quarter to help Monroe pull within 44-34 before the Thunderbirds closed out the victory.
The game capped the MHS careers of McBain and five classmates - Abbey Foulker, Molly Hlubek, Chelsea Haffele, Gracie Schilt and Ashley Segner.
"Brooke stepped up her game from her junior year to her senior year, and that's what you hope a senior will do," Mathiason said of the Cheesemakers' leading scorer and rebounder. "She was the leader on the offensive end that you need."
Hlubek asserted herself at the point guard position.
"She played some great defense and handled the ball for us. Her minutes went way up this season," Mathiason said.
Foulker and Haffele both started at times.
"Their roles were more in a defensive nature," Mathiason said. "A lot of times defense is something people don't see, but they both gave us a great effort to help us play good defense and they both had their offensive flurries."
Of Schilt and Segner, Mathiason said, "They came out and worked hard and did their best. They kept trying to get better and make us better as practice players every day."
The coach said knocking off Monona Grove 44-41 on Friday - the Silver Eagles (20-3) had topped Monroe 38-27 and 48-25 during Badger South play - is a victory few associated with the program will soon forget.
"What you'll remember about this group is capping off the season by beating the No. 1 seed in MG," Mathiason said. "To be able to go into their gym against a team that played as hard as they did all year, and to get that win, is a positive memory that this group will look back upon."
