FREEPORT - Monroe senior Jake Hirsbrunner wants to turn the annual Snack Bowl game against Freeport into a rivalry.
In his eyes, the Cheesemakers have a ways to go. However, after Monroe was able to withstand a late rally to knock off Freeport 52-42 Saturday, Jan. 11, the Cheesemakers may be on their way to making that pledge come true.
Hirsbrunner scored a game-high 20 points and hit three 3-pointers to propel the Cheesemakers to just the second win against the Pretzels in the last seven years.
"You can only call a rivalry game a rivalry if each team wins," Hirsbrunner said. "Freeport was 5-1 against us the last six years. Hopefully, this starts a streak for the Monroe boys to win the next couple of Snack Bowls so we can make it a rivalry."
Monroe (5-5, 1-2 Badger South) led by as many as 15 points. The Pretzels stormed back and sliced the Cheesemakers' lead to 41-36 on Marcus Fitzpatrick's 3-pointer with about 3 minutes, 30 seconds left in the fourth quarter. Monroe senior Kylan Helmeid scored 14 points and made 10 of 14 free throws in the fourth quarter to seal the win. Fitzpatrick scored 12 points on four 3-pointers to lead the Pretzels.
Freeport (5-9) was coming off a big 45-44 win over NIC-10 leader Hononegah, which was unbeaten in conference play before the Pretzels upset them Friday, Jan. 10 on Giovanni Offard's jumper with 40 seconds to go.
"You can't call it a rivalry when one team is always winning," Monroe coach Pat Murphy said. "We were just trying to even up the score. I thought our effort on the defensive end was very good."
The Cheesemakers bottled up the Pretzels early on. The Pretzels went more than 13 minutes without a field goal in the first half and shot 22.2 percent (4 of 18) and finished the game at 34.7 percent. Monroe senior Charlie Kind scored three of his five points in the first half. The Pretzels had two players battle foul trouble throughout the game, including starters Demetri Offard and Quaveon Meeks. Demetri Offard, Meeks and Giovanni Offard each fouled out in the second half. Despite the solid defensive effort, the Cheesemakers led just 19-12 at the half.
"On offense, we were a little too edgy with the ball," Murphy said. "They (Freeport) never felt like they were out of the game. It's never easy at the varsity level."
The Cheesemakers broke the game open with a 12-6 run in the third quarter. Monroe freshman Alex Tordoff scored down low and Hirsbrunner drilled a 3-pointer to give the Cheesemakers a 31-18 lead about midway through the third quarter. Hirsbrunner hit another 3-pointer and junior Kevin Noriega made two free throws to extend the Cheesemakers' lead to 36-21 late in the third quarter.
The Pretzels got within five points in the fourth quarter on Fitzpatrick's 3-pointer, but the Cheesemakers clinched the win at the free throw line. Helmeid's 10 of 14 shooting performance from the foul line in the fourth quarter helped the Cheesemakers fend off the Pretzels' rally.
"We were in the same boat this year against Stoughton," Hirsbrunner said of the Cheesemakers' 22-point rally before losing in overtime. "We knew they would start making shots. We were just mentally tough. Everyone brought it tonight."
Murphy lauded Helmeid for his free throw shooting down the stretch.
"That is what we needed," he said. "He (Helmeid) is our leader on the floor. We have to have him on the floor and not sitting next to us."
Monroe has three Badger South Conference games this week that could determine the Cheesemakers' fate in contending for a conference title. The Cheesemakers host Milton in a rescheduled game Tuesday, Jan. 14.
"We want to be in the conversation for a conference championship at the end of the year," Murphy said. "We have a lot to clean up."
In his eyes, the Cheesemakers have a ways to go. However, after Monroe was able to withstand a late rally to knock off Freeport 52-42 Saturday, Jan. 11, the Cheesemakers may be on their way to making that pledge come true.
Hirsbrunner scored a game-high 20 points and hit three 3-pointers to propel the Cheesemakers to just the second win against the Pretzels in the last seven years.
"You can only call a rivalry game a rivalry if each team wins," Hirsbrunner said. "Freeport was 5-1 against us the last six years. Hopefully, this starts a streak for the Monroe boys to win the next couple of Snack Bowls so we can make it a rivalry."
Monroe (5-5, 1-2 Badger South) led by as many as 15 points. The Pretzels stormed back and sliced the Cheesemakers' lead to 41-36 on Marcus Fitzpatrick's 3-pointer with about 3 minutes, 30 seconds left in the fourth quarter. Monroe senior Kylan Helmeid scored 14 points and made 10 of 14 free throws in the fourth quarter to seal the win. Fitzpatrick scored 12 points on four 3-pointers to lead the Pretzels.
Freeport (5-9) was coming off a big 45-44 win over NIC-10 leader Hononegah, which was unbeaten in conference play before the Pretzels upset them Friday, Jan. 10 on Giovanni Offard's jumper with 40 seconds to go.
"You can't call it a rivalry when one team is always winning," Monroe coach Pat Murphy said. "We were just trying to even up the score. I thought our effort on the defensive end was very good."
The Cheesemakers bottled up the Pretzels early on. The Pretzels went more than 13 minutes without a field goal in the first half and shot 22.2 percent (4 of 18) and finished the game at 34.7 percent. Monroe senior Charlie Kind scored three of his five points in the first half. The Pretzels had two players battle foul trouble throughout the game, including starters Demetri Offard and Quaveon Meeks. Demetri Offard, Meeks and Giovanni Offard each fouled out in the second half. Despite the solid defensive effort, the Cheesemakers led just 19-12 at the half.
"On offense, we were a little too edgy with the ball," Murphy said. "They (Freeport) never felt like they were out of the game. It's never easy at the varsity level."
The Cheesemakers broke the game open with a 12-6 run in the third quarter. Monroe freshman Alex Tordoff scored down low and Hirsbrunner drilled a 3-pointer to give the Cheesemakers a 31-18 lead about midway through the third quarter. Hirsbrunner hit another 3-pointer and junior Kevin Noriega made two free throws to extend the Cheesemakers' lead to 36-21 late in the third quarter.
The Pretzels got within five points in the fourth quarter on Fitzpatrick's 3-pointer, but the Cheesemakers clinched the win at the free throw line. Helmeid's 10 of 14 shooting performance from the foul line in the fourth quarter helped the Cheesemakers fend off the Pretzels' rally.
"We were in the same boat this year against Stoughton," Hirsbrunner said of the Cheesemakers' 22-point rally before losing in overtime. "We knew they would start making shots. We were just mentally tough. Everyone brought it tonight."
Murphy lauded Helmeid for his free throw shooting down the stretch.
"That is what we needed," he said. "He (Helmeid) is our leader on the floor. We have to have him on the floor and not sitting next to us."
Monroe has three Badger South Conference games this week that could determine the Cheesemakers' fate in contending for a conference title. The Cheesemakers host Milton in a rescheduled game Tuesday, Jan. 14.
"We want to be in the conversation for a conference championship at the end of the year," Murphy said. "We have a lot to clean up."
