SOUTH WAYNE - Monticello nearly caught a rusty Black Hawk squad off guard in the second round of the WIAA Division 5 playoffs. The Ponies pushed the Warriors, who are the defending state runner-up and currently No. 1 ranked team in the state, to the end before losing 46-43.
"We came out a bit rusty," said Black Hawk coach Mike Flanagan, whose team hadn't played a game in 11 days. Monticello was playing its third in the same timespan.
Both teams finished the first quarter knotted up at 12 and Black Hawk took a 25-22 lead at halftime.
"They match up well with us. And they are well coached," Flanagan said.
Rachel Rygh led all scorers, finishing with 16 points for the Warriors (23-0). Freshman Jen Wellnitz scored 11 and Alyssa Piefer added 10.
"Piefer had a good game for us and hit a big 3-pointer in each half," Flanagan said.
Senior Melissa Wellnitz, who was plagued with foul trouble, was held to just a single point for Black Hawk.
Becky Nelson led Monticello (7-13) with 13 points and Katie Gierhart added nine.
Black Hawk will play Barneveld (17-7) for the WIAA Division 5 Evansville Regional championship tonight at 7 p.m.
WIAA Division 5 Regional Semifinal
Barneveld 37, Juda 36
BARNEVELD - The Panthers (18-6) could not break the Eagles stronghold on the rivalry in third meeting between the two schools this season.
Senior Alycia Grenzow scored 16 points in her final game for Juda, which hit zero 3-pointers in the game compared to Barneveld's six.
Barneveld led 10-7 after the first quarter and 23-17 at halftime. The Eagles pushed their advantage to 32-25 headed into the fourth before the Panthers came roaring back. Juda had a chance to take the lead, holding the ball with 16 seconds left, but could not score the game-winning hoop.
Ellen Kiser added nine for Juda.
WIAA Division 4 Regional Semifinal
Darlington 52,
Lancaster 47
LANCASTER - Sophomore Cassidy Chambers scored 17 points and the No. 3 seed Darlington Redbirds shot a red-hot 14 of 20 (70 percent) from the field in the first half to upend the No. 2 seed Lancaster Flying Arrows in a Division 4 regional semifinal Friday.
The Redbirds took an 18-10 first quarter lead, then finished the first half making their last six shots to take a 29-16 halftime lead.
Darlington went cold to start the second half, missing their first nine shots while the Flying Arrows rallied to within 33-30. Sophomore Claire Scott broke the spell by getting a rebound basket to give the Redbirds a 35-30 lead at the end of the third quarter and Lancaster could get no closer.
"We were getting a little nervous there but we knew we had to calm down and move the ball and not force things. Once we start forcing things, we know we'd be in trouble and Lancaster would take it away from us," Cassidy Chambers said.
Despite shooting just 5-for-17 in the second half, the Redbirds made 15 of 20 free throws during the third and fourth quarters to turn back the Flying Arrows.
"We're expecting to win games at the free throw line. If we get there, that's our goal, and keep teams from getting on those runs," said Darlington head coach Mike Chambers.
Senior Elizabeth Mathias scored 12 points and junior Amy Jorgenson added 11 points for Darlington.
Darlington (20-4) will face No. 1 seed and eighth-ranked Fennimore (21-2) for the regional championship at 7 p.m. tonight at Mineral Point. The Golden Eagles, who have beaten Darlington in two previous meetings this season, defeated defending Division 3 champion Cuba City 53-34 Friday.
WIAA Division 4 Regional Semifinal
Belleville 65, New Glarus 35
BELLEVILLE - The Wildcats came out firing and took a 43-18 lead after the first half.
"They came out ready to go," New Glarus coach Megan Scheele said. "We worked hard, but it was Belleville's night."
Quinn Rear scored 23 points and hit six 3-pointers for Belleville (20-3).
Alexis Hanson scored 11 points to lead New Glarus (10-14) in the final game for the Knights.
"We came out a bit rusty," said Black Hawk coach Mike Flanagan, whose team hadn't played a game in 11 days. Monticello was playing its third in the same timespan.
Both teams finished the first quarter knotted up at 12 and Black Hawk took a 25-22 lead at halftime.
"They match up well with us. And they are well coached," Flanagan said.
Rachel Rygh led all scorers, finishing with 16 points for the Warriors (23-0). Freshman Jen Wellnitz scored 11 and Alyssa Piefer added 10.
"Piefer had a good game for us and hit a big 3-pointer in each half," Flanagan said.
Senior Melissa Wellnitz, who was plagued with foul trouble, was held to just a single point for Black Hawk.
Becky Nelson led Monticello (7-13) with 13 points and Katie Gierhart added nine.
Black Hawk will play Barneveld (17-7) for the WIAA Division 5 Evansville Regional championship tonight at 7 p.m.
WIAA Division 5 Regional Semifinal
Barneveld 37, Juda 36
BARNEVELD - The Panthers (18-6) could not break the Eagles stronghold on the rivalry in third meeting between the two schools this season.
Senior Alycia Grenzow scored 16 points in her final game for Juda, which hit zero 3-pointers in the game compared to Barneveld's six.
Barneveld led 10-7 after the first quarter and 23-17 at halftime. The Eagles pushed their advantage to 32-25 headed into the fourth before the Panthers came roaring back. Juda had a chance to take the lead, holding the ball with 16 seconds left, but could not score the game-winning hoop.
Ellen Kiser added nine for Juda.
WIAA Division 4 Regional Semifinal
Darlington 52,
Lancaster 47
LANCASTER - Sophomore Cassidy Chambers scored 17 points and the No. 3 seed Darlington Redbirds shot a red-hot 14 of 20 (70 percent) from the field in the first half to upend the No. 2 seed Lancaster Flying Arrows in a Division 4 regional semifinal Friday.
The Redbirds took an 18-10 first quarter lead, then finished the first half making their last six shots to take a 29-16 halftime lead.
Darlington went cold to start the second half, missing their first nine shots while the Flying Arrows rallied to within 33-30. Sophomore Claire Scott broke the spell by getting a rebound basket to give the Redbirds a 35-30 lead at the end of the third quarter and Lancaster could get no closer.
"We were getting a little nervous there but we knew we had to calm down and move the ball and not force things. Once we start forcing things, we know we'd be in trouble and Lancaster would take it away from us," Cassidy Chambers said.
Despite shooting just 5-for-17 in the second half, the Redbirds made 15 of 20 free throws during the third and fourth quarters to turn back the Flying Arrows.
"We're expecting to win games at the free throw line. If we get there, that's our goal, and keep teams from getting on those runs," said Darlington head coach Mike Chambers.
Senior Elizabeth Mathias scored 12 points and junior Amy Jorgenson added 11 points for Darlington.
Darlington (20-4) will face No. 1 seed and eighth-ranked Fennimore (21-2) for the regional championship at 7 p.m. tonight at Mineral Point. The Golden Eagles, who have beaten Darlington in two previous meetings this season, defeated defending Division 3 champion Cuba City 53-34 Friday.
WIAA Division 4 Regional Semifinal
Belleville 65, New Glarus 35
BELLEVILLE - The Wildcats came out firing and took a 43-18 lead after the first half.
"They came out ready to go," New Glarus coach Megan Scheele said. "We worked hard, but it was Belleville's night."
Quinn Rear scored 23 points and hit six 3-pointers for Belleville (20-3).
Alexis Hanson scored 11 points to lead New Glarus (10-14) in the final game for the Knights.
