BARNEVELD - There was a carnival-like atmosphere at Barneveld High School on Friday night, as artists displayed their work and kids got their faces painted as part of the annual cancer awareness night festivities.
The Golden Eagles girls basketball team held up its end of the bargain, too.
Fans packed the gym early in the junior varsity game to make sure they had a seat to see if Barneveld could end Black Hawk's 32-game winning streak in the Six Rivers East Conference. The home fans got their wish as the Golden Eagles started fast and rolled to a 52-32 victory.
"You could see where their emotions were running high and they came out and played like that," Black Hawk coach Mike Flanagan said. "We got hit by a blitzkrieg of sorts, and we just couldn't make the plays to stop the runs."
Barneveld's victory, which came just six days after Black Hawk (16-2, 8-1) had defeated the Golden Eagles (17-2, 9-1) by 11 points in South Wayne, gives it a one-half game lead in the Six Rivers East.
The Golden Eagles also were the last league team to beat the Warriors, and veteran coach Jim Myers had no difficulty remembering that triumph came three years ago to the day.
"This is a huge win for us," Myers said. "I think what it does is it gives us an idea that if we have to see them a third time (in the tournament), if we play hard we have a chance to win. I'm not saying we will (win), but we've at least got a chance.
"They've had such dominance over us the last three years and it's always really hard to face them a third time. This gives us a lot of confidence anyway."
The game was decided in the paint, as Barneveld riddled the Black Hawk defense for high-percentage shots while completely shutting down the Warriors' paint presence. Sophomore guard Jen Wellnitz scored a game-high 18 points, but Black Hawk's next-leading scorers were senior forward Kayla Meier and senior guard Katie Powers, with five points apiece.
Freshman offensive catalyst Rachel Slaney scored 13 points for Barneveld, but the majority came late in the third quarter and in the fourth quarter, when the Golden Eagles were in complete control. Senior Heidi Chapman added 11 points and senior Hailey Cannoy added nine.
Barneveld bolted to a 13-5 lead after one quarter before Wellnitz scored the last nine points of an 11-3 spurt that pulled Black Hawk even at 16.
But the Golden Eagles answered with a 10-2 run to end the half and take a 26-18 lead into the break.
"We've been in that situation and we are usually a second-half team, but tonight wasn't our night," Powers said. "They kept coming and it was tough."
Indeed, Chapman scored seven points in the third quarter as Barneveld used a 16-5 outburst to build a 42-25 cushion. Black Hawk played most of the fourth quarter with just one made free throw before Mikayla Sigafus hit a layup in the waning seconds.
"They were just a step ahead of us," Wellnitz said. "We had the effort, but we couldn't stop them. I think it was just who came to play, and they showed up. They deserved to win that one."
Said Flanagan: "It was a little bit exaggerated version of what we did to them (on Saturday). They came out and did some of the same things where they extended their pressure and we didn't handle it well at times. Last game we were able to get some good opportunities on offense and today they did. Hats off to them, they played a better ballgame."
Barneveld finishes league play with road games at Monticello and Pecatonica while Black Hawk has remaining Six Rivers East games at Albany and at home against Argyle and Juda. Barring an upset, the teams will likely share the conference crown.
Wellnitz is looking beyond the league race.
"Maybe we'll get to see them in the playoffs," she said, "and hopefully we can get them."
The Golden Eagles girls basketball team held up its end of the bargain, too.
Fans packed the gym early in the junior varsity game to make sure they had a seat to see if Barneveld could end Black Hawk's 32-game winning streak in the Six Rivers East Conference. The home fans got their wish as the Golden Eagles started fast and rolled to a 52-32 victory.
"You could see where their emotions were running high and they came out and played like that," Black Hawk coach Mike Flanagan said. "We got hit by a blitzkrieg of sorts, and we just couldn't make the plays to stop the runs."
Barneveld's victory, which came just six days after Black Hawk (16-2, 8-1) had defeated the Golden Eagles (17-2, 9-1) by 11 points in South Wayne, gives it a one-half game lead in the Six Rivers East.
The Golden Eagles also were the last league team to beat the Warriors, and veteran coach Jim Myers had no difficulty remembering that triumph came three years ago to the day.
"This is a huge win for us," Myers said. "I think what it does is it gives us an idea that if we have to see them a third time (in the tournament), if we play hard we have a chance to win. I'm not saying we will (win), but we've at least got a chance.
"They've had such dominance over us the last three years and it's always really hard to face them a third time. This gives us a lot of confidence anyway."
The game was decided in the paint, as Barneveld riddled the Black Hawk defense for high-percentage shots while completely shutting down the Warriors' paint presence. Sophomore guard Jen Wellnitz scored a game-high 18 points, but Black Hawk's next-leading scorers were senior forward Kayla Meier and senior guard Katie Powers, with five points apiece.
Freshman offensive catalyst Rachel Slaney scored 13 points for Barneveld, but the majority came late in the third quarter and in the fourth quarter, when the Golden Eagles were in complete control. Senior Heidi Chapman added 11 points and senior Hailey Cannoy added nine.
Barneveld bolted to a 13-5 lead after one quarter before Wellnitz scored the last nine points of an 11-3 spurt that pulled Black Hawk even at 16.
But the Golden Eagles answered with a 10-2 run to end the half and take a 26-18 lead into the break.
"We've been in that situation and we are usually a second-half team, but tonight wasn't our night," Powers said. "They kept coming and it was tough."
Indeed, Chapman scored seven points in the third quarter as Barneveld used a 16-5 outburst to build a 42-25 cushion. Black Hawk played most of the fourth quarter with just one made free throw before Mikayla Sigafus hit a layup in the waning seconds.
"They were just a step ahead of us," Wellnitz said. "We had the effort, but we couldn't stop them. I think it was just who came to play, and they showed up. They deserved to win that one."
Said Flanagan: "It was a little bit exaggerated version of what we did to them (on Saturday). They came out and did some of the same things where they extended their pressure and we didn't handle it well at times. Last game we were able to get some good opportunities on offense and today they did. Hats off to them, they played a better ballgame."
Barneveld finishes league play with road games at Monticello and Pecatonica while Black Hawk has remaining Six Rivers East games at Albany and at home against Argyle and Juda. Barring an upset, the teams will likely share the conference crown.
Wellnitz is looking beyond the league race.
"Maybe we'll get to see them in the playoffs," she said, "and hopefully we can get them."
