MONONA - Monroe junior Sydney Hilliard scored a game-high 29 points and eclipsed the 1,000-point career milestone to lead the Monroe girls basketball team to a comeback 84-47 win over Monona Grove Friday night.
Hilliard scored 25 of her 29 points in the second half. Monona Grove (5-3, 3-2 Badger South), playing without all-state performer McKenna Warnock, surprisingly led the Cheesemakers 36-34 at the half. Monroe (8-1, 5-0 Badger South) outscored the Silver Eagles 50-11 in the second half. Warnock, who is averaging 28.6 points and 15.1 rebounds per game, missed the game due to an injury.
"In a lot of areas in the first half, they played harder than we did," Monroe coach Sam Mathiason said. "We talked about it before the game that they would come out and compete hard and push the tempo. We had to pick up our intensity in the second half. We played some good defense in the second half and limited them to one shot. We were just a lot more disciplined defensively in the second half and more solid."
Monroe junior Emily Benzschawel added 19 points and knocked down three of the team's six 3-pointers. Senior teammate Sydney Mathiason chipped in 11 points. Hilliard's big second half sparked the Cheesemakers. Hilliard, who has now scored 1,022 points, became just the fourth Monroe girls basketball player to score 1,000 points or more in her career. The others are alumnae Ellie Radke, Jamie Armstrong and Ashley Hermanson.
"She (Hilliard) just took it over," Mathiason said. "She's a special player and that (1,000 career points) is a special accomplishment. She's really a skilled player who has a lot of talent. You know when you score 1,000 points in your junior year, you are a good scorer. She's team-first all of the time. It's a special honor. She has just put in a lot of work. That work is paying off."
Monona Grove was led by junior Kaylee Kellogg, who scored a team-high 14 points. Monona Grove sophomore Jenny Gorton added 10 points.
Hilliard scored 25 of her 29 points in the second half. Monona Grove (5-3, 3-2 Badger South), playing without all-state performer McKenna Warnock, surprisingly led the Cheesemakers 36-34 at the half. Monroe (8-1, 5-0 Badger South) outscored the Silver Eagles 50-11 in the second half. Warnock, who is averaging 28.6 points and 15.1 rebounds per game, missed the game due to an injury.
"In a lot of areas in the first half, they played harder than we did," Monroe coach Sam Mathiason said. "We talked about it before the game that they would come out and compete hard and push the tempo. We had to pick up our intensity in the second half. We played some good defense in the second half and limited them to one shot. We were just a lot more disciplined defensively in the second half and more solid."
Monroe junior Emily Benzschawel added 19 points and knocked down three of the team's six 3-pointers. Senior teammate Sydney Mathiason chipped in 11 points. Hilliard's big second half sparked the Cheesemakers. Hilliard, who has now scored 1,022 points, became just the fourth Monroe girls basketball player to score 1,000 points or more in her career. The others are alumnae Ellie Radke, Jamie Armstrong and Ashley Hermanson.
"She (Hilliard) just took it over," Mathiason said. "She's a special player and that (1,000 career points) is a special accomplishment. She's really a skilled player who has a lot of talent. You know when you score 1,000 points in your junior year, you are a good scorer. She's team-first all of the time. It's a special honor. She has just put in a lot of work. That work is paying off."
Monona Grove was led by junior Kaylee Kellogg, who scored a team-high 14 points. Monona Grove sophomore Jenny Gorton added 10 points.
