ARGYLE — Argyle-Pecatonica is back in the Division 5 sectionals after winning a regional championship with a 59-43 win over Belmont in the regional semifinal on Friday, Feb. 27 and a 69-39 win over Wauzeka-Steuben in the regional championship game on Saturday, Feb. 28.
In the regional semifinal against Belmont, junior Aleah Harris and seniors Kylie Butler and Loretta Tisch scored baskets to give AP an early 12-4 lead. But, Belmont went on an 11-0 run to take a 15-12 lead with 6:49 left in the half.
The 78ers recovered and tied the game at 15-15 on a three-point-play by Butler. Another basket by Butler on a back-door cut and two free throws by junior Avari Steiner helped AP get a 27-17 lead with 3:26 remaining until halftime. Belmont got free throws by Carsyn Ramaker and Lexi Riechers to make it a five point game at 30-25 at halftime.
The second half started with Jaelyn Leitzinger of Belmont making a three and two more free throws by Ramaker to tie the game at 30-30. Belmont scored just 13 points after that as Harris got a putback, junior Brooke Wellnitz made two free throws, Steiner scored basket on an assist from Butler, and Harris followed up with a short jumper to put AP in control at 44-34.
Steiner connected on a three with 7:51 left and Wellnitz knocked down a pair of free throws to put AP in front 51-39. The lead increased to 54-39 when Tisch made a three that caught the rim and rolled around and dropped in.
Tisch led the 78ers with 15 points. Butler and Steiner had 12 points and Wellnitz scored nine points. Belmont was led by Lexi Riechers with 12 points. AP coach Jen Wellnitz-Krogman acknowledged that Belmont is a scrappy team.
“We knew it would be a physical game coming into tonight,” Wellnitz-Krogman said. “We just didn’t know when we could be physical and I’m sure she (Belmont coach Kaleen McGettigan) would tell you the same thing. There were sometimes the calls would be really touchy and other times they’d let you play. So, it’s kind of a balancing act. Use your physicality, but knew when to use it and when to back off a little bit.”
McGettigan said she was “really pleased” with her team’s effort against a top-tier team like AP. She said the Braves did an outstanding job communicating on defense and were able to convert some turnovers into points, which gained needed momentum at times.
“This was also our best offensive game in terms of taking the ‘smart’ or the ‘right’ shot. We turned down ‘ok’ looks for ‘great’ looks and it showed in our shooting percentage,” McGettigan said Despite all of that, AP still walked off the court with a 16-point victory. “Argyle-Pec is the No. 1 team in D5 for a reason. They are an incredibly tough matchup for teams. We attacked them differently on defense and offense than we did the first time we played them and it really paid off
Argyle-Pecatonica improved to 21-4 with the win to advanced and face Wauzeka-Steuben for the regional championship.
In the regional championship game on Saturday, Feb. 28, junior Brook Wellnitz busted loose for 30 points to lead AP to a 69-38 win. The night before, Wellnitz was held to nine points by Belmont, who played ball-denial on her.
In the first half, Butler hit a pull-up jumper and a three and Wellnitz made two free throws and got a steal and a layup to stake AP to a 28-13 lead. A three by Steiner made it 31-13 and Argyle-Pecatonica took a 35-22 halftime lead.
In the second half, Wellnitz scored eight points in a 13-0 run that increased AP’s lead from 49-30 to 62-30 with 6:21 left in the game. Butler scored eight points in the second half and finished with 19 points
After the game, Wellnitz-Krogman said AP’s offense made it tough for Wauzeka-Steuben to account for everybody on the floor.
“Tonight was a definitely a pick-your-poison night, pick outside or pick inside and everyone was answering. I was really proud of our team effort tonight, really unselfish, passing the ball and it showed on the floor,” Wellnitz-Krogman said.
Argyle-Pecatonica (22-4) missed out on the sectionals last year after a 61-58 loss to Belleville in a Division 4 regional championship. Now, they’ve won a Division 5 regional championship and will face Barneveld (20-7) in a sectional semifinal at Dodgeville on Thursday, March 5. The two teams split their pair of Six Rivers East Conference games this season with AP winning the first game 57-48 on Jan. 19 and Barneveld taking the second game 59-56 on Feb. 19
