OREGON — The Cheesemakers stayed unbeaten in conference play this season with a 67-63 win over Oregon Dec. 21.

Carson Leuzinger scored 26 points and was 5-for-10 from beyond the arc to lead Monroe. Overall, he was 8 of 20 from the field and hit 5 of 6 free throws. He added five rebounds and two steals. 

JT Seagreaves finished the night with a double-double — 17 points and 14 rebounds. Tucker Markham had seven rebounds, four assists, three steals and five points, and Aaron Roidt added eight points and five boards. 

As a team, the Cheesemakers turned the ball over 11 times but defensively finished with eight steals and three blocks — and just nine total fouls. Monroe was 24 of 63 from the floor, including 11 of 28 from deep and 9 of 14 from the line. Six different Monroe players hit a 3-pointer.

Monroe (6-1, 5-0 Badger West) is ranked seventh overall in Division 2 in the latest Wisconsin Basketball Association poll. The Cheesemakers were to play Brodhead and either New Glarus or Deerfield at the New Glarus tournament Dec. 27-28, then host Freeport in the annual Snack Bowl Dec. 31 at 3:30 p.m.

To open 2022, Monroe travels to Elkhorn for a nonconference affair Jan. 3, then hosts Mount Horeb on Jan. 6 to return to conference play.

Belleville 79, Brodhead 56

River Valley 61, Brodhead 60

BELLEVILLE — The Cardinals suffered grueling, back-to-back losses last week. On Dec. 20, Brodhead let a double-digit lead slip away at River Valley, and then three days later saw a two-point halftime deficit turn into a 23-point drubbing at Belleville.

Owen Leifker scored 23 points in the River Valley game and another 17 against Belleville. He resides just 27 away from the 1,000-point career milestone, and has averaged 22.6 points per game this season.

Josiah Engen had 18 points in the River Valley loss, but just five against Belleville in the first half before an injury knocked him out of the game. Cullen Walker scored 8 and 14 in the two losses, while Brady Malkow had 9 and 7 with 18 total rebounds.

The Cardinals shot 25% from deep on 43 attempts in the two contests. A 10-for-22 mark from the free- throw line against River Valley stifled Brodhead’s winning chances. River Valley outscored the Cardinals 38-26 in the second half. 

Monticello 53, Argyle 19

New Glarus 66, Monticello 38

MONTICELLO — The Ponies (5-4, 4-0) stayed unbeaten in the Six Rivers East with a Dec. 21 win over Argyle, then struggled against the interior strength of New Glarus (4-4) in a nonconference loss Dec. 23. For the Glarner Knights, the win ended a four-game losing skid.

In the loss to New Glarus, Monticello led just once: 2-0. The Knights went ahead 36-16 at halftime and outscored the Ponies 17-2 over the first six minutes of the second half to pull away for good.

Kade Ace led Monticello with 10 points, while Jackson Eyler added eight. Carter Siegenthaler led New Glarus with 17 points, thanks in part to hitting five 3-pointers. Dain Walter tallied 16 points for the Knights, which had 11 players score.

Dodgeville 76, 

Black Hawk 23

DODGEVILLE — The Warriors fell behind 47-11 at halftime and never recovered in a nonconference game Dec. 21. 

Nathan Figi led Black Hawk with eight points. Matthew Pittz had 17 to lead Dodgeville, while Chandler Williams (11) and Dillon Garthwaite (10) also notched double-digits in points.

Johnson Creek 62, Argyle 48

ARGYLE — The host Orioles fell behind 36-18 at halftime, though out-scored the visiting Bluejays 30-26 in the second half of their nonconference game Dec. 20.

Logan Sullivan had 17 points and Levi Berres added 16 for Johnson Creek, which as a team had 14 steals, nine blocks and shot 7 of 20 from behind the arc.