MONROE — The Cheesemakers closed out the first half of the conference season just one game out of first place with an 82-71 win over Milton Jan. 10.
Monroe (6-6, 5-2 Badger South) took an 11-point lead into halftime and held on against the visiting Red Hawks (1-10, 0-6).
Sophomore Cade Meyer led the Cheesemakers with 17 points. Freshman Logan Leuzinger scored 16 and sophomore Max Golembiewski added 13. Three Monroe seniors notched nine points each: Michael Lange, Nick Schumacher and Kade King.
Milton had four players in double figures: Kyle Wecker (16), Jared Brown (15), Jack Campion (12) and Ryder Radke (10).
Oregon leads the conference race after the first half with a 6-1 mark. Monona Grove and Stoughton each are 5-2 and tied with Monroe. Watertown and Madison Edgewood are 3-4 and Milton and Fort Atkinson were winless going into a head-to-head showdown that was scheduled for Jan. 14.
Girls Basketball
Monroe 81, Reedsburg 70
MADISON — The Lady Cheesemakers knocked off Reedsburg Jan. 12 in the Badger Challenge at Edgewood High School.
Sydney Hilliard scored 23 points to lead all scorers. Megan Benzschawel (19), Emily Benzschawel (16) and Grace Tostrud (12) each reached double figures for Monroe, while Kayleigh Nesbitt sparked the Cheesemakers off the bench with nine points.
Ava Douglas led the Beavers with 21.
Tenth-ranked Monroe (10-4, 5-2 Badger South) led 34-30 at halftime, but outscored Reedsburg (10-4, 5-2 Badger North) 47-40 in the second half. Both teams came into the game ranked in the most recent Division 2 state polls, with Monroe eighth in the WisSports.net Coaches Poll and tied for ninth in the AP Poll. Reedsburg was eighth in the AP Poll.