MONROE — The Cheesemakers’ girls basketball team entered a two-week pause for COVID-19 protocol in late January after playing just seven games on the season. Hoping to get a few games in to shake off the rust before the playoffs, Monroe had McFarland (5-4) and Watertown on the schedule for back-to-back nights. 

However, a snowstorm canceled school Feb. 4, which in turn canceled practice for the Lady Cheesemakers. The WIAA stipulates that a team returning from COVID-19 shutdown needs to practice three times prior to playing again, and that day was supposed to be Day No. 3 — meaning the McFarland game was off.

The next day against Watertown in the regular season finale, the Cheesemakers looked, well, rusty. The Goslings hit jump shots, stole passes and took advantage of missed opportunities by Monroe and captured the victory 64-39.

“I’m happy with some of the things we did, like executing the game plan,” Monroe coach Patrick Kenny said. “It was really nice just to be able to get out here and play and shake off some of those cobwebs.”

The Cheesemakers (5-3) briefly led early on. Megan Benzschawel scored on a putback 34 seconds into the game and Breanna Giasson hit a free throw two minutes later to make it 3-1. 

That was it, as Watertown (11-5) rang off a 12-0 run to take the lead for good.

“We got some good looks early on and they didn’t fall. It was very reminiscent of the first couple of weeks of playing,” Kenny said. “Watertown came down and unfortunately knocked down a couple of really good shots. The combination of the two was not good for us. We didn’t do a great job of contesting their shots either. We gave them some open looks and they made them count.”

Leading 19-9, Watertown sprung off another 12-0 run and later went into halftime with a 38-18 advantage. The Cheesemakers scored the first four points of the second half, but the Goslings counterpunched with six points in back-to-back possessions. Watertown added another 12-0 later in the second half to go up by 32.

Despite the lopsided outcome on the scoreboard, Kenny found positives in what his players were able to do. The Cheesemakers have been operating with a 9-player varsity squad this season, which has made it hard to simulate 5-on-5 in practice. For the postseason, Kenny is bringing up a trio of junior varsity players that will be able to help out in practice, as well as gain experience being along for the ride in the postseason.

“I think it’s going to be great experience for them to be a part of it and see what it’s like to play on the varsity level; see that kind of energy and enthusiasm because it is a little eye-popping,” Kenny said.

One of the leaders that Kenny is excited his young junior varsity players can learn from is Benzschawel, a senior. An all-conference player, Benzschawel led Monroe against Watertown with 20 points and is 19 away from the milestone of 1,000 for her career. She also ranks in the top 10 all time in the program in rebounds.

“She’s been a rock. We have been able to rely on her being able to get to the rim, get to the free throw line and play very solid defense. She’s rarely gotten into foul trouble and she does a lot of the right things. She plays like an experienced senior,” Kenny said. “Those kinds of players don’t come along very often.”

However, Kenny is pleased with not the leadership Megan shows on the stat sheet, but elsewhere on and off the court.

“I’m really proud to call her one of my players and to be able to coach her. It just goes to show, you know, that kind of leadership is special. She’s setting a great example for the rest of the players,” Kenny said.

The turnaround for the Cheesemakers will be quick, as the WIAA Division 2 playoffs were set to begin Feb. 9 with Evansville (5-13) coming to town. The winner advances to face top-seeded Jefferson (17-2) in the regional semifinal Feb. 12.

Evansville has a pair of players averaging double figures in scoring: Ava Brandenburg (12.6 ppg) and Maria Messling (10.6). The two have combined for more than half of the scoring output for the Blue Devils, with no other player reach as much as 6 ppg. 

For Monroe, Benzschawel is averaging 16.4 ppg, plus 8.5 rebounds and 4.2 steals per game this season. Giasson is averaging 9.4 ppg, with Sloane Ambrose (8.6), Taylor Jacobson (8.4) and Lily Bobak (6.5) all above 6 points per game. Benzschawel, Jacobson and guard Sydney Updike (2.4 ppg) are the only returning players on the varsity squad from last season.

Kenny said that despite the challenges of his first year at the helm with the program, he’s pleased with the effort his players have given and he is optimistic about what his team is capable of in the postseason.

“I told them in the locker room they’re just a great group to coach and I’m enjoying every minute of it and I wish that we would have had more time this year,” Kenny said. “But it is what it is, and let’s get it together and put together a good week of basketball next week.”