WAUNAKEE - Peer pressure has its pretty side once in a long while.
Gwen Sutter got a lot of advice over the past few days, whether in practice or in the halls at school, and obliged with a game-high 19 points and had a 3-point flurry in the first half of Monroe's 59-46 girls basketball win over Reedsburg in Thursday's WIAA Division 2 Sectional semifinal.
"My coaches and teammates have been telling me to shoot more. Outside sources too," she added with a subtle grin.
Sutter went 3 for 4 from beyond the arc in the first half and the Cheesemakers got after the Beavers' cast of sharpshooters in the second half to turn a 32-28 halftime lead into a runaway victory.
"It was key to hit some of those shots and get that lead because we never wanted to be playing from behind," Keen said.
A 17-6 run from intermission into the early fourth quarter allowed the Cheesemakers to play the keep-away style down the stretch that Keen admitted he wouldn't have wanted to cope with from the other side of matters.
"If they got a lead, they may have gone into four corners like we were able to do in the fourth quarter," Keen said.
Reedsburg drilled six first-half 3s by utilizing a maze of screens and double-screens to free up its deadly duo of Anna Walker and Tracee Schrank. The junior Schrank led her club with 18 points and hit four 3s.
In the second half, the Cheesemakers chose the right routes, going over screens more often and found a way to contest the previously open looks.
Sutter's longtime kindred spirit, sophomore Ashley Hermanson, went to work for eight of her 18 points over two-and-a-half minutes, beginning with a close-in shot at the halftime horn and a swished 15-footer from just beyond the free throw line that seized a 40-30 lead with 5:28 left in the third.
She tried explain why she and classmate and fellow post Jamie Armstrong have a propensity to score buckets in bunches.
"I don't know why it goes that way, I really don't," Hermanson said. "It works wonders when everyone's shooting well."
She also credited her club for entering the game on an even keel after knocking off Dodgeville in last Saturday's grudge match, during which Armstrong put things away with 10 points in the final three minutes.
"It was very important that we come in mellow and approach things one game at a time," Hermanson said.
Monroe took its biggest lead of 15 points when Sutter hit a front-end free throw.
In Saturday's finals at Janesville Craig High School, the Cheesemakers will face another top seed in Delavan-Darien, which survived a 53-51 decision against Lake Mills behind 24 points by senior combo guard Kelly Supernaw, who averages nearly 17 points per contest.
But she's not the only one brimming with confidence. Armstrong stretched the defense by splashing two 3-pointers from the top of the key and also swatted four Beaver shots on defense.
"We'd have confidence against any team at this point, but it's just an added bonus because Lake Mills beat Columbus," Armstrong said. "We need to come out and shut down (Supernaw). Take her right out of the game."
Senior captain Calyn Bidlingmaier spearheaded an effort that shut down Beavers' sharpshooter Anna Walker in her final preps game. The senior captain had six points on two first-half 3s.
Aside from an early bucket by "Bids" through a double-team that took a 7-5 lead, all of Monroe's points came from underclassmen.
"They're kind of seasoned by now, but it's still tough to call sophomores veterans," Keen said.
"I'm just proud of everyone's effort."
Gwen Sutter got a lot of advice over the past few days, whether in practice or in the halls at school, and obliged with a game-high 19 points and had a 3-point flurry in the first half of Monroe's 59-46 girls basketball win over Reedsburg in Thursday's WIAA Division 2 Sectional semifinal.
"My coaches and teammates have been telling me to shoot more. Outside sources too," she added with a subtle grin.
Sutter went 3 for 4 from beyond the arc in the first half and the Cheesemakers got after the Beavers' cast of sharpshooters in the second half to turn a 32-28 halftime lead into a runaway victory.
"It was key to hit some of those shots and get that lead because we never wanted to be playing from behind," Keen said.
A 17-6 run from intermission into the early fourth quarter allowed the Cheesemakers to play the keep-away style down the stretch that Keen admitted he wouldn't have wanted to cope with from the other side of matters.
"If they got a lead, they may have gone into four corners like we were able to do in the fourth quarter," Keen said.
Reedsburg drilled six first-half 3s by utilizing a maze of screens and double-screens to free up its deadly duo of Anna Walker and Tracee Schrank. The junior Schrank led her club with 18 points and hit four 3s.
In the second half, the Cheesemakers chose the right routes, going over screens more often and found a way to contest the previously open looks.
Sutter's longtime kindred spirit, sophomore Ashley Hermanson, went to work for eight of her 18 points over two-and-a-half minutes, beginning with a close-in shot at the halftime horn and a swished 15-footer from just beyond the free throw line that seized a 40-30 lead with 5:28 left in the third.
She tried explain why she and classmate and fellow post Jamie Armstrong have a propensity to score buckets in bunches.
"I don't know why it goes that way, I really don't," Hermanson said. "It works wonders when everyone's shooting well."
She also credited her club for entering the game on an even keel after knocking off Dodgeville in last Saturday's grudge match, during which Armstrong put things away with 10 points in the final three minutes.
"It was very important that we come in mellow and approach things one game at a time," Hermanson said.
Monroe took its biggest lead of 15 points when Sutter hit a front-end free throw.
In Saturday's finals at Janesville Craig High School, the Cheesemakers will face another top seed in Delavan-Darien, which survived a 53-51 decision against Lake Mills behind 24 points by senior combo guard Kelly Supernaw, who averages nearly 17 points per contest.
But she's not the only one brimming with confidence. Armstrong stretched the defense by splashing two 3-pointers from the top of the key and also swatted four Beaver shots on defense.
"We'd have confidence against any team at this point, but it's just an added bonus because Lake Mills beat Columbus," Armstrong said. "We need to come out and shut down (Supernaw). Take her right out of the game."
Senior captain Calyn Bidlingmaier spearheaded an effort that shut down Beavers' sharpshooter Anna Walker in her final preps game. The senior captain had six points on two first-half 3s.
Aside from an early bucket by "Bids" through a double-team that took a 7-5 lead, all of Monroe's points came from underclassmen.
"They're kind of seasoned by now, but it's still tough to call sophomores veterans," Keen said.
"I'm just proud of everyone's effort."
