MONROE - Aside from the site, Monroe's 41-31 loss to Waunakee Thursday was a bona fide case of déjà vu.
After refusing to lose for more than a year, Monroe (18-2) dropped its second game in three tries in the same manner that the club fell, 47-44, last weekend at Freeport.
The undefeated Badger North champion Warriors (20-0) refused to let the Cheesemakers work the ball into the painted area and forced the action toward mid-court incessantly. The stingy defense was at its best in the opening minutes and in only allowing the Cheesemakers three points in the fourth.
"It reminded me a lot of the Freeport game watching things tonight," head coach Pat Murphy said. "They were quick to beat us to spots, and I felt like we were on defense all night long."
Monroe seized a 20-18 halftime lead on a putback by Chase Sellnow at the buzzer despite turning the ball over 10 times in the first half and only pulling down one offensive board.
"You're not going to beat a team that good with numbers like that, and you need to find a way to get those hustle points," Murphy said.
With Monroe senior Brett Stangel dressed but still unavailable after fracturing his right leg, the Tordoff brothers were blanketed throughout; neither scored in double-digits as a result.
Junior point guard Mitch Tordoff was visibly dogged by the pressure and scored just nine points before fouling out late. The only time the sharpshooting point man has failed to hit double figures was Thursday and Saturday's loss to the Pretzels.
"This was a good lesson for Mitch, and we ask him to do a lot of stuff," Murphy said. "You're only as good as your point guard, and that kid Roelke was pretty quick. The only spot we were quicker tonight was Tony (Cates)."
Cates has enjoyed a recent confidence surge and, once again, came out like a man on fire. The senior post scored six points in less than three minutes between the end of the first and the start of the second quarter.
The soft-spoken big man led his club with 11 points and pulled within two at 16-14 when he recovered a sloppy entry pass and turned to go glass over a double-team. One minute later, off back-to-back Waunakee miscues, Cates spun to his drop step around Warriors senior Hal Kranz to score again.
"Tony made as many plays as he was capable and they made Mitch work for everything," Murphy said. "We needed someone else to step up and make plays."
Sellnow broke through with another impact bucket on an old-fashioned three-point play midway through the third as he Bryan Tordoff drove the left wing, got near the lane and dealt a feed to Sellnow who went strong without hesitation to get within two again at 27-25.
But Waunakee answered with a 7-0 flurry over two minutes, capped by a Jason Paulson triple from the right corner that made the lead 34-25. Monroe never recovered.
"The next loss they have will be final and right now everyone's record is 0-0," Murphy said. "These guys need to do some reflecting and decide if they want to keep playing or start thinking about spring sports."
Stangel is trying to keep his mind off donning spikes and a glove. He may return as early as Tuesday for a Division 2 quarterfinal against visiting Platteville, but Murphy says a Thursday return is more likely.
"That's something that's going to be up to him and we'll see how he's feeling. He's gonna have to fight through some pain, but everybody's bumped and bruised up," Murphy said.
The 31 points scored Thursday night marks Monroe's lowest offensive output since a 47-27 loss to Monona Grove Feb. 18, 2003. The Warriors are the sixth-ranked Division 1 club in the state.
After refusing to lose for more than a year, Monroe (18-2) dropped its second game in three tries in the same manner that the club fell, 47-44, last weekend at Freeport.
The undefeated Badger North champion Warriors (20-0) refused to let the Cheesemakers work the ball into the painted area and forced the action toward mid-court incessantly. The stingy defense was at its best in the opening minutes and in only allowing the Cheesemakers three points in the fourth.
"It reminded me a lot of the Freeport game watching things tonight," head coach Pat Murphy said. "They were quick to beat us to spots, and I felt like we were on defense all night long."
Monroe seized a 20-18 halftime lead on a putback by Chase Sellnow at the buzzer despite turning the ball over 10 times in the first half and only pulling down one offensive board.
"You're not going to beat a team that good with numbers like that, and you need to find a way to get those hustle points," Murphy said.
With Monroe senior Brett Stangel dressed but still unavailable after fracturing his right leg, the Tordoff brothers were blanketed throughout; neither scored in double-digits as a result.
Junior point guard Mitch Tordoff was visibly dogged by the pressure and scored just nine points before fouling out late. The only time the sharpshooting point man has failed to hit double figures was Thursday and Saturday's loss to the Pretzels.
"This was a good lesson for Mitch, and we ask him to do a lot of stuff," Murphy said. "You're only as good as your point guard, and that kid Roelke was pretty quick. The only spot we were quicker tonight was Tony (Cates)."
Cates has enjoyed a recent confidence surge and, once again, came out like a man on fire. The senior post scored six points in less than three minutes between the end of the first and the start of the second quarter.
The soft-spoken big man led his club with 11 points and pulled within two at 16-14 when he recovered a sloppy entry pass and turned to go glass over a double-team. One minute later, off back-to-back Waunakee miscues, Cates spun to his drop step around Warriors senior Hal Kranz to score again.
"Tony made as many plays as he was capable and they made Mitch work for everything," Murphy said. "We needed someone else to step up and make plays."
Sellnow broke through with another impact bucket on an old-fashioned three-point play midway through the third as he Bryan Tordoff drove the left wing, got near the lane and dealt a feed to Sellnow who went strong without hesitation to get within two again at 27-25.
But Waunakee answered with a 7-0 flurry over two minutes, capped by a Jason Paulson triple from the right corner that made the lead 34-25. Monroe never recovered.
"The next loss they have will be final and right now everyone's record is 0-0," Murphy said. "These guys need to do some reflecting and decide if they want to keep playing or start thinking about spring sports."
Stangel is trying to keep his mind off donning spikes and a glove. He may return as early as Tuesday for a Division 2 quarterfinal against visiting Platteville, but Murphy says a Thursday return is more likely.
"That's something that's going to be up to him and we'll see how he's feeling. He's gonna have to fight through some pain, but everybody's bumped and bruised up," Murphy said.
The 31 points scored Thursday night marks Monroe's lowest offensive output since a 47-27 loss to Monona Grove Feb. 18, 2003. The Warriors are the sixth-ranked Division 1 club in the state.
