JANESVILLE - Monroe senior Emily Rufenacht didn't want to let go of the WIAA Division 2 Janesville Craig sectional championship plaque after the Cheesemakers escaped with a 40-34 win Saturday over Madison Edgewood to advance to state for the second straight year.
"I just couldn't believe it," Rufenacht said. "There are not a lot of teams that get to go to state two years in a row. I'm just glad I get to have another experience at state."
Monroe junior Jamie Armstrong scored a team-high 13 points and grabbed 13 rebounds to go along with two blocked shots to lead the Cheesemakers.
Monroe lived from the free throw line in the fourth quarter, hitting 13 of 20 foul shots to seal the victory. Armstrong made 8 of 12 free throws in the fourth quarter as she attacked the basket.
"We knew we were so close to going to state, so we had to put everything out there," Armstrong said. "We knew they were very aggressive in the post and would take it away. We had to work it around, be patient and not force shots."
Monroe (23-2) snapped Edgewood's 17-game winning streak. The defending Division 2 state champions and ranked second in the final Associated Press state poll, the Cheesemakers are looking to repeat.
"We have had a target on our back all year," Monroe coach Kevin Keen said.
"To accomplish what the girls have done and return to state is an amazing accomplishment."
Monroe lost back-to-back games to Sauk Prairie and Edgewood in January. It's the first time the Cheesemakers have lost back-to-back games in several years.
"It certainly wasn't easy," Keen said about a return to the state tournament. "We had some adversity along the way. We were able to battle that and got it done."
The ability to overcome adversity was on display throughout the game. The Cheesemakers erased a seven-point first-quarter deficit. Monroe junior Ashley Hermanson scored in the post to give the Cheesemakers a 34-30 lead with 1 minute, 25 seconds left.
Edgewood senior Becky Gifford, who scored a game-high 20 points, answered with a layup to cut the Cheesemakers' lead to 34-32 with 1:11 left.
Monroe junior Gwen Sutter scored 12 points, none bigger than her 3-of-4 free throw shooting in the final minute.
"Right now, I'm estatic," Sutter said. "Going back to state is a huge accomplishment and we are all so happy."
Madison Edgewood coach Lora Staveness was disappointed the Crusaders couldn't keep the ball out of Sutter's hands in the crunch.
With a state bid on the line against a Badger South rival, the game had the makings of a showdown that could come down to the final seconds.
The Crusaders jumped out to an early lead on senior Kenzie Kolb's 3-pointer from the wing.
Kolb scored seven of Edgewood's first nine points. Gifford buried a 3-pointer from the top of the key to give the Crusaders a 14-7 lead at the end of the first quarter.
The Cheesemakers wiped out a seven-point first-quarter deficit by outscoring the Crusaders, 10-3, in the second quarter.
Rufenacht shut down Kolb, holding her scoreless in the period. Armstrong scored on a putback and Sutter drilled a 3-pointer to cut the Crusaders' lead to 16-14 and helped the Cheesemakers go into halftime tied at 17.
Staveness said having two 6-foot or taller players in the post like Hermanson and Armstrong gives defenders a lot of freedom to pressure the ball and play the passing lanes.
In a defensive battle, baskets were hard to come by for most of the third quarter. The Cheesemakers took a 19-17 lead on free throws by Armstrong and sophomore Kyleigh Sellnow.
Kolb broke the scoring drought from the field for both teams by draining a 3-pointer from the top of the key to give the Crusaders a 20-19 lead.
Moments later, Rufenacht came up with a steal, which led to a putback by Sutter. The Crusaders responded when Gifford scored down low and was fouled. She converted the three-point play at the free throw line to give the Crusaders a 23-22 lead.
That's when Sellnow answered by drilling a double-clutch jumper, which she was fouled on. Sellnow converted the conventional three-point play at the foul line to give the Cheesemakers a 25-23 lead.
That set the stages for a thrilling fourth quarter. The clutch free throw shooting helped stave off the Crusaders.
"That's huge," Keen said about the Cheesemakers' fourth-quarter free throw shooting. "Part of that is the experience of having been there before."
The state tournament will be this Friday and Saturday, March 13-14, at the Alliant Energy Center in Madison. The Cheesemakers will play Grafton in a state semifinal at 1:35 p.m. Friday.
"I just couldn't believe it," Rufenacht said. "There are not a lot of teams that get to go to state two years in a row. I'm just glad I get to have another experience at state."
Monroe junior Jamie Armstrong scored a team-high 13 points and grabbed 13 rebounds to go along with two blocked shots to lead the Cheesemakers.
Monroe lived from the free throw line in the fourth quarter, hitting 13 of 20 foul shots to seal the victory. Armstrong made 8 of 12 free throws in the fourth quarter as she attacked the basket.
"We knew we were so close to going to state, so we had to put everything out there," Armstrong said. "We knew they were very aggressive in the post and would take it away. We had to work it around, be patient and not force shots."
Monroe (23-2) snapped Edgewood's 17-game winning streak. The defending Division 2 state champions and ranked second in the final Associated Press state poll, the Cheesemakers are looking to repeat.
"We have had a target on our back all year," Monroe coach Kevin Keen said.
"To accomplish what the girls have done and return to state is an amazing accomplishment."
Monroe lost back-to-back games to Sauk Prairie and Edgewood in January. It's the first time the Cheesemakers have lost back-to-back games in several years.
"It certainly wasn't easy," Keen said about a return to the state tournament. "We had some adversity along the way. We were able to battle that and got it done."
The ability to overcome adversity was on display throughout the game. The Cheesemakers erased a seven-point first-quarter deficit. Monroe junior Ashley Hermanson scored in the post to give the Cheesemakers a 34-30 lead with 1 minute, 25 seconds left.
Edgewood senior Becky Gifford, who scored a game-high 20 points, answered with a layup to cut the Cheesemakers' lead to 34-32 with 1:11 left.
Monroe junior Gwen Sutter scored 12 points, none bigger than her 3-of-4 free throw shooting in the final minute.
"Right now, I'm estatic," Sutter said. "Going back to state is a huge accomplishment and we are all so happy."
Madison Edgewood coach Lora Staveness was disappointed the Crusaders couldn't keep the ball out of Sutter's hands in the crunch.
With a state bid on the line against a Badger South rival, the game had the makings of a showdown that could come down to the final seconds.
The Crusaders jumped out to an early lead on senior Kenzie Kolb's 3-pointer from the wing.
Kolb scored seven of Edgewood's first nine points. Gifford buried a 3-pointer from the top of the key to give the Crusaders a 14-7 lead at the end of the first quarter.
The Cheesemakers wiped out a seven-point first-quarter deficit by outscoring the Crusaders, 10-3, in the second quarter.
Rufenacht shut down Kolb, holding her scoreless in the period. Armstrong scored on a putback and Sutter drilled a 3-pointer to cut the Crusaders' lead to 16-14 and helped the Cheesemakers go into halftime tied at 17.
Staveness said having two 6-foot or taller players in the post like Hermanson and Armstrong gives defenders a lot of freedom to pressure the ball and play the passing lanes.
In a defensive battle, baskets were hard to come by for most of the third quarter. The Cheesemakers took a 19-17 lead on free throws by Armstrong and sophomore Kyleigh Sellnow.
Kolb broke the scoring drought from the field for both teams by draining a 3-pointer from the top of the key to give the Crusaders a 20-19 lead.
Moments later, Rufenacht came up with a steal, which led to a putback by Sutter. The Crusaders responded when Gifford scored down low and was fouled. She converted the three-point play at the free throw line to give the Crusaders a 23-22 lead.
That's when Sellnow answered by drilling a double-clutch jumper, which she was fouled on. Sellnow converted the conventional three-point play at the foul line to give the Cheesemakers a 25-23 lead.
That set the stages for a thrilling fourth quarter. The clutch free throw shooting helped stave off the Crusaders.
"That's huge," Keen said about the Cheesemakers' fourth-quarter free throw shooting. "Part of that is the experience of having been there before."
The state tournament will be this Friday and Saturday, March 13-14, at the Alliant Energy Center in Madison. The Cheesemakers will play Grafton in a state semifinal at 1:35 p.m. Friday.
