MONROE - Many basketball coaches say defense wins championships. Monroe coach Sam Mathiason believes the Cheesemakers have the right formula on the defensive end to win games after a 34-20 loss to Madison Edgewood Thursday night.
The short-handed Cheesemakers held the Crusaders without a basket for the first 10 minutes of the game. Edgewood (7-4, 3-2 Badger South) shot 0-for-11 to start the game, and they shot just 24.3 percent (10-for-41) in the game. However, Monroe (1-10, 0-5 Badger South) played without junior Taylor Barrett who had knee surgery and the Cheesemakers' offense struggled even more, shooting just 15.5 percent (7-for-45).
"They were coming in after scoring 68 points against Mount Horeb," Mathiason said of Edgewood. "I thought defensively we did an outstanding job. I really liked the way we competed. We just have to find a way to be more consistent and find a way to hit shots on the offensive end."
Mathiason isn't sure how many games Barrett will miss.
"It could be two weeks or six weeks," he said. "We don't know the extent of it. It's kind of an unknown when or if she will come back."
Monroe senior Heather Barta scored all of her team-high nine points on 3-pointers, but she stressed that defense is the team's focus.
"That is always our philosophy," Barta said. "Coach Mathiason stresses it for us."
Monroe junior Whitney Disch hit a jumper midway through the first quarter to give the Cheesemakers a 3-1 lead that stood until the end of the period. Monroe senior Briana Katzenberger, who scored five points, drilled a 3-pointer with 6:49 left in the second quarter to give the Cheesemakers a 6-1 lead. That was the biggest lead for the Cheesemakers. Edgewood's Emily Bongard snapped the cold spell with a jumper at 6 minutes and Emma Meriggioli hit a 3-pointer to cut the Cheesemakers' lead to 10-6. Edgewood's McKensey Miller scored on a putback at the end of the second quarter to give the Crusaders a 14-9 lead at the half.
Barta scored six of her nine points in the second half. She knocked down a 3-pointer with 3:46 to go in the third quarter to slice Edgewood's lead to 18-14. That's as close as the Cheesemakers would get as the Crusaders closed the third quarter on a 6-0 spurt.
"I thought Heather did a good job of looking for those seams and attacking," Mathiason said. "We have to continue to be aggressive and look for those seams."
The Crusaders had nine offensive rebounds in the game, but none was bigger than Mikayla Chryst's offensive rebound that led to Maura Drabik's jumper at the end of the period that gave the Crusaders a 24-14 lead.
"Four points is one thing and all of a sudden they get a putback and it's 10," Mathiason said. "I thought we had some good possessions. We just have to find a way to score on the offensive end."
While Barrett missed the game due to knee surgery, the Cheesemakers did get junior Vanessa Studer back after a knee injury. Studer played just two minutes against Monona Grove last week, but she played a more prominent role off the bench against the Crusaders.
"She's a competitor and wants to play," Mathiason said. "We have to limit her minutes a little. We have to be careful not to stretch her too far early on. I think her coming back will help take the pressure off the kids on the perimeter."
Getting over the hump and winning games in the second half is no secret according to Barta.
"We just have to keep shooting, boxing out, keep pushing it up the floor and have confidence in each other," she said.
The Cheesemakers will play the Freeport Pretzels in the Snack Bowl at 5:30 p.m. in Freeport, followed by the Monroe boys.
"Their record isn't great," Mathiason said of the Pretzels. "I have been told they play in a tough conference similar to us. Both teams will be looking for that next win. I expect it will be really competitive."
The short-handed Cheesemakers held the Crusaders without a basket for the first 10 minutes of the game. Edgewood (7-4, 3-2 Badger South) shot 0-for-11 to start the game, and they shot just 24.3 percent (10-for-41) in the game. However, Monroe (1-10, 0-5 Badger South) played without junior Taylor Barrett who had knee surgery and the Cheesemakers' offense struggled even more, shooting just 15.5 percent (7-for-45).
"They were coming in after scoring 68 points against Mount Horeb," Mathiason said of Edgewood. "I thought defensively we did an outstanding job. I really liked the way we competed. We just have to find a way to be more consistent and find a way to hit shots on the offensive end."
Mathiason isn't sure how many games Barrett will miss.
"It could be two weeks or six weeks," he said. "We don't know the extent of it. It's kind of an unknown when or if she will come back."
Monroe senior Heather Barta scored all of her team-high nine points on 3-pointers, but she stressed that defense is the team's focus.
"That is always our philosophy," Barta said. "Coach Mathiason stresses it for us."
Monroe junior Whitney Disch hit a jumper midway through the first quarter to give the Cheesemakers a 3-1 lead that stood until the end of the period. Monroe senior Briana Katzenberger, who scored five points, drilled a 3-pointer with 6:49 left in the second quarter to give the Cheesemakers a 6-1 lead. That was the biggest lead for the Cheesemakers. Edgewood's Emily Bongard snapped the cold spell with a jumper at 6 minutes and Emma Meriggioli hit a 3-pointer to cut the Cheesemakers' lead to 10-6. Edgewood's McKensey Miller scored on a putback at the end of the second quarter to give the Crusaders a 14-9 lead at the half.
Barta scored six of her nine points in the second half. She knocked down a 3-pointer with 3:46 to go in the third quarter to slice Edgewood's lead to 18-14. That's as close as the Cheesemakers would get as the Crusaders closed the third quarter on a 6-0 spurt.
"I thought Heather did a good job of looking for those seams and attacking," Mathiason said. "We have to continue to be aggressive and look for those seams."
The Crusaders had nine offensive rebounds in the game, but none was bigger than Mikayla Chryst's offensive rebound that led to Maura Drabik's jumper at the end of the period that gave the Crusaders a 24-14 lead.
"Four points is one thing and all of a sudden they get a putback and it's 10," Mathiason said. "I thought we had some good possessions. We just have to find a way to score on the offensive end."
While Barrett missed the game due to knee surgery, the Cheesemakers did get junior Vanessa Studer back after a knee injury. Studer played just two minutes against Monona Grove last week, but she played a more prominent role off the bench against the Crusaders.
"She's a competitor and wants to play," Mathiason said. "We have to limit her minutes a little. We have to be careful not to stretch her too far early on. I think her coming back will help take the pressure off the kids on the perimeter."
Getting over the hump and winning games in the second half is no secret according to Barta.
"We just have to keep shooting, boxing out, keep pushing it up the floor and have confidence in each other," she said.
The Cheesemakers will play the Freeport Pretzels in the Snack Bowl at 5:30 p.m. in Freeport, followed by the Monroe boys.
"Their record isn't great," Mathiason said of the Pretzels. "I have been told they play in a tough conference similar to us. Both teams will be looking for that next win. I expect it will be really competitive."
