MONROE - Junior point guard Sydney Hilliard scored a game-high 28 points and grabbed 10 rebounds to help the Monroe girls basketball team roll to an 84-61 win over Stoughton Saturday.
The game was a showdown between the No. 3-ranked Division 2 team, Monroe, against No. 7-ranked Stoughton.
The Vikings' decision to keep pushing the pace on the break against the Cheesemakers backfired. Monroe proved to have too many weapons for the Vikings to slow down.
"I think early on this season we have shown we can play at different styles," Monroe coach Sam Mathiason said. "This was a more up-and-down game than Watertown, which was a game where they played zone and it was more halfcourt. We have some kids who are good athletes who don't mind running up and down. They played a faster style tonight."
Monroe (6-1, 4-0 Badger South) had four players in double figures. In addition to Hilliard, sophomore Grace Tostrud had a double-double with 19 points and 10 rebounds. Senior Sydney Mathiason added 15 points and had three blocks, and junior Emily Benzschawel chipped in 13 points and had eight rebounds.
The Cheesemakers opened the game with a 19-6 run in the first half. Mathiason knocked down a jumper, and Hilliard converted a 3-point play to fuel the run. Hilliard knocked down a jumper, and Mathiason buried a 3-pointer to give the Cheesemakers a 13-point lead with 10 minutes, 54 seconds left in the half.
"They (Stoughton) are a really tough team offensively," Hilliard said. "They really like to push the ball. We did a really good job of moving the ball and getting open shots. We have been working on that in practice. We have a lot of players who can shoot and score."
Benzschawel scored on a putback, and Mathiason scored on another layup to extend the Cheesemakers' lead to 27-11 with 8:35 left. Moments later, Mathiason had back-to-back layups to give the Cheesemakers their largest lead of the first half, 33-13 about midway through the first half. The Vikings were able to cut Monroe's lead to 47-33 at the half. The win gives the Cheesemakers a leg up in the conference on the Vikings.
"Any win feels good," Tostrud said.
Tostrud had a hot shooting hand and drilled two 3-pointers.
"It gives me confidence to take shots," Tostrud said. "It's just really sharing the ball and finding the open shot. My teammates did a good job of getting me the ball for open shots."
Benzschawel hit a jumper, and Mathiason scored down low early in the second half to give the Cheesemakers a 58-37 lead. Hillard then cruised to the basket for a layup to give the Cheesemakers a 23-point lead, 60-37.
Monroe freshman Megan Benzschawel scored 2 points but grabbed six rebounds and had one block. Sophomore teammate Grace Mathiason added 2 points, and senior Madison Katzenberger had 3 points off the bench. Sam Mathiason likes the way Megan Benzschawel and Grace Mathiason are developing as first-year varsity players this season.
"Megan and Grace don't have to score to be contributors," he said. "They did a good job of rebounding and playing defense. Both Megan and Grace have done a good job of taking advantage of their opportunities."
The game was a showdown between the No. 3-ranked Division 2 team, Monroe, against No. 7-ranked Stoughton.
The Vikings' decision to keep pushing the pace on the break against the Cheesemakers backfired. Monroe proved to have too many weapons for the Vikings to slow down.
"I think early on this season we have shown we can play at different styles," Monroe coach Sam Mathiason said. "This was a more up-and-down game than Watertown, which was a game where they played zone and it was more halfcourt. We have some kids who are good athletes who don't mind running up and down. They played a faster style tonight."
Monroe (6-1, 4-0 Badger South) had four players in double figures. In addition to Hilliard, sophomore Grace Tostrud had a double-double with 19 points and 10 rebounds. Senior Sydney Mathiason added 15 points and had three blocks, and junior Emily Benzschawel chipped in 13 points and had eight rebounds.
The Cheesemakers opened the game with a 19-6 run in the first half. Mathiason knocked down a jumper, and Hilliard converted a 3-point play to fuel the run. Hilliard knocked down a jumper, and Mathiason buried a 3-pointer to give the Cheesemakers a 13-point lead with 10 minutes, 54 seconds left in the half.
"They (Stoughton) are a really tough team offensively," Hilliard said. "They really like to push the ball. We did a really good job of moving the ball and getting open shots. We have been working on that in practice. We have a lot of players who can shoot and score."
Benzschawel scored on a putback, and Mathiason scored on another layup to extend the Cheesemakers' lead to 27-11 with 8:35 left. Moments later, Mathiason had back-to-back layups to give the Cheesemakers their largest lead of the first half, 33-13 about midway through the first half. The Vikings were able to cut Monroe's lead to 47-33 at the half. The win gives the Cheesemakers a leg up in the conference on the Vikings.
"Any win feels good," Tostrud said.
Tostrud had a hot shooting hand and drilled two 3-pointers.
"It gives me confidence to take shots," Tostrud said. "It's just really sharing the ball and finding the open shot. My teammates did a good job of getting me the ball for open shots."
Benzschawel hit a jumper, and Mathiason scored down low early in the second half to give the Cheesemakers a 58-37 lead. Hillard then cruised to the basket for a layup to give the Cheesemakers a 23-point lead, 60-37.
Monroe freshman Megan Benzschawel scored 2 points but grabbed six rebounds and had one block. Sophomore teammate Grace Mathiason added 2 points, and senior Madison Katzenberger had 3 points off the bench. Sam Mathiason likes the way Megan Benzschawel and Grace Mathiason are developing as first-year varsity players this season.
"Megan and Grace don't have to score to be contributors," he said. "They did a good job of rebounding and playing defense. Both Megan and Grace have done a good job of taking advantage of their opportunities."
