ALBANY - The Pecatonica girls basketball team used a big second quarter to knock off Six Rivers East foe Albany, 50-31.
Pec held just a one-point lead after a quarter of play. The Vikings broke the game open in the second quarter, though, outscoring the Comets 20-4 in the period. The second half was more closely contested, as Pecatonica only outscored Albany by two in the final two quarters.
"They pressured us full-court pretty much from the get-go. We turned the ball over too much," Albany coach Bryce Pickett said. "We did better in the third and fourth. We had some younger guards out there, and we just had to take some time and find a way to break their press."
Pecatonica senior Michelle Francois led the Vikings with 13 points. Senior Kirstie Kauk was the leading scorer for Albany with 17 points.
"Kirstie, obviously with having a younger group out there, we look to our seniors to be our leaders and I think she really took that to heart," Pickett said.
Pecatonica improved to 6-7 overall and 2-4 in conference play. Albany fell to 4-8 and 1-5. Pickett said the biggest key for his team in the second half of conference play is increasing their offensive production.
"I think the biggest thing is we have to find ways to score on offense," he said. "We lost two of our three top scorers, so we'll need to see our young players mature faster than normal."
Albany travels to Clinton on Monday for a non-conference game, while Pecatonica returns to action next Thursday against conference-leading Barneveld.
Black Hawk 60, Argyle 53
ARGYLE - Jen Wellnitz and Tatum Jackson combined for 39 points to power the Black Hawk girls basketball team to a victory over Six Rivers East rival Argyle.
"They have a special player in Jen Wellnitz," Argyle coach Kurt Ritschard said. "Not only can she score, she can create for her teammates.
"Tatum Jackson had some baskets and she made her free throws late. You don't really expect to see a freshman knock down those free throws."
After a quarter of play, Black Hawk held a 12-9 lead. Both teams scored 15 in the second, before the Warriors outscored Argyle by two in both the third and fourth quarters to seal the win.
"I think we had our opportunities around the basket and we didn't convert on them," Ritschard said. "We fouled them way too much. We know them pretty well and we know it's gonna be a dogfight every time we play them."
Wellnitz scored 22 and Jackson scored 17 to lead Black Hawk. Kayla Ostby led Argyle with 13 points. The Orioles also got double-digit scoring efforts from Kim Pink (11 points) and Jenna Langmeier (10 points).
"I was real happy with our balanced scoring," Ritschard said. "Our motto is, 'it's a lot harder to guard five girls than it is one or two.' The whole game, people took open shots when they had them, and some fell and others didn't."
Argyle (6-7, 3-4) has a non-conference game on Monday against New Glarus. Black Hawk (8-4, 5-1) also has a non-conference game on Monday against Darlington.
Barneveld 48, Monticello 24
BARNEVELD - The Monticello girls basketball team struggled to put the ball in the basket, and the Ponies lost to Six Rivers East-leading Barneveld, 48-24.
After a quarter of play, it looked like the game would be a high-scoring affair, with Barneveld holding a 17-11 lead. The Eagles put the clamps on defensively in the second quarter, though, holding the Ponies scoreless. Barneveld outscored Monticello 22-13 in the second half to wrap up the win.
"We've kinda stopped being as aggressive offensively," Monticello coach Lori Brokopp said. "In the first quarter, we started out the way we had talked about and had planned. But they quickly put on some pressure and were able to get some baskets going the other way. We had a lot of good looks and good drives in the second quarter, but we weren't able to get any buckets."
Barneveld's leading scorer was Hannah Whitish, who scored 17 points. Both Marissa Berg and Courtney Leuzinger scored nine points to lead Monticello.
"Courtney had a really good game defensively," said Brokopp. I challenged her by having her guard (Rachel) Slaney, who's usually their top scorer. She held her to 8 points. (Slaney) scored at least 20 the first time we played them."
The Ponies (10-5, 4-2) are now two games behind Barneveld, the third-ranked team in Division 5.
"After the game, I told the girls that we're in second place," Brokopp said. "We still have to play Black Hawk twice and most of the other teams once. It's gonna take a lot of hard work and bettering ourselves if we want to remain in second place. I know they are proud of where they are and want to work hard."
New Glarus 61, Cambridge 52
CAMBRIDGE - The New Glarus girls basketball team found themselves down big early-on in their game with Cambridge Friday night, but the Glarner Knights clawed back and pulled out a win over the Blue Jays.
Cambridge jumped out to a 22-8 lead after a quarter of play, but New Glarus cut the deficit to just 4 points at halftime by outscoring the Blue Jays 17-7 in the second. Both teams scored 16 in the third before New Glarus put the game away with a 20-7 fourth quarter.
"Cambridge came out ready to go. (Monica) Muth from Cambridge had a three right off the bat. We just struggled," New Glarus coach Megan Scheele said. "We got it going in the second and never looked back. We just played tougher. We played tighter defense and finally found ourselves offensively. The girls played really well together."
Courtney Feller led the Knights with 16 points. She was joined in double figures by Sierra Watrud and Mandi Sargent, who scored 13 and 12, respectively. Scheele was glad to see a balanced scoring attack but was also excited by Sargent's solid performance on both ends of the court.
"It was good to see that scoring balance. It wasn't just one person," Scheele said. "Sargent had a great game. Defensively, she was flying around."
The game marked the half-way point through the Capitol South conference for both teams. Both Cambridge and New Glarus came into Friday night's contest a game behind Marshall at 3-1 in conference play.
"It was a big win," Scheele said. "We did not beat them last year either time we played them. It was a great comeback, and now we start conference all over again."
New Glarus (8-5, 4-1) has a game with Argyle on Monday.
Beloit Turner 45, Juda 20
JUDA - Offensive struggles doomed the Juda girls basketball team Friday night, as the Panthers mustered only 20 points against Beloit Turner.
"We had a really cold night shooting the ball," Juda coach Curt Brown said. "We had a hard time against their zone."
Junior Jessica Jordan led the Panthers with 10 points.
"She had probably her best game of the season," Brown said.
Brown said the key for the Panthers in upcoming games will be finding ways to get the ball in the basket.
"We just really struggled against their pressure. That's really what it boils down to," he said. "If we're only gonna score 20, it's gonna be tough to win."
Juda (3-10) has another non-conference game on Monday against Benton-Shullsburg.
Pec held just a one-point lead after a quarter of play. The Vikings broke the game open in the second quarter, though, outscoring the Comets 20-4 in the period. The second half was more closely contested, as Pecatonica only outscored Albany by two in the final two quarters.
"They pressured us full-court pretty much from the get-go. We turned the ball over too much," Albany coach Bryce Pickett said. "We did better in the third and fourth. We had some younger guards out there, and we just had to take some time and find a way to break their press."
Pecatonica senior Michelle Francois led the Vikings with 13 points. Senior Kirstie Kauk was the leading scorer for Albany with 17 points.
"Kirstie, obviously with having a younger group out there, we look to our seniors to be our leaders and I think she really took that to heart," Pickett said.
Pecatonica improved to 6-7 overall and 2-4 in conference play. Albany fell to 4-8 and 1-5. Pickett said the biggest key for his team in the second half of conference play is increasing their offensive production.
"I think the biggest thing is we have to find ways to score on offense," he said. "We lost two of our three top scorers, so we'll need to see our young players mature faster than normal."
Albany travels to Clinton on Monday for a non-conference game, while Pecatonica returns to action next Thursday against conference-leading Barneveld.
Black Hawk 60, Argyle 53
ARGYLE - Jen Wellnitz and Tatum Jackson combined for 39 points to power the Black Hawk girls basketball team to a victory over Six Rivers East rival Argyle.
"They have a special player in Jen Wellnitz," Argyle coach Kurt Ritschard said. "Not only can she score, she can create for her teammates.
"Tatum Jackson had some baskets and she made her free throws late. You don't really expect to see a freshman knock down those free throws."
After a quarter of play, Black Hawk held a 12-9 lead. Both teams scored 15 in the second, before the Warriors outscored Argyle by two in both the third and fourth quarters to seal the win.
"I think we had our opportunities around the basket and we didn't convert on them," Ritschard said. "We fouled them way too much. We know them pretty well and we know it's gonna be a dogfight every time we play them."
Wellnitz scored 22 and Jackson scored 17 to lead Black Hawk. Kayla Ostby led Argyle with 13 points. The Orioles also got double-digit scoring efforts from Kim Pink (11 points) and Jenna Langmeier (10 points).
"I was real happy with our balanced scoring," Ritschard said. "Our motto is, 'it's a lot harder to guard five girls than it is one or two.' The whole game, people took open shots when they had them, and some fell and others didn't."
Argyle (6-7, 3-4) has a non-conference game on Monday against New Glarus. Black Hawk (8-4, 5-1) also has a non-conference game on Monday against Darlington.
Barneveld 48, Monticello 24
BARNEVELD - The Monticello girls basketball team struggled to put the ball in the basket, and the Ponies lost to Six Rivers East-leading Barneveld, 48-24.
After a quarter of play, it looked like the game would be a high-scoring affair, with Barneveld holding a 17-11 lead. The Eagles put the clamps on defensively in the second quarter, though, holding the Ponies scoreless. Barneveld outscored Monticello 22-13 in the second half to wrap up the win.
"We've kinda stopped being as aggressive offensively," Monticello coach Lori Brokopp said. "In the first quarter, we started out the way we had talked about and had planned. But they quickly put on some pressure and were able to get some baskets going the other way. We had a lot of good looks and good drives in the second quarter, but we weren't able to get any buckets."
Barneveld's leading scorer was Hannah Whitish, who scored 17 points. Both Marissa Berg and Courtney Leuzinger scored nine points to lead Monticello.
"Courtney had a really good game defensively," said Brokopp. I challenged her by having her guard (Rachel) Slaney, who's usually their top scorer. She held her to 8 points. (Slaney) scored at least 20 the first time we played them."
The Ponies (10-5, 4-2) are now two games behind Barneveld, the third-ranked team in Division 5.
"After the game, I told the girls that we're in second place," Brokopp said. "We still have to play Black Hawk twice and most of the other teams once. It's gonna take a lot of hard work and bettering ourselves if we want to remain in second place. I know they are proud of where they are and want to work hard."
New Glarus 61, Cambridge 52
CAMBRIDGE - The New Glarus girls basketball team found themselves down big early-on in their game with Cambridge Friday night, but the Glarner Knights clawed back and pulled out a win over the Blue Jays.
Cambridge jumped out to a 22-8 lead after a quarter of play, but New Glarus cut the deficit to just 4 points at halftime by outscoring the Blue Jays 17-7 in the second. Both teams scored 16 in the third before New Glarus put the game away with a 20-7 fourth quarter.
"Cambridge came out ready to go. (Monica) Muth from Cambridge had a three right off the bat. We just struggled," New Glarus coach Megan Scheele said. "We got it going in the second and never looked back. We just played tougher. We played tighter defense and finally found ourselves offensively. The girls played really well together."
Courtney Feller led the Knights with 16 points. She was joined in double figures by Sierra Watrud and Mandi Sargent, who scored 13 and 12, respectively. Scheele was glad to see a balanced scoring attack but was also excited by Sargent's solid performance on both ends of the court.
"It was good to see that scoring balance. It wasn't just one person," Scheele said. "Sargent had a great game. Defensively, she was flying around."
The game marked the half-way point through the Capitol South conference for both teams. Both Cambridge and New Glarus came into Friday night's contest a game behind Marshall at 3-1 in conference play.
"It was a big win," Scheele said. "We did not beat them last year either time we played them. It was a great comeback, and now we start conference all over again."
New Glarus (8-5, 4-1) has a game with Argyle on Monday.
Beloit Turner 45, Juda 20
JUDA - Offensive struggles doomed the Juda girls basketball team Friday night, as the Panthers mustered only 20 points against Beloit Turner.
"We had a really cold night shooting the ball," Juda coach Curt Brown said. "We had a hard time against their zone."
Junior Jessica Jordan led the Panthers with 10 points.
"She had probably her best game of the season," Brown said.
Brown said the key for the Panthers in upcoming games will be finding ways to get the ball in the basket.
"We just really struggled against their pressure. That's really what it boils down to," he said. "If we're only gonna score 20, it's gonna be tough to win."
Juda (3-10) has another non-conference game on Monday against Benton-Shullsburg.
