ARGYLE - Monticello senior Samantha DeVoe waited her turn to climb the ladder to cut down a part of the net after the Ponies knocked off top-seeded Argyle 50-38 in a WIAA Division 5 regional championship Saturday.
DeVoe scored a game-high 17 points and was one of three players in double figures to lead Monticello to its first regional title since 2004-05.
"These six seniors have wanted this for four years," DeVoe said. "This is the best game we have played all year. It feels amazing. We have been in situations like this before. We love playing in situations like this."
Monticello senior Alyssah Kubly added 14 points despite battling foul trouble in the second half and senior Courtney Leuzinger had 10 points. With the win, Monticello (15-10) advances to a Sun Prairie sectional semifinal where the Ponies will play Fall River at 7 p.m. Thursday.
The Ponies went on an 11-2 fourth-quarter run highlighted by Kubly's 3-pointer and a banked-in jumper and putback down low by DeVoe that helped the Ponies take a 42-31 lead with 2 minutes, 59 seconds to go. Argyle (18-7) shot an uncharacteristic 28 percent in the second half (7 of 25). The Ponies bottled up the Orioles with a 2-3 zone.
"We didn't shoot the ball very well in the second half," Argyle coach Kurt Ritschard said. "We had some open looks and scoring opportunities. We just couldn't knock them down. I think for most of the second half we were settling for 3-pointers and not attacking. You have to give credit to Monticello and their game plan. They out-shot us and that is what made the difference."
Argyle senior Jozey Thoman scored a team-high 15 points and senior Jenna Langmeier added 11 points.
Monticello coach Lori Brokopp was confident in having the Ponies play a 2-3 zone.
"Everyone says you have to be playing at your best and peaking at this time of the year," Brokopp said. "That is what it was in a nutshell. I knew if we played the 2-3 zone and not let Argyle get hot shooting from the outside we would be good. When you play a zone against a team like Argyle with so many shooters it can be scary. We have played a lot of zone this year and in summer league. We have practiced it a lot. The key of the 2-3 zone was rebounding."
Fall River (22-3), ranked No. 4, poses a different challenge for Monticello with 5-10 leading scorer Kelly Tramburg (17.8 ppg). Barneveld (23-1), ranked No. 2, defeated Fall River 54-43 earlier this season.
"I challenged them before the tournament that we have to box out better and get through every screen better," Brokopp said. "It's the little things that have made a difference and got them here. If we come out like we did tonight we could stay in the game and have a chance to compete and win."
DeVoe scored a game-high 17 points and was one of three players in double figures to lead Monticello to its first regional title since 2004-05.
"These six seniors have wanted this for four years," DeVoe said. "This is the best game we have played all year. It feels amazing. We have been in situations like this before. We love playing in situations like this."
Monticello senior Alyssah Kubly added 14 points despite battling foul trouble in the second half and senior Courtney Leuzinger had 10 points. With the win, Monticello (15-10) advances to a Sun Prairie sectional semifinal where the Ponies will play Fall River at 7 p.m. Thursday.
The Ponies went on an 11-2 fourth-quarter run highlighted by Kubly's 3-pointer and a banked-in jumper and putback down low by DeVoe that helped the Ponies take a 42-31 lead with 2 minutes, 59 seconds to go. Argyle (18-7) shot an uncharacteristic 28 percent in the second half (7 of 25). The Ponies bottled up the Orioles with a 2-3 zone.
"We didn't shoot the ball very well in the second half," Argyle coach Kurt Ritschard said. "We had some open looks and scoring opportunities. We just couldn't knock them down. I think for most of the second half we were settling for 3-pointers and not attacking. You have to give credit to Monticello and their game plan. They out-shot us and that is what made the difference."
Argyle senior Jozey Thoman scored a team-high 15 points and senior Jenna Langmeier added 11 points.
Monticello coach Lori Brokopp was confident in having the Ponies play a 2-3 zone.
"Everyone says you have to be playing at your best and peaking at this time of the year," Brokopp said. "That is what it was in a nutshell. I knew if we played the 2-3 zone and not let Argyle get hot shooting from the outside we would be good. When you play a zone against a team like Argyle with so many shooters it can be scary. We have played a lot of zone this year and in summer league. We have practiced it a lot. The key of the 2-3 zone was rebounding."
Fall River (22-3), ranked No. 4, poses a different challenge for Monticello with 5-10 leading scorer Kelly Tramburg (17.8 ppg). Barneveld (23-1), ranked No. 2, defeated Fall River 54-43 earlier this season.
"I challenged them before the tournament that we have to box out better and get through every screen better," Brokopp said. "It's the little things that have made a difference and got them here. If we come out like we did tonight we could stay in the game and have a chance to compete and win."
