MONROE - As her senior season winds down, Monroe's Emily Rufenacht is speeding up. Over the past five games, Rufenacht has averaged 12.1 points - much higher than her 5.6 from the previous 12 games this season.
"I knew it would be huge to get out quick on (Freeport)," Rufenacht said. I was just so pumped."
Rufenacht dropped the first seven points of the game, giving Monroe the momentum they would need to top Freeport, Illinois' fourth ranked team in Class 3A, in the second annual Snack Bowl, 52-41.
Monroe's opening lead got out to 9-0 as Ashley Hermanson finished off a drive with 3 minutes, 47 seconds left in the first quarter.
The Pretzels, which boasts a handful of players with over 1,000 career points, didn't get on the board until the 2:55 mark in the opening period.
The Cheesemakers finished off the first quarter ahead 18-8. Rufenacht already had nine points.
In the second, Monroe kept running its offense, dumping the ball inside and then kicking it back out.
Both Rufenacht and Kyleigh Sellnow drained 3-pointers in the first quarter, and the Pretzels had a hard time defending Monroe's offense.
"That first half offensively I thought we executed just outstanding," Monroe head coach Kevin Keen said. "And we did a great job defensively. That was probably as well as we've played all year."
Monroe's lead reached as much as 20 points at 30-10 with 2:18 left as Rufenacht scored on a lay up in transition.
"I kind of felt it all come together. The crowd was really into it and they were great tonight," Rufenacht said.
By halftime, the Cheesemakers led 33-18. In the third, Freeport made a bit of a comeback, bringing the score to 38-27 headed into the fourth quarter.
In that final frame, Freeport brought the score to as close as six points twice in the fourth, but Monroe held on to win it, making 8-of-10 free throws in the period and 11-of-16 in the game.
"We did what we had to do in the end. We made our free throws and kept our composer" Keen said. "It was a big win for us."
Monroe's twin towers in the paint, Ashley Hermanson (13 points) and Jamie Armstrong (8 points), combined for 22 rebounds in the game.
The Cheesemakers (15-2, 8-1 Badger South), can close out the season with a conference title should they continue winning over their last three game.
"I knew it would be huge to get out quick on (Freeport)," Rufenacht said. I was just so pumped."
Rufenacht dropped the first seven points of the game, giving Monroe the momentum they would need to top Freeport, Illinois' fourth ranked team in Class 3A, in the second annual Snack Bowl, 52-41.
Monroe's opening lead got out to 9-0 as Ashley Hermanson finished off a drive with 3 minutes, 47 seconds left in the first quarter.
The Pretzels, which boasts a handful of players with over 1,000 career points, didn't get on the board until the 2:55 mark in the opening period.
The Cheesemakers finished off the first quarter ahead 18-8. Rufenacht already had nine points.
In the second, Monroe kept running its offense, dumping the ball inside and then kicking it back out.
Both Rufenacht and Kyleigh Sellnow drained 3-pointers in the first quarter, and the Pretzels had a hard time defending Monroe's offense.
"That first half offensively I thought we executed just outstanding," Monroe head coach Kevin Keen said. "And we did a great job defensively. That was probably as well as we've played all year."
Monroe's lead reached as much as 20 points at 30-10 with 2:18 left as Rufenacht scored on a lay up in transition.
"I kind of felt it all come together. The crowd was really into it and they were great tonight," Rufenacht said.
By halftime, the Cheesemakers led 33-18. In the third, Freeport made a bit of a comeback, bringing the score to 38-27 headed into the fourth quarter.
In that final frame, Freeport brought the score to as close as six points twice in the fourth, but Monroe held on to win it, making 8-of-10 free throws in the period and 11-of-16 in the game.
"We did what we had to do in the end. We made our free throws and kept our composer" Keen said. "It was a big win for us."
Monroe's twin towers in the paint, Ashley Hermanson (13 points) and Jamie Armstrong (8 points), combined for 22 rebounds in the game.
The Cheesemakers (15-2, 8-1 Badger South), can close out the season with a conference title should they continue winning over their last three game.
