MONROE - If the Monroe High School girls basketball team was using the game against sixth-ranked Stoughton as a measuring stick, the Cheesemakers found out where they stand Friday after the Vikings rolled to a 60-36 win.
Junior Marissa Robson, who is being recruited by Northern Iowa and Illinois State, scored a game-high 17 points and had seven rebounds to power the Vikings.
"I thought in the beginning we knew it would be tough and not easy," said Monroe senior Brooke Adams, who scored a team-high nine points. "There is a reason why they are at the top of the conference. We tried our best."
Monroe (8-11, 3-7 Badger South) went through two long scoring droughts and committed 19 turnovers against the Vikings' pressure defense.
The Cheesemakers committed three turnovers in the first 2 minutes, 30 seconds. After a 5-minute scoreless streak, Monroe junior Jordan Hirsbrunner knocked down a jumper to cut the Vikings' lead to 4-2 at the 13-minute mark.
Stoughton senior Carrie Aide hit a 3-pointer to give the Vikings an 11-3 lead with 12:02 left in the first half. Stoughton senior Payton Kahl and junior Kendra Halverson both scored on layups to extend the Vikings' lead to 15-6 with 9:54 to go. Robson scored twice down low and Aide banked in a 3-pointer to give the Vikings a 25-10 lead. The Vikings led by as many as 28 points in the first half.
The Cheesemakers shot 20 percent in the first half (4 of 20) and finished the game at 28.2 percent (11 of 39). Monroe freshman Sydney Hilliard, who entered the game averaging 16.7 points per game, was 0-for-6 shooting in the first half and finished the game with five points on 2-for-11 shooting.
"They have four girls averaging double figures," Monroe coach Sam Mathiason said. "They have a lot of different players who can score. They have a lot of weapons, and they can go inside and outside. The biggest thing they do is play really good defense with their size and length."
To start the second half, the Vikings went on a 14-1 run and Monroe suffered a
6-minute scoring drought.
Stoughton's Hannah Hobson hit a 3-pointer early in the second half to give the Vikings a 38-13 lead. Robson scored down low and Kahl scored on a layup to extend the Vikings' lead to 31 points. Robson knocked down a jumper and Kahl scored on a layup to give the Vikings their largest lead of the game at 35 points, 49-14 with 12:20 left in the second half.
Kahl added 12 points, and Hobson had eight points and eight rebounds.
Hilliard snapped the Cheesemakers cold spell by knocking down a jumper to cut the Vikings' lead to 49-16 with 11:57 left.
Monroe sophomore Sydney Mathiason scored six points and had six rebounds. Freshman Emily Benzschawel added five points.
"I thought we had a fair number of shots that went in and out," Mathiason said. "We got some drives into the lane, and Stoughton did a good job with their length. In other games we would have got all the way to the basket. Stoughton did a good job of rotating over and they became contested shots."
Adams understands what makes the Vikings challenging to defend.
"They have a lot of contributors who can do everything well," she said. "We have to be on our 'A' game. It's not like they have just one scorer."
Monroe will play at Sauk Prairie on Tuesday.
"This will be a big game for seeding," Mathiason said. "You just hope that games like this (against Stoughton) will prepare you for the tournament."
All of the Badger North Conference teams plus Stoughton, Monona Grove and Oregon will be in Monroe's sectional for the WIAA tournament.
Junior Marissa Robson, who is being recruited by Northern Iowa and Illinois State, scored a game-high 17 points and had seven rebounds to power the Vikings.
"I thought in the beginning we knew it would be tough and not easy," said Monroe senior Brooke Adams, who scored a team-high nine points. "There is a reason why they are at the top of the conference. We tried our best."
Monroe (8-11, 3-7 Badger South) went through two long scoring droughts and committed 19 turnovers against the Vikings' pressure defense.
The Cheesemakers committed three turnovers in the first 2 minutes, 30 seconds. After a 5-minute scoreless streak, Monroe junior Jordan Hirsbrunner knocked down a jumper to cut the Vikings' lead to 4-2 at the 13-minute mark.
Stoughton senior Carrie Aide hit a 3-pointer to give the Vikings an 11-3 lead with 12:02 left in the first half. Stoughton senior Payton Kahl and junior Kendra Halverson both scored on layups to extend the Vikings' lead to 15-6 with 9:54 to go. Robson scored twice down low and Aide banked in a 3-pointer to give the Vikings a 25-10 lead. The Vikings led by as many as 28 points in the first half.
The Cheesemakers shot 20 percent in the first half (4 of 20) and finished the game at 28.2 percent (11 of 39). Monroe freshman Sydney Hilliard, who entered the game averaging 16.7 points per game, was 0-for-6 shooting in the first half and finished the game with five points on 2-for-11 shooting.
"They have four girls averaging double figures," Monroe coach Sam Mathiason said. "They have a lot of different players who can score. They have a lot of weapons, and they can go inside and outside. The biggest thing they do is play really good defense with their size and length."
To start the second half, the Vikings went on a 14-1 run and Monroe suffered a
6-minute scoring drought.
Stoughton's Hannah Hobson hit a 3-pointer early in the second half to give the Vikings a 38-13 lead. Robson scored down low and Kahl scored on a layup to extend the Vikings' lead to 31 points. Robson knocked down a jumper and Kahl scored on a layup to give the Vikings their largest lead of the game at 35 points, 49-14 with 12:20 left in the second half.
Kahl added 12 points, and Hobson had eight points and eight rebounds.
Hilliard snapped the Cheesemakers cold spell by knocking down a jumper to cut the Vikings' lead to 49-16 with 11:57 left.
Monroe sophomore Sydney Mathiason scored six points and had six rebounds. Freshman Emily Benzschawel added five points.
"I thought we had a fair number of shots that went in and out," Mathiason said. "We got some drives into the lane, and Stoughton did a good job with their length. In other games we would have got all the way to the basket. Stoughton did a good job of rotating over and they became contested shots."
Adams understands what makes the Vikings challenging to defend.
"They have a lot of contributors who can do everything well," she said. "We have to be on our 'A' game. It's not like they have just one scorer."
Monroe will play at Sauk Prairie on Tuesday.
"This will be a big game for seeding," Mathiason said. "You just hope that games like this (against Stoughton) will prepare you for the tournament."
All of the Badger North Conference teams plus Stoughton, Monona Grove and Oregon will be in Monroe's sectional for the WIAA tournament.
