MADISON - After winning 26 games in a row by an average of more than 20 points, Black Hawk suffered an unexpected 34-point loss Saturday to Wausau Newman in the WIAA Division 4 state championship.
"They were good. We knew they were good coming in," Warriors head coach Mike Flanagan said after his team lost 64-30. "They hit their offensive average and held us to their defensive average. They just didn't make very many mistakes."
Black Hawk made a game of it early, trailing by just one after the first quarter (15-14) and again at 17-16 with under six minutes to play in the half. That's when Newman went on its run.
"We knew that a big part of what we would have to do would be handle pressure. I thought we struggled with that all game," Flanagan said.
The Fighting Cardinals, a Wausau-area private Catholic school, used a fullcourt press and hit every shot in the book.
"We have nothing to hang our heads for this. This team will be remembered in our school forever," said senior Kim Wellnitz. "Being responsible for bringing home our school's first-ever state trophy (in basketball), is an amazing feeling and definitely something we will never forget."
Newman closed the second quarter on a 20-2 run, taking a 37-18 lead into the half.
"I didn't realize they had taken over like that until halftime," junior Melissa Wellnitz said. "We played our hardest, it just didn't turn out the way we wanted it to."
Kim Wellnitz added that her teammates got down on themselves when Newman went on their run.
"When they were on like they were, we just got down on ourselves. Once we started to turn the ball over and nothing would fall for us, we started to hang our heads a little bit.
Black Hawk shot 34.8 percent in the first half (8-for-23) while the Cardinals were 13 of 26 from the field and 4 of 8 from beyond the arc. Newman also outscored the Warriors 19-9 in points off of turnovers.
"It was an intense atmosphere," senior Katie Place said.
The Warriors had 16 turnovers in the first half and 28 in the game.
"Our defense was awesome," Newman head coach Tom Weinkauf said. "I don't know if we could do it (press) any better, but we sure did it well today. They are a really good team and I never expected a score like this. I thought it was going to be a one or two point game."
By the fourth quarter, Black Hawk trailed by 30 and seemingly knew its fate was sealed as the state's runner up.
"Nobody ever wants to lose by one. Then they would think 'what if that one free throw went in,'" Place said. "But it doesn't really take the emotion out of it for me, especially being my senior year. It's hard."
Melissa Wellnitz led the team with eight points. Rachel Rygh had seven and Place added six. Kim Wellnitz, the team's top scorer and the school leader in points, had just two points on 1-for-8 shooting from the field and 0-for-2 from the free throw line. Taylor Thomas led Newman with 16 points.
In the final minutes, Flanagan emptied his bench, but the Warrior Nation didn't stop cheering, which is something principal and athletic director Jerry Mortimer said he hoped would bring the school the Sportsmanship Award that is given out by the WIAA for the school with the best fans at the tournament.
"I heard from some people that they were really impressed. We sold more walk-in tickets than anyone else," Mortimer said.
The celebration climaxed for both teams at the buzzer. Newman celebrated the state championship, and Black Hawk celebrated a buzzerbeating putback by Hillary Holland.
With the season over, Black Hawk will look back on a year to remember. The Warriors won the immensely tough Six River East Conference title and set the school record for wins in a season (27 in 29 tries).
"It's a thrill and a little bittersweet," Place said. "I'm very proud of our program and above all, I'm grateful to be apart of it."
However, Black Hawk's 30 points were the Warriors' lowest output since a 2008 sectional final loss to Sheboygan Christian.
It was the last game for seniors Kim Wellnitz, Place and Brooke Ritschard. Wellnitz was the conference player of the year and will play hoops next fall at UW-Platteville. Place goes down as one of the top rebounders in school history and Flanagan was pleased with Ritschard's play.
"They obviously have been a big part of our success. Kim has been apart of it every season I've coached. To see her go is going to be tough and emotional," Flanagan said. "Katie Place is just tougher than heck. Really a humble, hardworking kid. ... (And) without kids like Brooke Ritschard, high school sports is going to die. You cannot have a program without kids who are willing to come out and play a role."
"They were good. We knew they were good coming in," Warriors head coach Mike Flanagan said after his team lost 64-30. "They hit their offensive average and held us to their defensive average. They just didn't make very many mistakes."
Black Hawk made a game of it early, trailing by just one after the first quarter (15-14) and again at 17-16 with under six minutes to play in the half. That's when Newman went on its run.
"We knew that a big part of what we would have to do would be handle pressure. I thought we struggled with that all game," Flanagan said.
The Fighting Cardinals, a Wausau-area private Catholic school, used a fullcourt press and hit every shot in the book.
"We have nothing to hang our heads for this. This team will be remembered in our school forever," said senior Kim Wellnitz. "Being responsible for bringing home our school's first-ever state trophy (in basketball), is an amazing feeling and definitely something we will never forget."
Newman closed the second quarter on a 20-2 run, taking a 37-18 lead into the half.
"I didn't realize they had taken over like that until halftime," junior Melissa Wellnitz said. "We played our hardest, it just didn't turn out the way we wanted it to."
Kim Wellnitz added that her teammates got down on themselves when Newman went on their run.
"When they were on like they were, we just got down on ourselves. Once we started to turn the ball over and nothing would fall for us, we started to hang our heads a little bit.
Black Hawk shot 34.8 percent in the first half (8-for-23) while the Cardinals were 13 of 26 from the field and 4 of 8 from beyond the arc. Newman also outscored the Warriors 19-9 in points off of turnovers.
"It was an intense atmosphere," senior Katie Place said.
The Warriors had 16 turnovers in the first half and 28 in the game.
"Our defense was awesome," Newman head coach Tom Weinkauf said. "I don't know if we could do it (press) any better, but we sure did it well today. They are a really good team and I never expected a score like this. I thought it was going to be a one or two point game."
By the fourth quarter, Black Hawk trailed by 30 and seemingly knew its fate was sealed as the state's runner up.
"Nobody ever wants to lose by one. Then they would think 'what if that one free throw went in,'" Place said. "But it doesn't really take the emotion out of it for me, especially being my senior year. It's hard."
Melissa Wellnitz led the team with eight points. Rachel Rygh had seven and Place added six. Kim Wellnitz, the team's top scorer and the school leader in points, had just two points on 1-for-8 shooting from the field and 0-for-2 from the free throw line. Taylor Thomas led Newman with 16 points.
In the final minutes, Flanagan emptied his bench, but the Warrior Nation didn't stop cheering, which is something principal and athletic director Jerry Mortimer said he hoped would bring the school the Sportsmanship Award that is given out by the WIAA for the school with the best fans at the tournament.
"I heard from some people that they were really impressed. We sold more walk-in tickets than anyone else," Mortimer said.
The celebration climaxed for both teams at the buzzer. Newman celebrated the state championship, and Black Hawk celebrated a buzzerbeating putback by Hillary Holland.
With the season over, Black Hawk will look back on a year to remember. The Warriors won the immensely tough Six River East Conference title and set the school record for wins in a season (27 in 29 tries).
"It's a thrill and a little bittersweet," Place said. "I'm very proud of our program and above all, I'm grateful to be apart of it."
However, Black Hawk's 30 points were the Warriors' lowest output since a 2008 sectional final loss to Sheboygan Christian.
It was the last game for seniors Kim Wellnitz, Place and Brooke Ritschard. Wellnitz was the conference player of the year and will play hoops next fall at UW-Platteville. Place goes down as one of the top rebounders in school history and Flanagan was pleased with Ritschard's play.
"They obviously have been a big part of our success. Kim has been apart of it every season I've coached. To see her go is going to be tough and emotional," Flanagan said. "Katie Place is just tougher than heck. Really a humble, hardworking kid. ... (And) without kids like Brooke Ritschard, high school sports is going to die. You cannot have a program without kids who are willing to come out and play a role."
