VERONA - Rode to state, round 3: Check.
All season long the Cheesemakers have turned to Mitch Tordoff to make plays in the clutch to win games. In Saturday's Division 2 boys basketball regional final against Edgerton, Tordoff decided to shoot early and often instead, hoping to mount a big lead.
"It seemed like anything I put up was going in. I felt pretty good," he said.
Tordoff hit two 3-pointers and finished with 12 of his game-high 25 points in the first quarter, as Monroe took a 19-7 lead before going on to win 66-37.
"We talked about Verona kind of being a home away from home," Monroe head coach Pat Murphy said. "Mitch Tordoff has played enough games in here to know what the rims are like.
"Our defense set the tone, and when Mitch is shooting like that, it helps put the others guys here at ease."
In the second quarter, it was no different. Tordoff was fouled while hitting a jumper from 16 feet out. The senior guard added the free throw and the Cheesemakers led 22-9. The next time down the court, he struck gold again, connecting on another 3-pointer.
The lead hit 18 points at 27-9 with 5:13 left in the opening half when Mitch McArdle got the shooter's roll from the left elbow.
McArdle, known for his defense, struck the books from both ends of the court in Saturday's win. The senior scored 15 points and had two assists, all while keeping the Rock Valley South's leading scorer, 6-foot, 5-inch Bryan Gregory (21.1 points per game), to just two field goals and six points in the game.
"I knew I wanted to start off playing well on defense, trying to shut down Gregory and then get into the game on offense," McArdle said. "But I was on fire in warm-ups, and I wanted to get in on the action."
"All I can say is (McArdle) played outstanding," assistant coach Brian Bassett said.
With Gregory shut down, Monroe was free to hit jumpers as if it were a game of horse.
By halftime, Monroe led 34-20 after hitting five of its eight 3s.
In the third quarter, the Cheesemakers kept rolling. Tordoff hit a jumper in the first minute and McArdle added a 3 moments later. A fourth and final 3 from Tordoff put the game out of reach at 42-22.
McArdle added another 3 and junior center Kevin Frint played well off the bench in the post to close the game out.
"(Frint) has been getting better and better every game, and that's what we expect out of him," Bassett said.
Joining Frint (seven points) in the paint late in the game was junior Kyle Klinzing, who missed the season with a knee injury but found his way into the game with 1:15 to play and into the scorebook with :56 left.
"It was a great feeling to get him into the game and give him a chance to score in the game after having him come to every single practice all year long and not being able to do it," Murphy said.
Monroe will face Wisconsin Dells at 7 p.m. Thursday in Waunakee in a sectional semifinal.
All season long the Cheesemakers have turned to Mitch Tordoff to make plays in the clutch to win games. In Saturday's Division 2 boys basketball regional final against Edgerton, Tordoff decided to shoot early and often instead, hoping to mount a big lead.
"It seemed like anything I put up was going in. I felt pretty good," he said.
Tordoff hit two 3-pointers and finished with 12 of his game-high 25 points in the first quarter, as Monroe took a 19-7 lead before going on to win 66-37.
"We talked about Verona kind of being a home away from home," Monroe head coach Pat Murphy said. "Mitch Tordoff has played enough games in here to know what the rims are like.
"Our defense set the tone, and when Mitch is shooting like that, it helps put the others guys here at ease."
In the second quarter, it was no different. Tordoff was fouled while hitting a jumper from 16 feet out. The senior guard added the free throw and the Cheesemakers led 22-9. The next time down the court, he struck gold again, connecting on another 3-pointer.
The lead hit 18 points at 27-9 with 5:13 left in the opening half when Mitch McArdle got the shooter's roll from the left elbow.
McArdle, known for his defense, struck the books from both ends of the court in Saturday's win. The senior scored 15 points and had two assists, all while keeping the Rock Valley South's leading scorer, 6-foot, 5-inch Bryan Gregory (21.1 points per game), to just two field goals and six points in the game.
"I knew I wanted to start off playing well on defense, trying to shut down Gregory and then get into the game on offense," McArdle said. "But I was on fire in warm-ups, and I wanted to get in on the action."
"All I can say is (McArdle) played outstanding," assistant coach Brian Bassett said.
With Gregory shut down, Monroe was free to hit jumpers as if it were a game of horse.
By halftime, Monroe led 34-20 after hitting five of its eight 3s.
In the third quarter, the Cheesemakers kept rolling. Tordoff hit a jumper in the first minute and McArdle added a 3 moments later. A fourth and final 3 from Tordoff put the game out of reach at 42-22.
McArdle added another 3 and junior center Kevin Frint played well off the bench in the post to close the game out.
"(Frint) has been getting better and better every game, and that's what we expect out of him," Bassett said.
Joining Frint (seven points) in the paint late in the game was junior Kyle Klinzing, who missed the season with a knee injury but found his way into the game with 1:15 to play and into the scorebook with :56 left.
"It was a great feeling to get him into the game and give him a chance to score in the game after having him come to every single practice all year long and not being able to do it," Murphy said.
Monroe will face Wisconsin Dells at 7 p.m. Thursday in Waunakee in a sectional semifinal.
