BRODHEAD - When the season's on the line and your team is looking for players, typically the class that steps up is the ... freshmen? In Brodhead, it's the youth movement that is cause for many smiles these days as its freshman and sophomores have the Cardinals positioned to play for a regional title today.
"Their confidence has grown since the beginning of the season," senior Mariah Mohns said. "At the beginning they were shy, being freshmen on varsity. And now they don't care how old they are - they're going to shoot it and take it and do what they want with the ball."
On Friday, Brodhead defeated Walworth Big Foot 53-43 in the WIAA Division 3 regional semifinals thanks to the play of its youngest players. Led by freshman Carly Mohns' 14 points, the Cardinals received 42 points from their freshmen and sophomore classes.
"They're still freshmen and with this being tournament time, it's another step up," Brodhead coach Brad Pickett said. "But some of those close non-conference games are going to help these kids. They've come a long way. Not a lot phases this team anymore."
Carly Mohns dominated the glass with her sister Mariah, a senior who scored 10 points.
"It's a big difference from playing middle school ball to high school varsity," Carly Mohns said. "(Mariah) is my sister and I couldn't ask for anybody else to be out there with me. She's a big leader and keeps my head up."
A 6-foot presence in the post on defense, Carly Mohns forces teams outside of the lane where Brodhead's quick guards can run all day. That's where the Cardinals are at their best - keeping opponents to low-percentage shots which allows for rebounding opportunities.
"She's actually been teaching me (rebounding moves)," Mariah Mohns said of her taller sister. "I'm going to miss her next year a lot. It's intense (playing this year) and I have to keep my composure and keep everybody under control."
"Those two, especially Mariah with her motor that doesn't quit, give us a lot of energy," Pickett said of the Mohns sisters.
Playing in their first high school playoff game, Brodhead's freshman went right to work. Rachel Heller hit a 3 just 1 minute, 18 seconds into the game and Carly Mohns had a 3-point lead a moment later to give her team a 6-3 advantage. The Cardinals (16-7) never trailed again.
But the freshmen weren't done. Meg Duffield hit a 3-pointer and forced a defensive 5-second turnover four minutes into the game. Heller then found Carly Mohns in the paint to make it 13-7. Brodhead led 22-18 at halftime and went up by as much as 11 points in the third quarter.
"We knew it was time to buckle down - no more dumb shots. It was time to run our offense and take care of the ball," Mariah Mohns said.
Big Foot (6-18) never quit, but it was the combination of youth and experience that proved to be the difference in the fourth.
After the Chiefs pulled narrowed an 8-point deficit to just a basket in the fourth, Pickett called for a full timeout. Then, his team woke up.
Mariah Mohns scored on a shot in the lane with 3:44 to play to make it a four point game, but Big Foot's Molly Kovarik (18 points) hit a quick jumper to bring the score back. Carly Mohns then scored on a pass from Amanda Pickel with 3:15 left. Over the next 53 seconds the Cardinals would go on a 10-0 run, highlighted by a put-back-and-1 by Mariah Mohns; a steal and layup by Duffield and a 3 by Duffield.
The run put Brodhead up 51-39 with 2:22 to play and all but sealed the game.
"We pushed the ball. That's what we do best," Mariah Mohns said. "We get a rebound we get out and go."
Now the Cardinals will travel to Clinton tonight where they will play Edgerton (19-3) for the regional title.
"We'll have to play defense again and box out," Pickett said. "At this point in time in the regional final game, all those things get magnified a little bit more."
"Their confidence has grown since the beginning of the season," senior Mariah Mohns said. "At the beginning they were shy, being freshmen on varsity. And now they don't care how old they are - they're going to shoot it and take it and do what they want with the ball."
On Friday, Brodhead defeated Walworth Big Foot 53-43 in the WIAA Division 3 regional semifinals thanks to the play of its youngest players. Led by freshman Carly Mohns' 14 points, the Cardinals received 42 points from their freshmen and sophomore classes.
"They're still freshmen and with this being tournament time, it's another step up," Brodhead coach Brad Pickett said. "But some of those close non-conference games are going to help these kids. They've come a long way. Not a lot phases this team anymore."
Carly Mohns dominated the glass with her sister Mariah, a senior who scored 10 points.
"It's a big difference from playing middle school ball to high school varsity," Carly Mohns said. "(Mariah) is my sister and I couldn't ask for anybody else to be out there with me. She's a big leader and keeps my head up."
A 6-foot presence in the post on defense, Carly Mohns forces teams outside of the lane where Brodhead's quick guards can run all day. That's where the Cardinals are at their best - keeping opponents to low-percentage shots which allows for rebounding opportunities.
"She's actually been teaching me (rebounding moves)," Mariah Mohns said of her taller sister. "I'm going to miss her next year a lot. It's intense (playing this year) and I have to keep my composure and keep everybody under control."
"Those two, especially Mariah with her motor that doesn't quit, give us a lot of energy," Pickett said of the Mohns sisters.
Playing in their first high school playoff game, Brodhead's freshman went right to work. Rachel Heller hit a 3 just 1 minute, 18 seconds into the game and Carly Mohns had a 3-point lead a moment later to give her team a 6-3 advantage. The Cardinals (16-7) never trailed again.
But the freshmen weren't done. Meg Duffield hit a 3-pointer and forced a defensive 5-second turnover four minutes into the game. Heller then found Carly Mohns in the paint to make it 13-7. Brodhead led 22-18 at halftime and went up by as much as 11 points in the third quarter.
"We knew it was time to buckle down - no more dumb shots. It was time to run our offense and take care of the ball," Mariah Mohns said.
Big Foot (6-18) never quit, but it was the combination of youth and experience that proved to be the difference in the fourth.
After the Chiefs pulled narrowed an 8-point deficit to just a basket in the fourth, Pickett called for a full timeout. Then, his team woke up.
Mariah Mohns scored on a shot in the lane with 3:44 to play to make it a four point game, but Big Foot's Molly Kovarik (18 points) hit a quick jumper to bring the score back. Carly Mohns then scored on a pass from Amanda Pickel with 3:15 left. Over the next 53 seconds the Cardinals would go on a 10-0 run, highlighted by a put-back-and-1 by Mariah Mohns; a steal and layup by Duffield and a 3 by Duffield.
The run put Brodhead up 51-39 with 2:22 to play and all but sealed the game.
"We pushed the ball. That's what we do best," Mariah Mohns said. "We get a rebound we get out and go."
Now the Cardinals will travel to Clinton tonight where they will play Edgerton (19-3) for the regional title.
"We'll have to play defense again and box out," Pickett said. "At this point in time in the regional final game, all those things get magnified a little bit more."
