VERONA - The Verona girls basketball team used a 1-2-2 zone defense to slow down Monroe to hand the Cheesemakers a 56-31 loss in a non-conference game Saturday, Dec. 28.
Verona (8-1, 5-1 Big Eight Conference) outscored the Cheesemakers 18-2 in the first quarter and led by 19 points at the half.
"Verona has a very good zone defense," Monroe coach Sam Mathiason said. "They have players who are 6-1, 5-10 and two 6-1 players they bring off the bench. They have some good size and can really pack it in. With their size, the angles you usually see and get for passes weren't there. We didn't execute it well in the first quarter. It took us longer than what we needed to get comfortable to their zone. It's another learning experience against a Division 1 school."
Monroe junior Alacia Keegan scored 10 points to lead the Cheesemakers. Senior Taylor Barrett added nine points. The Cheesemakers got better execution as the game went on as the Wildcats outscored them 38-29 the final three quarters.
"After the first quarter, I thought we did a good job," Mathiason said. "They were a little bit quicker and we were playing from behind."
Verona's Lexy Richardson scored a game-high 13 points to lead the Wildcats. Monroe (2-4, 1-1 Badger South) will have one week to prepare before hosting a non-conference game against Elkhorn at 2:45 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 4. The Cheesemakers will likely see a 1-3-1 zone when they play against Elkhorn.
"Hopefully, we will use this as a learning experience to get ready for Elkhorn," Mathiason said. "We have a couple of days off and then three straight practices. Hopefully, we will be ready to go against Elkhorn."
Brodhead 60, Cuba City 54
CUBA CITY - Brodhead had a balanced offensive attack with five players scoring in double figures to edge Cuba City 60-54 in the Cuba City Classic Saturday.
Brodhead senior Carly Mohns, a University of Iowa recruit, scored a game-high 17 points to lead the Cardinals. Senior Meg Duffield scored 13 points and hit three 3-pointers. Sophomores Kylie Moe and Amber Pickel as well as senior Rachel Heller each scored 10 points.
"Any time you can go to Cuba City and come out with a win, it's a big win," Brodhead coach Brad Pickett said. "The reason we schedule some of these games is to prepare us for a playoff atmosphere. It was that Saturday night."
Brodhead (6-0, 3-0 Rock Valley South), ranked No. 2 in the WisSports.net Division 3 coaches poll, led 26-23 at the half. The Cardinals outscored the Cubans, ranked No. 2 in Division 4, 16-8 in the third quarter to build an 11 point lead heading into the fourth quarter.
"We have some balance," Pickett said of the scoring. "A lot of teams look to take Carly away. Our balance is what we kind of hang our hat on. If you take away Carly, it's nice to have a couple of other weapons who can put the ball in the hole."
Cambridge 55, Monticello 45
CAMBRIDGE - The Ponies struggled in the second half and lost the championship of the Cambridge Holiday tournament to the Blue Jays 55-45 Saturday.
Monticello (5-3, 2-2 Six Rivers East) led 26-24 at the half. However, the Blue Jays outscored the Ponies 31-19 in the second half en route to the victory. Monticello junior Alyssah Kubly scored a team-high 10 points. Senior Marissa Berg and junior Courtney Leuzinger each scored nine points. Junior Samantha DeVoe chipped in eight points.
Cambridge's Monica Muth scored a game-high 23 points to lead the Blue Jays.
Juda 44, Williams Bay 18
WILLIAMS BAY - Molly Marass and Tabatha Davis combined scored 24 points to lead Juda to a 44-18 win over Williams Bay in the championship of the Williams Bay Holiday tournament Saturday.
Marass scored a game-high 13 points and Davis added 11 to lead the Panthers. Juda (3-4, 0-2 Six Rivers East) outscored the Bulldogs 15-8 in the second quarter to build a nine point lead at the half. The Panthers put the game away by outscoring the Bulldogs 23-6 in the second half.
Juda coach Curt Brown said the zone defense keyed the win for the Panthers.
"Molly Marass and Tabatha Davis had great games," Brown said. "Morganne Goecks made some big plays down the stretch."
The Panthers won the game despite shooting just 10 of 30 from the free throw line.
Highland 47, Pecatonica 22
BLANCHARDVILLE - Pecatonica has lost eight straight games after falling to Highland 47-22 in a non-conference game Saturday.
The Cardinals jumped out to a 15-0 lead in the first quarter lead and the Vikings weren't able to recover. The Cardinals outscored the Vikings 24-13 in the second half. Pecatonica's Emily Scoville scored a team-high nine points. Pecatonica (0-8, 0-3 Six Rivers East) struggled at the free throw line shooting 5 of 14.
Verona (8-1, 5-1 Big Eight Conference) outscored the Cheesemakers 18-2 in the first quarter and led by 19 points at the half.
"Verona has a very good zone defense," Monroe coach Sam Mathiason said. "They have players who are 6-1, 5-10 and two 6-1 players they bring off the bench. They have some good size and can really pack it in. With their size, the angles you usually see and get for passes weren't there. We didn't execute it well in the first quarter. It took us longer than what we needed to get comfortable to their zone. It's another learning experience against a Division 1 school."
Monroe junior Alacia Keegan scored 10 points to lead the Cheesemakers. Senior Taylor Barrett added nine points. The Cheesemakers got better execution as the game went on as the Wildcats outscored them 38-29 the final three quarters.
"After the first quarter, I thought we did a good job," Mathiason said. "They were a little bit quicker and we were playing from behind."
Verona's Lexy Richardson scored a game-high 13 points to lead the Wildcats. Monroe (2-4, 1-1 Badger South) will have one week to prepare before hosting a non-conference game against Elkhorn at 2:45 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 4. The Cheesemakers will likely see a 1-3-1 zone when they play against Elkhorn.
"Hopefully, we will use this as a learning experience to get ready for Elkhorn," Mathiason said. "We have a couple of days off and then three straight practices. Hopefully, we will be ready to go against Elkhorn."
Brodhead 60, Cuba City 54
CUBA CITY - Brodhead had a balanced offensive attack with five players scoring in double figures to edge Cuba City 60-54 in the Cuba City Classic Saturday.
Brodhead senior Carly Mohns, a University of Iowa recruit, scored a game-high 17 points to lead the Cardinals. Senior Meg Duffield scored 13 points and hit three 3-pointers. Sophomores Kylie Moe and Amber Pickel as well as senior Rachel Heller each scored 10 points.
"Any time you can go to Cuba City and come out with a win, it's a big win," Brodhead coach Brad Pickett said. "The reason we schedule some of these games is to prepare us for a playoff atmosphere. It was that Saturday night."
Brodhead (6-0, 3-0 Rock Valley South), ranked No. 2 in the WisSports.net Division 3 coaches poll, led 26-23 at the half. The Cardinals outscored the Cubans, ranked No. 2 in Division 4, 16-8 in the third quarter to build an 11 point lead heading into the fourth quarter.
"We have some balance," Pickett said of the scoring. "A lot of teams look to take Carly away. Our balance is what we kind of hang our hat on. If you take away Carly, it's nice to have a couple of other weapons who can put the ball in the hole."
Cambridge 55, Monticello 45
CAMBRIDGE - The Ponies struggled in the second half and lost the championship of the Cambridge Holiday tournament to the Blue Jays 55-45 Saturday.
Monticello (5-3, 2-2 Six Rivers East) led 26-24 at the half. However, the Blue Jays outscored the Ponies 31-19 in the second half en route to the victory. Monticello junior Alyssah Kubly scored a team-high 10 points. Senior Marissa Berg and junior Courtney Leuzinger each scored nine points. Junior Samantha DeVoe chipped in eight points.
Cambridge's Monica Muth scored a game-high 23 points to lead the Blue Jays.
Juda 44, Williams Bay 18
WILLIAMS BAY - Molly Marass and Tabatha Davis combined scored 24 points to lead Juda to a 44-18 win over Williams Bay in the championship of the Williams Bay Holiday tournament Saturday.
Marass scored a game-high 13 points and Davis added 11 to lead the Panthers. Juda (3-4, 0-2 Six Rivers East) outscored the Bulldogs 15-8 in the second quarter to build a nine point lead at the half. The Panthers put the game away by outscoring the Bulldogs 23-6 in the second half.
Juda coach Curt Brown said the zone defense keyed the win for the Panthers.
"Molly Marass and Tabatha Davis had great games," Brown said. "Morganne Goecks made some big plays down the stretch."
The Panthers won the game despite shooting just 10 of 30 from the free throw line.
Highland 47, Pecatonica 22
BLANCHARDVILLE - Pecatonica has lost eight straight games after falling to Highland 47-22 in a non-conference game Saturday.
The Cardinals jumped out to a 15-0 lead in the first quarter lead and the Vikings weren't able to recover. The Cardinals outscored the Vikings 24-13 in the second half. Pecatonica's Emily Scoville scored a team-high nine points. Pecatonica (0-8, 0-3 Six Rivers East) struggled at the free throw line shooting 5 of 14.
