MOUNT HOREB - For one quarter, the Monroe boys basketball team played with No. 6-ranked Mount Horeb.
Mount Horeb (18-5), ranked No. 6 in the Associated Press Division 2 state poll, rolled to a 21-2 run from the second quarter that spanned into the third to knock off Monroe 66-44 in a WIAA Division 2 regional semifinal game Friday. With the loss, Monroe (9-14) had its season come to an end.
"It never ends when you want it to," Monroe coach Pat Murphy said. "I'm proud of the fight we had."
The Cheesemakers trailed the Vikings 13-9 at the end of the first quarter. Mount Horeb was sparked by senior Drew Fredrickson who drilled a 3-pointer to ignite the surge. The Vikings later got a 3-pointer from junior Max Meylor late in the second quarter to give the Vikings a 33-16 lead at the half.
"We could have thrown in the towel," Murphy said. "I was just hoping our defense would be a little bit more physical with them and make them uncomfortable in the first half. You have to be able to bump them and take them off their sweet spot."
Meylor started the third quarter where he ended the second by hitting a 3-pointer to give the Vikings a 36-16 lead. Fredrickson then knocked down a jumper to extend the Vikings' lead to 22 points. The Vikings led by as many as 24 points in the second half. The Cheesemakers closed the game outscoring the Vikings 28-17.
Mount Horeb had five players reach double figures, led by Fredrickson who scored a game-high 14 points. Mount Horeb's Trey Recknor and Meylor each added 13 points. Teammates Riley Coon and Terek Nesheim each chipped in 10 points.
"That is unheard of," Murphy said of the Vikings having five players reach double figures. "They just have a hard team to guard. We just had a heck of a time stopping them."
Monroe senior Kevin Noriega scored a team-high 13 points. Sophomores Carter Sawdey and Alex Tordoff each added eight points. The Vikings made more free throws (17) then the Cheesemakers attempted (13). The Vikings finished 17 of 25 from the free-throw line.
Monroe entered the tournament with a four-game losing streak, but defeated Portage 52-47 in overtime. With the win, Mount Horeb advances to host Sauk Prairie in a regional championship game at 7 p.m. today.
The Cheesemakers have a team with six seniors including Desmond Ford, Jacob Flannery, Austin Murphy, Logan Weckerly, Carter Adkins, Noriega and team manager Ben Becker.
"Our seniors showed a lot of fight," Murphy said. "Our team should be proud of how they battled all year."
With two starters and three sophomores who will return next year, Murphy has big goals for them in the offseason.
"The two things I always tell players is to get stronger and develop more offense whether it's passing, shooting, dribbling or post moves," Murphy said. "You don't develop that in November. If you want to be good in our league those are two things you have to be good at."
Mount Horeb (18-5), ranked No. 6 in the Associated Press Division 2 state poll, rolled to a 21-2 run from the second quarter that spanned into the third to knock off Monroe 66-44 in a WIAA Division 2 regional semifinal game Friday. With the loss, Monroe (9-14) had its season come to an end.
"It never ends when you want it to," Monroe coach Pat Murphy said. "I'm proud of the fight we had."
The Cheesemakers trailed the Vikings 13-9 at the end of the first quarter. Mount Horeb was sparked by senior Drew Fredrickson who drilled a 3-pointer to ignite the surge. The Vikings later got a 3-pointer from junior Max Meylor late in the second quarter to give the Vikings a 33-16 lead at the half.
"We could have thrown in the towel," Murphy said. "I was just hoping our defense would be a little bit more physical with them and make them uncomfortable in the first half. You have to be able to bump them and take them off their sweet spot."
Meylor started the third quarter where he ended the second by hitting a 3-pointer to give the Vikings a 36-16 lead. Fredrickson then knocked down a jumper to extend the Vikings' lead to 22 points. The Vikings led by as many as 24 points in the second half. The Cheesemakers closed the game outscoring the Vikings 28-17.
Mount Horeb had five players reach double figures, led by Fredrickson who scored a game-high 14 points. Mount Horeb's Trey Recknor and Meylor each added 13 points. Teammates Riley Coon and Terek Nesheim each chipped in 10 points.
"That is unheard of," Murphy said of the Vikings having five players reach double figures. "They just have a hard team to guard. We just had a heck of a time stopping them."
Monroe senior Kevin Noriega scored a team-high 13 points. Sophomores Carter Sawdey and Alex Tordoff each added eight points. The Vikings made more free throws (17) then the Cheesemakers attempted (13). The Vikings finished 17 of 25 from the free-throw line.
Monroe entered the tournament with a four-game losing streak, but defeated Portage 52-47 in overtime. With the win, Mount Horeb advances to host Sauk Prairie in a regional championship game at 7 p.m. today.
The Cheesemakers have a team with six seniors including Desmond Ford, Jacob Flannery, Austin Murphy, Logan Weckerly, Carter Adkins, Noriega and team manager Ben Becker.
"Our seniors showed a lot of fight," Murphy said. "Our team should be proud of how they battled all year."
With two starters and three sophomores who will return next year, Murphy has big goals for them in the offseason.
"The two things I always tell players is to get stronger and develop more offense whether it's passing, shooting, dribbling or post moves," Murphy said. "You don't develop that in November. If you want to be good in our league those are two things you have to be good at."
