SOUTH WAYNE - Black Hawk freshman Hannah Butler scored a game-high 22 points and the Warriors overcame a late comeback to beat the Barneveld girls basketball team 50-42 and snap the Golden Eagles' 50-game conference winning streak.
Black Hawk freshman Natalie Leuzinger added 18 points, and the Warriors flustered the Golden Eagles with their pressure defense. Barneveld, which has won three straight WIAA Division 5 state championships and five straight Six Rivers East Conference titles, last lost a conference game in 2012 when Black Hawk defeated it 43-32, and the Warriors and Eagles finished the season as conference co-champions.
"Our pressure defense was really effective," Black Hawk coach Mike Flanagan said. "It's great. It's a wonderful win. We are trying hard not to get caught up in the streak or the revenge type of stuff. It's one game."
Butler hit two of the Warriors' four 3-pointers.
Black Hawk (5-0, 2-0 Six Rivers East) led by as many as 20 points in the second half before the Eagles stormed back.
Barneveld's Teegan Pickarts scored a team-high 16 points, and Mia Whitish had 13 points.
"We didn't finish the game strong," Flanagan said. "That is a young team for you. They (Barneveld) have played on the biggest stage in the state. We have some freshman players out there who were trying to make plays. They (Barneveld) battled. You don't beat a team like Barneveld without expecting to earn it."
McFarland 69, Brodhead 65
BRODHEAD - Junior Gabi Runde scored a game-high 27 points to help the Spartans tip Brodhead in a Rock Valley Conference crossover game.
Runde scored 15 of her points in the first half to help McFarland jump out to a 37-31 lead. The Spartans made 19 of 26 free throws.
Brodhead senior Morgan Cook scored a team-high 20 points and made 6 of 7 free throws. Junior Erin Nyhus chipped in 19 points, including five 3-pointers.
Brodhead's Brooke Bescup added 11 points.
The Cardinals made 10 of 11 free throws.
Argyle 64, Pecatonica 20
BLANCHARDVILLE - Sophomore Jena Saalsaa scored a game-high 33 points to power the Orioles to a conference win over Pecatonica.
Saalsaa hit two 3-pointers, and Argyle's Morgan Godfrey added eight points.
Argyle broke the game open by outscoring the Vikings 38-12 in the first half.
"Probably half of their points came on second-chance points," Pecatonica coach Bobby Rose said. "We have to finish possessions whether it's on offense or defense. Rebounding is such an attitude thing. You can talk and work on boxing out as much as you want. You have to have a player take on the responsibility of going through and over people to grab those rebounds."
Pecatonica's Jessica Erickson scored a team-high 11 points. Pecatonica (0-6, 0-2) shot 9 of 22 from the free-throw line.
Black Hawk freshman Natalie Leuzinger added 18 points, and the Warriors flustered the Golden Eagles with their pressure defense. Barneveld, which has won three straight WIAA Division 5 state championships and five straight Six Rivers East Conference titles, last lost a conference game in 2012 when Black Hawk defeated it 43-32, and the Warriors and Eagles finished the season as conference co-champions.
"Our pressure defense was really effective," Black Hawk coach Mike Flanagan said. "It's great. It's a wonderful win. We are trying hard not to get caught up in the streak or the revenge type of stuff. It's one game."
Butler hit two of the Warriors' four 3-pointers.
Black Hawk (5-0, 2-0 Six Rivers East) led by as many as 20 points in the second half before the Eagles stormed back.
Barneveld's Teegan Pickarts scored a team-high 16 points, and Mia Whitish had 13 points.
"We didn't finish the game strong," Flanagan said. "That is a young team for you. They (Barneveld) have played on the biggest stage in the state. We have some freshman players out there who were trying to make plays. They (Barneveld) battled. You don't beat a team like Barneveld without expecting to earn it."
McFarland 69, Brodhead 65
BRODHEAD - Junior Gabi Runde scored a game-high 27 points to help the Spartans tip Brodhead in a Rock Valley Conference crossover game.
Runde scored 15 of her points in the first half to help McFarland jump out to a 37-31 lead. The Spartans made 19 of 26 free throws.
Brodhead senior Morgan Cook scored a team-high 20 points and made 6 of 7 free throws. Junior Erin Nyhus chipped in 19 points, including five 3-pointers.
Brodhead's Brooke Bescup added 11 points.
The Cardinals made 10 of 11 free throws.
Argyle 64, Pecatonica 20
BLANCHARDVILLE - Sophomore Jena Saalsaa scored a game-high 33 points to power the Orioles to a conference win over Pecatonica.
Saalsaa hit two 3-pointers, and Argyle's Morgan Godfrey added eight points.
Argyle broke the game open by outscoring the Vikings 38-12 in the first half.
"Probably half of their points came on second-chance points," Pecatonica coach Bobby Rose said. "We have to finish possessions whether it's on offense or defense. Rebounding is such an attitude thing. You can talk and work on boxing out as much as you want. You have to have a player take on the responsibility of going through and over people to grab those rebounds."
Pecatonica's Jessica Erickson scored a team-high 11 points. Pecatonica (0-6, 0-2) shot 9 of 22 from the free-throw line.
