Lena/Peshtigo Post Big Conference Wins

Wildcats Beat Badgers
for 2nd Spot in M&O
In a battle of the No. 2 and No. 3 teams in the M&O Conference on Monday, it was the Lena Wildcats who cemented themselves as the top challenger to the Coleman Cougars for this year’s conference crown.

The Wildcats did it with defense. The two teams were locked in a tough defensive battle early. Niagara led 13-9 after a Abby Wells shot fell, but an 11-0 run by Lena, capped off by two free throws from Natalie McNurlen, put the Cats on top 20-13.

At halftime, Lena led 20-15, but Niagara coach Karl Lamoreaux was still feeling good about where his team was.

“I told the girls at halftime, ‘You only gave up 20 points. If they only score 40 points we will win the game,’” he said. “They scored 40 and we scored 34. We just couldn’t hit a shot.”

Early in the second half, Niagara tied the game at 22 on a pair of free throws by Morgan Borchardt. The Badgers took their first lead in some time at 31-29 on a triple by Josie Rock.

Another 3-pointer from Rock made it 34-29, but Lena would stay calm. Another 10-0 run put Lena in position to win the game. During that run, McNurlen hit two 3-pointers, and the Wildcats held on defensively to seal the win, 40-34.

McNurlen scored 25 points in the game to lead all scorers.

“One of our key players went down and I just knew I had to pick that slack up,” McNurlen said after the game. “We wanted this win so now we’re second in the conference. That’s what we’ve been working for so hard in practice.”

With the win, Lena is 7-1 in M&O play, while Niagara falls to 6-2, two games off the pace of top dog Coleman.

Lena hosts the 7-0 Cougars on Friday night at 7:15 p.m. The last time the teams met was Nov. 29, when Coleman squeaked out a 50-44 victory.

In addition to McNurlen’s 25 points, Lamoreaux felt Eva Brooks was the difference in the game. Brooks scored nine points, but she held down the paint defensively and secured nine boards.

“She’s a beast,” the Niagara coach said. “Brooks just dominated rebounding. She got every offensive rebound off of free throws. We couldn’t even box her out on free throws when we had position. She really dominated that. I think it was definitely the difference in the game, her presence on defense and her rebounding.”

Rock’s 14 points led Niagara. Borchardt scored seven and Samantha Oratch had five.

Next up for Niagara is Oneida Nation at home Friday night.

Bulldogs Beat Blue
Devils to Stay in
the Packerland Hunt
Peshtigo handed the Oconto Blue Devils their first Packerland Conference loss on Tuesday, a 57-47 win during which the Bulldogs led by as much as 17.

The Bulldogs 2-1-2 zone caused Oconto problems all night long. Of Oconto’s 47 points, 20 came on free throws, with 12 made field goals by the Blue Devils.

At halftime, Peshtigo led 32-23. That lead ballooned a bit in the second half, but sat at 10 when the final buzzer sounded.

“We did a great job limiting their ball penetration,” Peshtigo coach Jeff Sunstrom said. “Our players also did a wonderful job reporting to the shooters. We also did a great job stopping their transition game.”

Akira Smalls led Peshtigo with 15 points, with 13 in the first half.

Rylie Ellie and Brooklyn Philips scored 11 points apiece.

Jaci Tonn had seven, Maysen Brissette scored six, and Allison Peters scored five.

“Offensively we really maintained our patience. We took good quality shots,” Sunstrom said.

Peshtigo (6-6 overall, 5-2 Packerland) welcomes Kewaunee to town on Monday. The Storm is 2-10 overall and 2-4 in conference action.

Oconto’s leading scorer was Adddisyn Viestenz with 11 points. Rylie Shallow scored 10, followed by Hannah Thomson and Natalie Schlueter’s 10 apiece and six each by Anna Vandenlangenberg and Gracie Simon.

The Blue Devils (10-4 overall, 6-1 Packerland) can gain their spot atop the conference right back on Saturday, when 6-0 Packerland leaders Sevastopol come to town for a 7:30 p.m. tip.

Second Ranked Irish
Power Past Marines
Before Marinette could even blink, the Freedom Irish were up 13-0 in the team’s matchup on Friday.

Rylie Murphy hit two 3-pointers and the Irish scored a couple of points in transition to put Marinette in a corner early. Soon after, the lead was 22-2 on a bucket by Sadie Jarmolowicz.

Marinette started to settle in at that point, cutting their deficit to 24-9 on a 3-pointer by Riley Kieffer and a free throw from Kylie Veriha. At halftime, Freedom led 42-17 after closing the half on a 7-0 run.

“Outside of those first two minutes of the game where they were up 11-0, I think we responded well in the first half,” Marinette coach Zac Barker said. “We were able to fight back and compete. We missed four easy ones in the paint and we missed a couple free throws in the first half, so I think we could have had that game a little bit closer.”

After the break, 25 became 30, then 40, and eventually 45. It ended 77-32.

Freedom is ranked No. 2 in Division 3 in the Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Poll, and they’re there for a reason.

“At the end of the day, Freedom puts up a lot of points, but they are the most defensively sound team we’ll see all season by far,” Barker said. “They’re extremely talented, they have length, they have ball pressure. They’re a complete team, and that’s why they’re ranked top five in the state. There’s a reason they’re that good of a program. They’re going to get you out of your rhythm offensively.”

Freedom made 27 of 50 shots from the field, including eight of 21 triples. Jarmolowicz led the Marines in scoring with 18 points in 24 minutes. Murphy scored 15 in 24 as well.

Chloe Seymour’s nine points were a Marine-best. Kieffer scored eight.

Bulldogs Sneak Past
Blazers 46-45
Four missed free throws by NEW Lutheran/Providence Academy with the game on the line saw Peshtigo escape with a 46-45 win on Friday.

With three minutes left, Peshtigo trailed by two. The Bulldogs switched to a man-to-man defense to pressure the ball and keep NEW from running out the clock against a zone defense.

After getting one stop, Akira Smalls hit a 3-pointer to put Peshtigo up one.

In NEW Lutheran’s next two possessions, they went to the line but missed both free throws each time. In the final possession, Peshtigo got a stop to win the game.

Smalls led Peshtigo in scoring with 14 points. She made five of 16 field goals.

Allison Peters scored 12 points on a 6-11 night, grabbing nine rebounds.

“Allison Peters had her best game of the year offensively. She had some very nice post moves that were successful,” Peshtigo coach Jeff Sunstrom said.

Jaci Tonn had 11 points, eight rebounds, three assists, and five blocks. Maysen Brissette scored five points, and her coach credited her with a good game in the team’s 2-1-2 zone.

“It was a win and a very hard fought victory,” Sunstrom said.

FVL Locks Out O. Falls
Over Second Half
Oconto Falls was held to six points in the second half of a 62-24 North Eastern Conference defeat on Saturday.

FVL’s Emily Jaenke scored 17 points to lead the Foxes into Oconto Falls and leave with a comfortable win.

The Panthers (4-8 overall, 3-5 NEC) are off until Thursday, when things get even tougher. They travel to Freedom for a 7:30 tipoff against the 10-1 overall, 8-0 NEC Irish.

Panthers Pull
Away From Vikings
In Second Half
The Oconto Falls girls ended a three-game losing streak with a 40-24 home win over Denmark on Friday.

The Panthers led 18-14 at half and outscored Denmark 22-10 in half two.

Denmark turned the ball over 30 times against a swarming Panther defense and got off just 28 field goals, making seven.

Wildcats Dominate
Tigers In Non-Conference Play
Lena held Tigerton to just three points in a dominant 62-3 non-conference victory on Saturday.

By halftime, the Wildcats had sprinted out to a 40-1 lead, and the second half didn’t see things get any better for Tigerton.

Nine Wildcats scored in the game, led by Eva Brooks, who scored all 13 of her points in the first half. Claire Brooks had 10.

Kali Fischer scored nine, Whitney Potter scored eight, and Natalie McNurlen added seven. Both Chaela Rabas and Breanna Koslowsky scored five.

Cougars Cruise to 61-49
Win Over Menominee
Aubrey Bintz and Coleman took care of Menominee for a 61-49 non-conference win on Monday.

Bintz scored 20 points to lead the Coleman offensive charge. Cameron Zeitler added 15 points and Kiersten Jensen scored 11.

Hanna Drifka’s 24 points led Menominee and Anna Axtell finished with 12 points.

Coleman is now 11-3 overall (7-0 M&O Conference). Next up is the M&O Conference showdown that the Cougars will have circled on the calendar.

They go to Lena on Friday night for a 7:15 p.m. tipoff. The Wildcats are 7-1 in M&O Conference play with their lone loss a 50-44 defeat in Coleman on Nov. 29.

Rangers Take Narrow
Victory Over Crivitz
The Wausaukee Rangers have their first winning streak going of the season after a 47-46 win over Crivitz on Monday.

After beating Oneida Nation on Thursday and now Crivitz, the Rangers are up to 4-8 overall and 3-4 in M&O Conference play.

Rachel Schlies scored 15 points, including 12 in the second half. Melody Schaal had 12 and Katelyn Luccarini scored 10.

Next up is a home game vs. Suring on Friday. The Eagles are 5-3 in conference action.

When the teams played on Nov. 29, Suring won 51-44. This one tips off at 7:15 p.m. in Wausaukee.

Crivitz was led by Lucy Gruszynski’s 15 points. Kirsten Pusick scored nine and Lilli Watson scored six. Megan Pusick got six.

The Wolverines (1-10 overall, 1-7 M&O Conference) have a chance to get back on track on the road against Saint Thomas Aquinas Academy at 7 p.m. Friday.

The last time the teams met, on Nov. 29, Crivitz won 56-17.

Blue Devils
Balanced Attack Out
Does NEW Lutheran
Four Blue Devils scored 10 or more points in a 66-44 Oconto victory over NEW Lutheran/Providence Academy on Thursday.

Oconto led 33-11 at halftime, which protected them from getting sucked into a close game when NEW/Providence scored 33 in the second half.

Natalie Schlueter scored 14 points and grabbed 13 rebounds for Oconto. Anna Vandenlangenberg had 10 points with 13 rebounds, Addisyn Viestenz scored 12 points, and Rylie Shallow made six of 11 shots to finish with 10.

The Blue Devils got off 85 shots in the game compared to just 38 for NEW/Providence, who turned the ball over 34 times.

NEW/Providence’s Ebony Sinclair and Ingrid Beaumont scored 12 points each.

Wildcats Play Tough
Defense in Win
Over STAA
Lena held Saint Thomas Aquinas Academy to three points in a 48-3 victory on Thursday.

Lena got 13 points from Natalie McNurlen, eight from Whitney Potter, and six each by Karli Fischer and Claire Brooks. Eva Brooks, Kali Fischer, and Breanna Koslowski scored four apiece.

Wildcats coach Tim Goldschmidt still saw some room for improvement for his team after the game.

“Our defense was good but we left way too many points on the floor which are going to be very important points in games of the caliber of Niagara and Coleman,” he said.

STAA was held scoreless in the second half. Part of the problem is that the Cavaliers just didn’t get enough shots off. After all, you’ve got to shoot to score points.

“They’re gun shy sometimes,” STAA coach Cindy Powers said. “We do have to get more shots off. That’s what it’s all about. Our shooting has to come around. We practice it all the time. It’ll come around.”

Three Lakes Defense
Too Much for Florence
Florence had a tough go of things in the second half of a 52-29 loss to Three Lakes on Thursday, scoring just eight points in the half.

Isabella Millan made five of 15 field goals and seven of eight free throws to finish with 20 points for the Bobcats. No teammate eclipsed two points.

Florence attempted just 30 shots in the game, making seven (23 percent).

Crandon Defeats
Florence by 33
Florence was beaten 53-20 in a Northern Lakes Conference game on Monday.

The Bobcats were just 6-29 from the field. Isabella Millan scored seven to lead the team in that category, Kamdan Johnson had six, and Victoria Peterson scored five.

Peterson and Millan each had five rebounds and Johnson had four.

Crandon led 31-11 at halftime. The Cardinals are undefeated in NLC play.

Next up for Florence (6-4 overall, 2-3 Northern Lakes) is Forest Park on Thursday. Tipoff is set for 7:15 p.m. in Florence.

Three Cougars
Combine For 51 Points
In Win Over Suring
Kiersten Jensen, Aubrey Bintz, and Cameron Zeitler combined for 51 points in Thursday’s 61-54 Coleman win over Suring.

Jensen scored 22, including 15 on 3-pointers, to lead the way. Bintz got to the line often in the second half, making seven of eight free throws in the half to score 15.

Zeitler made all four of her second-half free throws and finished with 14 points.

Suring’s leading scorer was Christine Sleeter, who finished with 17 points. Bunny Cramer scored 15 and Mackenzie Bailey finished with 12.

Strong Niagara
Defense Sets Tone in Win
Over North Dickinson
Defense led Niagara past North Dickinson on Thursday, 52-18.

By halftime, the Lady Badgers led 23-6. North Dickinson made five field goals in the second half, but Niagara scored 29 points, including all 12 of Keira Maki’s points in the game.

Samantha Oratch scored 14 in the game and Josie Rock added 10. Abby Wells and Morgan Borchardt both chipped in seven points.

Rachel Schlies Hits
1,000th Point in Win
Over Oneida Nation
Thursday was a memorable night for Rachel Schlies as she scored her 1,000th point in a 15-point Wausaukee win at home over Oneida Nation.

Schlies scored 28 points on her banner night, including 10 from the free throw line, to lead all scorers.

Lydia Schaal also scored 16 and Jessica Luccarini added 12.

Oneida Nation’s Jaylynn Caldwell scored 21 to lead the Thunderhawks.

Eagles Rally in Second
Half to Beat Tigers
Christine Sleeter and Mackenzie Bailey combined for 40 points in a 57-47 Suring win over Gillett on Monday.

The Eagles trailed 20-19 at halftime but scored two times as many points in the second half as they did in the first to pull out the win.

Sleeter scored 22 with 16 rebounds and Bailey had 18 points with 14 rebounds, also leading the team with four assists. Macie Reed and Kaylee Otradovec each scored six.

Suring (7-8 overall, 5-3 M&O) goes to Wausaukee (3-5 M&O) on Friday.

Gillett (6-4 overall, 4-4 M&O) has a non-conference game against Gibraltar on the road Thursday, then another at home against Wittenberg-Birnamwood on Monday.