GREEN BAY, Wis. - Top-seed and two-time defending champion Beaver Dam (26-1) continues its pursuit of three straight championships with a 68-48 triumph over Hortonville in the Division 2 semifinals of the State Girls Basketball Tournament Friday afternoon at the Resch Center.
The Beavers led from start to finish, opening with a 6-0 run to begin the game. They bulit their biggest lead of the half at 34-16 with 4:47 on the clock and took a 36-21 lead into the locker room at the half. The Beavers shot 54 percent from the field in the half and outscored the Polar Bears 12-0 in points off turnovers.
Beaver Dam led by as many as 31 points in the second half and cruised to the victory. Maty Wilke tossed in a game-high 20 points and handed out a game-high four assists with seven rebounds. Natalie Jens scored 14 points, and Aly Van Loo chipped in with 10 points and a game-high eight boards.
The Polar Bears were led in scoring by Kamy Peppler and Lexi Day with 12 points apiece, and Macy McGlone added 10 points.
Hortonville (19-8) ends its season at the State Tournament for the third straight season and for the fourth time overall. The Polar Bears will play for their third straight championship in its fifth State appearance.
Monroe (21-6) defeated second-seeded Whitefish Bay 59-47 in the second Division 2 semifinal at the Resch Center Friday afternoon.
The Blue Dukes jumped out to an 11-2 lead in the first five minutes of the game, but the Cheesemakers went on an 11-2 run of their own to tie the game. Monroe entered the locker room at halftime with a 28-26 lead and used a 13-0 lead early in the second half to open its largest lead of the game at 45-30 at the 9:27 mark of the period. Whitefish Bay was unable to reduce its deficit to less than eight points the rest of the way.
The Cheesemakers were led by Sydney Hilliard and Emily Benzschawel. Hillard score a game-high 25 points on 9-of-13 shooting from the floor and 7-of-8 from the charity stripe. Benschawel netted 19 points on 5-of-7 from the field and 7-of-8 from the free throw line. The Cheesemakers converted 22-of-26 free throws in the game, possessing a significant advantage over the Blue Dukes, which converted 6-of-7.
Whitefish Bay (23-4) was led by Elle Clements with 18 points and six rebounds. She also led the Blue Dukes on defense with three blocked shots and two steals. Elena Deslongchamps added 15 points, and Alexis Caldwell distributed a game-high four assists.
The Blue Dukes end the season at the State Tournament for the seventh time, and Monroe advances to the title game for the sixth time in 11 experiences at State.