GREEN BAY, Wis. – Top-seeded Beaver Dam (26-1) became just the fifth program to win three State straight championships with a 68-48 victory over Monroe in the Division 2 championship of the State Girls Basketball Tournament at the Resch Center Saturday evening.

The Golden Beavers led the entire game following a 10-0 start to the game, and they expanded their lead to 18-2 at the 11:02 mark of the first half. 

“We kept reminding our team this week that we need to get off to a good start,” Beaver Dam Head Coach Tim Chase said. “It was great to get off to a 16-point lead like that in the beginning. It helped a lot.”

Beaver Dam took a 36-21 advantage into the locker room. The Cheesemakers cut their deficit to under double digits early in the second half, but the Golden Beavers erased any indication of a comeback by building their biggest lead of the game at 55-32 with 10 minutes remaining.

The difference in the game was the teams’ three-point shooting. Beaver Dam connected on 7-of-16 shots beyond the arc, and Monroe went 0-for-8.

Tara Stauffacher led three players scoring in double figures for the Golden Beavers with 15, including a 10-for-10 from the free throw line. Paige Schumann scored 14 points, and Maty Wilke 10. Stauffacher also led all rebounders with seven boards, and Shumann dished out a game-high five assists.

Sydney Hilliard poured in a game-high 23 points for the Cheesemakers, and Emily Benzschawel also added double-digits in scoring with 11 to go with her team-high four assists and two steals.

Beaver Dam wins its third State title in the Golden Beavers’ fifth State appearance, and Monroe (21-7) finishes runner-up in its 11th State Tournament experience.

Beaver Dam (27-1) 65, Monroe (21-6) 46 - Stats