GREEN BAY, Wis. – Defending champion and top-seeded Marshall (25-2) advances to the championship game following its 58-37 victory over Gale-Ettrick-Trempealeau in the Division 3 semifinals Thursday at the Resch Center.
Ceraya Morel scored a game-high 17 points to lead four players in double figures for the Cardinals. Bailey Neuberger added 11 points, including three-point plays on two successive possessions to open a double-digit lead for Marshall at 38-26 with 13:58 remaining in the game.
Mia Morel chipped in with 11 points and a game-high six assists; Anna Lutz contributed with 10 points and a game-high six steals; and Laura Nickel grabbed a team-high 11 rebounds.
The Red Hawks were led in scoring by Lexi Wagner with 18 points, and Olivia Zielke on the glass with a game-high 12 rebounds. G-E-T was limited offensively in game with a 25 percent shooting percentage.
The Cardinals went on a 10-0 run late in the second half to build its biggest lead of 23 points with 1:25 remaining.
Gale-Etrtrick-Trempealeau (24-3) finishes its season with its first State Tournament appearance. The Cardinals seeks their fourth State title in the same number of times qualifying for State.
Second-seeded Laconia (27-0) remained undefeated with a 67-53 win over Freedom in the State semifinals Friday afternoon at the Resch Center.
A 10-minute stretch in the second half was the turning point in the game. The Spartans increased a one-point advantage to 58-44 lead with just over three minutes to play in the game following an 18-5 run.
Kiarra led the Spartans with 28 points, and both Maci Grade and Haley Rens added 11 points. Grade led Laconia on the glass with a team-high nine rebounds, and Allisa Dins and Lexy Smit each dished out three assists. The Spartans inside game was the difference in the game, outscoring the Irish 42-18 in points in the paint.
The Irish was led by four players in double figures. Tayor Haase scored 15 points with nine rebounds before fouling out. Gabby Johnson score 14 points, and Callie Genke netted 11 points to go with a game-high 11 rebounds and four assists. Carly Peters chipped in with 10 points.
Freedom (23-4) ends its season in the State Tournament for the second, and Laconia continues its quest for an undefeated season in the program’s first-ever appearance in the State Tournament.