This story is sponsored by Total Electric
By Paul Lecker
MarshfieldAreaSports.com
MARSHFIELD – The Marshfield girls basketball started the season 0-2, but the schedule allowed the Tigers a two-week break from competition to work it out.
That extra off time proved beneficial as the Tigers dominated on both ends and rolled to a 59-29 win over Wisconsin Rapids in the Wisconsin Valley Conference opener for both teams on Tuesday night at Marshfield High School.
Marshfield ran out to a 15-2 lead, and after a hoop by Wisconsin Rapids, the Tigers held the Raiders scoreless for the next 18½ minutes en route to the victory.
“Instead of looking at it as, ‘Oh, we don’t play for a week,’ we really took it as ‘let’s get better,’” Marshfield head coach Heidi Michaelis said. “Let’s use the week to get in better shape and work on the things that we didn’t do well against Neenah (on Nov. 26). The kids really came with energy every day and I felt we really did improve last week.
“To come out in this game and start the way we did, it’s really what you want to have happen. It started with the energy on the defensive end. They get their hands on a lot of balls, and because of that, it creates a lot of opportunities for us.”
Senior guard Zaida Kolbeck continued her hot start to the season for the Tigers. The four-year varsity player had 20 points in each of Marshfield’s first two games, and followed that up with 18 points and seven rebounds Tuesday night.
Kolbeck drilled three 3-pointers in the opening 7 minutes, helping the Tigers build an 18-4 lead. Her third long ball started a 21-0 run over the final 11:07 of the half, and a 25-0 run that stretched over the first six minutes of the second half.
“I feel lucky to have the opportunity to coach someone like Zaida,” Michaelis said. “She’s such a hard worker, she’s a great leader on the floor, and an extension of what we want. She says the things you want her to say to her teammates and is so positive. She’s put the work in, and what you see is when you put the work in, you’re going to reap the benefits.”
Kylie Laufenberg made a basket at the buzzer of the first half to finish off a 36-4 advantage for Marshfield over the first 18 minutes.
The Tigers scored the first four points of the second half before two Wisconsin Rapids’ free throws ended the long drought and got the Raiders’ offense started.
Wisconsin Rapids, which started the game 2-for-29 from the field, finished 10-for-18 over the final 12 minutes. Gabby Neilitz ended up with 11 points for the Raiders (1-5 overall).
Haily Klumb chipped in 14 points and eight rebounds, and Emma Ridgway scored 10 points for the Tigers (1-2 overall).
Marshfield will host D.C. Everest on Friday in another Wisconsin Valley Conference game as the Tigers play the second of seven-straight home games. The Tigers’ next road game is Jan. 7.
Tigers 59, Raiders 29
Wisconsin Rapids 4 25 – 29
Marshfield 36 23 – 59
WISCONSIN RAPIDS (29): Natalie Haddow 0-5 0-0 0, Rachel Linzmeier 0-0 0-0 0, Kaylen Top Sky 0-0 0-0 0, Gabby Neilitz 4-7 2-4 11, Lauren Schillinger 0-2 0-0 0, Kristin Radtke 2-12 2-2 6, Ally Blanchard 0-0 0-0 0, Lexi Cour 1-7 0-0 2, Sydney Holberg 3-7 0-0 6, Riley Hasburgh 1-6 0-0 2, Makenna Redcloud 1-1 0-0 2. FG: 12-47. FT: 4-6. 3-pointers: 1-12 (Neilitz 1-1, Hasburgh 0-1, Haddow 0-2, Cour 0-2, Holberg 0-2, Radtke 0-4). Rebounds: 30 (Radtke 9). Turnovers: 18. Fouls: 13. Fouled out: none. Record: 1-5, 0-1 Wisconsin Valley Conference.
MARSHFIELD (59): McKenzie Holm 3-8 0-0 8, Delaney Varsho 0-1 0-0 0, Gracie Ridgway 1-2 0-0 2, Zaida Kolbeck 5-11 4-4 18, Devyn LeMoine 1-1 1-2 3, Hailey Klumb 5-11 4-8 14, Lauryn Katzenberger 0-2 0-0 0, Ella Allar 1-4 0-0 2, Kylie Laufenberg 1-3 0-0 2, Emma Ridgway 4-7 1-2 10. FG: 21-50. FT: 10-16. 3-pointers: 7-18 (Kolbeck 4-7, Holm 2-6, E. Ridgway 1-1, Laufenberg 0-1, Klumb 0-1, Katzenberger 0-2). Rebounds: 35 (Klumb 8). Turnovers: 12. Fouls: 8. Fouled out: none. Record: 1-2, 1-0 Wisconsin Valley Conference.