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By Paul Lecker
MarshfieldAreaSports.com
MARSHFIELD – The Marshfield girls basketball team found itself in a big hole after a terrible shooting performance during the first quarter of Friday’s Wisconsin Valley Conference game at Marshfield High School.
Down 15-6 after missing 13 consecutive shots from the field, the Tigers rallied to score 19 straight points before halftime and led the rest of the way, holding off Wausau West 52-50 to grab a stranglehold on the WVC title chase.
Marshfield remains unbeaten in the Valley at 8-0 (13-2 overall) and now leads West (13-3, 6-2) by two games and idle D.C. Everest (5-2 WVC) by 2 1/2 games, with four conference games remaining. The Tigers are seeking their third straight Wisconsin Valley title and sixth in the last eight seasons under coach Heidi Michaelis, who in her ninth season as head coach has a 161-42 record.
“We always talk about that if you continue to work hard, good things will eventually happen,” Michaelis said. “We struggled that whole first quarter finding the basket. We had run-outs and chances to score, didn’t convert on some easy ones, and the kids hung tough. To their credit, they battled and found a way to build that lead going into halftime.”
Taylor Varsho it a 3-pointer on the Tigers’ first possession and Marshfield proceeded to miss its next 13 shots. West took advantage with a 15-3 run and led 15-6 after a basket by Mackenzie Fischer with 6:30 left in the second quarter.
Amelia Eckes scored to end the drought for Marshfield, and start a huge run that changed the game in more ways than one.
Marshfield went to the free-throw line on three straight possessions, and after a layup by Taylor Varsho gave Marshfield the lead at 16-15, Wausau West coach Pat Galligan reacted to a Warriors’ turnover near the basket. Galligan called a timeout and exploded onto the court to argue with the officials, drawing a technical foul, then was ejected when being assessed another one as he returned to the bench.
Senior Kelsey Weigel went to the free-throw line and made 3 of 4 to continue the run for the Tigers. Andie Varsho scored five of her eight points at the end of the 19-0 run that put Marshfield up 25-15. West’s Jessica Waldvogel, who finished with a game-high 21 points, made two free throws with 1.4 seconds to go before halftime to end the onslaught, but the Tigers had turned a nine-point deficit into an eight-point lead in just 6 minutes.
“It was a battle all the way through and I am really proud of the way my kids found a way to win,” Michaelis said.
Marshfield led by as many as 12 in the third quarter following a Taylor Varsho 3-pointer with 1:48 left, and maintained the lead throughout, but the Warriors never went away. Taylor Varsho led the Tigers with 18 points and added five rebounds.
Weigel, who was 11 of 12 from the line, made two free throws and Alyssa Brenner added two more to give the Tigers a 52-42 lead with 51.8 seconds left. Andie Varsho, the Tigers’ point guard, fouled out just prior to Brenner’s free throws, and Marshfield had trouble taking care of the ball in the final minute.
Three straight baskets, including 3-pointers by Waldvogel and Alex Nickel got the Warriors to within 52-50 but the Tigers were able to inbounds the ball and run out the final 5 seconds.
“You can’t throw the ball away on inbounds plays,” Michaelis said. “We didn’t finish strong. We had an eight-point lead and that’s going to happen sometimes. When Andie goes out, things are going to change for us. She’s our leader and a coach on the floor.”
Marshfield gets right back into action Saturday, with a home game against La Crosse Central at 2 p.m.
Tigers 52, Warriors 50
West 12 5 12 21 – 50
Marshfield 6 19 13 24 – 52
WEST (50): Alex Nickel 2-6 1-6 6, Shanna King 0-1 0-0 0, Mackenzie Fischer 1-6 0-0 2, Janelle Huehnerfuss 0-0 0-0 0, Johanna Fischer 1-1 0-0 2, Jessica Waldvogel 4-15 11-14 21, Amanda Fischer 2-7 0-2 4, Courtney Falk 5-6 5-6 15, Carly Coleman 0-4 0-0 0. FG: 15-46. FT: 17-28. 3-pointers: 3-10 (Waldvogel 2-8, Nickel 1-2). Rebounds: 24 (Falk 7). Total fouls: 20. Fouled out: A. Fischer. Turnovers: 14. Record: 13-3, 6-2 Wisconsin Valley.
MARSHFIELD (52): Taylor Varsho 5-15 5-7 18, Andie Varsho 3-9 2-6 8, Leah Ripp 0-2 1-2 1, Kelsey Weigel 0-3 11-12 11, Alyssa Brenner 1-4 4-4 6, Amelia Eckes 2-3 1-2 5, Sarah Wolff 0-0 0-0 0, Eleni Seitz 1-2 1-4 3. FG: 12-38. FT: 25-35. 3-pointers: 3-7 (T. Varsho 3-6, Brenner 0-1). Rebounds: 31 (Seitz 6, Eckes 5, T. Varsho 5, Weigel 5). Total fouls: 20. Fouled out: A. Varsho. Turnovers: 18. Record: 13-2, 8-0 Wisconsin Valley.
Paul Lecker can be reached by e-mail at paul@marshfieldareasports.com.
Check out video highlights of the game at allmarshfield.com
