This story is sponsored by Norm E Lane Farm
By Paul Lecker
MarshfieldAreaSports.com
STRATFORD – For the second straight time the Stratford girls basketball team gave one of the undefeated Marawood Conference South Division leaders all it could handle in the first half, and for the second straight time, the third quarter sunk the Tigers.
Leading by two points at halftime, Wisconsin Rapids Assumption blew the game open with a 23-13 third quarter and went on to beat Stratford 55-39 on Thursday night at Stratford High School.
Assumption improves to 11-0 and 6-0 in the Marawood South, while Stratford drops to 7-3 and 3-3 in conference.
The loss comes two days after a similar defeat to Wausau Newman Catholic when the Cardinals, trailing by two at halftime, outscored Stratford 21-6 in the third quarter and won by 12.
On Thursday, the Tigers committed 24 turnovers, 13 in the second half.
“You look at things like this and you learn,” Stratford coach Betsy Miller said. “With us being shallow on the bench, we definitely know that we need to work harder and we need to get in the gym and push harder so they’re in better shape.”
Stratford led 4-0 before the Royals used a 7-0 run to go ahead. The Tigers tied it at 7-7 after a free throw and a basket by Carrie Stroetz, but Assumption pulled ahead 11-9 at the end of the first quarter and never trailed again.
Back-to-back baskets by Mary Sigler, who finished with a game-high 21 points, gave the Royals a 21-15 lead with 3 minutes to go in the first half.
Stratford closed the half with a 4-0 run, including a basket by Brooke Schultze with 3 seconds to go.
Assumption turned the game around in the third quarter, outscoring the Tigers 15-4 over the first 4:56. Sigler scored eight points in the run and Carley Weisenbeck hit a 3-pointer to close the run and give the Royals a 36-23 lead. Stratford never got closer than 10 the rest of the way.
“There are a lot of things we’ve got to do,” Miller said. “We had two quality teams we had to play this week. By no means are we hanging our heads after this, but we have work to do.”
Hannah Schmitt scored 13 points and Schultze added 10 for the Tigers. Stratford plays a nonconference game at Iola-Scandinavia on Tuesday and hosts Auburndale next Thursday.
Royals 55, Tigers 39
Assumption 11 10 23 11 – 55
Stratford 9 10 13 7 – 39
ASSUMPTION (55): Jenny Wanta 0-0 1-2 1, Katie Sigler 0-0 0-0 0, Carley Weisenbeck 1-8 0-0 3, Mary Sigler 10-12 1-3 21, Kallie Reinke 4-6 5-6 14, Brittney Birkhauser 1-4 0-1 2, Emily Freundl 1-1 2-2 4, Hannah Skibba 4-8 1-2 9. FG: 21-39. FT: 10-16. 3-pointers: 3-10 (M. Sigler 1-1, Reinke 1-2, Weisenbeck 1-6, Birkhauser 0-1). Rebounds: 20 (Birkhauser 5). Turnovers: 11. Fouls: 13. Fouled out: none. Record: 11-0, 6-0 Marawood South.
STRATFORD (39): Kelsey Boeger 1-1 0-0 2, Danielle Leffel 0-0 0-0 0, Brooke Schultze 3-6 4-5 10, Amanda Rindfleisch 0-0 0-0 0, Sara Griesbach 2-6 1-1 7, Carrie Stroetz 2-7 3-4 7, Hannah Schmitt 6-10 0-0 13. FG: 14-30. FT: 8-10. 3-pointers: 3-3 (Griesbach 2-2, Schmitt 1-1). Rebounds: 20 (Stroetz 8). Turnovers: 24. Fouls: 13. Fouled out: none. Record: 7-3, 3-3 Marawood South.