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By Paul Lecker
MarshfieldAreaSports.com
Watch video highlights of the Tigers’ win at allmarshfield.com
MARSHFIELD – Marshfield girls basketball coach Heidi Michaelis has three freshmen in her team’s rotation for a reason – because she thinks they can play and contribute to the Tigers’ success.
After an up-and-down stretch early in the season, they are starting to show they belong on the varsity level.
Freshman center Ellie Fehrenbach scored 15 points and guard Ellie Kummer came off the bench to score eight points helping the Tigers to a dominating 66-36 Wisconsin Valley Conference victory over Wausau East on Friday night at the Marshfield High School Fieldhouse.
Senior guard Taylor Varsho led all scorers with 17 points and grabbed six rebounds, Tiffany Stargardt added 10 points and five rebounds and another freshman, starting point guard Caitlin Michaelis had five points and eight rebounds for Marshfield, which won its third game in a row to improve to 7-3 and 4-0 in the WVC.
Fehrenbach made 7 of 9 shots from the field and added a free throw to reach double figures for the first time in her career.
“I think it’s something we thought they could do and it’s a matter of every game out they are more comfortable,” Heidi Michaelis said. “They’re getting their chances and taking advantage of it. They have to continue to be stronger and take care of the ball and take good shots.
“With Fehrenbach, when she stays on the floor and out of foul trouble, which has been the big issue, she’s good on the inside. She can rebound the ball and she can score right or left side.”
Kummer scored the final five points of the first quarter as Marshfield built a 12-6 lead. The Tigers pushed the lead to 25-8 with a 13-7 run over the first 4:11 of the second quarter. Fehrenbach scored five points and Varsho and Leah Ripp each hit 3-pointers in the run as the Tigers pulled away.
Marshfield scored nine of the first 13 points of the third quarter to make it 41-19 and led by at least 19 the rest of the way.
The Tigers made 9 of 19 3-pointers, including four from Varsho and two each from Ripp and Kummer, and was 26 of 48 overall from the field. Coach Michaelis said being patient while running their offensive sets has been key for Marshfield during its recent hot stretch.
“We’re being smarter on the offensive line,” Heidi Michaelis said. “What we’re really harping on the kids is taking early, long shots. If they go in that’s one thing, but if they don’t it puts us in a bad situation. I think the shots we’re getting are out of the offense and not early early. When we hit long it opens up the inside and what you’re seeing is balanced scoring from both the inside and the outside.”
Vanessa Boorse was the lone Lumberjack to reach double figures, scoring 12 points. East falls to 3-8 and 0-4 in the Valley.
Marshfield is off until next Friday when it hosts Wisconsin Rapids. The Fill the Fieldhouse Night and Tiger Hoops Night Out event starts with the girls varsity game at 6 p.m., followed by the boys varsity at 7:45 p.m.
Tigers 66, Lumberjacks 36
Wausau East 6 9 11 10 – 36
Marshfield 12 20 14 20 – 66
WAUSAU EAST (36): Molli Gering 0-0 0-0 0, Paige Heinrich 0-0 0-0 0, Jamie Dimka 1-5 0-0 2, Katelyn Stine 1-3 0-0 2, Allyson Salzer 0-0 0-0 0, Vanessa Boorse 5-10 0-1 12, Blake Grogan 4-10 0-1 8, Anna Bauman 3-7 1-2 8, Tracy Terczynski 2-3 0-0 4, Jacque Moss 0-0 0-2 0. FG: 16-38. FT: 1-6. 3-pointers: 3-6 (Boorse 2-3, Bauman 1-2, Dimka 0-1). Turnovers: 13. Fouls: 12. Fouled out: none. Rebounds: 11 (Grogan 4). Record: 3-8, 0-4 Wisconsin Valley Conference.
MARSHFIELD (66): Ellie Kummer 3-5 0-0 8, Taylor Varsho 6-11 1-2 17, Tiffany Stargardt 4-5 2-2 10, Darian Molter 0-0 0-0 0, Caitlin Michaelis 2-5 0-0 5, Sara Fuller 1-1 0-0 2, Leah Ripp 2-8 0-0 6, Mikayla Zimmerman 1-4 0-0 2, Courtney Bauer 0-0 1-2 1, Ellie Fehrenbach 7-9 1-1 15. FG: 26-48. FT: 5-7. 3-pointers: 9-19 (Varsho 4-9, Kummer 2-2, Ripp 2-6, Michaelis 1-2). Rebounds: 32 (Michaelis 8, Varsho 6). Turnovers: 11. Fouls: 10. Fouled out: none. Record: 7-3, 4-0 Wisconsin Valley Conference.