This story is sponsored by: High Street Salon, Spa & Travel
By Paul Lecker
MarshfieldAreaSports.com
SPENCER – The Spencer girls basketball team is finally at full strength and it is primed to finish the season strong.
The Rockets switched up between a 2-3 and a 1-3-1 zone defense early on to frustrate Marshfield Columbus Catholic and roll to a 52-16 win in a Cloverbelt Conference East Division game Tuesday night at Spencer High School.
Spencer won its fourth straight game to improve to 12-4 and 9-3 in the Cloverbelt East. Columbus falls to 5-11 and 4-9 in conference.
The Rockets started the game on a 6-0 run and never looked back, forcing 18 first-half turnovers to take a 19-9 lead at the break.
Spencer, who played without three key starters – Courtney Schulz, Kyleigh Hebert and Tara Matter – at different points throughout the year, has its roster back together and their experience playing together the past three years is helping get them back in sync quickly.
“We’re changing defenses periodically to keep the other team off-balance and tonight the girls, for the most part, executed what we’re trying to do,” Spencer coach Dan Brodziski said. “We’re starting to get healed up a little bit and starting to comfortable with each other, and each game we’re getting a little bit better.”
Schulz finished with 15 points, Krystal Weier added 14 and Tara Matter had 11 points and five rebounds to lead the charge for the Rockets.
“We’ve got a little bit to work on, we’re not quite there yet, and we just hope we get there at the right time,” Brodziski said. “We’re hoping to finish strong going into the conference crossover, end on a high note and get some confidence and pick it up to another level for the playoffs.”
Spencer continued to overwhelm the Dons in the second half, forcing Columbus to miss on 12 of its 14 shot attempts and into 11 more turnovers.
The Rockets closed the game on a 25-2 run over the final 13 minutes as Columbus did not make a basket and scored both of its points on six free throw attempts.
Columbus is playing without a senior – the Dons’ only senior, Abby Gotz, is out with an injury – and definitely is a work in progress. However, coach Darin Green said the team is remaining upbeat, working hard and looking to improve over the final month of the season heading into the playoffs.
“We have to work on the fundamentals,” Green said. “Being able to pass, make ball fakes, shot fakes. We are seriously young. Elizabeth (Manlick) is pretty good with the basics and the fundamentals, but the rest of them have a lot to work on. They’re doing that.
“They understand their weaknesses and the things they have to work on. They’re a pretty good group. They get out there and play hard again and try again. I don’t ever see their heads down and they’ll continue to work hard and get ready.”
Elizabeth Manlick scored eight points and grabbed six rebounds for the Dons.
Spencer plays at Owen-Withee on Friday with a chance to pull into a tie for second place in the Cloverbelt East. Columbus hosts Greenwood on Friday.
Rockets 52, Dons 16
Columbus 6 3 5 2 – 16
Spencer 11 8 16 17 – 52
COLUMBUS (16): Paige Thornton 0-3 0-0 0, Elizabeth Manlick 2-8 3-6 8, Abby Strobel 0-1 1-2 1, Kayla Selz 0-3 0-0 0, Hannah Kruse 2-5 1-2 5, Lindsey Hertel 0-0 1-2 1, Alisha Riegel 0-0 1-2 1, Tara Brock 0-1 0-0 0, Rachel Roehl 0-0 0-0 0. FG: 4-21. FT: 7-14. 3-pointers: 1-3 (Manlick 1-2, Thornton 0-1). Rebounds: 16 (Manlick 6). Turnovers: 29. Fouls: 16. Fouled out: none. Record: 5-11, 4-9 Cloverbelt East.
SPENCER (52): Krystal Weier 6-12 0-0 14, Alicia Endreas 0-0 0-0 0, Claire Drews 0-1 0-0 0, Kailyn Anderson 1-1 0-2 2, Courtney Schulz 6-9 3-3 15, Tara Matter 5-7 0-0 11, Aubrie Bissonette 2-8 4-4 7, Tynae Phillips 1-3 1-2 3. FG: 20-44. FT: 8-11. 3-pointers: 4-6 (Weier 2-3, Matter 1-1, Kyleigh Hebert 1-2). Rebounds: 18 (Matter 5). Turnovers: 11. Fouls: 15. Fouled out: none. Record: 12-4, 9-3 Cloverbelt East.