This story is sponsored by Total Electric
By Paul Lecker
MarshfieldAreaSports.com
MARSHFIELD – From the start, the Marshfield girls basketball team was in control of its nonconference game against La Crosse Central, and the Tigers never let up.
Marshfield ran out to a 14-3 lead and had a pair of double-digit runs later in the game to blow past the Red Raiders 81-40 on Monday night in its home-opener at The Boson Company Fieldhouse at Marshfield High School.
Ema Fehrenbach scored 15 of her game-high 18 points in the first half and was one of five Tigers (3-0) to tally double figures in scoring. MaKayla Scheuer had 16 points, Meg Bryan scored 12 of her 14 points in the second half, Maddie Nikolai chipped in 12 points and Hannah Meverden had 10 points and 14 rebounds for Marshfield.
“I was happy with our effort,” Marshfield coach Heidi Michaelis said. “The big thing for us was coming in, playing hard from start to finish, improving come out of the weekend and doing things better than we did. I think I saw all of those things. We passed the ball better and shared the ball very well. It was a good team effort.”
The Tigers scored the game’s first five points, and after a 3-pointer from Central (1-2), they ripped off nine in a row to take a 14-3 lead.
A 13-0 run, which included seven points from Fehrenbach and four by Meverden, put Marshfield up 29-10. Four points from Nikolai helped the Tigers build a 41-21 lead at halftime.
Marshfield pushed its lead to 61-32 midway through the second half and ended the game on a 12-0 run, holding the Raiders scoreless over the final 6 minutes.
The Tigers, winning their third game in four days, have adjusted well to their new roles. Three starters and two key reserves are back from last year’s team, with others moving up the depth chart and finding more and more playing time.
“We’re working hard to play those long stretches,” Michaelis said. “I think our kids are in good shape and will continue to get in better shape. They are having fun out there and finding their way as this new group. I think they are all comfortable playing a bigger role. These kids are stepping up and excelling in their roles.”
Marshfield opens its Wisconsin Valley Conference schedule Friday at home against Wausau West.
Tigers 79, Red Raiders 40
La Crosse Central 21 19 – 40
Marshfield 41 40 – 81
LA CROSSE CENTRAL (40): Aly LaRue 3-13 3-5 9, Sophie Leinfelder 2-6 0-1 5, Ashley LaRue 3-6 1-1 7, Jayna Prieur 1-6 0-0 2, Morgan Holter 0-2 0-0 0, Maureen Holman 0-4 2-2 2, Kali Goodwin 1-4 0-0 2, Breanna Kooll 0-1 0-0 0, Nikki Goodwin 0-0 0-2 0, Emily Hayden 3-8 1-1 7, Emily Secord 0-1 0-0 0, Maggie Kendhammer 0-1 0-1 0, Leah Kramer 2-4 1-1 6. FG: 15-54. FT: 8-14. 3-pointers: 2-12 (Kramer 1-3, Leinfelder 1-2, Prieur 0-1, Holman 0-1, Hayden 0-1, Al. LaRue 0-4). Rebounds: 22 (As. LaRue 4). Turnovers: 15. Fouls: 21. Fouled out: Hayden. Record: 1-2.
MARSHFIELD (81): McKayla Scheuer 5-11 4-4 16, Dani Bender 1-1 1-4 3, Jenny Scheppler 1-1 0-3 2, Ana Jensen 0-3 0-0 0, Sara Dasler 1-2 2-2 4, Meg Bryan 5-11 2-5 14, Maddie Nikolai 7-12 0-1 14, Ema Fehrenbach 5-9 8-12 18, Hannah Meverden 3-7 4-4 10. FG: 28-57. FT: 21-35. 3-pointers: 4-13 (Scheuer 2-6, Bryan 2-6, Jensen 0-1). Rebounds: 47 (Meverden 14). Turnovers: 9. Fouls: 19. Fouled out: none. Record: 3-0.