This story is sponsored by: Wisconsin Homes of Marshfield
By Paul Lecker
MarshfieldAreaSports.com
MARSHFIELD – For the first game of the season, the Marshfield girls basketball team seemed to be in rhythm for the first 29 minutes in its 2022-23 opener against Lakeland.
The final 6½ minutes didn’t go as planned, but the Tigers were able to build a big enough lead earlier and held on for a 55-53 victory in the nonconference affair Tuesday night at the Chips Hamburgers Fieldhouse at Marshfield High School.
Marshfield led by as much as 13 in the second half following an offensive rebound and basket by Ashley Grancorvitz and a steal and layup by Zaida Kolbeck gave the Tigers a 39-26 lead with 14:50 remaining.
The lead fluctuated between 6-9 points during the next seven minutes as a Raella Schuller basket and two free throws from Dani Minsaas put Marshfield on top 55-46 with 6:25 left.
That was all Marshfield could muster and it had to hold on for dear life in the final minute.
Two missed shots followed by four-straight turnovers allowed Lakeland to close to within 55-53 after a hoop by Saylor Timmerman with 14 seconds to go.
Marshfield was able to play keep away before Minsaas was fouled with 0.9 of a second left. She missed the free throw, and after a timeout with 0.5 to go, Lakeland wasn’t able to gain possession on the inbounds pass and the Tigers were victorious.
“I thought our energy was great overall for the entire game,” Marshfield coach Taylor Varsho said. “I told the girls that we need all 12, whether it’s the five on the court or the others on the bench, especially coming to practice in making whoever is going to play find success on the floor.
“I also loved how in shape we looked. Our endurance was over the top tonight and that’s what made the difference tonight. We were prepared for their pressure, obviously we didn’t handle it very well, but it’s something we can work on.”
Lakeland led 14-8 early as Julianna Ouimette scored 10 of her game-high 21 points in the opening 5½ minutes.
Marshfield responded with a 14-2 run to take the lead for good. Kaci Abney came off the bench and drilled a 3-pointer, and Emma DeLany did one better as she came in for the first time and converted a four-point play with a 3 and a free throw to put the Tigers up 22-16.
Marshfield took a 31-23 lead into halftime as Minsaas, who had 14 points and eight rebounds, hit her four 3-pointer of the first half with 2:08 left.
Kolbeck added 11 points and five rebounds, and Grancorvitz had six points and seven rebounds for the Tigers, who saw nine of their 10 players that saw action find the scoring column.
“They know their roles and what their job is,” Varsho said of her roster. “I think overall, I’d like to see all 12 play. That’s my goal as a coach, for everyone to get in at some point. As a group, I think they all know their roles and what they can and can’t do.”
Marshfield will be back in action Nov. 22 with a nonconference game at Eau Claire North.
Tigers 55, Thunderbirds 53
Lakeland 23 30 – 53
Marshfield 31 24 – 55
LAKELAND (53): Julianna Ouimette 7-22 5-7 21, Ali Timmerman 0-0 1-3 1, Cale Quade 0-0 0-0 0, Lily Fortier 0-1 0-0 0, Ava Evenhouse 1-4 1-2 3, Saylor Timmerman 7-10 3-8 17, Kristina Ouimette 5-16 0-0 11. FG: 20-53. FT: 10-20. 3-pointers: 3-18 (J. Ouimette 2-9, K. Ouimette 1-7, Fortier 0-1, S. Timmerman 0-1). Rebounds: 33 (Evenhouse 9). Turnovers: 13. Fouls: 10. Fouled out: none. Record: 0-1.
MARSHFIELD (55): Sam Kilty 0-1 0-0 0, Zaida Kolbeck 5-12 0-0 11, Kaylie Charron 0-1 2-2 2, Dani Minsaas 4-11 2-3 14, Kaci Abney 1-1 0-0 3, Emma DeLany 1-3 1-1 4, Ashley Grancorvitz 3-6 0-0 6, Raella Schueller 3-5 0-0 6, Ayana Bousum 3-11 0-0 7, Cami Wucherpfennig 1-2 0-0 2. FG: 21-53. FT: 5-6. 3-pointers: 8-26 (Minsaas 4-7, Abney 1-1, DeLany 1-3, Kolbeck 1-6, Bousum 1-6, Grancorvitz 0-3). Rebounds: 35 (Minsaas 8). Turnovers: 23. Fouls: 18. Fouled out: none. Record: 1-0.