This story is sponsored by: Chili Implement
By Paul Lecker
MarshfieldAreaSports.com
MARSHFIELD – Marshfield Columbus Catholic clamped down with a full-court press defense that suffocated Spencer from the start and the Rockets were unable to recover.
The Dons forced turnovers on eight-straight Spencer possessions to start the game, opened up a double-digit lead in the first 3½ minutes, and rolled to a 56-21 victory in the Cloverbelt Conference East Division girls basketball opener for both teams on Tuesday night at Columbus Catholic High School.
The Dons raced out to a 9-0 lead before Spencer scored. The Dons then ripped off 15-straight points, and after a Rockets’ basket, scored 11 more in a row to take a commanding 35-4 lead by halftime.
“I think we followed our defensive game plan, which then led into offense,” first-year Columbus Catholic coach Eric Wilson said. “They went man on us and it slowed us down a little bit, but I liked our effort. Our girls have bought into what we are doing and that’s a huge thing right now.”
Columbus Catholic made its first three 3-pointers, two by Maggie Callaghan who had nine of her 11 points in the first 4:35 of the game.
Spencer was able to finally get its offense going a little in the second half but the deficit was too big to overcome and the Dons used 10-4 run to push the lead to 35 late.
Mattea Schlafke also had 11 points and Chayse Blenker added 10 for Columbus Catholic, which improves to 3-2 overall this season.
“Our goal, and I’ve said this from the start, is you know the cream of the crop is Neillsville in the conference and I’d like to compete with them,” Wilson said. “If we play with the effort we did tonight, we can compete with anybody. We’re shooting to be where Neillsville is, and we have a little ways to go, but that’s what we are working toward right now.”
Claudia Krause had six points and 11 rebounds, and Alexis Mlsna had six points and seven rebounds for the Rockets (1-2).
Both teams return to action Friday with Cloverbelt East contest. Spencer will host Loyal and Columbus Catholic travels to Neillsville, the No. 9-ranked team in this weeks Wissports.net Division 4 state coaches poll.
Click here to view the Cloverbelt East girls basketball standings
Dons 56, Rockets 21
Spencer 4 17 – 21
Columbus Catholic 35 21 – 56
SPENCER (21): Montana Kohls 0-3 2-3 2, Ema Schultz 1-7 0-4 2, Alexa Webber 0-4 0-0 0, Claudia Krause 3-9 0-0 6, Alexis Mlsna 3-7 0-0 6, Hannah Schreiner 0-4 0-2 0, Carmen Krause 0-0 0-0 0, Theresa Knecht 0-1 0-0 0, Kaydence Plaskey 0-4 0-0 0, Autumn Davis 1-7 3-4 5, Emma Nieman 0-3 0-0 0. FG: 8-49. FT: 5-15. 3-pointers: 0-10 (Schreiner 0-2, Kohls 0-3, Davis 0-5). Rebounds: 39 (C. Krause 11). Turnovers: 33. Fouls: 18. Fouled out: none. Record: 1-2, 0-1 Cloverbelt Conference East Division.
COLUMBUS CATHOLIC (56): Chayse Blenker 3-4 4-7 10, Maggie Callaghan 3-9 3-3 11, Mattea Schlafke 3-4 5-8 11, Sophia Wilczek 0-8 2-3 2, Sam Casperson 3-8 0-0 7, Hailey Hargraves 1-4 0-0 2, Gracie Wilczek 3-9 0-0 7, Courtney Sommer 3-5 0-0 6, Abby Wojcik 0-2 0-0 0. FG: 19-53. FT: 14-21. 3-pointers: 4-14 (Callaghan 2-6, G. Wilczek 1-2, Casperson 1-3, S. Wilczek 0-3). Rebounds: 32 (Sommer 6, Becker 6, Schlafke 6). Turnovers: 18. Fouls: 14. Fouled out: none. Record: 3-2, 1-0 Cloverbelt Conference East Division.