Wolverines' quickness eventually wears down Vikings

Saturday, March 3, 2007 2:31 AM CST

Journal Times staff

The Waterford High School girls' basketball team has a pretty good memory.

The Wolverines, runners-up in Division 1 at the WIAA State Girls' Basketball Tournament last season, drew on their experience and used their superior quickness to wear down Janesville Parker in a 57-54 overtime victory Friday in a Division 1 sectional semifinal game at Beloit Memorial.

Waterford (16-6) will face Milton in the sectional championship game at 7 p.m. today at Beloit Memorial. Milton beat Tremper 49-43 in the other sectional semifinal.

An offense continually in motion was the key for the Wolverines as their constant pushing the ball up and down the court took its toll on the Vikings, who finished the season 19-3 and were ranked fifth in the final Associated Press poll of the season.

"We pushed the ball all game long," Waterford coach Mark Peperkorn said. "The more tired they got, the more their shots didn't fall."

Those shots did fall early, as Parker took an 18-11 lead after the first quarter.

"They came out and they were hitting everything," Peperkorn said. "They were on fire in the first quarter. In the second quarter, they came down to earth."

The two teams played evenly the next two quarters and Waterford trailed 42-35 after three quarters.

But it was the Wolverines' defense, especially in the fourth quarter, that helped them tie the game at 47-47 after regulation. Waterford held Parker to just two baskets and one free throw in the fourth quarter and tied the game with about a minute left in regulation.

"That was one of best defensive quarters we've had all season," Peperkorn said. "And we continued to push the ball and found people in the right spots.

"Tiffany Pugh hade a big 3-point basket and Alicia Santaga had a big 3-point play (in the fourth quarter)."

The Wolverines had the ball with 48 seconds and tried to run out the clock, but took "an ill-advised shot with 28 seconds left," Peperkorn said. Parker got the ball, but couldn't convert and the game went overtime.

Parker's Alex Klawitter banked in a 3-point shot to open overtime, but junior guard Michelle Wade answered with her only 3-point basket, and shot, of the game.

"I thought, 'oh (boy),'" Peperkorn said. "The first team to score in overtime usually gets the momentum, but we came down and Wade made her own 3. It was huge."

The defense again stiffened and Parker scored just one more point until the final three seconds of overtime. Santaga, a freshman point guard, went 3-for-5 at the free-throw line in overtime and Wade went 2-for-2.

After Pugh, a senior forward, missed two free throws that would have all but iced the game, Parker made a 3-pointer with 3.9 seconds left to get within 55-54. But Santaga made two free throws in the bonus with 3.5 seconds left to put the Wolverines up 57-54 and the Vikings couldn't get a final shot off.

Senior center Lindsay Wutt had 18 points to lead Waterford and Santaga added 13.

Catie O'Leary led Parker with 21 points, but sophomore Jordan Bohlman guarded her and all those points were well-earned, Peperkorn said. Kim Rickels added 16 and Klawitter had 11.

Division 3

LUTHER PREP 40, PRAIRIE 35:

The Hawks missed a couple of key shots late in the game and saw their season end in a WIAA Division 3 sectional semifinal loss at Elkhorn.

Prairie (11-13) took a seven-point lead in the second quarter, but sophomore center Anna Meier had to sit with two fouls and the Phoenix (13-10) rallied to trail by one (21-20) at halftime.

"We sat her because we needed her height in the second half," Prairie coach Melody Owsley said.

The teams played even in the third quarter, although Luther Prep tied the game at 31-31 going into the fourth quarter.

Both teams had trouble scoring for most of the final period. The Phoenix took a 35-33 lead with about two minutes left in regulation, but Liz Leffler tied the game with 1:40 left.

Luther Prep went back in front 37-35 on a tough shot and Owsley called time out. Then came what could be considered the key play of the game. With 1:04 left, Meier had a good look from just in front of the basket, but couldn't get it to go in.

With three fouls to give, the Hawks began fouling. When the Phoenix got in the bonus, Emily Runke made two free throws to make it 39-35.

Kelsey Polzin had a clean look at a 3-point basket with about 30 seconds left, but the ball went in and out. Runke then missed a free throw, but the ball went out of bounds off a Prairie player and Luther Prep added another free throw.

"It was a game to the very end," Owsley said. "Either team could have won it. But in the fourth quarter, we missed three shots in the paint and had three good looks at 3s. They played a 2-3 zone and we were very patient. We had good looks, but they didn't go in the basket for us."

Meier led Prairie with 13 points and Liz Leffler and Alexis Mikaelian added eight each.

"We exceeded all expecations and played really well in the second half of the season," said Owsley, whose team won eight of its last 12 games and will lose just two seniors to graduation.

Division 4

CATHOLIC CENTRAL:

The Lady Toppers' WIAA Division 4 sectional semifinal game against Black Hawk at Evansville was postponed Friday night because of bad weather. The game will be played at 7 p.m. today at Evansville and the sectional final will be at 7 p.m. Monday at Fort Atkinson.

Catholic Central knows who its opponent is, however. Randolph (20-4) beat Sheboygan County Christian 54-37 Friday night at Watertown.

WACS Tournament

UNION GROVE CHRISTIAN:

The Cougars finished fourth in the Wisconsin Association of Christian Schools State Tournament at Maranatha Baptist Bible College in Watertown.

Union Grove Christian lost to Coleman Faith Christian 50-37 in the third-place game Friday.

The Cougars lost to Bay City Baptist of Green Bay 45-30 in Thursday's semifinals. Bay City went on to win the title 37-32 over Pembine Faith Baptist.

The Cougars' Katie Hall was named to the All-Tournament team.

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