SPASH Girls Basketball Takes Regional Title
By Robert Whitmire
Fresh off a 76 – 39 thumping of Eau Claire Memorial Friday night, the SPASH girls basketball team pulled out a dramatic 59 – 56 win over Wausau West to claim the WIAA regional title and continue on in post season play.
The win improves the Panthers record to 22 -2 on the season. West finishes its season with a 16 – 8 record.
SPASH moves on to the sectional semifinal game Thursday, March 1 in Waupaca to face the winner of the Kimberly-Hudson game set to be played Monday night.
Tip-off for the sectional semifinal is scheduled for 7:00 pm at Waupaca High School.
The first half belonged to the Warriors right from the opening tip. West grabbed a quick 11 – 3 lead and charged to a 32 -19 advantage at halftime.
Basketball is a game of two halves and the Panthers wasted no time getting back into it in half number two with senior Maddie Fink hitting three quick shots from behind the arc to spark the Panther attack. Fink finished the night with game high 21 points.
“We fell behind early in the first half and got ourselves in a hole,” said junior sparkplug Madisyn Rogan. “We came out in the second half with energy and never gave up. Maddie stepped up big and hit some huge shots. That’s the kind of players we have, anyone can step up at any given time,” Rogan noted.
SPASH outscored the Warriors 18-8 over the first seven minutes of the second period and grabbed their first lead of the game, 56 – 54 at the eight minute mark off a 3-pointer from the far corner by senior Maggie Negaard. The senior stepped to the charity stripe and sealed the win with two free throws and three seconds remaining on the clock.
Scoring
SPASH: Maddie Fink 21; Maggie Negaard 18; Madisyn Rogan 11; Rachel Sullivan 4; Kaylin Kostuchowski 2; Halle Gregorich 2; Leah Earnest 1.
West: Tess Hauer 19; Shelby Samz 17; Maddie Schires 12; Kadie Deaton 5; Malena Tonelli 3.