This story is sponsored by: American Family Insurance – Randy Le Moine Agency
By Paul Lecker
MarshfieldAreaSports.com
MARSHFIELD – D.C. Everest went on an 11-0 run during a 3½-minute stretch of the fourth quarter to erase a 10-point Marshfield lead, then scored the first 10 points of the second overtime and defeated the Tigers 67-60 in a Wisconsin Valley Conference girls basketball game Friday night at Marshfield High School.
Lauren Anklam made 18 of 20 free throws in the second half and the overtimes, and finished with a game-high 29 points. Anklam made a pair of free throws with no time remaining in the first overtime to tie the game at 57-57, then made all six of her free throw attempts in the second OT to help the Evergreens remain undefeated at 6-0 overall and 2-0 in the WVC.
Caitlin Michaelis made six 3-pointers and had 27 points for Marshfield (2-3, 0-2 WVC).
Marshfield, which had been plagued by turnovers during its first four games of the season, seemed to have licked that problem on Friday.
The Tigers had just three turnovers during the first 27 minutes of the game and built a 48-38 lead midway through the fourth quarter. Michaelis’ sixth 3-pointer and two baskets by Tiffany Stargardt capped a 12-4 run to start the fourth.
However, the turnover bug came back and Everest quickly got back in the game.
Marshfield turned the ball over on three straight possessions, missed shots on its next three, then had two more turnovers as Everest scored 13 straight points. Anklam scored the final six points in the run as the Evergreens took a 51-48 lead with 53 seconds left.
“When you’re up by 10 with four-something left (on the clock), you’ve got to win that game,” Marshfield coach Heidi Michaelis said. “As a coach, I have to be better making them understand. There’s things that all of us need to do better, including us as coaches. You come back on Monday and stick together – win as a team, lose as a team.”
Ellie Kummer hit a 3-pointer with 29 seconds to go to tie it before Anklam made two free throws with 15.4 seconds to go to put the Evergreens on top again.
Marshfield ran a play that saw Michaelis drive inside and kick the ball to an open Stargardt, who made a layup just before time expired to force overtime.
Marshfield went ahead 57-55 in the overtime after Michaelis made one of two free throws with 8.8 seconds remaining.
Anklam drove inside as time expired and was fouled with the buzzer sounding. She calmly made two free throws with no time left to push the game to a second overtime.
Everest scored the first 10 points of the second OT – six on free throws by Anklam. Marshfield missed two shots and turned it over three more times before Kummer made a 3-pointer with 22 seconds left.
“We just didn’t take care of the ball,” Heidi Michaelis said. “We played too fast. You’re up 10, we shouldn’t be in a hurry whatsoever. We have to figure out scenarios. You have to know when you’re up by that much, there’s no rush – they have to come after you.
“I’m not going to say it’s (we’re) young, we should be better than that. That’s something I need to get across to these kids – knowing these situations and taking care of the ball.”
Brianna Ziolkowski added 21 points and six rebounds for Everest.
Kummer had 11 points and Stargardt had nine points and 11 rebounds for the Tigers.
Marshfield returns to action Thursday, playing in part of a girls-boys doubleheader that starts at 6 p.m.
Evergreens 67, Tigers 60 (2 OT)
D.C. Everest 9 9 16 19 4 10 – 67
Marshfield 16 9 11 17 4 3 – 60
D.C. EVEREST (67): Hannah Tipple 2-5 0-0 4, Haley Kroll 1-5 0-0 2, Kelsey Gilmore 0-1 0-0 0, Mali Theiss 1-3 0-0 2, Brianna Ziolkowski 8-16 2-2 21, Lauren Anklam 5-9 18-20 29, Mackenzei Mathies 1-4 0-0 3, Makayla Pagel 3-3 0-1 6. FG: 21-46. FT: 20-23. 3-pointers: 5-19 (Ziolkowski 3-7, Anklam 1-5, Mathies 1-2, Theiss 0-1, Kroll 0-2, Tipple 0-2). Rebounds: 28 (Pagel 7, Kroll 7). Turnovers: 13. Fouls: 13. Fouled out: none. Record: 6-0, 2-0 Wisconsin Valley Conference.
MARSHFIELD (60): Darian Molter 1-4 0-0 2, Tiffany Stargardt 4-10 1-2 9, Natalie Zuelke 2-3 0-0 4, Caitlin Michaelis 8-16 5-7 27, Emily Goeppinger 0-1 0-0 0, Lauren Gilbertson 0-0 0-0 0, Makayla Zimmermann 0-1 0-0 0, Ellie Kummer 4-13 0-0 11, Kailey Hubler 0-2 0-0 0, Ellie Fehrenbach 3-13 1-4 7. FG: 22-63. FT: 7-13. 3-pointers: 9-23 (Michaelis 6-14, Kummer 3-9). Rebounds: 31 (Stargardt 11). Turnovers: 12. Fouls: 17. Fouled out: Fehrenbach. Record: 2-3, 0-2 Wisconsin Valley Conference.