This story is sponsored by: The Marshfield Tiger Booster Club
By Paul Lecker
MarshfieldAreaSports.com
MARSHFIELD – The Marshfield girls basketball team outscored Merrill by 20 points over a seven-minute period of the first half to take control and went on to post a 61-45 victory in a Wisconsin Valley Conference game Tuesday at Marshfield High School.
Back-to-back 3-pointers from Maddie Drew gave Merrill an early 10-8 lead before Marshfield was able to get its offense humming.
Dani Minsaas had a 3-pointer and converted a three-point play, and Raella Scheuller scored twice inside during a 12-0 run that pushed the Tigers ahead 20-10.
After two baskets by Merrill’s Alayna Pozorski cut it to 22-14, Marshfield ripped off a 10-0 run as Scheuller hit two more shots inside and Ashley Grancorvitz made two free throws and the Tigers went on top 32-14.
“I thought our defense created that energy (on the offensive end),” Marshfield coach Taylor Varsho said. “I thought we cut harder tonight and we were ready to shoot and finish around the rim. When the ball goes in the hole, you’re obviously going to have a little more energy. I’m really proud of how the girls came out tonight after a tough loss last Friday.”
Marshfield took a 34-22 lead into halftime and came out of the break firing again. Grancorvitz made two baskets as the Tigers scored the first 10 points of the second half to open up a 22-point lead.
Merrill came as close as 14 after two baskets by Brenna Steinagel, who finished with a team-high 13 points for the Bluejays, but the win was never in doubt for the Tigers, who responded with an 8-3 run.
The five Marshfield seniors – Elise Posteluk, Madison Voss, Sophia Gruening, Brooklyn Bohman and Loryn Jakobi – were honored before the game and were able to finish off the game together on the court as the Tigers wrapped up the 16-point victory.
“We have some kids that maybe don’t get a lot of minutes into the game,” Varsho said. “We ended the game with seniors on the court that have put in four years in the program. I think that was a pretty special moment for them. I couldn’t ask for better leaders both in the classroom and on the court.”
Minsaas scored 14 points and Schueller added 13 on a perfect shooting night as she went 5-for-5 from the field and 3-for-3 at the free throw line for Marshfield (9-8, 5-3 Wisconsin Valley Conference).
Marshfield will play a conference game at D.C. Everest on Friday.
Click here to view the Wisconsin Valley Conference girls basketball standings
Tigers 61, Bluejays 45
Merrill 22 23 – 45
Marshfield 34 27 – 61
MERRILL (45): Maddie Drew 3-7 0-0 9, Maddy Ott 0-3 0-0 0, Alayna Pozorski 3-7 1-2 7, Lydia Koehler 0-2 0-0 0, Sophie Wendorf 3-7 0-0 7, Mia Ott 2-9 2-3 7, Laney Zuelsdorff 1-6 0-3 2, Brenna Steinagel 5-10 0-1 13. FG: 17-51. FT: 3-9. 3-pointers: 8-24 (Steinagel 3-5, Drew 3-8, Wendorf 1-3, Mi. Ott 1-4, Ma. Ott 0-1, Pozorski 0-1, Koehler 0-1, Zuelsdorff 0-1). Rebounds: 20 (Pozorski 5). Turnovers: 20. Fouls: 14. Fouled out: Ma. Ott. Record: 4-14, 1-7 Wisconsin Valley Conference.
MARSHFIELD (61): Madison Voss 2-3 0-0 4, Sophia Gruenling 0-1 0-2 0, Elise Posteluk 0-2 0-0 0, Zaida Kolbeck 3-6 0-0 6, Dani Minsaas 5-16 3-3 14, Abby Ongna 3-8 0-0 6, Raella Schueller 5-5 3-3 13, Ashley Grancorvitz 3-6 2-2 8, Loryn Jakobi 1-5 0-0 2, Ayana Bousum 4-10 0-0 8, Brooklyn Bohman 0-2 0-0 0. FG: 26-62. FT: 8-10. 3-pointers: 1-12 (Minsaas 1-5, Posteluk 0-1, Kolbeck 0-1, Jakobi 0-1, Bousum 0-4). Rebounds: 44 (Ongna 13). Turnovers: 20. Fouls: 15. Fouled out: none. Record: 9-8, 5-3 Wisconsin Valley Conference.