Big second half pushes Wausau Newman Catholic past Wisconsin Rapids Assumption in WIAA Division 5 girls basektball sectional semifinal

By Tim Johnson
For OnFocus

WAUSAU – With the foul calls, tension and drama all reaching a boiling point inside the Wausau West Fieldhouse on Thursday, the Wausau Newman Catholic girls basketball team found a way to maintain its focus.

“The crowd and everything was kind of getting everyone riled up as some of the calls were being made,” said Cardinals senior Kenzie Krach. “We talked as a team and said, ‘Don’t listen to outside (noise) or the officials, just play our game.’ I think that is what kept us together and in it.”

Jadelyn Ganski hit a momentum-changing 3-pointer with under seven minutes to play and the poised Cardinals hit four of eight free throws in the final 53 seconds to hold on for a 53-45 win over Wisconsin Rapids Assumption in a WIAA Division 5 sectional semifinal matchup in the third matchup between the Marawood Conference South rivals this winter.

“I think this one by far was the most competitive (of the season),” Krach said. “I think we kept our cool throughout most of it. A lot of the girls stepped up tonight and we kept our emotions in check. I think that kept the rhythm and flow of the game at our pace. We knew could pull through down the stretch.”

Ganski had a team-high 19 points as the Cardinals moved to within a win away from a second consecutive trip to the state tournament. Newman Catholic (23-3) faces Wausaukee in Saturday’s sectional title game at Wausau East. The game starts at 1 p.m.

“This is what we’ve been working for,” said Newman Catholic junior Julia Seidel, who finished with seven points. “One more game and then hopefully we’re back at the Resch.”

Krach added 13 points and went 8-of-11 from the free throw line for the Cardinals, who split a pair of Marawood Conference South Division games with the Royals in the regular season.

The two rivals, with contrasting styles, combined for nearly 40 fouls in what was a physical game from the start.

“That’s what these games are sometimes – especially when you have the size and strength that Assumption has,” Newman Catholic coach Jason Vanden Elzen said. “It’s size and strength versus speed and agility. That is how it was every time we faced them this year and last year. We just were able to wear them down enough with our pressure and changing up defenses from going zone and then full-court pressure. It was enough to keep them off-kilter.”

Elle Leberg had 11 of her team-high 16 points in the second half as the Royals finished with a 20-6 mark. Jessie Grundhoffer added 10 points and the Royals post players, Madalyn Bohn and Emily Bohn, both chipped in with eight points.

“(Newman) is a great program,” Assumption coach Ryan Klein said. “They have a (strong) starting five and a couple (players) coming off the bench. They are a great team and inside of that team they really have some basketball players. We’ve got basketball players too, but I think they’ve got the hoopers – the gym rats.”

Krach scored five-straight points to snap a 17-17 tie in the first half and the Cardinals went into the break with a 32-23 lead. Her 3-pointer early in the second half gave Newman Catholic its biggest lead of the game at 39-26 with 13 minutes left. But the Royals rallied back behind Leberg, who hit a pair of 3-pointers and the Royals closed to within 43-42 of the Cardinals with seven minutes left in regulation.

Ganski followed with her final 3-pointer of the game – a shot from the top of the key – and the Royals never got closer than three points the rest of the way.

“That was huge,” Vanden Elzen said. “That’s the shooter’s mentality. She might have only hit one in the first (half) and she thinks she has been struggling with her shot, but we know she’s always been capable of 3-point shooting. It is just the confidence to come down the court and take that next one.”

Leberg’s field goal with three minutes left brought the Royals to within one possession of the Cardinals at 45-42. But the Royals went cold down the stretch from there.

“I thought we did a nice job down the stretch of getting good looks and those fell for us against Athens and Edgar (in the regionals),” Klein said. “But those have to fall. The ball has to go in the basket (there). But I don’t think the girls ever stopped battling or lost hope.”

Cardinals 53, Royals 45
Assumption 32 13 – 45
Newman Catholic 23 30 – 53
ASSUMPTION (45): Grace Crowns 3, Elle Ledberg 16, Jessie Grundhoffer 10, Madalyn Bohn 8. Emily Bohn 8. FG: 11. FT: 13-20. 3-pointers: 4 (Leeberg 3, Crowns 1). Record: 20-6.
NEWMAN CATHOLIC (53): Kenzie Krach 13, Jaida Heinz 3, Lauren Shields 6, Alex Frankel 3, Jadelyn Ganski 19, Julia Seidel 7, Angela Rougeot-Donath 2. FG: 14. FT: 19-29. 3-pointers: 6 (Ganski 4, Frankel 1, Krach 1). Record: 23-3.