By Paul Lecker
For focusonmarshfield.com
MARSHFIELD – Following just a handful of practices, the Marshfield Columbus Catholic girls basketball team jumped into its 2018-19 season and came out with a victory.
The Dons shot 54 percent from the field in the second half to pull away from Rib Lake and post a 57-27 victory on Tuesday night at Columbus Catholic High School.
Columbus’ swarming defensive effort committed 16 fouls in the second half, but held Rib Lake without a field goal during the final 16:20 of the game. All of Rib Lake’s 12 points for the rest of the contest came at the free throw line.
“I think it was getting the butterflies and cobwebs out of their system,” first-year coach Ron Wilczek said. “I think we did execute better offensively (in the second half). That said, I thought our defense, at times, was not as intense. We had a lead and starting backing off a bit, which is human nature, but then we kind of refocused the group.
“I told the girls that I want to play the same way no matter who we’re playing, what the score is, what the time is – keep playing.”
Columbus held Rib Lake scoreless for the first 8 minutes and grabbed an 8-0 lead following baskets by Emmalee Jicinsky and Dorci Walker.
The Dons took a 22-11 lead into halftime after a late basket by Kelsey Moore, then came out in the second half with a purpose.
After baskets by Samantha Rodman and Hope Thums for Rib Lake cut the Dons’ lead to 23-15, Columbus went on an 18-3 run to put the game away.
Addie Baierl, Meghan Kibbel and Jicinsky scored baskets, and Kibbel had a pair of free throws to open up a 41-18 lead with 10:33 to go in the game.
Rib Lake never threatened again as it missed its final 10 shots from the field and was just 12 of 29 at the free throw line in the second half.
“I thought when we pressured the ball, good things happened,” Wilczek said. “Not only turnovers on the ball-handler, but we got in the passing lanes and made them feel uncomfortable. It led to some hurried shots by them and some run-outs for us.”
Baierl finished with 13 points and nine rebounds, Maren Seefluth added 10 points, and Jicinsky and Walker each had eight points and seven rebounds for the Dons.
Cameron Scheithauer had eight points to lead Rib Lake.
Columbus Catholic returns to action next Tuesday, Nov. 20, with a home game against Colby in its Cloverbelt Conference East Division opener.
Columbus Catholic 57, Rib Lake 27
Rib Lake 11 16 – 27
Columbus Catholic 22 35 – 57
RIB LAKE (27): Savana Radtke 1-4 3-7 5, Hope Thums 1-2 0-2 2, Mackenzie Weinzatl 1-3 2-4 4, Cameron Scheithauer 2-8 3-4 8, Taylor Schmidtfranz 0-1 1-4 1, Samantha Rodman 2-8 1-7 5, Madison Winter 0-0 0-0 0, Makenna Annala 0-5 2-2 2, Lauren Pelnis 0-0 0-0 0. FG: 7-32. FT: 12-30. 3-pointers: 1-4 (Scheithauer 1-1, Rodman 0-2, Thums 0-1). Rebounds: 21 (Radtke 4). Turnovers: 23. Fouls: 15. Fouled out: none. Record: 0-1.
COLUMBUS CATHOLIC (57): Annika Brown 0-2 0-0 0, Hailey Roehl 3-9 0-0 6, Meghan Kibbel 2-4 2-2 6, Maren Seefluth 5-9 0-1 10, Emmalee Jicinsky 3-6 2-2 8, Addie Baierl 4-8 5-6 13, Katie Hall 0-4 2-4 2, Kelsey Moore 2-3 0-0 4, Holly Dean 0-0 0-0 0, Dorci Walker 4-8 0-2 8. FG: 23-53. FT: 11-17. 3-pointers: 0-4 (Roehl 0-1, Baierl 0-1, Moore 0-1, Hall 0-1). Rebounds: 40 (Baierl 9, Jicinsky 7, Walker 7). Turnovers: 20. Fouls: 23. Fouled out: none. Record: 1-0.
Paul Lecker is publisher of MarshfieldAreaSports.com and a contributor to focusonmarshfield.com.
Author: News Desk
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