For the second time in six days, a pair of Marawood teams battled in the WIAA Girls Basketball Playoffs, and once again, it was the Edgar Wildcats picking up a win, downing the Assumption Royals 38-36 in a WIAA Girls Basketball Sectional Semifinal.
Assumption took the early lead at 3-2 before a pair of standouts took center stage for Edgar. Junior forward Makayla Wirkus and senior forward Reagan Borchardt scored the Wildcats’ first 12 points for a 12-7 lead eight minutes into the game. Defense was the name of this game, with Edgar leading 19-14 into halftime.
Following the break, Borchardt’s defense came up big, with a pair of blocks 15 seconds apart, and Edgar held a 23-14 lead with three minutes gone. Borchardt’s putback at the 11:48 mark gave Edgar its biggest lead of the game, 27-17. Edgar was on a roll, but Assumption’s defense turned up the heat in a hurry.
Assumption went on a 10-0 run in four minutes, tying the game on a free throw from sophomore forward Anna Schooley with just under 8 minutes remaining.
Handling the Royals’ pressure was something Edgar did well for much of the game, but the run had Edgar looking a bit frazzled.
“During timeouts, we were told multiple times to calm down and start letting the game come to us rather than rushing,” explained Borchardt.
Edgar would respond, however, as senior guard Leah Davis drained a three and Borchardt took over on defense, draining a charge and collecting another block to give Edgar a 31-27 lead with five minutes left.
“We communicated well and knew that we needed to slow ourselves down and not rush anything which allowed us to take good shots and finish well,” Wirkus said. “We just had to relax because we started panicking with their pressure, we had to make the easy passes instead of going for the homerun. Once we broke the press we just had to settle into our offense and not let their pressure affect our speed of the game.
Assumption bounced right back, however, as seniors Cristin Casey and Maleia Kolo scored baskets generated by the Royals’ toug half court defense to knot the game at 21 with 3:15 remaining.
Wirkus hit a pair of free throws with 33 seconds left, only to see Royals’ junior Kendall Duellman drain a three with 20 seconds to go. Wirkus was fouled on the ensuing possession for Edgar, making a free throw to give Edgar a 38-36 lead, and Edgar went on to take the sectional win.
The win was definitely a team accomplishment, Wirkus shared.
” It felt great, especially in the atmosphere surrounding us and being able to accomplish this as a team.”
The Wildcats’ experience and success under pressure in other sports proved to be invaluable, Borchardt added.
“It felt really good knowing that we have a good chance to make it to state in this sport. After making it to sectional finals in both volleyball and softball, a lot of us have experience in what this next game is going to feel like.”
Edgar scoring: Lemmer 3, Borchardt 13, Wirkus 13, Schnelle 3, Davis 3, Skrzypcak 1, Yonker 2
Assumption scoring: Shaw 8, Vollert 8, Duellman 3, Kolo 2, Casey 4, Schooley 11
Fan support was key for the Wildcats, with a loud and supportive contingent from Edgar on hand.
“It was very exciting knowing all the support we had with everyone being there for us. Just being able to play for our community was a great experience,” Wirkus shared.
“It’s pretty special knowing we have the whole Edgar community on our side,” Borchardt added. “When you see the benches full of Edgar fans, you can probably assume that the whole town is here.”
There aren’t many certainties in life, but rest assured, the green of Edgar will blend in nicely at the sectional final game, set for Rhinelander on Saturday at 2:00.
Edgar green playing a sectional final at the green confines of Rhinelander. Sounds like a place much of Edgar will came for some special moments on Saturday.
Get there early, it’s going to be a special atmosphere.
Can’t think of a better place to be Saturday afternoon. See you there.
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Author: David Keech
David Keech is a retired teacher and works as a sportswriter, sports official and as an educational consultant. He has reported on amateur sports since 2011, known as 'KeechDaVoice.' David can be reached at [email protected]
