Falcons down Warriors in EWC opener

The Sheboygan Falls Falcons girls basketball team fought off a second half comeback by the Waupun Warriors and hung on to win 51-45 in the Eastern Wisconsin Conference opener for both squads Friday, Dec. 4, in Sheboygan Falls.

With the victory, Falls improves to 1-0 in the EWC (2-0 overall). Waupun begins the season 0-1 in the EWC.

With senior captain Lauren Carman on the bench, the Falcons scored nine straight points to open the fourth quarter and put the game out of reach. Junior Brooke Buehler and freshman Staci Hasler sparked the team in Carman’s absence.

Hasler had two steals and an assist, while Buehler scored four points, before fouling out to give Falls a 46-31 lead, with 5:16 left in the fourth period.

Two scores from Warriors center Raelyn Woock made it 46-35, but Carman came back off the bench to hit a big jumper to hold off another Waupun run.

Two 3-pointers by the Warriors Maykayla Hopp cut the lead to 49-43, with 1:04 left.

Hasler then sealed the win with a full-court drive to the hoop, after her second steal of the quarter.

“Waupun’s 3-2 defensive zone gave us some trouble,” said Falcons coach Leroy Hamilton. “They’re an improved team.

“I know that teams are going to zone us because we’re tough inside,” he said. “We really didn’t practice too much on it though.”

The Falcons used the 3-point line to their advantage in the first quarter, as junior Cassie Quirt, Buehler and junior Amanda Milne connected for nine of the 14 points in the period.

After leading 14-9 at the end of the first quarter, the Falcons built the lead to 29-20 by halftime, led by Buhler’s five points, with a 3-pointer.

Falls was unable to get untracked in the third quarter, as Waupun scored seven straight points to start the second half, thanks to a steal from Hopp, three points by Katie Hansen and a jumper from Biz Broadway.

With the score 29-27, Falls finally found the basket on two free throws from Carman, and a put back off a rebound from senior Emilie Leffin to make it 33-27.

Later, a Buehler steal and a rebound by Carman at the buzzer extended the Falls lead to 37-31 at the end of three periods of play.

Buehler, Carman and Hasler each scored 11 points to lead the Falcons. Carman grabbed 12 rebounds. Buehler made three assists and Hasler had four steals.

Hopp and Woock led Waupun with 10 points apiece.

Waupun came back to outscore the Falcons 10-1 in the last four minutes to take a 30-25 win in the junior varsity game.

“Obviously we have a lot work to do,” said Falls JV coach Sandy Duda.

The Falls JV squad starts 0-1 in the EWC and is 1-1 overall. Sophomore Sara Ison led the team with seven points.

The Falcons freshman team pounded the Warriors 46-14, with three scorers reaching double figures. Jensen Hamilton and Allison Latsch scored 12 points apiece and Nicole Fenner added 10 for the victorious Falcons.

Falls is 1-0 in the EWC and 2-0 overall. “Our zone was very effective,” said coach Tammy Ison. “It was a great game to watch.”

GIRLS
BASKETBALL
WAUPUN
	45
SHEBOYGAN
FALLS 51

Score by Quarters
Waupun………………..9 11 11 14 - 45
Sheboygan Falls….14 15 8 14 - 51
Waupun scorers: Morgan Domask 4, Maykayla Hopp 10, Katie Hansen 9, Biz Broadway 2, Raelyn Woock 10, Rachel
Dickhut 2, Missy Kuik 8.

Sheboygan Falls scorers: Alyse Hucke 2, Cassie Quirt 7, Brooke Buehler 11, Emilie Leffin 4, Staci Hasler 11, Lauren
Carman 11, Amanda Milne 5.
Three-point goals: Waupun – Hopp 2, Kuik 2. Sheboygan Falls – Quirt, Hasler, Buehler, Carman, Milne.
Statistics: Waupun – field goals 21-45 (47 percent), free throws 5-9 (55 percent), 24 rebounds, 17 turnovers.
Sheboygan Falls – field goals 18-49 (37 percent), free throws 10-23 (43 percent), 38 rebounds, _______________________ 6 turnovers.