Panthers run win streak to five

KIEL – It was an emotional night for the Kiel girls basketball team as they played host to Eastern Wisconsin Conference rival Plymouth Friday. Plymouth came away with a 50-30 victory but not before getting a stiff first-half test from the Raiders.

Just as important, the Raiders honored one of their own. They remembered former Kiel High School athlete Amy Krueger, the 1998 graduate who passed away tragically this past November in the Fort Hood, Texas, shooting incident.

Krueger's family and friends joined the Raider and Panther teams and the two communities in remembering her as a former Kiel basketball player. Fans viewed numerous posters hung in the gym and in the gym entrance as a lasting memorial. A photo of her Kiel High basketball team was just one of the featured momentos made available.

The Kiel VFW presented the colors with the Kiel pep band playing the Star Spangled Banner and then it was game time.

PHS upped its Eastern Wisconsin Conference record to 5-2 (8-6 overall) and made it five consecutive wins. Kiel, which had a two-game winning streak broken, fell to 2-6 in the EWC (3-10 overall).

Katrina Jacobs put Kiel on the board with a jumper from just outside the lane. Sami Krupp would add a couple of hoops in the following minute on her way to a game-high 16 points, and Kiel stunned the favored Panthers with a 6-2 lead.

The first quarter ended with a Mikayla Preissner steal and layup, giving the Raiders a 12-11 advantage heading to the second quarter. A Krupp lay-in with 4:51 to go in the period tied the game at 14 when things started to unravel for the Raiders.

Kiel would not score another field goal until Jacobs knocked down a jumper with 2:43 to go in the third quarter. By then, Plymouth had built a 31-18 lead.

“How many times have we seen this,” said a still upbeat Kiel head coach Ryan Zellner.

“Things were going our way and then we just fall apart offensively. The three-pointer that Plymouth hit just before halftime really got them going. We never got back the momentum.”

It was a Lizzy Stanczyk triple that ended the first half – putting the Panthers up 22-16 at the break.

“Kiel had obviously told us what was going to happen tonight and it was nice to be part of it,” said Plymouth head coach Brad Shutter about the pregame ceremony.

“We got wrapped up in the emotion of the evening just like Kiel did and I think that showed in the first half.”

Kiel managed just four third- quarter points and had trouble defensively as Plymouth started to get the ball inside to junior center Chrissy Perl who led the Panthers with a season-high 17 points. Perl was an impressive 7-for-9 from the field.

“I told the girls at halftime that we needed to take advantage of our size. We knew Kiel would have matchup problems and we got the ball to Chrissy,” Shutter said.

Shutter also said his team’s 1-3-1 zone was very effective. A Lindsey Mauk free throw would give Plymouth their biggest lead of the game at 50-24. “They kept on fighting,” added Zellner. “We're young but we won't quit.”

Kiel’s roster is all sophomores except for Jacobs, the lone senior.

Amanda Gumm paced PHS in assists with four and shared the steal lead with Kaitlyn Hoffmann, Emily Cecka and Stanczyk at two each. Ali Thompson pulled down a team-high eight rebounds.

JV GAME

The junior varsity game was won by Plymouth, 61-38 – avenging an earlier three-point loss at home to Kiel. Joanne Wolfenberg had a double-double to spark PHS as she chalked up 17 points and 17 rebounds.

Marissa Grapentine and Sophia Kiela added 14 and 12 points, respectively, for the Panthers. Kiela and Grapentine paced the team in assists with three apiece. Kiela led in steals with six and Jenni Rathsack had four.

“We played four solid quarters and our defense and press were tough for them to handle,” said PHS coach Mike Gumm.

Kiel was led in scoring by Brooke Goehring’s nine points. The Panthers lost their previous game Jan. 22 at Waupun, 44-40. In Tuesday’s Review, it was incorrectly listed as a freshman contest.

Score by Quarters Plymouth………….…..11 11 16 12 – 50 Kiel....................……..12 4 4 10 – 30

Plymouth scoring: Kaitlyn Hoffmann 6, Amanda Gumm 6, Ali Thompson 2, Rachael Cecka 3, Emily Cecka 4, Chrissy Perl 17, Lizzie Rooker 2, Lizzy Stanczyk 9, Lindsey Mauk 1.

Kiel scoring: Mikayla Preissner 2, Abby Gilsdorf 1, Alexis Genke 2, Erin Schuler 2, Sami Krupp 16, Brittany Meyer 1, Katrina Jacobs 6.

Three-point goals: Hoffmann 1, R. Cecka 1, Stanczyk 1. Field goals: Plymouth 16-43, 37%. Free throws: Plymouth 15-27, 56%; Kiel 12-24, 50%. Rebounds: Plymouth 39. Turnovers: ___________________________ Plymouth 15.