Mukwonago dominates Highlanders, ending season
After a long, hard fight, the Highlanders succumbed to the offensive drive of Mukwonago in the regional girls varsity basketball game at Mukwonago High School Friday night with a final score of 43-51.
Homestead opened the game with a 9-0 lead, but quickly fell behind, ending the first quarter with Mukwonago ahead 14-11. According to Coach Corey Wolf, the team’s biggest weakness was not capitalizing on Mukwonago’s foul trouble. “We didn’t take advantage of that opportunity. We needed to push our lead out and make them play under pressure, and we became more passive, and I think that really hurt us.”
At the half, Mukwonago remained in the lead 28-22. Early in the second half, the Highlanders briefly pulled ahead, leading 29-28. After that, they trailed for the rest of the game. Coming out of the locker room, the Highlanders played a better defense, but still weren’t able to best Mukwonago. The Highlanders were outscored at the end of every quarter.
Mukwonago players Bre Cera, number 35, and Morgan Glatczak, number 33, both posed a problem to the Highlanders, combining for 20 of Mukwonago’s 51 points. Cera was taller than all of the Highlanders, and used her height to block or bat away multiple Highlander shots. She also collected a number of fouls and scored 7 free throws.
More than half of Homestead’s points came from freshman Chloe Marotta. Her 21 points included 15 from the field and 6 from the free-throw line. One of her field goals during the third quarter was the team’s only 3-pointer.
The girls are hopeful for next season. “We have summer league coming up, and then next year’s season to look forward to,” Taylor Bolden, junior, said. “We fought hard last night and next year we’re are going to come out just as strong.” Erin Gifford, junior, agreed. “We played hard and left it all out on the court.”
Although the season ended in disappointment, Coach Wolf praised her team. “I’m really proud of our players and how far they’ve come and who they became as a team,” Coach Wolf continued. “We lose our leader [Harmon] and it can be tough to step into that role, but [the girls are] going to get better, and we’re gonna be better next year and the year after that—they’ll keep building on this.”
Today Mukwonago will play the winner of the first- seeded Waukesha West versus eighth-seeded Waukesha South winner.
Janae Brown is an introvert. Ask anyone. She comes to class, sits at her computer, and gets her job done with as little talking as possible. But on the...
