As the final horn sounded Head Coach Patrick Collins raised his arms in triumph and smiled from ear to ear as the Wolves snapped their 10-game losing streak, defeating Plainfield Tri-County, Tuesday, Feb. 4, 41-39.
The winning streak was short lived as Bonduel had little trouble disposing of Manawa by a score of 56-26 score Thursday, Feb. 6.
Manawa 41, Tri-County 39
Autumn Ferg opened the scoring for Manawa with back-to-back three-pointers, giving Manawa a 6-3 lead with 3:13 left in the first quarter. Ferg added two more back-to-back baskets and Mickey Pecha’s basket allowed Manawa to finish the quarter with a 6-0 run and a 12-5 lead.
Manawa’s shooting went into a deep freeze as the Lady Penguins slowly chipped away at the lead and tied the game at 12 with 3:21 left in the first half. Ashlee Strebe’s basket triggered a 7-0 run for the Wolves to finish the half holding a 19-12 halftime lead.
Ferg’s three pointers opened the second half and triggered an 8-2 run giving Manawa their largest lead of the night at 27-14 with 3:15 left in the third quarter.
Tri-County took advantage of Manawa’s foul trouble as Ferg and Brogan Bartel were saddled with four fouls each. Working the ball into their 5’11″ post player, Isabella Weekly, the Penguins worked their way back into the game. With just under six minutes to play they were within five points at 31-26.
Weekly finished the night with 16 points, with eight of those coming during the fourth quarter. Weekly’s back-to-back baskets pulled the Penguins to within one at 40-39 with 36.3 seconds to play. Weekly missed a free throw that would have tied the game. Ferg pulled down the rebound and was fouled immediately.
Ferg missed both free throws and the Penguins had a chance to take the lead with 35 seconds to play. Their missed shot was rebounded by Bartel with 12.2 seconds left to play. Bartel knocked down the second free throw giving Manawa a two point lead. The Penguins managed to get only a long shot off that was an air ball as the final horn sounded.
Ferg scored a career-high 20 points. Bartel chipped in with six points.
Bonduel 56, Manawa 26
The Bears’ full court pressure forced the Lady Wolves into 12 first quarter turnovers and a frigid 2 of 12 shooting from the floor. Despite all of that Manawa trailed by a score of only 10-4 after one quarter of play.
That quickly changed in the second quarter as Bonduel opened the quarter with a 13-0 run sparked by Taylor Weier’s seven points. The Bears upped their lead to 23-4 before Strebe’s basket finally ended the streak.
The Wolves cut down their turnovers in the second half but their cold shooting continued to plague them. The Wolves finished 11 of 52 from the floor.
The Bears’ 8-0 run late in the third quarter pushed their lead to 44-15 with 15 seconds left in the third.
Alissa Suehs led Manawa with seven points, including a three pointer. Strebe added six points. Bartel hauled down nine rebounds and Ferg added six.
W-B 82
Manawa 14
Last versus first usually doesn’t make a good match up. That was the case Friday, Jan. 31 when the Manawa girls’ basketball team traveled to Wittenberg-Birnamwood.
The League leading Lady Chargers held the Lady Wolves to a 7 of 27 night shooting from the floor and forced 45 turnovers on their way to an 82-14 victory. The Lady Chargers saw four players in double figures and finished the night shooting 38 of 57 from the floor including 10 three pointers.
The Lady Chargers opened the game with the first 17 points and forced Manawa into 15 first quarter turnovers. Mikayla Hartman scored six straight points during the run. Mickey Pecha finally put the Wolves on the board with 42 seconds left in the quarter.
W-B drained three straight three-pointers on their first three possessions, all within a span of 90 seconds. The Lady Wolves again scored only one basket in the second quarter. The Chargers held a 41-4 halftime lead.
In the second half, W-B picked up where they left off, scoring the first 18 points of the second half, including four three-pointers to increased their lead to 59-4. Micah Neir drained two of those threes on her way to a game high 17 points.
The mercy rule was in effect during the final quarter.
Brogan Bartel led the Wolves with six points and seven rebounds. Alissa Suehs, Pecha, Ashlee Strebe, and Molly Loughrin each scored two points.
Autumn Ferg was second on the team with six rebounds.
The Wolves travel to Iola to face the T-Birds, Friday, Feb. 14.