Eagles’ girls off to terrific start

MADISON – It was simply no contest. Sauk Prairie roared out to a 10-point lead and eventually ended the game with a running clock in a 56-18 rout of host Madison West in a non-conference prep girls’ basketball game last Saturday night. Junior guard Naomi Breunig led the way with a game-high 19 points and a career-best 11 steals as the Eagles raced to a 33-6 halftime lead and cruised home. Sauk Prairie improved to 3-0 overall by using full-court defensive pressure from the opening tip and forcing West into 31 first-half turnovers. “It’s a new system, new girls and we’re getting along real well,” Naomi Breunig said. “We’re just trusting our run-and-jump does work and putting it in action. “I like our faster pace of play, especially on defense. We’re getting a crazy amount of steals. We’re not used to that. I like being all over and getting steals and getting tips.” Ella Mueller scored five of her seven points in the second half to pace West (0-2). Sauk Prairie opened the game on a 10-0 run, and West committed turnovers on 10 of its first 11 possessions to set the tone for the game. The Eagles finished with 33 steals and 52 tips to help account for West’s 44 total turnovers. “Defensively, we got the start we wanted,” Sauk Prairie coach Amber Fiene said. “But offensively, things weren’t falling. I’ve been telling the girls that as long as we’re taking care of it on the defensive end we’re going to be fine regardless of how our offensive end is going. “If we can control what’s been going on, on the defensive end, that takes pressure off of our team regardless if we’re hitting shots, not hitting shots or not getting to the basket.” Senior guard Lexi Tobias finished with a career-high 11 points, a team-best seven rebounds and three steals for the Eagles. Senior guard Ella Schad handed out a team-best six assists and finished with four points, five rebounds, four steals and six tips. “She had a little bit of a slow start, then she just came out on fire,” Fiene said of Tobias, who missed her first four field goal attempts before draining a 3-pointer to give Sauk Prairie a 21-6 lead with 5 minutes, 11 seconds remaining in the first half. That sparked Sauk Prairie to a 15-0 surge to close out the opening half. “I was loving how hard she was playing,” Fiene said of Tobias. “She was getting a touch on everything, pushing the ball up the floor, helping us on both ends, kind of maintaining our pressure on defense and helping us on offense, too.” Sophomore guard Kassia Marquardt — who finished with five points, five rebounds and four steals — turned a steal into a fastbreak layup to cap an 18-3 opening surge in the second half. That staked Sauk Prairie to a 51-9 lead, which led to a running clock for the rest of the game beginning at the 9-minute mark. “We’re such a good team, and we are always working together,” Eagles’ sophomore point guard Faith Holler said. “In the run-and-jump, it’s easier to make steals. We’re always looking for it. Wherever you are on the court, anyone can step up and make a play.” • Sauk Prairie 53, Stoughton 43 — Naomi Breunig scored 12 of her game-high 16 points in the second half to help the Eagles pull away from the visiting Vikings in a non-conference game on Nov. 26. Sauk Prairie (2-0) used a 28-19 run in the second half to extend a one-point halftime lead over Stoughton (1-2), which got 13 points from Megan Marggi. The Vikings opened the game on an 8-0 run before the Eagles were able to unleash their ball-hawking defense. “We came out passive, not like against River Valley,” coach Amber Fiene said. “It was like we were scared they were going to beat us. I called a timeout because that wasn’t the game plan or how we were going to approach things.” The Eagles used a 14-4 surge to take the lead and traded baskets with Stoughton before grabbing a 25-24 halftime lead. “As soon as we started to apply pressure on them, the score really shifted,” Fiene said. Naomi Breunig sank 6-of-7 free throws and also led Sauk Prairie with seven steals and four assists. Junior guard Olivia Breunig added 13 points, six rebounds and three steals. Sophomore guard Katelyn Fishnick made her varsity debut and finished with seven points, six rebounds, two assists and two steals. She also finished with a team-high nine tips on defense. Fiene said Fishnick, who is an all-state soccer player, missed the Eagles’ opener against River Valley while competing in a season-ending tournament for her club soccer team. “Katelyn Fishnick rocked at both ends of the floor,” Fiene said. “She attacked the basket, dished off for assists and defensively did a great job with her on-ball defense in the run-and-jump. She was a huge key and it was so nice to have her back. She stands out tremendously as an athlete on the floor.” Sauk Prairie shot 31.7% (19 of 60) from the field and was just 2-of-13 from 3-point range (15.4%). But the Eagles more than made up any shooting lapses with their on-ball defense. “I want to get to the basket as much as possible,” Fiene said. “The majority of our baskets have been in transition, which is our goal. We’re getting steals, we’re getting tips and pushing the ball hard up the floor. If we get a look behind the 3-point line, we can take it, but it’s not our go-to game.” The Eagles finished with 35 tips and 20 steals and also shot 72 percent 13 of 18) at the free-throw line. “That’s a huge improvement from last year,” Fiene said of Sauk Prairie’s accuracy at the charity stripe. “We were able to get into double bonus near the end of the game and knocked down those free throws, which was helpful to seal the deal. “At halftime, we talked about being aggressive but not fouling. We ended up putting them in the double bonus towards the end of the first half. But we did a great job on defense in the second half.” • Team captains: Fiene announced that the Eagles have selected three team captains – senior Ella Schad, junior Olivia Breunig and sophomore Makenzie Breunig. • On deck: Following a non-conference game against Lake Mills on Tuesday, Sauk Prairie hosts Reedsburg in a Badger North Conference opener on Youth Night on Friday at 7:15 p.m. The Eagles then host Mount Horeb in a conference game on Dec. 10 at 7:15 p.m. Nov. 26 Sauk Prairie 53, Stoughton 43 Stoughton.................. 24 19 — 43 Sauk Prairie.............. 25 28 — 53 STOUGHTON — Victoria Ashworth 1 0-2 3, Micah Zaemisch 2 1-3 6, Mya Davidson 1 0-2 2, Makayla Ramberg 0 0-1 0, Myranda Kotlowski 1 0-0 2, Megan Marggi 5 1-4 13, Riley Royston 1 2-4 4, Ava Loftus 2 2-2 6, Delaney Seidel 1 5-8 7. Totals 14 11-26 43. SAUK PRAIRIE — Katelyn Fishnick 3 1-3 7, Naomi Breunig 5 6-7 16, Olivia Breunig 5 1-1 13, Faith Holler 2 3-4 7, Kassia Marquardt 1 0-0 2, Lauren Wideen 1 0-1 2, Ella Schad 0 2-2 2, Makenzie Breunig 2 0-0 4. Totals 19 13-18 53. 3-point goals: St 4 (Ashworth 1, Zaemisch 1, Marggi 2); SP 2 (O. Breunig). Total fouls: St 17; SP 19. Fouled out: Zaemisch (St). Nov. 30 Sauk Prairie 56, Madison West 18 Sauk Prairie ……. 33 23 — 56 Madison West ….. 6 12 — 18 SAUK PRAIRIE (fg ft-fta pts) — Lexi Tobias 3 2-2 11, Katelyn Fishnick 1 1-2 3, Naomi Breunig 9 0-0 19, Olivia Breunig 4 1-3 9, Faith Holler 0 1-3 1, Kassia Marquardt 2 0-0 5, Madi Pertzborn 0 0-1 0, Lauren Wideen 0 1-2 1, Ella Schad 1 2-4 4, Olivia Paukner 1 0-2 2, Makenzie Breunig 0 1-2 1. Totals 21 9-21 56. MADISON WEST — Ella Mueller 2 3-5 7, Maeva Langrock 0 1-2 1, Vanessa Carda 1 0-0 2, Elizabeth Culver 1 0-0 2, Maggie Moylan 2 0-1 4, Madeline Holmes 0 2-2 2. Totals 6 6-10 18. 3-point goals: SP 5 (Tobias 3, N. Breunig 1, Marquardt 1); MW 0. Total fouls: SP 11; MW 18. Fouled out: Holmes (MW).