Onalaska puts end to Sauk Prairie’s season

They ran what appeared to be a perfect play at just the right time. Sauk Prairie’s girls basketball team trailed host Onalaska, 45-43, with 10 seconds left in a WIAA Division 2 regional semifinal last Friday. The Eagles got Brooklyn Kaufman free underneath the basket and the junior tried evening the score in the final seconds. Kaufman was denied by a pair of Onalaska defenders, the Eagles wanted a foul called, but nothing was whistled. Moments later, Onalaska was celebrating and Sauk Prairie’s season was over. The Eagles finished the year 13-12 overall, while the Hilltoppers lost the following night to West Salem, 63-43. The Hilltoppers began the game on a 12-0 scoring run thanks to strong perimeter shooting. But the Eagles countered with a 20-8 burst of their own to forge a halftime tie. The second half stayed close throughout, and Onalaska clung to a 45-43 lead in the final seconds. And when the Eagles couldn’t convert, their 2-hour bus ride back to Sauk Prairie suddenly felt a lot longer. The Eagles will lose seniors Ava Brings (8.6 points per game), Macee Gulden (5.6 ppg), Gracyn Meyer (4.0 ppg) and Kennedy Breunig to graduation. But Sauk Prairie hopes to reload around Mallory Hartwig (team-high 13.1 ppg, 5.1 rpg), Audrey Brickl (7.4 ppg) and Haylie Bader (5.0 ppg).