The future’s so bright

It was a year of tremendous growth. And it could be the start of even better things. Wisconsin Heights’ girls basketball team dropped a 53-44 decision to Ozaukee in a WIAA Division 5 regional quarterfinal on Feb. 25. The Vanguards finished the year 10-13, giving them their most wins in a season since 2016-’17. “I am very pleased with the progress our program made this season,” Heights coach Tyler Fuchs said. “My first two seasons our record was 8-35 combined and this season we were 10-13. Any time you win more games in one season than the previous two, I think that shows that a program is headed in the right direction.” Heights was hosting its first playoff game in a full season since 2017, and raced to a 12-6 lead to open the game. The Vanguards managed just two points over the final nine minutes of the first half, but their defense was sublime and they led, 14-13, at the break. “Our offense went stagnant,” Fuchs said. “Thankfully our defense was not allowing Ozaukee any easy looks.” Unfortunately for Heights, Ozaukee heated up and began the second half on a 12-0 run and surged to a 25-14 lead. “Their defense picked up the intensity, which forced us into rushed shots and too many turnovers,” Fuchs said.  Ozaukee built its lead to as many as 15, before Heights began chipping away. But every time the Vanguards made a run, the Warriors answered back. Sonja Severson led Heights with 13 points, seven rebounds and two steals, while Jocelyn Brabender added 12 points and seven rebounds. RJ Kalscheur chipped in with 11 points, 10 rebounds and two assists, while Lydia Crowe had four assists, three rebounds and two steals. “Every time we made a run, they would hit a shot or get a big defensive stop and halt our momentum,” Fuchs said. “Credit to Ozaukee for playing hard and making some big time shots.” Heights, which went just 4-18 last year, made impressive strides this winter. And the Vanguards could be poised to take another step next season. Heights will return four of its top six players in 2025-’26 and has a solid JV group ready to contribute. “Winning is a skill that can be hard to learn, so being able to win double digit games was huge for our program,” Fuchs said. “It gave us the taste of how to win close games and how to maintain a big lead, two very important lessons for the future.  “I am proud of the graduating seniors who helped lead us from two rough seasons to this year and they showed a lot of grit and determination to succeed. We are looking to build off of this season and continue to grow and win.” The key, like any sport, is making sure Heights has a productive offseason and positions itself for bigger things next winter. “The girls need to be willing to work hard this offseason to improve their game and build confidence,” Fuchs said. “We are fortunate to be returning four of our top six girls in minutes played, with three being starters.  “Us coaches are excited to watch girls step up to the next level and compete for varsity minutes next season. We have a lot of athletic girls coming up and are looking forward to seeing how we can best utilize them.”