Polar Bears heading to Hudson
By Greg Seubert
One more win.
That’s what stands in the way of the Hortonville girls’ basketball team and another trip to state.
The Polar Bears ended De Pere’s season Feb. 18 with a 45-43 loss in a WIAA Division 1 sectional semifinal at Hortonville High School.
Hortonville improved to 17-8, stayed alive in the state tournament and will face undefeated Hudson in a sectional final at 7 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 20, in Hudson.
The lead changed hands four times before the Polar Bears used an 8-3 to take a seven-point lead over De Pere late in the first half. McKenna Ciesielczyk added a basket before the buzzer and De Pere trailed 26-21 at the break.
Consecutive baskets from Sophia McCarty cut the Polar Bears’ lead to 29-27, but Hortonville responded with a 10-0 run to take its biggest lead – 39-27 – with just under 12 minutes remaining.
The Redbirds answered with a 14-3 run and Jordan Meulemans’ three-pointer cut the home team’s lead to 42-41.
De Pere later cut the lead to one point on a pair of McCarty free throws, but the Redbirds never regained the lead.
Trinity Mocadlo hit one of two free throws to give Hortonville a 45-43 lead with 18 seconds left.
De Pere took a time out to regroup and set up a tying or winning shot, but Hortonville’s defense kept Ciesielczyk from getting a quality shot off in the paint and the Polar Bears came up with the loose ball as time expired.
Lyric Johnson led Hortonville with 11 points and Mikayla Werner and Mocadlo chipped in with 10 each.
Meulemans led all scorers with 22 points, but was the only De Pere player to finish in double figures.