Chris Caporale, sports@wolfrivermedia.com
Leader Photo by Chris Caporale Shawano Community High School senior Sara Hokenstad and Megan Klitzke trap Menasha’s Hannah Jensen during a Bay Conference game Friday in Shawano. The 28 points allowed by Shawano is tied for the second-best defensive effort on the season.
Leader Photo by Chris Caporale Shawano Community High School freshman Tori DePerry shoots over a Menasha defender for 2 of her team-high 17 points Friday night in Shawano’s 76-28 win.
Once the emotion of the final regular-season home game for the Shawano Community High School girls basketball team went away, the Hawks went to work.
Against Menasha’s 2-3 zone, Shawano continuously found open shots, angles to attack and offensive rebounds in a 76-28 beat-down Friday night at home.
“This is a lot more fun than losing games that we can play better in,” Shawano head coach Ryan Koenig said. “The girls know how they can play together, and they see that tonight.”
In the first six minutes of the game, the Hawks jumped out to a 14-2 advantage, led by Sara Hokenstad’s two 3-point plays and 4 points from Megan Klitzke.
“My girls just weren’t ready to play,” Menasha head coach Steve Siegel said. “They just didn’t come out with heart. Shawano wanted this game more than my team did, and that’s the bottom line.”
SCHS freshman Tori DePerry and senior Erika Dunnam helped the Hawks rattle off a 25-6 run to close out the half for a 45-12 lead.
Dunnam and Hokenstad each had 10 points at the break, while DePerry added 8.
It was one of Shawano’s strongest defensive performances of the season. In the season opener, the Hawks allowed just 16 points to Sturgeon Bay. They also held Green Bay West to 28 points on Dec. 17.
“On the court, we are working as one unit. The rest of the season, one would break down, or two people would be on a different page, and you can’t have that,” Koenig said. “When you are playing good team defense and want to go far in the playoffs and make a run, you got to all be on the same page, and tonight we were, for the first time in a long time.”
The Bluejays (1-18, 1-11 Bay Conference) scored 7 points in the first three minutes of the second half, but outside of that stretch, the visitors could not consistently find points.
Shawano (11-9, 5-7 Bay) went on a 14-6 run over the next eight minutes for a 65-25 lead, which led to a running clock for the remainder of the game.
The game was much different than the first matchup between the squads almost a month ago when Shawano posted an 11-point win in Menasha.
“Shawano is good, but are they 50 points better than us?” Siegel asked. “I don’t think any team is like that, but they deserved to win by 50 points tonight.”
Six Hawks reached double figures Friday: DePerry (17), Megan Klitzke (13), Hokenstad (12), Brandi Gueths (12), Morgan Klitzke (11) and Dunnam (10).
“Hopefully (this win) gets us to the point where we need to be for next week and going into the playoffs,” Koenig said.
Menasha (28)
Carrillo 2 0-0 4, Brown 0 0-2 0, Burrows 2 0-0 4, Wussow 0 4-6 4, Bates 3 0-0 7, H. Jensen 1 0-0 2, A. Jensen 2 2-2 7.
Shawano (76)
Monfils 0 1-2 1, Mo. Klitzke 4 1-2 11, Me. Klitzke 5 3-5 13, DePerry 6 5-9 17, Hokenstad 5 2-2 12, Ward 0 0-1 0, Gueths 5 2-2 12, Dunnam 5 0-0 10.
Menasha 12 16 — 28
Shawano 45 31 — 76