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Monroe girls return to state

JANESVILLE — Apparently, all Kylee Ritschard needed was a little encouragement.

With top-ranked Monroe deadlocked with Union Grove at halftime, Ritschard stepped up with eight points in the first five minutes of the second half to trigger a game-changing 14-0 Cheesemaker run.

“I guess I just had more confidence,” said Ritschard after scoring a game-high 16 points. “My teammates before the game told me to shoot the ball like you know your going to make it.”

Usually regulated as the fourth or fifth option for the Cheesemakers, Ritschard made six of her eight shots Saturday afternoon on the Craig High floor and opened the second half with two three-pointers from the same spot on the left wing.

The junior later drove the baseline for a reverse lay-up to help Monroe push its lead to 32-18 and ignite the Cheesemakers to the 48-37 victory and the WIAA Division 2 girls basketball sectional title.

Monroe earned its third straight state tournament berth, after winning the title in 2008 and reaching the state semifinals last year. The Cheesemakers play Winneconne (24-2) at 1:35 p.m. Friday in a semifinal game.

“It feels so good,” said Ritschard of Monroe’s return trip to the state tournament. “Nothing can top this feeling.”

Monroe (25-1) will have a chance to top the accomplishment with a state title.

“Kylee Ritschard, my lord, what a game,” said Monroe coach Kevin Keen, who is retiring at the end of the season. “It’s been a different person every tournament game. Every night, someone has stepped up and tonight it was Kylee Ritschard.”

Union Grove (23-3) managed to pull even with the Cheesemakers despite not making a basket in the second quarter. The Broncos, instead forced five Monroe turnovers with its trapping 1-3-1 defense and made all six of their free throws to take an 18-15 lead, until Monroe’s Kyleigh Sellnow drained a three-pointer from the corner to tie the game at intermission.

The drought for Union Grove lasted 15 minutes and 17 seconds between field goals, until Kaitlyn Wilks made her three-pointer from the wing with 2:15 left in the third quarter, which started an 8-0 closing run for the Broncos.

“We had them on the ropes,” Union Grove coach Rob Domagalski said. “Even after that 14-0 run were able close the gap and that just shows you the character of our team.”

But, Ritschard again rescued the Cheesemakers with a jumper to start the fourth quarter for a 34-26 Monroe lead. Halyn Fink pulled the Broncos within 35-31 after her two free throws with 5:36 remaining, but after back-to-back turnovers, Ritschard made her third three-pointer of the second half to start an 11-2 Monroe run to close out the victory.

“It’s special,” Keen said while holding back tears.

MONROE 48, UNION GROVE 37

Union Grove (37)—Jasperson, 2-3-9; Wilks, 2-2-7; Fink, 3-9-15; Lee, 1-0-2; Thomas, 1-0-2; Kujellis, 1-0-2. Totals, 10-14-37.

Monroe (54)—Brice, 3-0-6; Sutter, 3-1-7; Bennett, 0-1-1; Ritschard, 6-1-16; Sellnow, 1-0-3; Hermanson, 3-1-7; Armstrong, 3-3-9. Totals: 19-6-48.

Union Grove 12 6 8 11—37

Monroe 9 17 10 18—54

Three-point goals—Union Grove 3 (Jasperson 2, Wilks), Monroe 4 (Ritschard 3, Sellnow). Free throws missed—Union Grove 1, Monroe 4. Total fouls—Union Grove 16, Monroe 10.