By NATE BEIER | For the County Line
Despite a pair of losses, which marred the ending of one of the best seasons in Brookwood girls basketball history, the Falcons still have a chance to end the season on a high note when they will turn toward Friday’s WIAA Division 4 regional semifinal against Cuba City.
The Cubans finished the season 16–6 and locked up second place in the Southwest Wisconsin Activities League after defeating Mineral Point last in the final game of the regular season last week. For Brookwood, the win would most likely give it a shot at playing top-ranked Aquinas in Saturday’s regional final. Also, a win on Friday would mean the team won 20 games in a season for the first time ever and would ensure that the squad not end its year on a three-game losing streak.
Bangor 57, Brookwood 38
The Bangor defense quieted the one of the league’s best, as they held Allyson Nelson to just 10 points last week.
But Brookwood managed to keep Bangor’s leading scorer, Emma Wittmershaus, to just 8 points, less than half her average.
With the top two scorers in the game held well below their averages, it came down to the rest of each team to try to outscore the other. In the end, the depth of Bangor’s team was enough to set up the win in favor of the visiting team.
Bangor led by just 6 at halftime, but outscored Brookwood 27–14 in the second half.
Lydia Madrigal led the Falcons with 11 points after going 5–9 from the field. Nelson was 2–3 in field goals, but was 0–4 in three-point attempts. The senior was 6–9 in free throws. Angel Brueggen scored 8.
Bangor’s Jaclynn Freit led all scorers with 13, and Elizabeth Nicolai had 11.
The Cardinals’ win ended Brookwood’s dreams of forcing a tie atop the league, as they locked up their fourth straight undisputed league championship.
Hillsboro 69, Brookwood 55
It was another big second half by Brookwood’s opponent that spelled doom for the Falcons, who took a loss at Hillsboro in the final game of the regular season.
The Falcons led by 3 at halftime, but Hillsboro pushed hard in the second half, outscoring BHS 45–28 to force a series split on the season.
Hillsboro’s duo of Molly Crandall and Sydney Johnson were as reliable as they come, scoring 28 and 25 points, respectively. Crandall connected on eight field goals, and Johnson on six plus a 3-pointer, but the two combined to score 18 points in free throws.
Angel Brueggen used free throws to bolster her point total as well, finishing with 10 of her 16 points from the charity stripe. Nelson ended with 13 points in the loss. Kate Hyatt scored 8; Madrigal, 7; and Amy Berg, 6.