LA CROSSE — The West Salem High School girls basketball team has rendered helpless plenty of opponents with the pressure of its 1-3-1 zone defense.
Aquinas, which had won nine straight games heading into Friday’s matchup with the Panthers at the Midwest Players Classic, was determined to neutralize that attack on the bigger court of the La Crosse Center.
Sophomore point guard Ava Fernholz was the key, and the Blugolds needed her speed, her poise and her execution to pull it off.
To say she provided Aquinas with enough of those would be an understatement after a convincing 63-40 victory.
“This is, arguably, the best game she has played as a point guard,” Aquinas coach Dave Donarski said. “She ran our team, and I was really happy for her.
“They have decent length with that 1-3-1, and she just carved it up. She got downhill and got rid of the ball before anyone closed in on her. That allowed our other kids to get open looks (at the basket).”
The Blugolds (11-3) controlled from beginning to end a West Salem team that has played in two consecutive WIAA state tournaments with nearly all of these same players. The Panthers (11-3) just never got on track and suffered their third defeat of the season. The teams that have beaten West Salem — Aquinas, Eau Claire Memorial and Caledonia — have a combined record of 37-6.
Fernholz was able to not only push the ball up the floor quickly, she was able to find a place to direct it. She assisted on the Blugolds’ first two baskets by setting up sophomore Eva Willenbring for a 3-pointer and senior Kathryn Savoldelli for another hoop.
Plays like that, an ability to avoid turnovers and a defensive solution for West Salem senior Megan Johnson kept Aquinas in control throughout. Five players made one 3-pointer each on the way to a 31-16 halftime lead that ballooned from there.
Junior star Sammy Davis scored just four points in the first half but finished with 19 to go with 16 rebounds. Willenbring played primary defense on Johnson. Her performance and the help she received when needed limited Johnson, who scored 27 points in a win over Viroqua on Thursday, to 10 points.
Their performances complemented the aggressive and clean pace established by Fernholz.
“Coach Dave said if we could get the ball up the floor fast, we could stop them from doing what they wanted to do,” said Fernholz, who had seven points and four assists. “That’s what I tried to do.”
Fernholz also said the fact that her team had a 15-point lead with minimal involvement from Davis made the team that much more confident for the second half. Davis knew the start of the half would be important and had a three-point play for a 37-16 lead and later scored 10 straight points for Aquinas as that stretched to 50-21.
“That shows how much work everyone puts in every day,” Davis said. “In and out of practice. I didn’t have a great first half, but I piggy-backed off my teammates and started playing well. I didn’t have to worry about everything because my teammates were there.”
The Blugolds made nine 3-pointers, and six players hit at least one. Sophomore Olivia Passehl knocked down three and senior Emma Dobbins two. Savoldelli finished with 10 points and Willenbring six rebounds and five assists.
Junior Josie Brudos led the Panthers with 15 points. She made two 3-pointers.
The opportunity was a big one for both teams, and the Blugolds can march away with a significant confidence boost.
“We had two of the best teams in the area battling it out, and we came out on top, which is great,” Donarski said.” But if we play 10 times, it probably ends up 6-4 one way or the other.
“They have a great team, but they weren’t super sharp shooting it early, and this gave us a chance to do what we want to do later in the year … play on a big court and be in this kind of situation.”
