ONALASKA — The Holmen High School girls basketball team used solid defense and started to awaken its offense in a 48-39 nonconference road victory over Onalaska Luther on Friday.
The Vikings (6-3) scored more than 40 points for the first time in nearly a month and took the lead for good less than five minutes in to hand the Knights (4-6) a third loss over the past four games.
Senior Charley Casey scored a team-high 14 points for Holmen, which scored fewer than 20 points four straight games since a 57-49 win over West Salem on Dec. 4.
Luther was led by sophomore Cara Unke’s 14 points and sophomore Natalie Hackbarth’s 10 but was hurt by a slow start to the second half.
Sophomore Makenzie Nunemacher and senior Macy Kline drilled early 3-pointers, and Kline’s gave Holmen a 32-24 advantage with 14 minutes, 18 seconds left. That run followed a Unke 3-pointer from halfcourt to get the Knights within 22-19 at the halftime buzzer.
Luther was within 34-29 after two Mackenzie Torgerud free throws with 11:37 left and within 42-36 after Jaeyda Livingston knocked down a free throw with 1:45 remaining.
But the Vikings made five free throws down the stretch, and Casey had one big offensive rebound and one big defensive rebound in the final minute as they held off the Knights.
Nunemacher and sophomore Aspyn Archer each scored eight points and Kline seven for Holmen.
Melrose-Mindoro 59, Cashton 51
MELROSE — The Mustangs (5-4) pushed their winning streak to three games by outscoring the Eagles by 16 points in the first half and holding on throughout the second.
Senior Anna Radcliffe made a pair of 3-pointers and 10 of 16 free throws on the way to a game-high 24 points for Melrose-Mindoro, which has beaten Cashton, G-E-T and C-FC in its past three games.
Senior Cooper Zeman made five 3-pointers and added 15 points for the Mustangs, who also received nine points from senior Crystal Bautch.
