LA CROSSE — The anticipation of a challenge was quickly put to an end by the Aquinas High School girls basketball team on Thursday.
The Blugolds, who needed a strong second half to beat Onalaska the first time through the schedule, took care of things quickly the second time around with a 79-31 victory at the Reinhart Athletic Complex.
Senior Sammy Davis poured in 23 points to go with nine rebounds and four steals as Aquinas — ranked fifth in this week’s Division 3 Bound Wisconsin/Zaleski Sports media poll — pushed their overall record to 17-2 and MVC mark to 9-0 with its 123rd consecutive conference victory. Davis made 9 of 18 shots and had 14 points in the first half.
The Blugolds led 49-10 at halftime after leading Onalaska (14-5, 5-3) by just one possession after the first half of the first meeting between the teams.
Senior Alaina Elias, junior Ava Fernholz and sophomore Hadley Alderson all scored eight points for Aquinas, which had 19 steals. Elias had a team-high five steals and junior Eva Willenbring a team-high five assists.
The Hilltoppers, who were without injured leading scorer Kayla Ketelhut or a second game, had nine players score between two and five points and had 11 field goals in the game.
Central 63, Sparta 50
LA CROSSE — The RiverHawks (14-3, 6-2 MVC) put an end to a three-game losing streak with a win over the Spartans.
Freshman Ellie Apuan scored a team-high 21 points and had 45 over her past two games. She made 6 of 10 attempts from the 3-point line against Sparta and had eight rebounds.
Junior Ellie Gillitzer added 12 points, six assists and three steals for Central, which is ranked fifth in Division 2 for the Bound Wisconsin/Zaleski Sports media poll this week. Sophomore Malayah Simpson had 12 points and seven rebounds and senior Emmerson Keeney 10 points and nine rebounds for the RiverHawks, who are playing without injured Alahnna Simspon.
Luther 46, Melrose-Mindoro 44
MELROSE — The Knights (9-7) won their second game in a row and for the fifth time in six games by clipping the Mustangs (7-9).
Sophomore Natalie Hackbarth scored 12 points — 10 in the first half — for Luther, which had eight players score. Sophomore Brinley Schmitz added eight points for the Knights, who had a 29-21 halftime lead.
Senior Cooper Zeman made three 3-pointers and had 12 of her team-high 15 points in the second half. Senior teammate Anna Radcliffe added 11 points for Melrose-Mindoro, which made nine shots from outside the 3-point line and six from inside it.
