LA CROSSE — The Aquinas High School girls basketball team clinched the outright MVC championship with an 84-28 victory over Logan at the Reinhart Athletic Complex on Thursday.
The Blugolds received 24 points from senior Sammy Davis and 23 from junior Liv Dickinson to claim sole possession of their 12th consecutive conference championship and run their MVC winning streak to 125 games.
Aquinas (21-2, 11-0) is ranked fourth in Division 3 for this week’s Bound Wisconsin/Zaleski Sports media poll and will close out the regular season by hosting second-place Central (16-5, 8-2) on Feb. 19. The Blugolds beat the RiverHawks 50-45 when the teams played the first time this season.
Davis made 11 of 14 shots and finished with seven rebounds for Aquinas, which led 41-14 by the end of the first half. Dickinson made seven 3-pointers in nine attempts.
Junior Ava Fernholz led the Blugolds in assists with 14 and steals with six, while junior Adi Bezemek scored eight points to go with her five steals, and junior Gabby Stratman scored seven points.
The Rangers (5-17, 1-9) were led by seniors Lydia Mason and Kaia DePaolo, who had eight points apiece.
Central 77, Tomah 32
LA CROSSE — The RiverHawks (16-5, 8-2), who are 10th in Division 2 for this week’s media poll, blew out the Timberwolves and clinched at least a share of second place.
Freshman Ellie Apuan scored a game-high 29 points and grabbed 11 rebounds, while senior teammate Alahnna Simpson added 17 points, six rebounds and six assists.
Central can secure sole possession of second place this season with a win over Logan on Tuesday or Aquinas on Thursday.
Onalaska 42, Holmen 28
HOLMEN — The third-place Hilltoppers (15-6, 6-4) snapped a two-game losing streak with the return to the court of sophomore Kayla Ketelhut.
Ketelhut, who missed three games with a high ankle sprain, scored 12 of her 16 points in the second half in a game Onalaska led 18-13 at halftime.
Junior Mara Klein added nine points, and Kenzie Bauer and Ketelhut hit back-to-back 3-pointers to help Onalaska pull away in the second half.
Senior Macy Kline scored nine points and senior Charley Casey eight for Holmen (13-7, 5-5), which quickly faced a 13-2 deficit and didn’t score until 13:16 remained in the first half.
For more on Ketelhut’s return, find a separate story on the game elsewhere on our website.
Caledonia 65, Fillmore Central 19
CALEDONIA — The Warriors (20-6, 8-0 Three Rivers-East) held the Falcons to nine first-half points and made eight 3-pointers while completing an unbeaten conference championship.
Senior Aubrie Klug made four of Caledonia’s 3-pointers and finished with a game-high 25 points.
Freshman Ashlyn Reinhart added 10 points for the Warriors.
Melrose-Mindoro 64, Whitehall 49
WHITEHALL — The Mustangs (11-11, 9-9 Dairyland-Large) brought an end to a two-game losing streak by beating the Norse for the second time.
Melrose-Mindoro outscored Whitehall 35-18 in the second half and received 12 points apiece from senior Anna Radcliffe and junior Bristol Coats after halftime to make that happen.
Radcliffe finished with a team-high 18 points, and Coats added 17. Coats made two of her three 3-pointers in the second half.
Senior Calysta Bautch added 12 points and senior Cooper Zeman 10 for the Mustangs, who host Alma Center Lincoln on Monday.
