VIROQUA — The West Salem High School basketball team gave itself a chance to win the Coulee Conference on Friday.
The Panthers (13-8, 9-3) pushed themselves past Viroqua and into second place in the conference standings with a 75-66 win over the Blackhawks.
Viroqua beat West Salem the first time through the schedule, and the Panthers turned the tables to move within a half-game of first place Arcadia (16-7, 9-2). The Raiders play at Viroqua (14-7, 8-3) on Thursday and win outright with a victory and share with the Panthers and Blackhawks — and possibly Luther (13-8, 8-3) with a loss.
Senior Josie Brudos scored a team-high 29 points for West Salem by making four 3-pointers and 9 of 10 free throws. Brudos scored 19 points in the first half — with three of the 3s — as the Panthers to a commanding 40-25 lead, and she has averaged 27.5 points with 16 3-pointers over her past four games.
Sophomore teammate Amelia Karr made two 3-pointers and added 13 points for West Salem, which also received 13 points — all in the second half — from sophomore Ava Hendrickson.
Onalaska 66, Tomah 40
ONALASKA — The Hilltoppers (16-6, 7-4 MVC) won their second game in as many nights and outscored the Timberwolves by 18 points in the second half.
Junior Olivia Passehl and sophomore Kayle Ketelhut scored 19 points each to lead Onalaska in its second win over Tomah this season. Passehl knocked down five 3-pointers — three in the second half — and Ketelhut made four 3-pointers with 10 points in the first half and nine in the second.
Junior Finley Walters also made three 3-pointers for nine points during a performance that included 15 Onalaska 3-pointers.
Luther 62, Westby 34
WESTBY — The Knights (13-8, 8-3 Coulee) ran their winning streak to four games and completed a regular-season sweep of the Norsemen. Luther can still earn a share of the Coulee championship if it beats G-E-T on Thursday, and Viroqua beats Arcadia.
Sophomore Natalie Hackbarth scored 11 of her team-high 20 points in the second half for Luther, which has won six of its past seven games and nine of its past 11.
Sophomore Brinley Schmitz added 11 points and sophomores Tessa Gloede and Cara Unke nine each for Luther, which hosts Cashton (14-8) in a nonconference game Saturday afternoon.
