SHAWANO, WI- Shawano survived a wild, stop-start night and a frantic final possession to edge Winneconne 57–56 in a game that tested composure as much as skill.
The Hawks struggled out of the gate, hitting just 4 of their first 15 shots and falling behind 15–4 early. But Shawano flipped the script late in the first half, ripping off a 21–7 run to seize momentum heading into the break.
That momentum was briefly halted, literally, when a fire alarm delayed halftime by roughly 30 minutes. Still, Shawano regrouped and opened the second half with a pair of key baskets to steady themselves.
The final seconds were chaos. After missed Shawano free throws left the door open, Winneconne had a chance to tie or win. Down three, Brooklyn Messerschmidt’s long attempt missed, but Winneconne grabbed the rebound and converted the putback amid contact. No foul was called, and Shawano escaped with the one-point win.
Leah Nordin led the Hawks with 18 points, while Maci Beyer added 12 and Jadyn Brown chipped in 10. Winneconne was paced by Harper Neace’s 17 points, Grace Mitchell’s 15, and 11 from Messerschmidt.
Afterward, Shawano coach Ryan Koenig said the win carries postseason weight.
“It puts us back in the hunt for the number one seed in our Regional,” Koenig said. “The fact that we can play with anyone, we proved that tonight. The girls really wanted it and gutted it out. It was a team effort, and that’s what we need.”
One point. One possession. And a statement win for the Hawks.
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