GREEN BAY, WI- It was a game of runs, but a late first half run by Kettle Moraine made the difference as the Lasers topped Hortonville 77-67 in the Division 1 State Semifinals on Friday.
The defending State Champions shot 51 percent from the field, used balanced scoring, and got to the free throw line to put the game away. The Lasers led 35-24 at the half after ending the first half on an 18-1 run. Prior to that, Hortonville led most of the first half, and at one point led by 10, but went 0-for 10 from the field in the final three minutes of the first half. The Polar Bears also went over six minutes without a field goal.
The loss for Hortonville is their fourth semifinal loss in as many trips since 2017.
“It’s incredibly tough and when you dig yourself a hole like that, it’s hard to get out of. We had our chances, but their team always answered,” Hortonville Coach AC Clouthier said after the game.
Despite the struggles shooting, Hortonville ended the game shooting 38 percent. “It was a good game,” Clouthier said. “We felt good with the fast start because we have done that in a lot of games.”
In the second half, the Polar Bears opened with the first 6 points, but then went on another costly scoring drought. The Lasers completed another 13-2 run in the second half to put the come back attempt to rest.
Rainey Welson led Hortonville with 28 points and was a rare 6 of 9 from the free throw line. Trinity Mocaldo had 15 points and Mikayla Werner added 13. Kettle Moraine was led by West Virginia bound Grace Grocholski with 21 points. Braelyn Torres ended the game with 12 points. Grocholski has over 2200 points in her career at Kettle Moraine.
“It was amazing just to be with this team and be down here on the Resch Court has been a dream of mine since third grade, and it was probably one of the best feelings of my life,” said Welson.
Before the game, Laser’s Coach Todd Hansen said it would come down to a team effort to beat Hortovnille as they have been led by Grocholski and Torres all season. “Any given night, any of our girls are capable of having a big scoring night,” he told the Statewide media after winning the Sectional Final. “We are going to need that to be successful. He got that with Briana Bingai scoring 14, Riley Haertle adding 13.
Clouthier said he was proud of the fight that his team showed. The Lasers held the lead for 27 minutes and the lead only changed hands twice in the game. “They changed up their matchups a couple of time and they kept us guessing a couple of time.” He said the Lasers did a good job face guarding on Welson. “This is one of the stronger and physical teams we have seen with speed this year.”
Kettle Moraine’s bench points played a big role in their victory. The Lasers also outdid Hortonville in second chance points 19-6 and out rebounded the Polar Bears 43-31.
This is the first year that Clouthier has coached the Polar Bears. He has prior state coaching experience with Xavier in the last decade.
Hortonville is still without a win at the State Tournament in six appearances in school history. The future still is bright for the Polar Bears as they return Sophomore Rainey Welson and Junior Kallie Peppler, the two leading scorers from this season. They lose Seniors Maren Gebauer, Jada Stuewer and Kyra Funk, who all contributed key bench minutes and points this season, and also lose senior starter Trinity Mocadlo. Clouthier said the loss of the Seniors is hard.
“I am not looking at the future at this time,” Clouthier said holding back tears. “It meant a lot and I just want to spend the time with the kids that we went to battle with and win or lose, they are still champions in my book.”
LISTEN to Coach Clouthier and Rainey Welson’s press conference after the game.
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