SPASH dominates regional semi with Old Abes
SPASH moves into girls basketball regional final with blowout win over Eau Claire Memorial behind 17 points from Leah Earnest
SPASH dominates regional semi with Old Abes SPASH moves into girls basketball regional final with blowout win over Eau Claire Memorial behind 17 points from Leah Earnest Check out this story on stevenspointjournal.com: http://spjour.nl/2opho4b
Scott A. Williams, USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin Published 10:37 p.m. CT Feb. 23, 2018 | Updated 10:38 p.m. CT Feb. 23, 2018
SPASH beats Eau Claire Memorial in girls basketball regional semifinal
SPASH students cheer for their team before the girl's basketball regional semifinal game between Stevens Point Area Senior High and Eau Claire Memorial in Stevens Point, Wis., February 23, 2018. Alexandra Wimley/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin
SPASH players huddle before the girl's basketball regional semifinal game between Stevens Point Area Senior High and Eau Claire Memorial in Stevens Point, Wis., February 23, 2018. Alexandra Wimley/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin
SPASH player Leah Ernest dribbles around Eau Claire player Hope Gibbons during the girl's basketball regional semifinal game between Stevens Point Area Senior High and Eau Claire Memorial in Stevens Point, Wis., February 23, 2018. Alexandra Wimley/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin
SPASH player Maggie Negaard averaged 18.4 points per game this season as the Panthers earned a share of the Wisconsin Valley Conference title and finished with a 22-3 record this season. Negaard, a senior guard, was selected to the fourth team in the Associated Press All-State girls basketball squad. Alexandra Wimley/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin
SPASH player Leah Ernest scores a basket during the girl's basketball regional semifinal game between Stevens Point Area Senior High and Eau Claire Memorial in Stevens Point, Wis., February 23, 2018. Alexandra Wimley/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin
SPASH player Jenna Bohanski loses control of the ball during the girl's basketball regional semifinal game between Stevens Point Area Senior High and Eau Claire Memorial in Stevens Point, Wis., February 23, 2018. Alexandra Wimley/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin
SPASH player Rachel Sullivan attempts to score a basket during the girl's basketball regional semifinal game between Stevens Point Area Senior High and Eau Claire Memorial in Stevens Point, Wis., February 23, 2018. Alexandra Wimley/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin
SPASH player Leah Ernest dribbles past Eau Claire defense during the girl's basketball regional semifinal game between Stevens Point Area Senior High and Eau Claire Memorial in Stevens Point, Wis., February 23, 2018. Alexandra Wimley/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin
SPASH player Maggie Negaard attempts to get around Eau Claire defense during the girl's basketball regional semifinal game between Stevens Point Area Senior High and Eau Claire Memorial in Stevens Point, Wis., February 23, 2018. Alexandra Wimley/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin
SPASH player Leah Ernest attempts to score a basket during the girl's basketball regional semifinal game between Stevens Point Area Senior High and Eau Claire Memorial in Stevens Point, Wis., February 23, 2018. Alexandra Wimley/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin
SPASH player Madisyn Rogan passes the ball down the court during the girl's basketball regional semifinal game between Stevens Point Area Senior High and Eau Claire Memorial in Stevens Point, Wis., February 23, 2018. Alexandra Wimley/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin
Eau Claire player Jada Biermeier attempts to get around SPASH defense during the girl's basketball regional semifinal game between Stevens Point Area Senior High and Eau Claire Memorial in Stevens Point, Wis., February 23, 2018. Alexandra Wimley/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin
A fan holds up printouts of players' faces during the girl's basketball regional semifinal game between Stevens Point Area Senior High and Eau Claire Memorial in Stevens Point, Wis., February 23, 2018. Alexandra Wimley/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin
SPASH player Maddie Fink prepares to pass the ball during the girl's basketball regional semifinal game between Stevens Point Area Senior High and Eau Claire Memorial in Stevens Point, Wis., February 23, 2018. Alexandra Wimley/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin
SPASH player Madisyn Rogan prepares to shoot a basket during the girl's basketball regional semifinal game between Stevens Point Area Senior High and Eau Claire Memorial in Stevens Point, Wis., February 23, 2018. Alexandra Wimley/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin
SPASH player Leah Ernest attempts to get around Eau Claire defense during the girl's basketball regional semifinal game between Stevens Point Area Senior High and Eau Claire Memorial in Stevens Point, Wis., February 23, 2018. Alexandra Wimley/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin
SPASH players react as a teammate scores near the end of the game during the girl's basketball regional semifinal game between Stevens Point Area Senior High and Eau Claire Memorial in Stevens Point, Wis., February 23, 2018. Alexandra Wimley/USA TODAY NETWO
SPASH player Leah Ernest scores a basket during the girl's basketball regional semifinal game between Stevens Point Area Senior High and Eau Claire Memorial in Stevens Point, Wis., February 23, 2018.(Photo: Alexandra Wimley/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin)Buy Photo
STEVENS POINT - Rachel Lummis knocked down a short jumper from just below the free throw line late in regulation.
Then Kaylee Hintz hit a baseline jumper. Izabelle Eppinger posted up and scored using the glass.
With each basket, SPASH's starters and some of the first players off the bench stood up and cheered or waved a towel.
It doesn't get much better in a Division 1 regional semifinal to have the luxury of being able to rest the top players in your rotation, and avoid any chance for an injury.
Leah Earnest finished with a team-high 17 points to lead three players in double figures as No. 8 ranked and third-seeded SPASH coasted to a 76-39 win over Eau Claire Memorial on Friday night.
SPASH (21-2) will host Wisconsin Valley Conference rival Wausau West, a 64-51 winner over Neenah, in the regional final at 7 p.m. Saturday.
"It was so awesome," Panthers senior forward Halle Gregorich said. "I'm so happy they all got to play. I'm proud of us for letting them be able to play. It's really fun for them to have that experience.
"We knew we had to step up and play good tonight and I think we came out really hard right away."
There was no reason to believe the regional semifinal would turn into a laugher.
SPASH won the regular season meeting 59-52 in the second game of the season in Eau Claire.
Close games are nothing new to the Old Abes, who lost by eight points or less in eight of their 16 losses.
Friday night was a different story. The Panthers took charge from the opening tip. It began with Earnest cleaning up the glass for a couple putback baskets.
Madisyn Rogan knocked down a couple 3-pointers against the Memorial zone. Maggie Negaard chimed in with a couple buckets on drives to the hoop.
Before the Old Abes had time to get their legs under them from the bus trip over, SPASH already had built a 26-9 cushion.
"I thought their urgency was very high and their effort was much better than ours tonight," Memorial coach Brandon Fanning said. "Once we dug ourselves a hole, I didn't think mentally we did a very good job of responding to that and they kept coming."
SPASH players react as a teammate scores near the end of the game during the girl's basketball regional semifinal game between Stevens Point Area Senior High and Eau Claire Memorial in Stevens Point, Wis., February 23, 2018. (Photo: Alexandra Wimley/USA TODAY NETWO)
Jada Biermeier was the lone bright spot for the Old Abes with a team-high 16 points. No other player reached double digits.
Earnest hurt the Old Abes on the offensive boards with the majority of her game-high 12 rebounds coming on that end. She turned a handful of those into points to inflict even more damage on Memorial.
Negaard chipped in with 16 points and Rogan 14.
Now the Panthers will turn their attention to the third meeting of the season with Wausau West.
SPASH swept the regular season series with the Warriors, including an 82-74 victory in Wausau on Dec. 8. The rematch went to the Panthers 71-67 on Jan. 19.
Both teams like to push the ball up the court and there is no reason to think the third game between the teams won't be any different.
"It's going to be a track meet. I like that better than turtle basketball," SPASH coach Kraig Terpstra said. "We're done celebrating this and we're ready for tomorrow. The biggest thing is (the win) got us to our next goal (the regional final).
"I felt right away the kids were excited for this postseason run and they played like it (tonight). I didn't expect to be able to pull away from them so that was a nice bonus."
SPASH player Madisyn Rogan prepares to shoot a basket during the girl's basketball regional semifinal game between Stevens Point Area Senior High and Eau Claire Memorial in Stevens Point, Wis., February 23, 2018. (Photo: Alexandra Wimley/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin)
Eau Claire Memorial 17 22 - 39
SPASH 38 38 - 76
EAU CLAIRE MEMORIAL (39): Jessica Massey 4, Jada Biermeier 16, Olivia Tangley 4, Jessica Meyer 3, Sydney Hazuga 5, Regan Appleby 4, Hannah Wright 3.
SPASH (76): Halle Gregorich 4, Rachel Sullivan 6, Maggie Negaard 16, Madisyn Rogan 14, Leah Earnest 17, Maddie Fink 5, Jenna Bohanski 6, Kaylin Kostuchowski 2, Rachel Lummis 2, Kaylee Hintz 2, Izabelle Eppinger 2.
3-pointers: Eau Claire Memorial 3 (Hazuga, Wright, Meyer); SPASH 8 (Rogan 4, Earnest, Fink, Bohanski 2).
Records: SPASH 21-2; Eau Claire Memorial 6-17.