Lena goes for gold

The littlest school still has the biggest dream alive.  Lena, with the smallest enrollment (133) of the 20 teams at the W.I.A.A. Girls State Basketball Championship earned the right to play for the Division 5 title Saturday after beating Clear Lake 53-48 in the semifinal at the Resch Center.   The Wildcats survived despite making only 9 of 26 free throws (34.6%) in the game but their defensive effort and willing to push the ball up the big floor got them through.  It helped to have two players produce double-doubles. Junior Eva Brooks dominated down low with a game high 23 points and 14 rebounds.  Sophomore Madi Thomson had 12 points and 11 boards and it was her three point play, steal and layup with 6:43 to go that pushed Lena’s lead from 3 to eight at 40-32.   The second seeded Wildcats improved to 28-2 on the year and the M&O conference champs will now face Albany/Monticello in the championship game.  The 4th seeded Comets upset number one seed Argyle/Pecatonica 37-31 in the opening game Friday morning.   They finished the game on an 8-0 run holding the Orioles without a point over the final 7:41 of the game, ending their 26 game winning streak.   Argyle/Pecatonica is coached by former UW-Green Bay women’s standout Jen Wellnitz-Krogman.  They finished 26-2 on the year losing their first and last games of the season.   Albany/Monticello improved to 26-3.  Lena, making it’s 4th trip to state and first since back to back appearances in 1990 and 1991 is looking to bring home it’s second gold ball, the first was captured with an undefeated Class C championship in 1980. The Division 5 title game will kick off Championship Saturday at 11:05 AM.