The Laconia Spartans are back to back champions after fending off Cuba City 47-43 for the WIAA Girls State Basketball Division 4 title at the Resch Center Saturday afternoon. It was the second straight, tense to the wire title game of the day, following Albany/Monticello’s 57-54 overtime victory versus Lena in Division 5.
This game was tight throughout and tied at 41 with just over a minute remaining. Off a timeout, Laconia ran a smart inbounds play that resulted in a layuup for Aubrey Leonard. A quick steal and breakout layup for Molly Duel made it 45-41. The Cubans also executed as Alexis Runde took a bounce pass down low for an easy bucket to pull Cuba City back within 2. Cuba City needed to burn three fouls to reach the bonus, finally putting Laconia at the line. A missed free throw gave Cuba City a chance but Olivia Olson, the team’s leading scorer, who struggled all day from the floor making just of 19 shots, came up just short on her last, a potential take the lead three. Laconia rebounded and Duel calmly made a pair of clinching free throws with 04 left.
Cuba City was led by Ashley Rowe with 11 points but the team struggled offensively, making just 15 of 54 shots (27.8%) on the day. The Cubans were a game away from extending their state record of 11 girls championships, finishing the year 25-5.
Laconia defeated LaCrosse Aquinas in last year’s title game, played nearly all of the ranked Division 4 teams in the state during the season and that experience paid off when needed most for a second straight championship, finishing 28-2.
Laconia might have a good shot at a three-peat. Head Coach Chris Morgan has a daughter Payton who is just a junior. She missed her first five three point attempts but connected on back to back big ones in the second half. Leading scorer Tierney Madigan will be back along with point guard Eva Engel. Laconia is losing only one senior, Callista Vande Berg who finished her career with a game high 11 points, 12 rebounds and a second gold ball. That’s a double-double capitalized.
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