Raiders limit turnovers, hit free throws in regional final victory

with just over eight minutes to play.

Out of a timeout, Medford ran a wellexecuted set, getting Fronk open for a backdoor score off an assist from Autumn Krause. Ruesch added a free throw seconds later. The Jays got a bucket from Nicole Zoellner, but Krause knocked down a huge 3-point shot from the left wing. Klapatauskas answered a Crystal Dearth bucket with a score in the paint and Fronk stepped through a triple team in the lane to score with 2:10 to go, putting Medford up 39-32.

From there, it was about limiting Merrill to one shot and hitting free throws, which the Raiders did. Ruesch was eight for eight at the line down the stretch and 11 for 13 in the game. She took all of Medford’s free throws in the game except one.

All Merrill could muster in the last two minutes was a Krueger 3 that made it 43-35 with 38.6 seconds left.

“We only had 11 turnovers. That right there was a huge factor for us,” coach Klapatauskas said. “We shot 30% from the field so our shooting was about the same, but when we have fewer turnovers that makes a difference. We get more shots off. Turnovers and free throws were what won us that game. Hitting the free throws down the stretch when we needed them was big.”

Ruesch led all scorers with 19 points. She added five rebounds, four steals and three assists. Fronk scored 14 points and had four assists, three steals and three rebounds. Krause made two second-half 3s to finish with six points and had two assists. Klapatauskas had four points and six rebounds. Brehm had just two points but she had seven rebounds and a couple of steals. Martha Miller had a second-half hoop and four rebounds. Bryn Fronk had three rebounds and two assists.

Krueger led Merrill with 12 points, five steals, four assists and three rebounds. But Medford limited her to fourof- 15 shooting from the field, including four of 11 from long range. As a team, Merrill was just five of 27 on 3-point shots which never forced Medford to get out of its zone.

“It was a whole different team to play against because Mosinee is always running fast, driving into the lanes,” Fronk said. “This team relies more on outside shooting and cutting.”

“We did a good job of knowing where Krueger was on the floor and knowing where everyone else was,” Greg Klapatauskas said. “Every time they started to make a run, we made a shot, it seemed, to answer.”

The win gives Medford another shot at Onalaska, who ousted the Raiders from last year’s tournament 46-37 in the regional semifinal round.

“This is amazing especially being my senior year,” Fronk said. “I’m just so happy that I get to keep playing.

“It’s going to be really exciting,” she added. “I’m so proud of my team. There’s no other way I’d want my senior year to go.”

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