Posted: Feb. 1, 2010 |(0) Comments

Germantown boys basketball

The open 3-pointer from the baseline by Port Washington was in the air as the buzzer went off at Germantown on Friday.

If it went in, the Pirates boys basketball team (6-2 in league play and 12-2 overall) would have overcame an 18-point deficit and pulled off a miracle 66-65 win. Further, it would have given Port a two-game lead in the highly competitive North Shore Conference.

If it didn't, the Warhawks (5-3, 11-5) would have a huge upset win at 65-63, and would leave about five other teams in the league, including themselves, with some hope for a NSC crown.

"It bounced straight up and then bounced on the rim again and finally it fell off," said Germantown coach Steve Showalter. "We had hung on." Germantown has now won seven out of its last eight games.

With the victory, the Warhawks reduced the Pirates' lead in the North Shore to just one game over three other teams (Whitefish Bay, Homestead and themselves). Bay lost out on a chance to pull into a tie for the lead with a 53-52 loss to Nicolet (4-4, 10-5).

"I got text messages from Ray Curry (Homestead coach) and Paul Hepp (Nicolet coach) thanking me for helping out the league," Showalter laughed. "I just told them 'Hey, I'm just trying to win some games here!' "

Germantown, coming off a disappointing loss to Homestead the week before, needed the win. They came out on fire, taking a 20-11 lead on the visiting Pirates. The advantage remained at nine at the half (35-26) and was stretched to 52-38 at the end of the third quarter.

But a furious fourth quarter rally by Port put the young Warhawks on their heels and left them hanging on for dear life at the end. The Pirates hit two threes to start the period and then it was "game on" the rest of the way. Germantown's Josh Mongan hit one-of-two free throws with seven seconds left to set up the final scenario.

"We thought that they were beatable," said an excited Showalter. "We knew that one guy (Port's Wisconsin recruit, Josh Gasser, who scored a game-high 22 points) couldn't do this to us. Win the conference by himself. ... It was a great game. We had to balance being aggressive and maintaining control at the end, and we really cut it close."

Mongan scored 18 points to lead Germantown, while Zak Showalter had 17 and Jake Keefe 14. The Warhawks will host Milwaukee Lutheran (4-4, 8-5) on Friday.

Germantown girls basketball

Senior forward Shannon Gilly scored 12 of her 15 points in the first half and also grabbed 13 rebounds, giving the Warhawks a big lift in their 72-62 win over Port Washington on Friday.

"That was a big help," said Warhawks coach Matt Stuve, whose team also dropped a tough 51-45 nonconference decision to Hartland Arrowhead on Jan. 26. "It was great that someone was able to pick up the scoring slack."

The Warhawks (6-2 in North Shore and 11-3 overall) remained in second in league play. They will visit Milwaukee Lutheran (2-5, 4-7) at 7:30 p.m. Friday.

"We can put ourselves in good position if we take care of business this week," Stuve said.

The victory over Port was the second in a row for the Warhawks after they lost point guard Melissa Klemm to a knee injury. They grabbed a 17-10 first quarter lead and a 39-22 halftime advantage over the Pirates (1-7, 2-11). The margin ballooned to 50-25 before the Warhawks relaxed.

"They may have gotten it under 10 briefly but that was about it," said Stuve.

Eliza Wortman had 14 of her 18 points in the second half and also grabbed 12 rebounds. Rachel Hoft added 12 points while Courtney Mehring had a good game with nine.

In the loss to Arrowhead, the final score was deceptive as Germantown's Classic 8 Conference opponents took advantage of numerous turnovers and bolted to a 25-8 first quarter lead.

Wortman had 20, including 10-of-11 free throws while Hoft had 11.

Menomonee Falls/Germantown/Hamilton swim

The Indians parents' night went very well Jan. 28 as they overpowered Marquette by a 107-79 count.

They will now be at the Greater Metro Conference meet at the fast Waukesha South pool Saturday (diving at 10 a.m. and swimming at 1:30 p.m.).

Falls/GT picked up eight firsts in the win over the Hilltoppers. Individual winners included Sean Kimmitt in the 200-yard freestyle (one minute, 55.93 seconds) and the 100 butterfly (52.87), Nick Bietz in the 50 free (23.15), Nathan Cox in diving (277.3 points), Michael Pellechia in the 500 free (5:11.72) and Taylor Ladd in the 100 breaststroke (1:06.04).

In addition, the Indians claimed the 200 medley relay with Bietz, Ladd, Kimmitt and Ben Perry (1:42.96) and the 200 free relay with Taylor Hernikl, Tyler Kloehn, Ladd and Bietz (1:33.28).

Behind Kimmitt, Falls/GT got a sweep of the 200 free as Kloehn (1:56.97) and Pellechia (1:58.34) were second and third, respectively.

Menomonee Falls wrestling

Still down about five performers from their start of the year lineup, the Indians gritted their teeth and did what they could, going 1-4 in the Sheboygan South Redwing Duals on Saturday.

"Some injuries, some illness, some suspensions," said Indians coach Jim McMahon. "It's a big difference between Tony Nelessen (out for the year with a knee injury; 189-pound state qualifier) and someone else. ... But we're getting some young kids experience."

Falls will now set its sights on the Greater Metro Conference Tournament at Sussex Hamilton on Friday. McMahon is hoping to take up to 12 competitors to the event. West Allis Central is the favorite.

The Indians only win at South on Saturday was against the host school (57-17) in the last match of the day. Previously, they lost duals to Oconto, Sun Prairie, West Bend West and Oshkosh North. Kenosha Tremper won the event.

Heavyweight Tyler Bross had the best day, going 4-1 at 285, while Korey Kleinhans was 2-2 at 189 and Dan Stark 3-2 at 103 for the Indians.

Menomonee Falls girls basketball

The season hit a new low for the Indians on Friday, as they dropped a 41-39 overtime decision to previously winless West Allis Hale.

Falls, which was also beaten by co-league leader DSHA, 62-34, on Jan. 26, is now 2-6 in league play and 4-11 overall. The Indians take on border rival Hamilton (4-4, 8-6) on Tuesday and will host Brookfield East (4-4, 6-8) at 7:30 p.m. Friday.

Hale (1-8, 1-13) got six points from Erin Barbeau (11 overall) in the overtime of the nip-and-tuck home game for the Falls on Friday. The contest was tied at the end of three of the four regulation quarters.

Rachel Defnet had nine points for the Indians while Jenna Botticelli had eight.

Falls hurt itself by hitting only 11 of 26 free throws.

DSHA (7-1, 8-6) bolted to an 18-9 first quarter lead and never looked back against Falls on Jan. 26. Erin Crownover had nine points for Falls.