January 3, 2022 at 12:37 p.m.
Hodag girls stymied by Watertown in 41-18 loss
Hodag girls stymied by Watertown in 41-18 loss
Rhinelander managed only 28 shots in a low-tempo game and fell to Watertown 41-18 in the final day of the Watertown Holiday Tournament.
The Hodags held the Goslings to 36% from the field, but got a taste of their own medicine against another team that plays almost exclusively a 1-3-1 zone defense. Coach Ryan Clark said that, and the aftershock of Tuesday's 54-point loss to the top team in Division 2, left the Hodags hesitant to pull the trigger at times Wednesday.
"We don't always attack the pressure very well. Most of the game, the pressure in the 1-3-1 kept pushing us away from the basket and we didn't recognize some chances to score," he said. "Other times we did attack them and either got to the rim or got some open looks and we just didn't hit anything."
The game was still reasonably close, with Rhinelander down 26-14 with 12:52 to play. But the Hodags went on a 9-minute, 11-second scoring drought from there and Watertown post player Riley Quinn got going as the Hodags extended their defense. Quinn scored nine straight points as part of an 11-0 run midway through the second half that sealed Rhinelander's fate.
"We really just didn't score," Clark said. "They got 41 but that was with us, in the last about six minutes, trying to extend our pressure a little bit. They got some easy ones and got a lot of points in the last 3-4 minutes.
"Defensively, they did a nice job. They were a little better shooters than what we had, a little more size, but I think that's a game that should have been much closer than the final score."
Rhinelander did get some good news as senior Audrey Schiek returned to the lineup a day after sitting much of the Reedsburg contest following head-to-head contact with a Reedsburg player early in the opening half. Schiek and Brynn Brzycki both had six points to lead Rhinelander.
"She didn't score much, but just having her presence back in our 1-3-1, she creates a lot of steals and deflections and got up the floor," Clark said of Schiek's return. "I think everybody plays better when she's on the court. That was nice to see her back."
The Hodags had more turnovers (16) than they had field goal attempts (12) in the first half. Yet they were only down 10-6 midway through the half before the Goslings created some separation with an 11-2 run. Lily Olier started the spurt with a 3-pointer and Drew Hinrichs, who led all scorers with 14, added a couple of baskets as Watertown took a 21-10 lead into the break.
Quinn added 13 points and was credited with 10 deflected passes.
"Watertown was just a solid team that would make you earn your baskets," Clark said. "We've just got to get a little more confident. When we're open, we've got to hit the shot, at least take it confidently."
Rhinelander (7-4, 2-1 Great Northern) has dropped three of four following a 6-1 start, and the road doesn't get much easier this week. The team heads to Raider Hall tonight for a matchup against Medford before coming home Friday to take on Lakeland, which has single-digits losses to Milwaukee Pius XI and Lake Mills in Watertown this past week.
"I hope they can reflect on this tournament," Clark said. "I think their pride got hurt a little bit yesterday. I thought our confidence was a little shaky today, even though we battled pretty hard. This has got to be a springboard for us. We've got to take what we learned from this tournament and get better."
Jeremy Mayo may be reached at [email protected].
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