WLA gets road win at Randolph

Ceil McAuly and Anna Trewin each had chances to step to the free-throw line in crunch time on Monday afternoon.

The two were rock-solid as Winnebago Lutheran made plays down to stretch to fend off a Randolph comeback and secure a 48-40 nonconference road win.

"We were uncomfortable, but that's how you get better," coach Eric Schraufnagel said. "That's how you get tested and that's how you learn to rely on each other. In a close game like this, it's not one person who's the hero.

"We had six, seven, eight, nine people playing during that stretch."

McAuly went 2-for-3 from the line, all of her opportunities came in the last 2:45 of the game. Trewin went 7-for-10, including 3-for-4 in the same time span.

Trewin had a team-high 13 points, McAuly was close behind with 9.

Randolph (2-6) had cut WLA's lead to 39-36 when McAuly drove the lane, got fouled and made the layup and the free throw and extending the lead to 42-36.

On McAuly's other trip to the line, she missed the second shot, but sophomore Jill Pinno got the offensive rebound and scored on the putback, which restored a 6-point lead.

"It's neat to see different players step up," Schraufnagel said. "Jill with the putback, Ceil with those plays down the stretch. I thought Addy Suprenand and Anna Trewin were just so solid, especially in that second half, especially when Randolph went on that run."

Pinno had 8 points, including the first 6 of the afternoon. WLA (5-3) raced out to a 17-4 lead within the first eight minutes of the game.

The Vikings led by as many as 14 in the first half.

Randolph had opportunities in the first half to close the gap further as WLA struggled with fouls. The Rockets were in the bonus early but missed the front end all three times and went just 1-for-5 from the line while in the first-half bonus.

Randolph sophomore Maddie Medema had a game-high 16 points, which is about her season average. WLA had freshman Lola Rich and junior Silvia Sopena primarily on Medema, but Schraufnagel said almost everyone contributed on slowing her down.

"I thought Lola did a good job, I though Silvia did a good job; we switched a lot of pick and rolls and stuff, I thought the people that switched onto her did a good job," Schraufnagel said. "We just talked about, 'We need to be aware of where she is, we need to get a high hand on her shots.'

"We know good players make hard shots and she did that today, that's why she's an all-conference player, but I thought we made her work."

PHOTO GALLERY: WLA at Randolph girls basketball - 12/30/2024