By MIKE KEMMETER
of The Gazette
MADISON - The Amherst High School girls basketball team practically gave away its dream of a second straight state title.
Thanks to 11 first quarter turnovers, the Falcons got behind early last Thursday and couldn't rally as Bloomer got the best of Amherst 50-40 in the WIAA Division 3 Semifinal at the UW Field House. The Blackhawks fell to North Fond du Lac 52-46 in the championship game Saturday night.
"It wasn't one of our best games," Amherst coach Shelli Haferbecker. "We were a big turnover team at the start of the season and unfortunately we got back to that.
"If you can't control the ball, you can't score. A lot of ours were unforced and that's unfortunate."
Because of turnovers, the Falcons (22-4) got off to a slow start in the first quarter. Amherst gave the ball away in its first three possessions and had a tough time putting the ball in the basket. The defending champions didn't hit a field goal until Meghan Simkins nailed a six-foot baseline jumper with 1:29 left in the first quarter.
After trailing 11-6 after the first quarter, Amherst continued to have trouble connecting on its shots. While the team did convert on 5-of-8 free throw attempts, the Falcons made only two field goals in the quarter and the Blackhawks held a 23-15 halftime lead.
Amherst shot just 4-of-17 in the half (24 percent). Bloomer wasn't much better, though, hitting 10-of-31 (32 percent).
"We were fortunate enough to be within eight points," Haferbecker said.
"We didn't shoot as well as we usually do," Bloomer coach Lon Wilson said. "If we would've shot better, I thought we could've been more successful in points."
The Falcons did put the first half behind them and got within striking distance of Bloomer's lead a few times in the second half. However, the Blackhawks answered each time Amherst got within three or four points of the lead. Amherst's Caroline Quinn hit a hoop from inside the lane, bringing the Falcons within three, 34-31 with 1:13 left in the third quarter. But Nikki Wilson struck back for Bloomer, hitting a baseline jumper with 45 seconds to go to give the Blackhawks a 36-31 advantage heading into the fourth quarter.
"We just needed to get over that four-point hump. It could've been a different game if we could've got over the hump," Haferbecker said.
That was the closest Amherst would get to the lead again. Bloomer opened the fourth quarter with a 11-2 run to take a 14-point, 47-33 lead with 1:24 to go. Chelsea Meyer opened the quarter with three straight baskets, two inside and one long jumper. The Blackhawks then sealed the win at the free throw line.
Another spot that hurt the Falcons was the boards. Amherst, normally a strong rebounding team, was outrebounded 37-35 by Bloomer. The Blackhawks also had 20 offensive rebounds, leading to several second-chance baskets.
"Today we had a hard time keeping them boxed out," Haferbecker said. "They did a heck of a job crashing the boards."
Simkins led the team with 15 points and nine rebounds, despite playing 23 minutes because of foul trouble. She picked up her third foul with 4:29 left in the second quarter and got her fourth with 2:22 to go in the third. She fouled out with 6.2 seconds left in the game.
"She didn't play a great majority of the game because of fouls," Haferbecker said. "Caroline Quinn came in there and did an excellent job."
Quinn had four points on 2-of-3 shooting and two rebounds in seven minutes. Jenni Orsund added 11 points and seven boards.