Arrowhead drops sectional final in 2 OTs
TOWN OF MERTON - The chances were there for the Arrowhead girls basketball team.
The Warhawks led with possession of the ball in the final 80 seconds of both regulation and overtime against Verona in a Division 1 sectional final Saturday afternoon, both times within arms reach of securing a state berth.
Both times, Arrowhead turned the ball over and, both times, Verona turned a steal into a game-tying score.
The Wildcats staved off defeat and forced double overtime, where they claimed their first lead of the game and never looked back in a 50-40 victory.
“If you just look at that stat of who made more plays, they made more plays and all the credit to them,” Arrowhead head coach Rick Witte said. “First off, hats off to them, they made more plays. But we had opportunities that didn't go our way.”
The best opportunity for Arrowhead came late in the first overtime period.
Phoebe Frentzel, who scored 20 points to lead the Warhawks, buried a three-pointer with 1 minute, 35 seconds that had the feel of a potential dagger.
When Verona missed a three of its own on the other end and Arrowhead secured the rebound, the outlook was even brighter for the hosts.
But the Wildcats forced a steal with backcourt pressure and Taylor Stremlow turned it into a three-point play to tie the game with 56.9 seconds remaining.
“There were just too many turnovers and you can't give a team like that — I'd imagine we were close to 20 turnovers — that many extra possessions in a game like this.”
The turnover monster reared its head for Arrowhead, the top seed in the sectional, at the end of regulation, as well.
Leading by two with 2:30 to play, the Warhawks held the ball for over a minute to drain the clock. Stremlow came away with a steal from the blindside of Frentzel, which led to a fast break layup by Reagan Briggs with 1:08 left.
In both regulation and overtime, Arrowhead held for a final shot, but neither team was able to convert. The shot at the end of regulation didn't hit the rim, but Frentzel's straight-on three attempt with five seconds left in overtime rimmed out.
“When that ball left her hand in the first overtime, I thought it was game over,” Witte said.
Verona, a team consisting almost completely of freshmen and sophomores in its rotation, took its first lead of the contest on a turnaround jumper by Paige Lambe on the first possession of double overtime.
The Warhawks would only score once the rest of the way — on a Frentzel free throw.
The poise of the Wildcats, who beat Kettle Moraine in the sectional semifinal by one point on a three-point play with five seconds left in overtime, was remarkable not just for a young team, but also for one that didn't start its season until Jan, 21 and went 4-4 in the regular season.
“We are genuinely happy for them given the situation they've had,” Witte said. “They had to earn that.”