Poland ousts Madison

Blue Devils struggle offensively in loss

POLAND >> It seemed like Madison’s girls basketball team couldn’t miss a shot when it defeated Poland the last time they met during the regular season. Friday the teams met in the first round of the Class D playoffs and the opposite was true.

Coach Elaine Hogan’s Blue Devils managed just two points in the first quarter, seven in the first half and only five more in the third in a 55- 23 loss to the Tornadoes.

“I don’t even want to know,” Hogan said of her team’s dismal shooting per- centage. “It seemed like five percent ( but) it wasn’t for a lack of trying.”

Indeed. Madison ( 8- 11) had almost as many shots in the first half as Poland and was still within striking distance being down just 21- 7 at the break. Hogan’s team missed five of six foul shots at the end, too.

When Taylor Best made two foul shots to start the third period there was a glimmer of hope for the visitors. Then Paige Sullivan scored off an offensive rebound to start a 9- 0 run for Poland ( 910) that put the game away. Mikayla Blumenstock scored eight straight points off steals to begin the last quarter for Poland and wound up with 18 to lead all scorers. She also did yeoman’s work with the rest of her team in keeping pressure on Madison.

“We did a much better job defensively,” Poland coach Jason Potempa said. “We switched defenses. We tried a press zone and half- court zone.”

It worked much to the delight of Potempa’s players who remembered the defeat a month ago in Madison.

“Our defense was pretty strong tonight,” point guard Kara Morrison said. “Stronger than the last time. We’ve been putting a lot of work into it in practice.”