Midgettes quiet Screaming Eagles

HURLEY - Hurley picked up an important win for postseason seeding, 57-40 over Chequamegon, Monday night.

It was only the fifth game for the Midgettes, but head-to-head matchups are key when coaches vote on regional seeds in February. Chequamegon is the only team from the five-team regional that Hurley faces in the regular season.

"It's early yet, obviously; it's still important, but all games are important," Hurley coach Steve Eder said. "I know it sounds cliche to say that. It doesn't matter who we play, we still need to improve on some things. We still need to make shots. We still need to play defense."

The victory also was Hurley's third straight after starting the season 0-2.

The Screaming Eagles closed within three points, 23-20 at halftime, and made it a one-point game by scoring on the first possession of the second half.

The Midgettes' responded quickly with a Brittany Czarnecki 3-pointer. Chequamegon made a basket to get the deficit back to 26-24, but Hurley scored the next 12 points to take control.

"Chequamegon's an excellent basketball team with a phenomenal coach," Hurley coach Steve Eder said. "They had a three-point lead and we had to find that intensity we started the game out with. It went away on us a little bit. It was imperative we start making some shots and get back to that tough defensive mentality that we have. We did that. I couldn't be more happy."

MaKayla Wolfe made two technical foul fee throws and Kirkie Pecotte and Wolfe hit back-to-back triples that made the lead 33-24.

Wolfe's two free throws with 4:22 left capped the run and gave Hurley a 38-24 lead.

Chequamegon never got the deficit under nine points again.

"Basketball is a game of momentum and we were hoping we'd be the team would pick up the momentum, but they came out and hit some shots and we made some turnovers," Chequamegon coach Andy Pilch said. "It kind of opened up right there."

Wolfe and Natalie Moon both had 10 points to lead Hurley. Ten players scored for the Midgettes.

"Just couldn't be more proud of the effort again, every single kid on the team, even the kids who did not play," Eder said. "The girls that maybe didn't get a lot of time tonight or any time tonight, they did a lot of really good things at practice (Sunday), running through Chequamegon's stuff so we were as prepared as we could be."

Alexie Canik had 13 points to lead Chequamegon.

The Screaming Eagles struggle to score.

"I don't have a lot of offensive punch, so we have to try to make it up on defense, get fast breaks, things like that," Pilch said.

Emily Wagner, who had eight points, is being recruited by Division II schools.

"Most schools we're playing now are double teaming her or triple teaming her," Pilch said. "She gets the ball and they collapse on her. She's not getting all the drives she had been getting before, so that's been a problem. Some of the other girls hit a few tonight, so I was happy to see that."

Hurley (3-2) goes to Ashland for a non-conference game Thursday night.

Chequamegon - Kayla Mrotek 6, Autumn Chrouser 2, Emily Wagner 8, Alexie Canik 13, Emily Ernest 6, Mallory Wilson 2, Emma Wallow 3. FTs: 9-24. Fouls: 16. Fouled out: None. 3-pointers: Canik 3.

Hurley - Gabby Pecotte 5, Natalie Moon 10, Dani Irons 6, Brittany Czarnecki 8, Kaylyn King 2, Tianne Kuula 2, MaKayla Wolfe 10, Tori Colassaco 3, Maria Swartz 2, Kirkie Pecotte 9. FTs: 11-15. Fouls: 21. Fouled out: None. 3-pointers: Czarnecki 2, Wolfe 2, G. Pecotte 1, Colassaco 1.

Chequamegon 7 20 30 40

Hurley 14 23 41 57