High school sports roundup: Union Grove girls basketball team pulls rank on Oak Creek

In a marquee matchup of two of the best programs in the state, the host Broncos and Oak Creek squared off in a battle of state-ranked teams.

Union Grove, of the Southern Lakes Conference, pulled rank on the Knights, taking a 36-19 lead at halftime and holding on for a 62-48 nonconference victory over the team that has won 133 consecutive games in the Southeast Conference.

“We had four days to prepare,” Broncos coach Rob Domagalski said. “There’s a lot of things we learn, win or lose, playing against a program that’s so well coached and has a great tradition,

“I’m very proud of the outcome.”

Union Grove (3-1), ranked sixth in Division 2 in the first wissports.net state coaches poll of the season, had a great night shooting Saturday, going 24 of 40 (60%) from the field and 11 of 20 (55%) from 3-point range.

Senior forward Sydney Ludvigsen had the hottest hand for the Broncos, scoring 16 of her game-high 20 points in the first half to help build the big halftime lead. Ludvigsen finished the game 7 of 10 from the field and 4 of 5 from beyond the arc.

Senior guard Carolyn May (6 of 8 from the field, four assists and four rebounds in the game), had nine of her 14 points in the half to help the cause.

Senior guard Sophia Rampulla, playing despite being under the weather, finished with 10 points, eight assists and six rebounds, and sophomore guard Samantha Hafferkamp added nine points.

“We had a good night shooting and we had good shot selection,” Domagalski said. “We were kicking it out to the open player and I’m proud of how they handled that.”

Oak Creek (2-2), ranked 10th in Division 1, was led by 6-foot-2 senior center Paulina Hernandez, but the NCAA Division I Cleveland State University recruit was held to a season-low 13 points. No one else scored in double figures for the Knights.

“It was a cool team win,” Domagalski said. “It adds to what the girls have built over the last three years. You don’t get to these wins overnight and to beat a team like Oak Creek is evidence of that.”

BURLINGTON 70, PARK 37: The Demons ran their season-opening winning streak to five games Saturday with a convincing nonconference victory over the Panthers in the Racine Lakeshore Officials Association Showcase at Union Grove.

Both teams were coming off victories in their respective conference openers Friday night, and their game Saturday at 10 a.m. was the first of the day in the Showcase.

Burlington didn’t seem to have any aftereffects from its tightly contested 42-40 Southern Lakes Conference victory over Waterford Friday, scoring its highest point total since an 82-50 victory over Freeport, Illinois, in December of 2019. It was just the fourth time since the 2010-2011 season the Demons have scored at least 70 points in a game.

All but one of Burlington’s 14 players scored at least two points.

“It was a big test, but we came out strong and ready to play,” Demons coach Kyle Foulke said. “Everyone chipped in and it was fun coasting to a win.”

Burlington led 40-10 at halftime as Bella Sanfelippo came off the bench and scored all of her team-high 11 points (three 3-point baskets) in the first half. Jenna Bebow, also coming off the bench, had eight points of her 10 points in the first half, including 6 of 6 free-throw shooting.

Starter Brinley Clapp and reserve Mabel Nichols each had eight points in the game for the Demons.

Burlington’s defense kept Park (1-3) in check offensively. Shelby Jennings scored a game-high 19 points and Grace Betker added 12, but the rest of the Panthers combined for just six points.

Park was coming off Friday’s 54-50 victory over Kenosha Indian Trail that snapped the Panthers’ 26-game losing streak.

RACINE LUTHERAN 57, CASE 48: The Crusaders had trouble matching the Eagles’ intensity in the first half, but eventually Lutheran was able to regain some of its focus and outlast nonconference foe Case Saturday in the Racine Lakeshore Officials Association Showcase at Union Grove.

Lutheran (2-2) played lackadaisical defense in the first half, coach Steve Shaffer said, and allowed the Eagles (0-5) to make five 3-point baskets and trail by just three points (34-31) at halftime.

“We could not match their energy,” Shaffer said. “There were a lot of things going on — they hit a lot of 3s and we did not play our best defense. Playing hard kept Case in the game and they outhustled us at times.

“In the second half, we increased our energy, but we weren’t quite as consistent. Today we saw a little setback, but we found a way to win.”’

Another reason the Crusaders could not pull away was their free-throw shooting. They attempted 46 foul shots, but made just 21 (46%). The Eagles outscored Lutheran from the field 42-36.

“Us missing free throws helped them stay in the game,” Shaffer said.

One thing the Crusaders did have was balanced scoring. Ellie Jaramillo and Sarah Strande had 11 points each and Selma Ibarra and Julia Kellner each had 10. No individual shot better than 50% at the free-throw line.

Case was led by freshman Taccarrii Hicks, who had three 3-pointers and led all scorers with 15 points. 10 in the first half. Je’Quiasia Williams added 10 points for the Eagles.

WESTOSHA CENTRAL 68, HORLICK 45: Kamya Mooney scored a season-high 20 points for the Rebels, but the Falcons made 10 3-point baskets and had two players combine for 37 points in a nonconference game that was part of the Racine Lakeshore Officials Association Showcase at Union Grove.

Mooney had 12 of her points in the second half and she was 4 of 4 at the free-throw line for Horlick (1-6). Shamya Anderson added nine points for the Rebels.

Westosha (1-4) was led by senior Reese Rynberg with 19 points and freshman Lydia Pelli with 18 points. Senior Taya Witt added 11.

Boys basketball

MILWAUKEE REAGAN 72, HORLICK 53: Coming off Friday’s epic 77-69 comeback victory over Kenosha Tremper, the Rebels had virtually no turnaround time for Saturday’s 9:45 a.m. nonconference game in the Terry Porter Classic and lost to the Huskies at Milwaukee South Division High School.

Horlick’s fatigue showed as Reagan (1-1) rolled to a 50-29 halftime lead and was never threatened. Chris Thompson scored 14 of his game-high 22 points and Mason Halbrooks scored 12 of his 14 points in the first half for the Huskies.

Senior center Cam McIntosh, who had 22 points against Tremper, finished with 13 against Reagan, and senior forward Blake Fletcher, who had 19 Friday, scored 10 points Saturday. Senior forward Marii Shelton had a strong game with 12 points.

Boys swimming

RACINE UNIFIED CO-OP: Brayden Moore opened the season for the Racine Unified Co-op team Saturday by winning in four events to lead Unified to the championship of the Cudahy Small School Invitational.

Moore, a sophomore, opened the meet by swimming the third leg of the 200-yard medley relay that won in 1:50.90. Jacob Hendricks, John Merrill and Nathaniel Foster were also on the relay.

His effort there didn’t interfere with his performance in the next event, the 200 freestyle. Despite little rest, he won the race in 1:54.85, 12 seconds ahead of Ian Bock of South Milwaukee (2:06.91).

Moore’s second individual win came in the 100 butterfly, where finished in 58.00 seconds to win by nine seconds over Garrett Stepanovich of St. Francis/Thomas More (59.08).

Moore’s fourth victory was as a member of the 400 freestyle relay, which he anchored to a time of 3:44.52, nearly nine seconds ahead of runner-up Milwaukee Reagan (3:53.11). The relay also featured Adam Ries, Foster and Yash Patil.

Hendricks had two victories. In addition to the 200 medley relay, Hendricks was on the winning 200 freestyle relay (1:47.48) with Kyle Ketterhagen, Nolan Chvilicek and Jaedyn Malanche.

Ries added a victory in the 50 freestyle in 25.06 seconds and nearly pulled off a tough double and finished second in the 500 freestyle (6:11.50).

Foster added a third place in the 100 backstroke (1:06.20) and Merrill was third in the 100 breaststroke (1:14.22).

Unified totaled 443 points, well ahead of runner-up Reagan (319).