MCDONALD'S SWNEWS4U.COM GAME OF THE WEEK (March 4–11)
WIAA D4 GIRLS BASKETBALL: Cuba City 47, La Crosse Aquinas 43

By Casey Lindecrantz, Tri-County Press / Republican Journal

#2 Cubans advance to state with narrow win over #4-ranked La Crosse Aquinas

WISCONSIN DELLS — The Cuba City girls basketball team is Resch-bound once more. A tight win over No. 2-seeded Aquinas in the WIAA Division 4 Sectional final, 47–43, ensured the Cubans’ advance towards title status with the program’s 1000th win in the balance as well.

“This game was a battle,” Cuba City head coach Jason Derby said. “Both teams missed shots that they often hit. There were only three, 3-pointers made on the day between both teams.”

The top-seeded Cubans’ (23–5) trip to state was reminiscent of their play in almost every win this season through the first 14 minutes of play — run up the score while the opponent tries to play keep up. Cuba City’s approached worked to a T. It allowed just one field goal every seven minutes en route to a 21–4 advantage. 

Emily Wiegman, Olivia Olson, and Dea Crist all contributed to the early run, and Aly Ingersoll got the Cubans into double figures six minutes in. Over the same period, the Blugolds (23–5) were 1-for-14 from the floor and 0-for-2 from the charity stripe.

Wiegman, Crist, and Ashley Rowe found ways to remain involved in getting the ball through the hoop, as Aquinas struggled making more than a single shot to the aforementioned 17-point split. 

Then the Blugolds figured out their shooting dilemma to the tune of a 15–2 sprint to the half that left just four points between the state contenders during the 10-minute stoppage.

On a day where Cuba City made almost half of its 2-pointers, and shot 39.2% overall, Crist was the rock that kept the team grounded. She earned a team-high 14 points on a 6-for-7 day exclusively inside the arc along with going 2-for-2 at the free throw line. With a team-leading 10 rebounds to her name, Crist could be counted on in most areas of the game.

“Dea Crist played an exceptional game,” Derby said. “Her decision-making — both scoring and passing — was great all game.”

The second half featured a pair of teams that almost matched each other shot-for-shot. Rowe put the Cubans ahead by six a minute in by weaving through a pair of defenders for a layup. Little did either team know that six points was the largest gap either would experience to the final buzzer. 

Cuba City put itself into multiple 5-point leads to the 11:38 mark, though Aquinas consistently reigned their fellow Sectional finalist. It eventually claimed the lead with 2:43 to play, 43-41, but only for a moment. 

Olson drew a shooting foul, and made one of two attempts at the line. Rowe then drained a three with almost no pressure as the clock crossed the 2-minute threshold. Her shot proved to be the fatal blow. Vosberg added a pair of free throws to ice the matchup, but the Blugolds failed to add any points to their name to close the game.

“I thought Ella Vosberg and Summer Rogers did a nice job guarding Sammy Davis, and the rest of the team did well helping out and closing out to shooters,” Derby said. “We felt we needed to take care of the ball and rebound. We did take care of the ball, but uncharacteristically struggled with rebounding as a group.”

Davis’ 16 points on the day were below her season average of 17.2.

Olson finished runner up to Crist’s 14 points with 12 points of her own, and Rowe followed at 10 points.

The Cubans earned the right to play in Saturday’s Sectional finals with a dominating performance over 3 seed Belleville on Mar. 6, 77-46. Cuba City opened on a 22-11 run, before extending its lead to nearly 20 points by the break, 40-22.

Vosberg led a group of four Cubans in double figures with a 23-point showing. Wiegman (13 points), Olson (11) and Crist (11) all joined Vosberg at over 10 points in the matchup with the Wildcats (21–6). Vosberg also had the only double-double in the game with 10 rebounds to lead all athletes.

While the matchup with the Blugolds moved Olson to 1,614 career points. The showdown with Belleville sealed the deal for the senior looking to earn the all-time scoring title for the Cuban girls as she moved past Jessi Marti’s (‘16) 1,596 points. She accomplished the feat in what has been essentially 3.25 years of time on the court despite an ACL tear during the spring of 2024.

“We’re so happy for Olivia,” Derby said. “When you tear an ACL in the offseason, the natural — and usually correct — reaction is that the next season is out of question. The way the timing worked, and the way Olivia worked gave her a chance to return, but it was never a guarantee. For her to break the scoring record with the ACL injury while distributing the ball the way she does makes it all the more impressive. So much hard work has gone into that accomplishment.”

The WIAA Division 4 State Championships at the Resch Center in Green Bay is the next stop for Cuba City as it looks to improve upon last year’s runner up result. The WIAA’s reseeding leaves the Cubans with the 4 seed as they face off in the 6:35 p.m. matchup with top-seeded Prairie School. 

The Hawks (26-2) are also the top-ranked team in the State ahead of second-ranked Cuba City. The other side of the D4 bracket is 2 seed St. Mary’s Catholic (25-3) against 3 seed Durand-Arkansaw (23-5).

WIAA Division 4 Sectional Semifinal
#1-Cuba City 77, #3-Belleville 46
(from Thursday, Mar. 6 @ Lancaster)
Belleville....22 24 — 46 
Cuba City...40 37 — 77   
Cuba City (22–5) — Ella Vosberg 23, Emily Wiegman 13, Olivia Olson 11, Dea Crist 11, Aly Ingersoll 5, Summer Rogers 5, Ashley Rowe 4, Bethany Daugherty 3, Erika Droessler 2. Totals — 33-69 5-8 77.
3-point goals — CC: 6-20 (Wiegman 3, Ingersoll 1, Rogers 1, Olson 1). Team fouls — CC: 16. Fouled out — none.

WIAA Division 4 Sectional Final
#1-Cuba City 47, #2-Aquinas 43
(from Saturday, Mar. 8 @ Wisconsin Dells)
Aquinas.......19 24 — 43 
Cuba City....23 24 — 47   
Cuba City (23–5) — Crist 14, Olson 12, Rowe 10, Vosberg 5, Wiegman 4, Ingersoll 2. Totals — 19-51 7-12 47.
3-point goals — CC: 2-16 (Rowe 2). Team fouls — CC: 14. Fouled out — none.