Elk Mound girls continue dominant play with wins over SCC, Boyceville

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The Elk Mound girls’ basketball team delivered two more dominant performances last week to remain unbeaten this season.

Playing in an out-of-conference contest Monday, December 11, Elk Mound hosted the St. Croix Central Panthers (5-4). Backed by a strong defensive performance, the Lady Mounders easily dispatched the visiting Panthers 62 to 37.

Three days later, Elk Mound traveled to Boyceville to face the Bulldogs in a Dunn-St. Croix Conference game. Using a stifling full-court press throughout the first half of play, the Mounders built a 42-10 halftime advantage and cruised to the 60 to 25 victory.

These latest two wins boosted the Elk Mound girls’ season record to 9-0 and a league-topping 3-0 in conference action.

Elk Mound will put that unblemished mark on the line this Thursday, December 21 when it travels to Colfax for the first of two conference showdowns against the rival Vikings. The Mounders won both meetings last year on their way to the Dunn-St. Croix championship.

St. Croix Central

They say offense wins games and defense wins championships. If that is the case, Elk Mound may well be on its way to defending the Dunn-St. Croix championship it won last season with an unbeaten mark and more.

The Mounders offense and, in particular, its defense were both on full display December 11 when they hosted the Panthers of St. Croix Central for a non-conference game.

In the first half, Elk Mound’s defense completely shut down the Panthers while the Mounder offense converted on multiple opportunities to bound to a 36-11 halftime advantage.

“I thought our team came out with great energy and focus,” stated Elk Mound head coach Jordan Kongshaug.

“Our defensive effort, particularly in the first half, was superb,” he added.

While St. Croix Central struggled to find the hoop in that opening half, Elk Mound tickled the twine numerous times, especially Ellie Schiszik. The junior guard hit a trio of three pointers and added four deuces and a free throw to account for 18 (half) of the Mounders’ 36 first-half points. Schiszik added a pair of two-point baskets in the final 18 minutes to finish with a game-high 22 points in leading Elk Mound to the win.

Allie Robel tallied three buckets and hit both of her free throws for eight points in the first half and finished with three more deuces

in the final half of action for 14 points in all. Sophomore Isabella Kongshaug tallied the Mounders other two triples and finished with nine points. Jaidynn Sarauer, Allie Roder and Chloe Dummer each added four points.

The Mounders and Panthers both put up 26 points in the second half of play.

While St. Croix Central did hold a 29-13 advantage on the boards, its also turned the ball over 16 times  compared to seven by Elk Mound. The Mounders also finished with a ten to four advantage in steals.

The Mounders shot 53 percent (24-45) from the field which included a 5-for-12 effort from behind the three-point arc and were 9-of-11 from the charity stripe.

St. Croix Central, which was led by Elsah Rubis’ nine-point effort, finished just 14-for-44 or just under 32 percent. The Panthers made only three of their 17 attempts from three-point land and six of ten attempts at the free throw line.

Boyceville

The Lady Mounders defensive theme continued when it traveled to Boyceville December 14 for a Dunn-St. Croix Conference contest with the Bulldogs.

Elk Mound’s full-court defensive pressure in the first half resulted in several Boyceville turnovers and some easy baskets in the transition game.

The Mounders held a 42-10 lead at the intermission and went on to post a 60-25 win.

“I thought our defensive intensity and transition offense were really good in the first half,” said Coach Kongshaug. “Our kids played very unselfish.”

In that decisive first half, seven Mounders scored points led by 11 from Ellie Schiszik, eight by Lydia Levra, six from Allie Robel, five each from Allie Roder and Chloe Dummer and four via Hailey Meyer.

Schiszik added her second triple of the game in the second half to lead all scorers once again with 14 points. Robel added five, second-half points to finish with 11, Levra, who had the Mounders other three pointer, added ten and Dummer finished the contest with seven points.

The Mounders were 24-for-65 shooting which included just a 3-for-23 effort behind the three-point arc. They were also 9-for-14 at the free throw line.

“We didn’t shoot the ball particularly well, but we made enough plays defensively to get the job done,” added Kongshaug.

Elk Mound tallied 31 rebounds with Allie Robel and Carly Mohr corralling a team high seven apiece. Hailey Meyer and Allie Roder each added four. The Mounders also recorded 19 steals against the Bulldogs as Isabella Kongshaug led the way with four and Robel, Roder and Levra each came up with three.

Hannah Dunn, who had her team’s lone three pointer, led the Bulldogs with seven points, Cora Leslie added five and Aubrey Malean four. Boyceville made just nine baskets in the game and were 50 percent (6-for-12) at the charity stripe.