Danielle Bender's double-double
set the tone for an upset in Class 1A play.
Bender scored 22 points and grabbed 17 rebounds
to lead Bellevue Marquette Catholic to a 65-57 overtime victory over
fourth-ranked Ar-We-Va. Bender scored eight points in the first quarter to help
the Mohawks build an early lead, then put up seven points in the overtime to
finish off a strong performance and a well-played game by both sides.
Nicole Blum, a 5-foot-2 sophomore, came off the
bench to score 11 key points for 13th-ranked Marquette Catholic, while Theresa
Koos added 11. Point guard Sarah Lampe contributed eight points, six rebounds
and four assists and made four straight free throws in overtime to help secure
the victory.
Ar-We-Va rallied from a 16-point deficit to take
a 52-50 lead on Megan Ehlers' 3-pointer with 31 seconds and appeared to have
the momentum. But Marquette Catholic turned three offensive rebounds into a
basket by Blake Banowetz with 5 seconds left to send the game into overtime.
Banowetz had missed two free throws after being
fouled on a putback attempt, then got the rebound and scored after Lampe missed
a follow shot. She finished with seven points and seven rebounds, five on the
offensive end.
Bender then took over in the overtime, scoring
twice on turnarounds in the lane and adding a layup to put the Mohawks ahead to
stay. After missing six of nine free throws down the stretch in regulation,
Marquette Catholic sank seven of eight in the overtime to protect the lead.
Marquette Catholic, in the tournament for the
second time in three years, takes a 17-6 record into a semifinal game against
No. 2 Newell-Fonda at 8:30 Wednesday night.
Paige Danner scored 22 points and Ehlers had 11
for Ar-We-Va, which made its third straight trip to state. The Rockets made it
this year under former assistant Larry Siebert, who took over after head coach
Davey Kock died on September 26. The Rockets finished 21-4.