Fresh off a state title
in volleyball, Janesville is now one step from another championship round.
Victoria Leyh scored 14 points and No. 2 Janesville pulled away in
the fourth quarter to beat Rockford 58-46 in a first-round Class 1A game.
Britney Hanson added 13
points and 11 rebounds for the Wildcats, while Mary Hovenga
provided a nice lift off the bench with 12 points, including a pair of
3-pointers.
This is the first state
basketball appearance for Janesville, which takes a 24-1 record into a Thursday
morning semifinal game.
Several of the Janesville players were on the state
championship volleyball team, with Hanson, Kendyl Sorge
and Sylvia Amlie earning all-tournament honors. Sorge finished with seven points, six assists and two
steals in Monday's game, while Amlie scored six
points and grabbed 13 rebounds.
Rockford made it to
state for the first time in the five-player era. Madison Wood led the Lady
Warriors with 13 points and 12 rebounds. Rachael Enabit
added eight points and Emma Staudt seven for
Rockford, which finishes 17-8.
Rockford stayed close
for much of the game and it was 28-all early in the third quarter after Staudt converted a three-point play.
Janesville then ran off
the next nine points and never trailed again. Leading 39-32 after three
quarters, Janesville opened the final period with a 9-1 run to put it out of
reach.
Rockford got the lead
down to eight with a minute to play before Janesville sank six of eight free
throws stay in control.