By Audrey Schiek
Contributing Writer
GREEN BAY – The Notre Dame Academy gym was electric on Feb. 13 in a thrilling matchup against Hortonville girl’s basketball. The game consisted of a series of fast-paced back-and-forths with Hortonville dominating for much of the first half before Notre Dame mounted a stunning comeback and ultimately secured a hard-fought victory.
The first half of the game saw Hortonville dictating the tempo and consistently maintaining a lead. However, Notre Dame refused to back down, staying within striking distance as the clock ticked down despite foul trouble. With just a few minutes remaining in the half, Notre Dame had a relentless offensive surge, combining competent defense and sharp shooting.
Notre Dame took the lead at 31-25 to end the first half. Syndey Whitehouse and Trista Fayta headed into the half with nine apiece to lead the Tritons in points.
Heading into the second half with momentum, the Tritons continued to battle fiercely, trading blows with Hortonville in a fast-paced and physical contest. As the clock dwindled down, the intensity of the match grew, with every possession becoming increasingly crucial in the tight game.
Senior Gracie Grzesk had a powerful second half as she scored 11 of 13 points. As Head Coach Sara Rohde said, her efforts didn’t go unnoticed as “She came off the bench and gave us really good minutes in a tight game situation.”
“I’m proud of her composure and absolutely how steady she was,” she added.
Grzesk was the night’s lead scorer, contributing 13 points.
Notre Dame’s bench proved vital in the match, aiding the team with crucial points.
“I thought our girls that came off the bench really stepped up and executed the game plan. I thought we executed what we were trying to do very well,“ Head Coach Sara Rohde explained.
With less than two minutes remaining, Hortonville’s Rainey Welson drilled a powerful shot to tighten the gap to 50-51, trailing by a point.
Notre Dame responded by slowing the game’s pace in attempts to run down the clock, while Hortonville resorted to fouling in an effort to regain possession.
Despite Hortonville’s efforts to mount a late comeback, Notre Dame sealed the victory for the Tritons, ending the match 55-52.
Head Coach Sara Rohde was certainly content with the performance of the Tritons, saying, “I was just really proud of them. I really thought it was overall a huge team win.”