Saxony reaches Class 3 final four by defeating defending champs

By SCOTT ROSCOVIUS

Special to the Missourian

HILLSBORO, Mo. -- Maddie Brune stood at the free-throw line and assessed the situation.

The Saxony Lutheran girls basketball team had seen its 17-point lead over Lutheran St. Charles whittled to two, 50-48, with two minutes, 30 seconds remaining in Saturday's Class 3 state quarterfinal at the Jefferson College Field House.

Now it was up to Brune to help thwart the defending Class 3 state champion's furious fourth-quarter rally.

Saxony Lutheran coach Sam Sides talks to his players during a timeout during the fourth quarter of their Class 3 girls quarterfinal game Saturday against Lutheran St. Charles at Jefferson College in Hillsboro, Mo. Saxony Lutheran advanced to the state semifinals with a 59-52 victory. (Adam Vogler)

Brune, a sophomore forward, calmly hit both ends of a bonus situation, then added one of two free throws moments later, fueling a 7-2 run that enabled the Crusaders to hold off the Cougars 59-52 and punch their tickets to the final four beginning Thursday in Columbia, Mo.

"I was thinking, 'This is any other free throw,'" Brune said. "'I've done this a million times in practice and in other games. It's no different. Just do what you know how to do.'"

Talk about a sigh of relief. Saxony Lutheran (24-4) had built a 33-17 halftime lead on the strength of its full-court pressure, patient offense and relentless rebounding. But Lutheran St. Charles (22-8) refused to fold, pulling within 44-33 after three periods. Trailing 50-40 midway through the final quarter, the Cougars kept pounding the ball inside to Savannah Kluesner, a 6-foot sophomore forward who was beginning to dominate inside. She had four free throws in an 8-0 run that pulled the Cougars within 50-48 with 2:30 remaining, setting the stage for Brune's heroics.

"We talked about having heart at halftime," Saxony coach Sam Sides said. "They were defending state champs, and we knew they weren't going to go down without a fight. We had to battle through that. Someone's got to step up and make plays. We made some free throws, got a couple steals, we executed plays here and there. But as a team, they relied on and helped each other. That's what you're supposed to do."

Saxony sophomore Grace Mirly was hot early on, scoring the first six Crusaders' points of the game. She had eight of her team-high 19 points in the first period, after which Saxony led 16-8.

Saxony Lutheran center Ali Galemmo hits a shot over Lutheran St. Charles forward Savannah Kluesner during Saturday’s Class 3 quarterfinal game at Jefferson College in Hillsboro, Mo.

"Grace came out and was on fire, shot the ball real well and gave us a little lead there, helped take the pressure off a little bit," Sides said.

The second period belonged to fellow sophomore Raegan Wieser, who scored 10 of her 15 points in the second quarter.

"I was in a zone, but I'm so glad my team was able to be open for me whenever I needed their help," Mirly said. "It's so amazing. Any one can step up at any time. We have each other's backs the whole time. It's just awesome."

Wieser agreed.

"Those points were huge for us," she said, noting that the Cougars still were able to get back in the game despite the big first-half deficit. "The clock was our friend. We had to take care of the ball and just play the way we knew how to. And we pulled it out."

Saxony Lutheran’s Raegan Wieser slips past Lutheran St. Charles’ Kelsi Durkee for a shot during Saturday’s Class 3 quarterfinal at Jefferson College in Hillsboro, Mo.

Each time Lutheran St. Charles pulled a little closer, Saxony had an answer. After the Cougars closed within 37-25 early in the third, sophomore forward Ali Galemmo scored on a short baseline shot, and sophomore guard Brianna Mueller converted a steal and layup to push the lead back to 16 points at 41-27. Galemmo's two free throws halted a 6-0 Cougars run and helped build a 44-33 lead entering the final period.

And even with Kluesner scoring 11 of her game-high 27 points in the final period, Saxony was able to maintain control.

"It was really tough, because we knew when [Kluesner] got the ball inside she was going to score," Brune said. "Our job was to front her and to do everything we possibly could so she couldn't get the ball. Our goal was to try not to foul, and we did foul a lot, but overall I think we did a great job as a team."

Brune, Ashlynn Collier and Galemmo took turns defending Kluesner, making her work hard for position and shots.

"We're not very tall, but all my post players are hard-nosed," Sides said. "Maddie's just a hard worker. She'll battle you tooth-and-nail. You gotta have her on the floor because she's such a competitor. And she made big free throws there at the end of the game."

Lutheran St. Charles coach Erin Luttschwager said the early deficit hurt her squad.

"We got outrebounded in the first half, and that was kind of the difference," Luttschwager said. "That got us in a big hole there."

The Crusaders weren't yet in the clear, leading just 53-50 with 1:20 remaining. That's when Brune, on the wing, found Mueller cutting to the basket and hit her with a perfect pass for a layup and a 55-50 advantage.

Then, leading 57-52 with 16 seconds left, Galemmo rebounded Mueller's missed breakaway layup and scored to provide the game's final margin.

It was a much better finish for the Crusaders than last season, when they bowed to Twin Rivers in the sectional round.

"We're one more year experienced, and we've put a lot of work into it, a lot of effort, and it really showed out there on that court," Wieser said.

For the only senior on the roster, a trip to Columbia is a perfect way to end the season.

"I've never imagined this," said senior Maci Daniel, a reserve guard who didn't play last season because of a lingering back injury but returned to play a vital role for the Crusaders this season. "I knew our girls could do it, but I didn't think it would actually happen for me. But we did it. They have so much talent and so much heart. To be included in that is just awesome.

"We're a family. We're going to get this done. We practice hard, we work hard, we've spent countless hours encouraging each other. This is our year. We're going to get it done."

And Sides is happy he's along for the ride.

"It's a great opportunity," Sides said. "I'm so happy for them. I got to go [to the final four] as an assistant a few times, but this is my first time as a head coach. It's a great experience to share this time with these girls."

Saxony 16 17 11 15 -- 59

Lutheran 8 9 16 19 -- 52

SAXONY LUTHERAN (59) -- Grace Mirly 19, Ali Galemmo 8, Brianna Mueller 10, Ashlynn Collier 2, Raegan Wieser 15, Maddie Brune 5. FG: 22. FT: 10-14. Total fouls: 23. (3-pointers: Mueller 2, Wieser 2, Mirly 1. Fouled out: none.)

LUTHERAN ST. CHARLES (52) -- Jessica Skerston 12, Hannah Leppien 7, Kelsi Durkee 5, Nicole Masters 1, Savannah Kluesner 27. FG: 17. FT: 16-27. Total fouls: 15. (3-pointers: Skerston 2. Fouled out: none.)