Second half slump dooms Norse girls against C-FC

For one half, the Whitehall girls basketball team was right there with one of the best teams in the Dairyland Conference, but the second half was another story.

The Norse were tied on the road with Cochrane-Fountain City (5-3) at halftime of their game last week Tuesday. In the second half, however, the Norse struggled to score, while C-FC seemed to fix its offense as the Pirates pulled away for a 67-52 win.

The loss evened Whitehall’s record at 3-3 (1-3 in DC play) prior to Thursday’s nonconference game at Spring Valley. This coming Tuesday, the Norse host Cadott before welcoming Independence next Thursday. 

C-FC 67 Whitehall 52

The Norse were tied with a team many predicted to be fighting for the conference title before the season, but they couldn’t keep it going for the full game.

The teams entered halftime tied at 29, but C-FC was able to get its offense on track as it took control of the game in the second half. 

C-FC used a balanced scoring attack led by Emmalee Mann’s 19 points with Isabella Holzer scoring 17 and Alexis Pronschinske finishing with 15.

Olivia Killian led Whitehall with 13 points and 10 rebounds. Ashlyn Clatt had one of the best games of her career with 11 points while Norah Youngbauer scored nine; Trinity Aasen, seven; Avery Sonsalla, six; Haili Sluga, Carson Coburn and Eden Mateja, two. 

Whitehall’s defense held C-FC to less than 35 percent shooting from the floor, but the Pirates managed to attempt 72 shots and 26 free throws in the game.