APPLETON (NBC 26) — Last March, Appleton East made a run to the Division One state semifinals. This season, despite losing key pieces, the Patriots have won 13 straight games and sit atop the Fox Valley Association Conference.
“I think we all knew from the start that we were, you know, a good team, whether or not we lost those two. You know, it's hard to guard all of us. All of us can score, not just one person,” senior Jenna Ott said.
That depth has been a major factor in Appleton East’s recent success.
“Everybody's willing to share the basketball. We've got 6, 7 kids and on a given night can put up 15 points. That makes it really difficult for the opponent to guard. You don’t know who you need to stop that night, and everybody has bought in on the defensive end which is kind of why we’re where we are today,” Head Coach Brian Paschen said.
Paschen said last season’s deep playoff run — which included overtime and double-overtime wins on the way to the state semifinals — gave this group confidence and experience that is paying off this season.
“There's a lot of winners on this team that have just figured out they don't panic in tough situations where some teams that haven't been there. We've been in overtime games, double overtime games right down to the wire, so there's just absolutely no quit in any of these kids, and I think that's kind of carried over a lot from last year,” Paschen said.
The success did not come immediately. Appleton East lost its season opener to defending Division 3 state champion Oostburg.
“We kind of talked about it and said this may be the toughest game we play all year. And you just went to their place and hung right in there with them, maybe we're pretty good too, and I think the kids started believing in that,” Paschen said.
Since that loss, the Patriots have dominated, and winning has become the expectation.
“After the Kimberly and Neenah games, we're like, OK, wow, this is, we're really doing this. We have a good team. I mean. We're unstoppable right now,” Ott said.
Sophomore Emilia Montmarquette said the team understands the challenge that comes with its success.
“It's crazy. It's really good feeling that, but knowing we have a big target on our backs, so knowing we have to like play up to that level each and every game because everyone's gonna be coming for us, so we have to like hold ourselves accountable and high,” Montmarquette said.
The Patriots hope the momentum from the regular season carries into another postseason run.
