APPLETON (NBC 26) — The St. Mary Catholic girls basketball team is headed back to the WIAA state tournament, but this year’s group is focused on writing its own story.
The Zephyrs advanced to state for the second straight season after a dramatic overtime win over Kewaunee in the sectional final. For junior Autumn Crowe, the game showed the team’s ability to stay composed in pressure moments.
“It was a pretty crazy game,” Crowe said. “There were times we got down, but we found a way to come back. Overtime was close, and we won by not very much, but it was such a great experience.”
St. Mary Catholic reached the Division 4 state championship game last season before finishing with the silver ball. While that experience remains part of the program’s recent history, the Zephyrs say this year’s team is different.
“We have pretty much a completely new group going this year,” Crowe said. “We obviously want to win, but we’re taking it one game at a time.”
Head coach Jeff Chew said the roster turnover has helped shift the focus away from last season and onto the identity this year’s team has built.
“We haven’t really talked about last year because we have so many new people on our team,” Chew said. “They want to make their own history and do things well out there.”
Despite several new starters, the Zephyrs have maintained the same intensity that has defined the program in recent years. Chew said that mentality starts in practice.
“I like how hard they practice,” Chew said. “They go full the whole time in practice and in games. The effort is always there.”
Crowe said the team’s fast pace and defensive pressure have helped fuel its success.
“Our pace definitely helps us because we like to push the ball and run fast,” Crowe said. “We get a lot of steals on the press, and that really helps us.”
Senior Bella Woodbridge said the team’s resilience also showed during the comeback win in the sectional final.
“We were down by about seven,” Woodbridge said. “For most teams that might be tough, but we kept playing the full game and didn’t let it get to us.”
Chemistry has also been a strength for the Zephyrs. Senior Audrey Weber said many players have built relationships through other sports.
“A lot of us play other sports together, like volleyball and softball,” Weber said. “So we’ve had a lot of chances to bond together.”
For the seniors, returning to state in their final season makes the experience even more meaningful.
“This is my last week of basketball, so it’s bittersweet,” Woodbridge said. “It would mean the most to go all the way and win it all.”
St. Mary Catholic will face Albany/Monticello in the Division 4 state semifinal Thursday after the first semifinal between Neillsville and Lomira, which begins at 6:35 p.m.
