By Mike Ramczyk
Sports Editor
Her passion for the game is inspiring. Her versatility is unmatched. And her hard work keeps paying off.
Already a first team all-conference and all-county performer, Waterford junior Madison Blair takes the cake when it comes to the 2014 All-Area team.
The Lady Wolverines’ leading scorer, rebounder, 3-point shooter and shot blocker, the 5-foot-11 force is this year’s girls basketball All-Area Player of the Year.
Blair led the area in scoring at 15.6 points per game and was third in rebounding (6.5). Blair also led the area with 1.5 blocks per game.
She helped lead Waterford to the area’s best record, 17-7.
The Wolverines were only two games behind first-place Wilmot, and Blair was the biggest reason why.
“Madison had a wonderful season,” said Waterford coach Dena Brechtl. “She truly loves the game of basketball, and all of her hard work is paying off.”
Blair tallied a whopping 17 games of double-figure scoring, and she averaged 18 points and eight rebounds in her final seven games.
During her late-season surge, Blair scored 20 or more points in five consecutive games.
Only a junior, it’s hard not to imagine Blair taking home the area’s top award again next season.
First team
Ellen Stang, junior, Burlington
Someone who could definitely challenge Blair for player of the year next season is the double-double machine, better known as 5-foot-9 junior Ellen Stang.
Though Burlington finished the season 8-15, Stang helped the Lady Demons to their first playoff victory in seven years.
And she did it on both ends of the floor. Stang controlled the paint, pulling down every rebound and altering most shots in her vicinity.
At 10.9 points and 12.9 rebounds per game, Stang was the only girl in Racine County to average a double-double.
Stang shot better than 50 percent from the field and led the Lady Demons in steals and blocks.
Her 296 rebounds broke the single-season school record.
Stang scored 13 points and grabbed a stunning 20 rebounds in Burlington’s playoff victory over Elkhorn. Then, in a playoff loss to Wilmot, Stang added 18 rebounds.
Stang was a second team all-SLC selection.
The female version of Dennis Rodman thanks to her length and relentless pursuit of the ball, Stang will be a state force next season.
Tiffany Stiewe, junior, Waterford
Big things come in small packages.
Stiewe, a 5-foot-4 dynamo guard, does plenty of big things on the basketball court.
The third-leading scorer in the area, Stiewe averaged 10.3 points per game, 4.3 rebounds, two assists and two steals.
She had the ability to pull up for a long-range shot or take the ball to the hole.
“Tiffany is one tough little guard,” Brechtl said. “She can get to the rim and score better than almost anyone in the area. Her stats show that she was a well-rounded player for us.”
Stiewe earned second team all-SLC and all-county honors.
Jenna Bouffiou, junior, Waterford
The area’s leader in assists at 3.8 per game, the 5-foot-7 Bouffiou was one of the Wolverines’ top defenders.
She ran the offense and could work magic with the rock in her hands.
Bouffiou averaged 7.4 points and 4.2 rebounds, and she led the team with 2.3 steals per game.
An honorable mention all-conference and all-county pick, Bouffiou is one of the area’s best athletes, according to Brechtl.
“She ran the show for the team this year and maybe didn’t score as much but averaged almost four assists per game,” Brechtl said. “She was a tough defender that made things tough for the other team.”
Frankie Pettit, sophomore, Union Grove
It’s not every day that a sophomore is a leader on and off the court.
But that’s exactly how Union Grove coach Rob Domagalski describes Pettit, a 5-foot-11 inside force who really came into her own this season.
Pettit helped lead the Lady Broncos to an 11-13 record and a huge playoff victory over Greendale, a game in which Pettit scored 18 points and snatched 16 rebounds.
“She was a captain of the team and was a leader on and off the court,” Domagalski said. “Frankie was a huge part of our success.”
Union Grove finished with an 8-6 conference record. Pettit was third on the team in scoring with 6.8 points per game and led the team with 7.4 rebounds, good for second in the area.
Second team
Sara Hartl, junior, Union Grove
Hartl, a 5-foot-6 guard, could straight fill it up from 3-point land.
She led the Lady Broncos with 9.4 points per game.
Hartl bucketed 35 triples, and she hit three or more in seven games.
She scored in double figures 12 times. Hartl finished the season strong, scoring in double figures in seven of eight games.
Shauna Malchine, junior, Waterford
The 5-foot-8 sharpshooter edged Hartl and teammate Blair (36) with 37 3-pointers to lead all area gunners.
Malchine averaged 8.8 points per game, including a season-high 22 points at Racine Park.
The junior is simply scratching the surface in terms of her varsity potential.
“Shauna is a great shooter,” Brechtl said. “In addition she attacks well. Shauna showed great glimpses of all she can be this year, and I know you will see so much more in her game next year. She had a great year for us.”
Jordan Weidner, junior, Union Grove
Another leader on and off the court for the Lady Broncos, the 5-foot-4 enjoyed an all-around solid season.
Weidner led the team in assists with 3.2, pulled down 4.4 rebounds per game and scored 5.3 points.
A talented distributor, Weidner had nine games with four or more assists.
Domagalski said Weidner was a huge part of team’s conference success.
Alex Goodrich, sophomore, Union Grove
The second-leading scorer on the Lady Broncos, Goodrich, a 5-foot-6 guard, has two more years to fill the stat sheets.
She averaged 8.8 points per game and scored in double figures in 11 contests.
Goodrich went off for a season-high 19 points against Racine Case.
The sophomore also showed an ability to hit 3-pointers with 21 bombs for the season.
She also notched 3.7 rebounds per game.
Ashley Derks, senior, Burlington
Along with Stang, Derks showed strong leadership in Burlington’s first year under new coach Mary Parker.
The 5-foot-6 guard was second on the Demons in scoring with 7.2 points per game.
She led the team in 3-pointers made (22) and 3-point field-goal percentage (34.9).
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