Close losses result in 1-3 week for Pirates

Waterloo led by two points with under a minute remaining, but Mayah Holzhueter’s 3-pointer with a minute left and free throw with 3 seconds remaining allowed Cambridge to earn the come-from-behind victory.

The Pirates took a 41-37 lead on a Skyler Powers layup with 2:39 remaining, but a layup by the Blue Jays’ Saveea Freeland brought the score to two. Holzhueter then knocked down her one and only 3-pointer of the night giving Cambridge a one-point lead with 1 minute remaining.

Sophia Schneider was fouled on the subsequent possession and the sophomore made 1-of-2 free throws tying the score at 42 with :42.9 to go, but again Holzhueter came up big, making the second of two double-bonus free throws with :03 to go for the game winner.

Holzhueter finished with a game-high 20 points

Schneider led the Pirates with 15 points and Julia Asik finished with 11.

Cambridge made just 3-of-14 free throws, but Holzhueter made the most important one.

CAMBRIDGE 43, WATERLOO 42

Waterloo 22 20 — 42

Cambridge 20 23 — 43

Waterloo (fg ft-fta pts) — Schneider 5 2-4 15, Powers 3 1-2 8, Jaehnke 2 0-0 5, Asik 3 3-5 11, Huebner 1 1-2 3. Totals — 14 7-13 42.

Cambridge — Downing 0 1-2 1, Roidt 2 0-0 4, Holzhueter 9 1-6 20, Stenklyft 2 0-0 5, Schmude 1 0-2 2, Freeland 5 1-4 11. Totals — 19 3-14 43.

3-point goals — W 7 (Schneider 3, Asik 2, Powers 1, Jaehnke 1); C 2 (Holzhueter 1, Stenklyft 1). Total fouls — W 15; C 14.

Belleville 61 Waterloo 60

For the second time in three days the Pirates lost by one point in a Capitol South defeat at Belleville Jan. 15.

“It was tough the last two games losing by one point in the end,” said Waterloo head coach Gabe Haberkorn.

Powers matched her season high scoring 25 points, while senior Joslyn Wolff scored a season-high 16. Schneider also reached double digits with 13 points.

Callie Smith paced the Wildcats with 22.

BELLEVILLE 61, WATERLOO 60

Waterloo 33 27 — 60

Belleville 24 37 — 61

Waterloo (fg ft-fta pts) — Schneider 4 4-6 13, Powers 9 3-8 25, Huebner 1 0-0 2, Wolff 7 2-3 16, Baumann 2 0-0 4. Totals — 23 9-17 60.

Belleville — Smith 9 4-10 22, Foley 3 2-9 8, Edge 1 0-1 2, Stampfl 5 1-2 12, Caskey 3 2-2 8, Winners 2 0-2 4, Prochaska 2 0-0 5. Totals — 25 9-26 61.

3-point goals — W 5 (Powers 4, Schneider 1); B 2 (Stampfl 1, Prochaska 1). Total fouls — W 22; B 18. Fouled out — Schneider, Huebner; Stampfl.

Waterloo 46 Wisconsin Heights 41

Waterloo halted a five-game losing skid beating visiting Wisconsin Heights Jan. 16 at Waterloo Fieldhouse.

“This was a big win being that we were short-handed without Asik,” said Haberkorn who noted that the sophomore will be out 14 days due to contact tracing. “We needed this one.”

Powers finished with 15 as did Ava Jaenke, a career-high for the sophomore point guard.

Hanna King led the Vanguards with 12.

WATERLOO 46

WISCONSIN HEIGHTS 41

Wisconsin Heights 18 23 — 41

Waterloo 27 19 — 46

Wisconsin Heights (fg ft-fta pts) — Payne 2 0-2 4, Van Ripek 3 1-2 7, Teela 1 0-0 2, Duhr 3 0-0 6, King 2 7-10 12, Bartel 2 0-0 4, Schaefer 2 1-4 5, Mickelson 0 1-2 1. Totals — 15 10-19 41.

Waterloo — Schneider 2 0-0 6, Webster 0 1-2 1, Powers 4 6-6 15, Jaehnke 4 7-10 15, Huebner 0 1-2 1, Wolff 4 0-0 8. Totals — 14 15-22 46.

3-point goals — WH 1 (King 1); WAT 3 (Schneider 2, Powers 1). Total fouls — WH 20; WAT 19. Fouled out — Van Ripek; Schneider.

Rio 54 Waterloo 48

The Pirates (8-9 overall) couldn’t make it two wins in a row suffering a six-point non-conference defeat at Rio Monday night.

Powers (13) and Jaehnke (10) each reached double figures to lead Waterloo. Powers, Jaehnke and Schneider each made two 3-pointers.

Kayla Staveness led the Vikings with 12.

RIO 54, WATERLOO 48

Waterloo 25 23 — 48

Rio 29 25 — 54

Waterloo (fg ft-fta pts) — Schneider 2 3-8 9, Webster 1 0-2 3, Powers 4 3-5 13, Jaehnke 3 2-5 10, Blundell 2 1-1 5, Wolff 4 0-1 8. Totals — 16 9-22 48.

Rio — Landsverk 2 0-0 6, Hutzler 2 5-8 9, Marble 2 0-1 4, Staveness 4 3-5 12, Lamke 1 0-0 2, Loging 3 2-6 9, Hagenow 3 2-2 8, Dobbratz 0 2-2 2, Freeman 1 0-0 2. Totals — 18 14-24 54.

3-point goals — W 7 (Powers 2, Jaehnke 2, Schneider 2, Webster 1) ; R 4 (Landsverk 2, Staveness 1, Loging 1). Total fouls — W 21; R 21. Fouled out — Wolff; Hutzler.

WIAA Tournament

With several high school teams opting out due to COVID-19, the WIAA girls basketball tournament format has been revised. Waterloo will play in the Division 4 playoffs beginning Feb. 9.

The Pirates’ regional pod includes Deerfield, Johnson Creek, Palmyra-Eagle, Orfordville Parkview and Wisconsin Heights. The WIAA Division 4 State Girls Basketball Tournament will be held Feb. 25-27 at a yet-to-be-determined site.

Up Next

Waterloo hosts top-ranked Marshall tonight in a 7:30 p.m. start, then entertains Madison Edgewood Saturday at 2:30 p.m. Both games will be played at Waterloo Fieldhouse.