The Sevastopol girls' basketball team could not shake the sticky defense of Wabeno-Laona in the WIAA Tournament for the second year in a row, falling this time in the regional final 60-31.

 

The Pioneers had to change their strategy early in the first half as Naomi Rikkola picked up three quick fouls in the early minutes, and Katie Spude was lost for the game with a leg injury. Meanwhile, the inside game of Lily Terry and Allison Albrecht and the outside shooting of Rylee Yeager gave the Rebels a lead they would never lose.  Kayla Ranly helped keep things close in the first half with all eight of her points coming in the opening 18 minutes, but the Pioneers found themselves down 28-17 at the break. 

Albrecht took over in the second half, scoring 11 of her 16 points after the break as Terry added to her total to end the night with 13.  Malerie Krawze added 10 points, and Yaeger's day ended with eight points. Rikkola finally found some space in the second half as she played in foul trouble for the bulk of the game. She scored 10 of her team-high 15 points in the second half.

 

Sienna Cain chipped in six points to complement Ranly's eight points.

The Pioneers' season ends with a 22-4 record and a share of the Packerland Conference Title. The game was also the final game in the careers of Kylie Duessler, Libby Ash, Katie Spude, and Sam Herrell. In his postgame comments, head coach Ben Rikkola said he was proud of his team fighting through adversity, adding that the lone positive of their rash of injuries this season is that it allowed some of their younger players get experience ahead of next year.