In just a few days, the high school girls basketball playoffs begin and it’s never easy to lose one of your best players when you’re trying to make a run to the state tournament.
For the (21-3) Hortonville the Polar Bears, who earned a three seed in Division 1, they have rallied around each other and believe they can get there.
“I'd go to war with this team,” said sophomore guard Rainey Welson. “I trust them 100%. I think we still have a great shot of going to the Resch.”
A.C. Clouthier knew he had a great team when taking over for Celeste Ratka when she stepped down as the Hortonville coach after this last season.
“That had some definite influence on why I even applied for the job and I want those expectations and I want that high pressure, or otherwise it just isn’t as fun,” He said. “Obviously, she did a really good job with her five years here, won a lot of games, I just want to continue to maintain that and if not even continue to build the program from where it was.”
Despite being one of the top teams in the state, they’re an awfully young one, set up for success in the long run.
“That's a testament to the culture of this program with the youth club,” Clouthier said. “Then again, these athletes who on a daily basis are building excitement for the program and do a great job for our youth and attending practice,”
At the forefront of that youth movement is Welson, the number one rated sophomore in Wisconsin, according to prepgirlshoops.com. This year, she's averaging 18 points, 4 rebounds and 5 assists per game.
“For only being a sophomore, she has put our team on her back in a lot of different ways,” said her head coach. Sometimes it’s defensively. sometimes it’s offensively and i don’t care who you are, when you got to go toe to toe with (UCONN commit) Neenah’s Allie Ziebell, you got to do the best you can and she has been.”
But they have another player who is just as special, junior Kallie Peppler. Unfortunately, she tore her ACL back on January 20 against Kimberly, but everyone is doing their part to fill her shoes. Peppler was the second leading scorer on the team and was averaging 14 points and 7 rebounds per game.
“Everybody’s just been trying to contribute a little bit more each and every day, said senior guard Trinity Mocadlo. “You’ll see everybody on the court, get one more rebound. one more assist, a couple more points.”
Peppler recently committed to UW-Milwaukee to join her sister, Kamy, who is a freshman for the Panthers right now.
“I missed playing with my sister this past year, so I'm definitely excited to do it again,” said Kallie Peppler.
And she has all the confidence in the world that this team can make a run in the playoffs without her.
“I think we can go super far as long as we can continue to play together, I think we will be really good,” said Peppler.
