A historic high school basketball career came to a close Saturday night.
All-American Allie Ziebell and the Neenah Rockets brought home a silver ball after a 69-59 state championship loss to Arrowhead.
- Ziebell scored a game-high 35 points on 14-29 shooting.
- Neenah led for only 3:26 in the game; the Rockets briefly took the lead on three occasions early in the second half, but Arrowhead took control with a 12-0 run.
- Natalie Kussow, who has offers from several Big Ten and ACC schools, led the Warhawks with 26 points and six assists.
- It's the Neenah program's first silver ball since 1980, when they last took second place at state. The Rockets won the state title in 1978.
After the game, longtime Neenah coach Andy Braunel reflected on Ziebell's historic career.
"I've been blessed to be able to coach this girl for four years," he said. "She has elevated our program to new heights."
"I don't know if I would have thought that we would have been able to get past the sectional final," he added. "She is a huge reason why. Obviously the team too. But she has made all of us better and without a doubt I am a better person and a better coach because I was blessed to have the opportunity to coach her for four years."
Ziebell will graduate from Neenah in the spring and then attend the University of Connecticut on a basketball scholarship.
