GREEN BAY — Last year, Notre Dame won the Division 2 girls basketball state championship in Lacrosse and in the past two year’s, they’ve only lost two games, both to Division One teams in the regular season.
“It’s been a rare opportunity, I guess you could say," says senior forward Sarah Hardwick. "Not a lot of teams only lose two games in two seasons. It’s been super special. The teams both years have been really good. The team chemistry has been amazing both years. It’s been a special experience.”
The girls attribute their success to head coach Sara Rohde. The former UW Green Bay player is trying to make the Tritons back-to-back champs for the second time in her 11 years with the program.
“Her determination and hard work to this team and everyone else on this team, we all just bought in this past year and this year. I think it’s all just really paid off for us,” said sophomore forward Gracie Grzesk.
The 23-1 Tritons don’t let the success inflate their ego, they have taken every game this year one matchup at a time.
“Staying humble and hungry. We know that everyone is on our backs and we have the target this year and cause we’re defending. At the same time, we have to stay humble and know that anyone can defeat us at anytime.”
Grzesk has taken on a leadership role this year, after 2021’s leading scorer Sammy Opichka graduated. She has a slew of offers from NCAA Division One schools already. She leads the team averaging 15.8 points per game.
“Gracie works really hard," said Rohde. "She deserves everything she gets. She puts in a lot of time to work on her game and get better and she’s a great kid, a great player and makes her teammates better.”
This year the state tournament is back at the Resch Center. The girls are hoping to make their way there and win it again in front of the hometown crowd.
“Just being back at the Resch is amazing, because growing up you go to the Resch to watch the state games and think, ‘I want to be them one day. I want to play at Resch.’ That it’s back here is great. Kind of fulfilling those childhood dreams, hopefully," said Hardwick.
The Notre Dame girls host their first playoff game tonight at home against Luxemburg-Casco.
