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ASHWAUBENON – The presentation of the state championship runner-up trophy is usually a somber, quieter, sad moment for a program that came so close to winning a championship.
But for Muskego – a program that had never played on the Resch Center court until Friday night – it was a moment that could help build a foundation and a culture of success for years to come for a school seen as a football powerhouse.
“For our program to be the first in history to ever be in this position … A) get here and B) get to the championship game, I think if you would’ve told me four years ago I would have made it to the state championship, I would’ve told you that you’re lying,” Muskego senior Melena Glysch said.
“I wouldn’t have believed you. I’m just super thrilled to even have won a ball and I’m super grateful to just be in this position in the first place.”
It wasn’t the storybook ending the Warriors had hoped for after a 47-26 loss to top-seeded Kimberly in the Division 1 state title game. The Warriors missed 19 of their first 22 shot attempts against a ruthless Papermakers defense, but still only trailed 15-8 at halftime.
That alone signified Muskego basketball this past season. It’s not always the prettiest basketball played, but they’re always in a position to stay in a game through sheer grit and toughness.
“We’ve been in that spot before,” Muskego senior Autumn Dibb said. “I mean, look at the sectional final (against Kenosha Bradford). We didn’t make a single shot in the first half. I trusted my teammates. I was going to hit Rachel (Agg). I was going to hit Molly (Makinen). I was going to hit each one of my teammates because eventually they were going to fall.”
Dibb wasn’t wrong in the early portion of the second half. The Warriors almost outdid their entire first-half offensive production inside of the first three minutes of the second 18 minutes with seven points, including a triple from Glysch to trim the Papermakers’ lead back to eight (23-15).
The Warriors got it back within single digits with 6:12 to play after a Riley Hill 3-pointer (34-25), but that’s as close as the contest got from that point. Muskego mustered just 11 scores on 48 total offensive possessions with 14 turnovers against a suffocating Papermakers defense.
“I think we got some pretty good looks,” Muskego coach Erik Loose said when asked about potential fatigue after an emotional win over Classic 8 Conference rival Arrowhead on Friday in the third encounter between the two co-champions.
“I think I could have probably done a better job getting us into some spots or maybe being a little bit more creative setting kids up. It’s a pretty resilient group. I don’t think it was too much fatigue. These guys are high-level athletes who are working year-round. I think it was more just shots didn’t fall and Kimberly’s defense was really good.”
Saturday may not have been Muskego’s night for celebration and a championship coronation, but there was plenty to celebrate in Loose’s eyes after the best season in program history.
“It’s hard to put into words how much they mean to us and how much work they put in,” Loose said on his six departing seniors, including Glysch and Dibb. “At the end of the day, they laid the foundation for the expectation moving forward with teams coming through and kind of set the standard for us.
“We’re a team that wants to be back here year in and year out. They just did a tremendous job leading by example, talking and supporting their teams, being great in the community, helping out, volunteering and everything. It would be impossible for me to put into words. I’m just super thankful and the community is so proud of them, too.”
