By Chris Neyenhouse & Chris Parker
It took some second-half heroics, but Marshfield girls basketball is heading back to the final four for the first time since 2014 after beating Helias Catholic 56-49 in Saturday’s Class 5 quarterfinal at Marshfield.
The game was tight throughout with Marshfield carrying a 14-13 lead after one before Helias took a 28-24 lead at the half. Marshfield cut the deficit to one at 35-34 entering the fourth quarter.
In the fourth quarter, Helias Catholic threatened to put the game out of reach by extending its lead to 41-34 with 6:32 left in the fourth quarter.
Marshfield head coach Katie Pritchard called a timeout.
“I told them we are going to win this basketball game,” Pritchard said. “That is the beauty of having four seniors. They believe. They are calm. They have been here before, and they acted like it.”
The Lady Jays then went to work closing the game on a 22-8 run to claim the win and advance to the final four.
“I really don’t think there were any nerves for us. We have believed in each other since the beginning,” Marshfield senior Lauren Luebbert said. “We knew we were down a little bit, (so) we just took it (one) possession at a time. I think we just believed in each other so much we didn’t doubt what we were going to do so being down a few points didn’t faze us.”
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Luebbert fueled the fourth quarter comeback for Marshfield by scoring 10 of her 16 points in the quarter including two key 3-pointers. Peyton Ward led Marshfield with 22 points while Abigail McBride scored 13.
When the buzzer sounded it, it set off a celebration the Marshfield players had been dreaming about for years.
“I have dreamed about this since I was two. This has been our goal since we came to high school since we were all little girls. To finally get it done is unbelievable. It is a dream come true,” Luebbert said. “We were little girls in the stands watching (in 2014). Getting to do that ourselves after those girls that were so good is such an honor.”
Helias Catholic was led by 22 points from Claire Galbraith.
Marshfield (26-4) will face John Burroughs (26-3) in the Class 5 state semifinals at 10 am on Wednesday, Mar. 13 at Mizzou Arena. John Burroughs won its state quarterfinal matchup over Hillsboro 67-28.
“They really believe in what we are doing. They believe in themselves. They just know that if they stick together and they are a unit that they can compete with anyone,” Pritchard said.
Marshfield 56, Helias Catholic 49
Helias Catholic – 13-15-7-14 –49
Marshfield – 14-10-10-22 — 56
H: Claire Galbraith 22, Claire Morris 12, Ava Morris 8, Adalyn Koelling 5, Kenadi Harrison 2
M: Peyton Ward 22, Lauren Luebbert 16, Abigail McBride 13, Quinn Aldridge 3, Halle Menzies 2
