Wozniak’s last minute plays lock up ninth straight

by Peter Jakey– Managing Editor

Senior Victoria Wozniak came up with a steal, block and a key field goal to give state ranked Posen its ninth straight win, 35-33, in front of a fired up crowd. The Posen High School athletic department reduced the price of admission to $1 for Monday night’s game against Au Gres to ?pack the house.? Unfortunately, there were more groans from the home fans in the final quarter than cheers, because the Posen offense couldn’t buy a bucket in the final eight minutes, thus, keeping the game closer than it probably should have been.

With the visitors leading by a pair, 33-31, the Vikings had two shots spin around on the rim and pop out. There was only two minutes left in the game and the frustrated groans were getting louder and louder.

AFTER THE Vikes missed yet another shot, Wozniak’s persistent defense paid dividends “I jammed the rebounder and she threw it right into my hands,” said Wozniak. “I was in the right place at the right time.” Wozniak went up with the shot and was fouled hard. She made one-of-two to get Posen within one, 33-32, with 1:55 left. The Vikings stepped up the defense, forcing the Wolverines into two traveling calls. Au Gres also missed a key one-on-one play at the free-throw line. Wozniak got the ball on the right wing, with one foot outside the three-point arc and one in, let the open jumper fly. It hit nothing but net.

“When you have an open shot, you have to have the confidence to shoot it, because if you don’t shoot it, who knows if another opportunity will present itself. You have to take it if it is there,” said Wozniak, who scored seven of her points in the second half. The field goal gave the Vikings a one-point lead.

Fellow senior Tina Mulka added a free throw to give her a game-high 14. Wozniak wasn’t through, though, as Au Gres came out of a time-out with four seconds left and tried a three-point shot that was blocked by, you guessed it, Wozniak. The ball fell well short of its mark.

“IT HAS been Tina all year,” said head coach Karl Momrik. “Tonight, it was Victoria’s turn to take it over. She made the offensive and defensive plays of the game.” Posen improves to 11-1 overall and 9-0 in the league. They have five games remaining in the North Star League (NSL). The game was close throughout, with neither team able to build a lead.

Mulka’s three-pointer on the opening play of the second half and a lay up put the Vikings up by five, 24-19, but Au Gres went on a 6-0 run to take a one point lead, 25-24. Julia Lewandowski made a free throw to tie the game at 25 and Wozniak hit a “J” to make it a two-point lead, to only have Au Gres tie the score again by the end of the third. The Wolverines opened the fourth with a three-point play, but Nicole Purol scored the next four points in the game. Au Gres rose to the occasion on Adriane Swaffield’s jumper, but the visitors couldn’t hold it.

“We are down to five games in the NSL,” said Momrik. “We just knocked Au Gres pretty much out of the race.” The defense held Au Gres?

top scorer, Emily Lutz to three points. Posen is ranked 20th in Class D. The Vikings stifled Mio last Thursday at home, allowing only one Mio field goal in the first half. The final was 53-24. Mulka had 16, while Janice Ciarkowski put in a dozen.

IN THE J.V. contest, LeAnn Strzelecki’s half-court shot snatched a victory from the jaws of defeat. Down by one, 31-29, coach Gary Bisson called timeout with 3.2 seconds remaining to set up the play. The Vikes inbounded the ball and got it to Strzelecki, who launched the shot across the Viking at midcourt. It went right in. Paige Lewandowski led Posen with 10.

Against Au Gres, the girls improved to 9-3 overall and 8-1 in the league with a 45-24 win. Strzelecki led all scorers with 16. Emily Delekta added eight. Next up is Fairview on the road.

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