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Cuba City's girls basketball team, ranked number one in Division 4, has been there, done that and they have 43 straight wins to prove it.
The Dodgeville girls basketball team, number one ranked in Division 3, would like to be able to say the same thing.
But while the Cubans have been ruling the basketball world in Southwest Wisconsin for years, the Dodgers are just starting to climb that ladder.
"We hope to get there someday," said Dodgeville coach Mark Dooley.
But when the two teams met Monday in a battle of undefeated number ones, it was Cuba City who maintained their status and prevailed as they turned back the Dodgers 63-42.
The Dodgers had a game plan---they wanted to slow down the high powered Cuba City offense and neutralize the size difference on the boards. Their zone defense worked for awhile but only until four year starter Chloe Pustina, Cuba City's point guard, found the range from three point land and drained five of them on the way to a 19 point performance.
When the zone shifted, Pustina found Jessi Marti roaming inside and got her the ball for 17 points.
Molly Wedige added 11 points to the Cuban total.
Marti had eight points in a 15-7 first quarter then Pustina started to light things up in a 22-11 second quarter.
The Dodgers shifted to a man to man defense but had problems keeping up with the quick and bigger Cubans.
The closest the Dodgers could get was five points early in the second quarter when Samantha Crowley tossed in a three pointer that cut the lead to 15-10. But, Wedige scored from underneath and Pustina ripped the nets for a three and the Cubans never looked back.
Kara Crowley finished with 12 points to lead the Dodgers and Taylor Stanek added 11. Stanek, a three point shooter, drew attention all night and never got a good long range look.
"Cuba City did what they needed to do," said Dooley. "They played a very good game. They got to us early and their big second quarter hurt us. Even though we played them fairly even the other three quarters we never got out of the hole."
Dooley added that the Dodgers got away from their game plan and credited the Cubans for having a lot to do with that.
"We have to take a look at the things that happened in this game and learn from them," Dooley said. "We have to be angry, hungry and get back to it."
The Dodgers will return to SWC action Friday at Prairie du Chien.
SCORE BY QUARTERS
D 7 11 9 15 42
CC 15 22 11 15 63
BOX SCORE
DODGEVILLE 42: (fg-ft-tp) Bauer 1-0-2, Stanek 2-7-11, Jones 0-3-3, S. Crowley 1-5-8, Stumpf 1-0-2, K. Crowley 5-0-11, Cushman 1-0-3, Pluemer 1-0-2, Chitwood 0-0-0, Binsfeld 0-0-0 Totals 12-15/19-43 Fouls-16 Fouled out-K. Crowley
CUBA CITY 63: Marti 8-1-17, Pustina 6-2-19, Langmeier 1-0-2, Wiederholt 1-0-2, Kaiser 1-3-5, Wedige 4-3-11 Totals 25-10/14-63 Fouls-17
3 point goals:
D-S. Crowley 1, K. Crowley 1, Cushman 1
CC-Pustina 5