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When Assumption senior guard Autumn Linzmeier came out on the Resch Center to start the game with Barneveld you could tell she was ready for war.
With a bandage over her blackened right eye the message was clear. She was ready for a brawl.
And a brawl it was.
It was almost point for point the first half as the Royals climbed to a 27-22 halftime lead.
But that was not enough of a cushion for Linzmeier.
With half a minute gone in the second half Linzmeier wrestled for a rebound and stuffed it back in to spread the lead to 29-22. Next trip down she found the range from three point land and nailed a shot to make it 32-22.
Before the run ended twin towers Oliva Skibba and Gena Grundhoffer both 6-2, scored to make it a 13 point advantage.
Assumption went on to win 62-45.
It was Grundhoffer and Skibba who pounded away at the Eagles, making a comeback all put impossible.
Grundhoffer finished with 20 points, Skibba 18 and Macie Zurfluh 10. All three had six rebounds.
Hannah Whitish finished her career with a strong performance that featured 24 points, four rebounds, two assists and two blocks.
Her cousin, Mia, had 10 points, six rebounds and two assists.
With the loss to graduation of 5-11 Rachel Slaney and 6-2 Maggie Oimoen Pickarts knew what would possibly hurt the Eagles this season.
"Size was our Achilles' heel all season," the veteran coach said. "We got caught in some of our rotations with Grundhoffer and Skibba but we still battled."
"We beat them earlier and our trapping defense had a lot to do with that," Pickarts added. "But today they were more patient and we couldn't force the turnovers. We got into a hole."
"But I told the girls in the locker room that I didn't feel we lost that game. Assumption just won it," Pickarts said.
Hannah Whitish praised her teammates for what they accomplished this season and before.
"The chemistry was great and we worked hard to get the gold and silver balls," she said. "I will miss the girls."
Pickarts said Hannah has only been part of four losses in her four years playing for Barneveld and they have all been to Assumption.
"I am in awe of that," he said. "She has been something very special."
About the loss Pickarts said, "This is one of the best shooting teams I have been associated with. But I don't think we ever got into our rhythm in either game."
SCORE BY HALVES
Barneveld 22 23 45
Assumption 27 25 62
BOX SCORE
BARNEVELD 45: (fg-ft-tp) Fargo 0-0-0, Pickarts 2-0-4, H, Whitish 10-3-24, M, Whitish 3-3-10, Schave 2-0-5, Malin 1-0-2, Hogan-Weier 0-0-0, Walker 0-0-0, Bahr 0-0-0, Skaife 0-0-0, Murphy 0-0-0, Cannoy 0-0-0 Totals 18-6/9-45 Fouls-12
ASSUMPTION 62: Krings 2-0-5, A. Linzmeier 3-0-7, Zurfluh 4-2-10, Grundhoffer 6-8-20, Skibba 9-0-18, Wagner 0-0-0, Wendels 0-2-2, Preuss 0-0-0, C. Linzmeier 0-0-0, Sullivan 0-0-0, Crowns 0-0-0, Kaminski 0-0-0, Frisch 0-0-0 Totals 24-12/16-62 Fouls-12 Fouled out-A. Linzmeier
3 point goals:
B-H. Whitish 1, M. Whitish 1, Schave 1
A-Krings 1, A. Linzmeier 1