Schauer ties school scoring mark

A year ago, the Ozaukee Warriors girls’ basketball team finished with a 15-9 overall record.

This season, Ozaukee’s coach Tim Wolff hopes to improve on that record.

“I expect to be better than last year,” Wolff said. “I certainly don’t expect to take a step backward.”

The Warriors return one of the most talented players in the conference and school history in junior guard Becca Schauer.

Schauer led the Warriors with 14.2 points, 4.5 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 4.9 steals per game.

She made the Big East Conference first team last season and missed unanimous choice honors by one vote.

Wolff said this year’s Warriors have good speed.

“We have good ball-handling skills and very strong guard play,” he said.

“I have high expectations for this group.”

The Warriors will battle a lack of height, which was also a challenge last season. Ozaukee overcame the height disadvantage with aggressive, scrappy defense and an ability to score from outside.

Senior Abby Miller is the tallest player at 5 feet, 9 inches. Carla Wolff is 5-8.

The Warriors have proven scorers to pick up the scoring lost to three graduates.

Greta Klas averaged 6.8 points per game a year ago. Carla Wolff averaged 5.9 and Miller had five points per game, along with 4.3 rebounds per game.

Greta Klas, Wolff and Schauer all proved a year ago that they can score from the perimeter.

Wolff said he is impressed with Gabby Klas’ ability to handle the ball as a freshman. The younger Klas scored in double digits in her first game of the season.

“Going from an eighth grader to varsity is a big change, and she’s doing well,” he said.

“I really like the group of girls we have this year. They all work very hard and it’s obvious they want to be there.”

Wolff said he expects the top of the Big East Conference to be loaded with contenders, with Manitowoc Lutheran and Oostburg the teams to beat.

Besides those, Howards Grove, Random Lake, Cedar Grove-Belgium, St. Mary Catholic, Kohler and Ozaukee will all battle it out for the top spots.

“I’d be shocked if anyone got through with only one loss,” he said.

“Our conference is a pretty good girls’ basketball conference in this state. Two years ago, we had a state champion and last year had a runner-up.”

The Warriors lost three seniors to graduation and will look to other players to fill some big shoes.

Elise Large was the team’s second-leading scorer with 9.6 points per game and also had 4.9 rebounds per game, despite being one of the shortest players on the team.

Amy Wolff scored 8.4 points per game a year ago and led the Warriors in rebounds with 5.8 per game.

Loren Miller was an all-around solid player who played scrappy defense.

“They gave a lot of years to our program, and I like to recognize their dedication,” Wolff said.

Warriors start 2-0 behind school record

Schauer began the season in stellar fashion, leading the Warriors to a pair of victories in last week’s season-opening games.

Schauer scored 26 points opener versus visiting Kewaskum on Nov. 13. Ozaukee won the nonconference game, 57-46.

Last Friday, Schauer tied a school record with 35 points in the Warriors’ 50-37 win over visiting Random Lake in the Big East Conference opener.

Schauer joined three other players — Michelle Thill, Nicole Bundy and Courtnie Paulus — at the top of the single-game scoring list.

Schauer made seven two-point baskets, a pair of three-pointers and went 15-of-23 from the free throw line.

Friday’s game against the Random Lake Rams was a big test, according to Ozaukee coach Tim Wolff, who said the Rams could battle for the top spots in the conference.

“Going into the game, I challenged everyone that it would take everybody to beat Random Lake,” Wolff said.

“Random Lake has a good team. I told them it would come down to rebounding, because we had a disadvantage in that area, and getting to loose balls and executing.”

The Warriors struggled controlling the ball in the first half, racking up the turnovers.

“We were shooting ourselves in the foot. But we played pretty good defense,” Wolff said.

It helped that one of the Rams’ leading scorers McKenna Armstrong battled foul trouble throughout the game.

“We got ahead by a decent lead and then spread the court,” Wolff said.

“Then we got to the basket a lot with layups or drawing fouls. That’s how Becca was able to score so much.”

Beyond her points, Schauer had six steals and four assists.

“Becca had an extremely effective game all-around. It seemed like no one could guard her one-on-one,” Wolff said.

Abby Miller had seven points Greta Klas added seven points for the Warriors.

Ram McKenna Armstrong had eight points. Leah Armstrong and Julia DeBroux each had six.

In the non-conference opener against Kewaskum, the Warriors had to overcome some challenges.

“Being the first game, a lot of the girls had never started on varsity or were playing their first meaningful minutes at the varsity level,” Wolff said.

“But coming out of the (preseason) scrimmage, I thought we played pretty well, and I was optimistic we’d come out strong.

Schauer, however, picked up her fourth foul with 13 minutes to play.

“I was proud of the girls who handled the ball, Carla (Wolff), Greta (Klas) and Gabby (Klas),” Wolff said.

“In the long run, the challenge to keep running the offense without her on the floor will pay off.”

The Warriors led at halftime, 32-27.

Gabby Klas had 10 points, and Miller had nine.

In addition to her 26 points, Schauer added six steals and three assists.

“I was pleasantly surprised at how well Gabby handled the ball as a freshman. It was a nice way to start the season,” Wolff said.

Kewaskum was led by Maxine Paulowski with 15 points.

The Warriors were to play Big East foe at Elkhart Lake-Glenbeulah Tuesday. On Thursday, Nov. 29, they host conference foe Oostburg.