Slow start, ball pressure ends Pirate girls’ season

Beaver Dam bolted out of the gates in a girls’ Division 2 sectional semifinal last Thursday, putting Port Washington in a hole they could not climb out of.

The Golden Beavers led, 27-6, barely 11 minutes into the game and won, 52-30.

“They took us right out of the game early. Beaver Dam went hard after our guard play,” coach Dave Ross said.

Senior leading scorer Savanna Miller got in foul trouble and was held to four points, 10 below her season average, on 2-for-8 shooting.

The Pirates’ defense actually executed its game plan. University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee commit Nataya Donaldson, who averages 16.8 points per game, was held to three points on 1-for-4 shooting.

“Grace (Riley) did a phenomenal job. We basically shut them down in the paint,” Ross said. “We just couldn’t get the offense going.

Senior forward Norah Merow had 14 points on 6-for-11 shooting and 10 rebounds. Delaney Rauch had three points on 1-for-5 shooting and six rebounds.

Port finished 10-2 in the Glacier Trails Conference and 18-8 overall. The Pirates won a regional title for the first time since 2000. Ross was the coach back then before a successful stint at Cedarburg.

Miller and Merow are the two starting seniors the Pirates will lose. Miller said she is thankful to be part of Port basketball.

“This program taught me a ton about leadership, perseverance, accountability and the importance of having a good work ethic, and it gave me a lot of important relationships,” she said.

She got to play with her sister Sierra, a 2025 grad, and both played for their father Brian, an assistant coach and former men’s coach at Milwaukee School of Engineering.

“This program gave me so many best friends,” Savanna said.

Ross said he is proud of his team and happy the girls got to play in a bigger game with larger, louder crowds and brighter lights.

“We just kept getting better, which is a good sign,” he said.

Port also loses seniors Marietta Knepfel and Nataliyah Morgan, but three starters return, including Rauch, who averaged 12 points, six rebounds and three assists per game.

“She’s a scoring machine and will continue to develop her game,” Ross said.

He is also excited about the younger players who are learning the game.

“The future looks bright,” he said.

Beaver Dam, 22-6, on Saturday beat Xavier, 67-53, and advanced to the state tournament.