Manitowoc Lutheran High School is garnering a lot of attention throughout northeast Wisconsin and the entire state thanks to a group of student-athletes who have worked hard to put “Lancer Nation” on the map.
The Lancers are coming off their first WIAA state team title in school history last month, capturing the Division Four State Volleyball championship. Most of those players are part of the girls’ basketball team that is off to a 6-0 start and ranked third in the latest Division Four Girls High School Basketball wissports.net coaches poll released Tuesday.
Head Coach Mike Behnke says this validates all the hard work these student-athletes have put in.
“I can’t tell you how proud I am of the work and the effort they’ve put in,” he told SeehaferNews.com. “The week that they had this week with our games against St Mary’s and Kewaunee is just tremendous and validates all the work they’re putting in.”
The Lancers posted wins last week over previous unbeaten St. Mary Catholic and Kewaunee and defeated Mishicot Monday night to complete an undefeated three-game homestand.
They’ve succeeded through the first quarter of the season thanks to balanced scoring on offense and, at times, a suffocating 1-3-1 zone defense that forces tempo and multiple turnovers, leading to easy baskets on the offensive end.
There’s an adage in athletics that you respect all and fear none, with some even graduating to a level of “playing against the game.”
Behnke says they are getting closer to that goal.
“I feel like the Mishicot was a big step, especially coming off of the two games that we had back to back, and then playing a team like Mishicot where we have a rivalry, where they have great guard play and then being able to stick to the game plan with not a lot of time to prepare,” he said. “Watching the kids be able to execute that plan and try and attack the different personnel and lineups we wanted was a growing step for our kids.”
With success comes expectations, and many are looking to knock you off.
The Lancer’s bench boss says his team, for the most part, is keeping a level head through it all.
“Whether they grasp it quite yet, I’m sure some of them do, some of them, maybe not as much,” he admitted. “But again, that’s our job as coaches to try and keep their focus into that next game and then force them into this mindset of being able to execute and just stay in the moment versus getting too far ahead of yourself.”
The 6-0 Lancers are at Howards Grove to meet the Tigers Thursday at 7:15 p.m., then travel to Sevastopol Saturday afternoon to meet The Pioneers. Game time is 2 p.m.
