Thursday, March 13, 2025 - Mayville - The Mayville girls' basketball team closed out its season in the first round of the WIAA Regional Championships, falling to Winnebago Lutheran 67-37 on Tuesday, Feb. 25.
In the first half, Mayville struggled with turnovers but continued to battle. Layla Budahn was the first on the board, scoring two points just four minutes into the game. Budahn finished with 10 points, making her the team's leading scorer for the game.
The Cardinals put up 17 points in the second half but were unable to close the gap. Molly Grulke finished the game with 10 rebounds, just behind Budahn’s 11.
Under the leadership of veteran coach David Beebe, who completed his first season with Mayville and his 20th overall, the Cardinals showed steady growth throughout the year. Offensively, Mayville was led by top scorers of the season Ellie Wojahn, Layla Budahn, and Madison Justman. Budahn also led the team in rebounds, making a strong impact on the boards.
“While our record may not be great this year, it was an improvement from previous years, and as a program, it didn't feel like a bad season. They showed a ton of growth this year and it shows by how our scores improved throughout the season,” said Beebe.
“With this group, they were always coming to practice in good spirits and ready to work and get better. That means a lot when you are trying to change the culture and the reputation around a program,” Beebe continued.
Regarding the senior class, Beebe said, “We lost some seniors prior to the start of the season, which hurt us depth-wise but also gave an opportunity to our younger players. It also meant a lot to have the seniors buying into what we were trying to do. It can be hard at times to have an entirely new system your last year, but they were willing and able to put in the work to learn it and get better. They are the building blocks to the future of the program and I am grateful for what they gave to us this year.”
After the conclusion of the Regional opener, Coach Beebe added, “It was thanks to the seniors who were willing to give a new coach a chance and their willingness to show up every day and get better.”
With Beebe’s experience and a determined group of players, the Cardinals aim to build on this season’s progress as they look ahead to next year.
“We started to create those building blocks this year while learning how to win games and how to compete for a full 36 minutes,” explained Beebe. “They are starting to learn the steps it takes to be a successful team. You can't just show up and think you are going to win. It takes work daily and preparation. Watching film, lifting in the weight room, and focusing on those small details that add up over the course of a game. I think they did a good job of starting to pick up on those things and start to understand them more.”
Looking to the future, Beebe commented, “We started this last August with our middle school season and working with our eighth graders and then carried over to our high school season…This helps us to learn about them and what their strengths and weaknesses are, while also getting them into our system so they will be ready to go as they walk in the door as freshmen.”
Beebe concluded, “We have put together a good summer program and I think a year into the new system will definitely help. They are all buying in and ready to work to get better and that goes a long way when trying to right the ship.”
GAME SUMMARY
Tuesday, Feb. 25
Mayville 20-17-37
WLA 38-29-67
POINTS: Budahn, 10 pts.; Justman, 7 pts.; Wojahn, 7 pts.; Casper, 4 pts.; Grulke, 4 pt.; Case, 3 pts.; Billington, 2 pts.
FGM: 16
FTM: 3
3PTS: 2
REB: 40
AST: 5
STL: 8
FOULS: 19
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