Grafton girls get most of the gang back together

The Grafton High School girls’ basketball team has a slight case of deja vu, and coach Matt D’Amato delights in it.

Five sophomores who started last season — one filled in when senior Marissa Morgan broke her hand — are all back to comprise the same lineup for the Black Hawks.

Guard Cali Tagliapietra heads the list after leading the Hawks in scoring last season, averaging 10.2 points per game. She was second on the team in rebounds (4.5 per game), assists (3.0) and steals (2.6), and she earned North Shore Conference honorable mention.

Morgan was the team leader in those three categories and was second in scoring with 10.1 points per game. She is playing for Loras College in Dubuque, Iowa.

Also returning for the Hawks are starters Melanie Morgan, Marissa’s younger sister, Liliana Verplancke, Ava Dotson and Brynlee Hildebrand.

Morgan averaged 9.5 points per game last season and Hildebrand 8.0.

Tagliapietra is the point guard with Morgan and Hildebrand as shooting guards. Dotson “does everything,” D’Amato said, essentially filling the shoes of former versatile players Sarah Aleknavicius and Josie Gasser. Verplancke will provide an inside presence.

Most of the group played together in the offseason and, along with last year’s experience, boosts team camaraderie.

“I think the girls have it very naturally,” D’Amato said.

“The staff put focus on that too — being able to really want to win for each other instead of just win for themselves.”

With five starters who could play in college, D’Amato said keeping the recruiting noise out so players aren’t worrying about their stats is a priority.

“When they’re having fun, they’re playing really well. The message we give them is, ‘If you play your game and have fun doing it, everything else is going to work out,’” D’Amato said.

So far it has. The Hawks are off to a dominant start with three nonconference blowouts.

At Plymouth on Nov. 18, Grafton won, 77-34. The team shot 16-for-34 (47%) on three-pointers. 

Dotson scored 18 points and was 4-for-7 on threes. Morgan scored 13 points and was 3-for-4. Hildebrand scored 10 points and was 3-for-6. Tagliapietra scored 11 points and was 2-for-7.

The Hawks also made 19 steals.

Grafton beat Sheboygan Falls, 68-43, in the home opener on Nov. 20. Tagliapietra had 16 points, nine assists, eight rebounds and six steals. Dotson and Morgan each had 12 points and six rebounds. Verplancke had 11 points, six rebounds and five steals. Hildebrand had nine points and four steals.

On Nov. 25, Grafton beat visiting New Berlin West, 63-37. Taliapietra had 14 points, eight rebounds and five steals. Morgan and Hildebrand each had 11 points.

Dotson and reserve Emily Sewell — D’Amato calls her “walking energy” — were on the state runner-up volleyball team and would like to see the hoops’ team qualify.

“Mentally, they have this drive of telling everybody else, ‘Guys, this is really cool. We need to do this,’” D’Amato said.

Kendyl Conrad, Madison James — former standout Savannah’s sister who fits the program well — are among those to come off the bench. Four freshmen are on the team and are “the biggest cheerleaders” for their teammates, D’Amato said.

Grafton starts NSC play at Hartford (2-1) on Friday, Dec. 5.