Varsity Girls fall to Menomonie and St. Croix Central in tournament basketball play

The Merrill Varsity Girls Basketball Team competed in the Holiday Tournament at Menomonie High School on Dec. 29-30, 2025, falling to Menomonie 64-24 and St. Croix Central 59-27.
On Dec. 29, 2025, the Lady Bluejays struggled to get things going against Menomonie.
“The first half was a difficult stretch for us, as we struggled to find any rhythm,” said Merrill Varsity Girls Basketball Head Coach Joelene Hanig. “Too many turnovers, missed opportunities on decent looks at the basket, and being out-rebounded and out-hustled allowed Menomonie to build a significant lead early. The opening 10 minutes of the game especially put us in a hole that proved difficult to overcome.”
The second half showed improvement from Merrill.
“Facing a tough task in the second half, the girls responded with better energy and toughness,” Hanig said. “We competed harder, showed more fight, and played with improved effort on both ends of the floor.”

Grace Reimann (12 pts, 3 FG, 2 3pt, 4 FT, 3 reb, 1 ast, 1 stl) led Merrill in scoring. Brenna Jirovec (4 pts, 1 FG, 2 FT, 3 reb, 4 defl, 1 stl) and Kaela Clerveaux (3 pts, 1 FG, 1 3pt, 4 reb, 1 defl, 3 stl) also contributed. Farije Kiskoski (2 pts, 1 FG, 2 reb, 2 ast, 1 stl) rounded out the scoring.
“Moving forward, we need to focus on starting games with greater urgency and confidence,” Hanig said. “Establishing early momentum will be key for us as we continue to learn and improve throughout the season.”
Box Score
Merrill 24 @ Menomonie 64

On Dec. 30, day two in Menomonie, Merrill faced St. Croix Central in the second game of the Holiday Tournament.

“The first half proved challenging offensively, as we hit a scoring drought, despite generating good looks at the basket and from beyond the three-point line,” Hanig said. “The girls continued to work hard defensively, but St. Croix Central was able to connect on several outside shots, making it difficult for us to match their scoring. We hit the wall a few times offensively, but were able to close the gap slightly heading into halftime.”
“The second half followed a similar pattern, as we struggled to score consistently,” she said. “A few scoring spurts by Central, created in the open floor off rebounds and turnovers, allowed them to maintain and extend their lead.”
Grace Reimann (7 pts, 3 FG, 1 3pt, 2 reb, 3 ast, 6 defl, 2 stl) led Merrill in scoring. Darby Bonnell (5 pts, 1 FG, 1 3pt, 1 reb), Keira Clerveaux (5 pts, 2 FG, 1 FT, 5 reb, 2 defl, 1 stl), and Kaela Clerveaux (5 pts, 1 FG, 1 3pt, 2 reb, 1 ast, 1 defl) also scored. Brenna Jirovec (3 pts, 1 FG, 1 FT, 4 reb) rounded out the scoring.
“While the outcome was not what we hoped for, the effort and defensive commitment remained strong, and the experience gained will help us as we continue to improve moving forward,” Hanig said.
Box Score
Merrill 27 @ St. Croix Central 59