Defense leading the way for Appleton East

APPLETON - Last season the Appleton East girls basketball team fell one game short of the state tournament, and the way Fox Valley Association leader is playing this season East just might clear that final hurdle.

East, ranked No. 2 in the FOX 11 Top 11 girls basketball poll, is playing the kind of basketball championship-caliber teams play. Star player Marissa Michalkiewicz said it's all about picking up where the team left off last season.

"The run last season really got us going,” she said. “This year, we're just playing really well as a team; just using each other's confidence to continue our streak."."

The key to East (12-1, 10-1) this season has been its defense. Entering Thursday’s game against Kaukauna, it ranks second in the state in Division 1, allowing just 31 points per game.

"Started last year and we continued it this year,” East co-coach Joe La Chapell said. “Just taking pride on that end. I've been hard on them, like you said, we're second in the state, but they can still get better."

Michalkiewicz is a 1,000-point scorer in her career but she realizes defense is where the Patriots make their statement.

"No matter how many points we score on offense they can score just as many,” she said. “So if we limit their points our games usually end up in our favor. Defense is what we pride ourselves on."

La Chapell, who shares coaching duties with Jackie Arnold, said making the players dedicate themselves on defense has been easy.

"Heart and effort is never a question with these guys,” La Chapell said. “They give us a chance and buy into what we're doing. The results have been very promising."

Yes they have, East is on pace to win its first FVA title since the 1998-99 season.

"It'd mean a lot … especially with what the boys did last year,” La Chapell said. “We'd like to follow that up this year."

East, though, is a long way from the finish line. While it has swept second-place Oshkosh West, East has remaining games against Kimberly and Appleton North, both of which are two games behind East in the FVA.

“Kimberly and Appleton North, we also had close games,” La Chapell said. “You have to get those games. We’ve been fortunate, but a little ways to go yet.”

La Chapell and Arnold are in their first season as co-coaches, but La Chapell was on the staff last season, while Arnold was on the freshman staff. La Chapell knew his team could follow up last year’s postseason run.

“I had a firm belief,” La Chapell said. “They believe it which is more important. It’s hard work. We are in a tough conference, our nonconference schedule is tough. There was a deep belief at the start of the season.”

doug.ritchay@wluk.com