Crusaders Defense Smothers St. Charles West

At St. Dominic High School, the defense never rests.

In fact, it is the Crusaders' rock-solid defense that fuels their success.

The St. Dominic stop unit was at its finest on Thursday night leading the way to a 53-31 win over in a non-league contest at West. The Crusaders improved to 13-5 with their sixth win in a row. They have won 12 out of 14 games since a sluggish 1-3 start.     

The defending Class 4 state champs put the clamps down with a second-quarter defensive effort that would have made a college coach envious.    

"I'm absolutely thrilled," said St. Dominic coach Suzie Mennemeier. "This is what I always thought they were capable of. And it's coming at the right time - right before districts."     

The Crusaders held West (6-12) without field goal on 0-for-11 shooting in the second period. They forced eight turnovers and made life miserable for the Warriors' guards, who were never able to get untracked.     

That eight-minute effort may been the best of the season for Mennemeier's crew. The Crusaders switched from a zone defense to a man-to-man without a hitch and also flashed different types of pressures and other defensive sets.    

St. Dominic turned a competitive 16-10 game into a 34-13 blowout with the 18-3 blitz. West was held scoreless during the first 7:22 of the period and missed 13 of its last 14 shots over the final 8:49 of the half.    

"Our frustration on offense was because of their defense," West coach Ellen Parker said. "It was the difference in the game."     

Seniors Lauren Needham and Kelly Schnieders led the way at both ends of the floor. The 5-foot-5 inch Needham recorded five steals and triggered chest-to-chest pressure that forced 27 turnovers in the contest. The 5-10 Schnieders provided the muscle inside.    

Schnieders led the offensive attack with 17 points and 11 rebounds. Needham, the team's leading scorer at 12.2, added 15 points. But the point totals were inconsequential on this night. The defense took center stage.   

"Our hands were up, we were moving our feet," Needham said. "We didn't start out the year like this, but now we're doing things the right way."    

Schnieders, who leads the team with 11 rebounds per game, said she learned to play hard at the back end out of necessity. "If you don't play defense here and you don't hustle and play hard you'd better get used to the bench," she said.    

Schnieders isn't kidding. Mennemeier has one hard-fast rule on her team.    "From the very first day in tryouts, I tell them that if you don't play defense, you don't get to play for me," Mennemeier. "The defense sets the tone for the everything else."    

Seniors Madeline Bathe and Abigail Niemeyer also came up big at the defensive end on Thursday. Junior Kristin Wolff, who added nine points, recorded a pair of thefts in the first half.    

"I wanted to contest every shot," Mennemeier said. "If they make it, good for them. But we want to get in everybody's face. And we did a real good job of that."     

Niemeyer started the 18-3 second-period outburst with a basket off an offensive rebound. Schnieders and Needham followed with back-to-back two-pointers in a 43-second span to push the lead to 22-10. Needham then added a 3-pointer and Wolff chipped in with a driving layup. Schnieders followed with two short jumpers and a foul shot to put the Crusaders in control 32-10.    

Bathe closed the run seconds later with a short jumper following free throws by West seniors Abby Lauer and Sarah Lindsie Heifner. Schnieders began the second half with a basket from close range and Wolff pushed advantage to 39-14 with a 3-pointer.    

St. Dominic led by as many as 27 points before cruising home. Mennemeier, a former softball standout at Wentzville High, removed most of her regulars at the start of the fourth quarter.    

The Crusaders shined at the defensive end on Tuesday as well, rolling out to a 21-0 lead on the way to a 73-55 win over Lutheran-St. Charles. They have held their opponents to 36 points or less on 10 difference occasions this season.    

"This feels good," Needham said. "When we're playing good defense, one thing builds on another. It makes everything work."    

Freshman Kacy Eschweiler led West with 13 points and 12 rebounds.