Tigers upend Indians

Squad gives Mosinee first loss this year

By Casey Krautkramer

Stratford senior floor general Caden Bruesewitz scored a team-high 21 points on Thursday to help Stratford hand Mosinee its first loss this season, 62-58, on parent’s night.

Caden, who is nicknamed “Bruiser” off his last name, did a great job dribbling and passing the ball against Mosinee’s fullcourt press. He stepped up his play while Stratford’s top scorer, senior Camden Daul, was saddled with foul trouble on the bench for most of the game.

“I knew that he’s a big part of our team because he’s our leading scorer, and with him out I knew we all needed to step up our games,” Caden, the son of Keith and Angie Bruesewitz, said. “I guess we all gave it 100 percent effort and I just played as hard as I could out there and it worked out.”

Caden Bruesewitz sank a three pointer and then Daul forced a Mosinee player into committing a turnover on the sideline in front of Stratford’s bench, which led to another Caden Bruesewitz trey. Daul attempted to create another Mosinee turnover on the sideline, but this time the referee gave him his third foul with four minutes, 22 seconds left in the first half.

While Daul was on the bench in foul trouble, Mosinee’s entire team kept committing fouls against Stratford. Tigers junior grad Braeden Schueller was fouled while grabbing a defensive rebound, and he drained a pair of bonus free throws to tie the game at 30 points for each team with just over two minutes left before halftime.

Caden Bruesewitz also made both of his bonus free throws to give the Tigers a 32-30 lead, but Mosinee junior Davin Stoffel answered with a basket to tie the game again. Mosinee sophomore Keagen Jirschele made two straight baskets to give the Indians a 36-32 advantage, until Caden Bruesewitz sank another pair of bonus free throws. Stratford was still losing, 3634, at the break.

Stratford players kept being aggressive and attacking the basket in the second half while drawing fouls against Mosinee. Schueller’s bucket tied the game at 39 points apiece and senior guard Kaden Griesmer’s two straight baskets gave Stratford a 4339 advantage. Tigers senior forward Devin Ulrich hit one of his two free throws to give the squad a 44-39 lead.

Stoffel kept the pressure on Stratford by sinking a pair of free throws. Stratford junior guard Ashton Wrensch was fouled while driving to the hoop and he drained both free throws to give the Tigers a 46-41 advantage. Schueller was fouled, putting Stratford already in the bonus with 12 minutes, 43 seconds remaining in the game yet. He made on two free throws to give the Tigers a 47-43 lead.

Later in the second half, Mosinee committed its 10th foul against Stratford, putting the Tigers in double bonus free throws with five minutes, 40 seconds left in the game. Caden Bruesewitz converted both double-bonus free throws to give Stratford a 57-51 advantage.

Stratford welcomed Daul back into the game with just over five minutes remaining, and he gave Caden Bruesewitz extra help in beating Mosinee’s full-court press. Stoffel’s baskets kept the Indians in the game but the Tigers prevailed in the end. Stoffel scored a game-high 22 points.

The Tigers attempted nearly twice as many free throws, 34 to 18, as the Indians. Stratford head coach Curt Schmidt of course wished his team would’ve made more of its free throws, because the Tigers only converted 21 of them for 62 percent. Mosinee, conversely, made 55 percent of its free throws. Caden Brusewitz attempted 16 free throws himself, making 11 or 68 percent of them.

“It was a great team effort,” coach Schmidt said. “I was really proud of how our players responded to Cam being in foul trouble. We talked about facing a team like Mosinee that loves to apply full-court pressure the entire game, and we only ended up with 10 turnovers.”

Coach Schmidt said his team can always rely on its strong defensive play when its players go through shooting droughts on offense.

“We always preach that defense travels, and that means even on your home court because sometimes there’s a lid on the bucket and sometimes the ball doesn’t go into the hole,” he said. “We missed two free throws in a row toward the end of the game but we kept getting stops on defense. We were up six or seven points and we went a lot of time with Cam out with foul trouble, but it was only a three or four point game by the time he went back in so we just kinda hung on without him.”

Stratford responded with a big win against Division 2 Mosinee after suffering its lone defeat of the season, 6155, to Marathon on Dec. 14.

“It’s a big win, especially with us just losing to Marathon, which gave us a little fire to come out and beat one of the best area teams in Mosinee,” Caden Bruesewitz said.

Stratford improves its record to 7-1 overall this season while Mosinee falls to 6-1. Stratford was scheduled to play against Owen-Withee today (Dec. 29) in the Stratford home holiday tournament. Stratford will then play against either Bangor or Wausau East this Thursday, Dec. 30, in the consolation game at 5:45 p.m. or in the tournament championship at 7:15 p.m. at Stratford High School.

Tigers tame the ‘Cats

Stratford’s boys basketball team defeated Edgar, 53-36, on Dec. 21 at home.

Daul led the Tigers with 13 points and Wrensch added 11. Daul also paced the team with seven rebounds and Bruesewitz had six assists. Griesmer led the team with three steals. Edgar’s individual player statistics were not available.

Edgar lost to Baldwin-Woodville, 69-45, on Tuesday at the Menomonie Showcase. Edgar was scheduled to play against another Middle Border Conference foe, Ellsworth, today (Dec. 29) in the Menominee Showcase. Edgar plays against Spencer at 7:15 p.m. this Monday, Jan. 3, at home. Edgar has a 4-3 overall record this season before its game against Ellsworth.

TENACIOUS TIGER- Stratford junior Braeden Schuller drives hard with the basketball past a Mosinee player during the Tigers’ 62-58 home victory against Mosinee on Thursday.STAFF PHOTO/CASEY KRAUTKRAMER

TIPOFF TO A GREAT GAME- Stratford senior Camden Daul goes up for the tip off with Mosinee junior Davin Stoffel to begin Thursday’s game. Davin Stoffel is a first cousin of former Marathon star basketball player Nathan Stoffel, who was at the game.STAFF PHOTO/CASEY KRAUTKRAMER