Tigers fall to T-Birds in sectional

Stratford has 22-5 record

By Casey Krautkramer

Stratford’s varsity boys basketball team was edged, 54-47, by Iola-Scandinavia in Thursday’s WIAA Division 4 sectional semifinal in Wautoma.

The Tigers were down, 25-20, to the Thunderbirds who were undefeated at the time. Stratford concludes the 2021-22 season with a 22-5 record. This season might not have ended the way Tigers coaches and players would’ve liked, but at least Stratford won a WIAA Division 4 regional championship.

Stratford head coach Curt Schmidt said his team’s eight seniors Cameron Mootz, Cade Bruesewitz, Devin Ulrich, Camden Daul, Brett Bangart, Kaden Griesmer, Noah Barrett and Zack Seitz “meant a ton” to the Tigers boys basketball program.

“They were low maintenance, as far as attitude and commitment; they were great students because we were first in WIAA Division 4 boys basketball in team GPA and second in all divisions, with a 3.8 out of a possible 4.0 GPA. They were reliable and bought into our program’s philosophy. They will be missed big time. They were pleasant to be around and they were coachable.”

Stratford shot 18 of 45 for 40 percent overall from the field in its loss to Iola- Scandinavia. The Tigers made 15 of 27 two-point shots for 55 percent, but they were only three of 18 on shooting three pointers for 16 percent.

Junior Ashton Wrensch led the Tigers with 16 points in the defeat to the Thunderbirds. Senior Cade Bruesewitz added 12 points and senior Camden Daul had nine. Senior Kaden Griesmer, Daul and junior Braeden Schueller led Stratford with four rebounds each. All four of Schueller’s boards were on the defensive end. Bruesewitz and Daul paced the Tigers with two steals each.

Senior guard Parker Prahl led Iola-Scandinavia with 19 points and 14 re- bounds against Stratford.

Iola-Scandinavia lost to Manitowoc Roncalli, 52-45, in the WIAA Division 4 sectional championship on Saturday at Appleton East High School.

The Jets held Thunderbirds senior guard Prahl, the team’s leading scorer this season, to only eight points and eight rebounds. Iola-Scandinavia finishes this season with a 27-1 record while Roncalli, 24-3, advances to play Marshall, 22-6, in the WIAA Division 4 state tournament this Thursday night, March 17, at the Kohl Center in Madison.