‘Cats come back to beat T-Birds

By Casey Krautkramer

Edgar varsity boys basketball point guard Teegan Streit took matters into his own hands on Monday with his team down early to Lakeland Union. Streit was cognizant that the best way to create offense is to drive to the basket for a chance to at least get fouled and go to the freethrow line.

With the Wildcats losing 15-8, Streit drove hard to the bucket three straight times and he was fouled on each one of them. He endured the pain of getting fouled to go to the charity stripe where he made four of his six free throw attempts to inch Edgar closer to Lakeland Union.

Edgar senior Brett Baumgartner was fouled and he made one of two bonus free throws. Senior Preston Dahlke’s basket inside brought the Wildcats within eight points of the Thunderbirds. Later on, Baumgartner made the basket and was fouled.

The Edgar crowd began chanting “defense” which led to senior Karter Butt’s steal that in turn helped junior Leyton Schuett score a basket to get the Wildcats within four points of the Thunderbirds with just over four minutes left in the first half. Teegan Streit’s layup brought Edgar within two points of Lakeland Union. Later on, Streit again drove hard to the basket for two points to tie the game at 26-26 with just over one minute remaining in the half. Streit scored 15 points in the first half.

Edgar’s first-half comeback propelled the team to outscore Lakeland Union, 2616, in the second half to go on for the 5242 non-conference win.

Streit led Edgar with 20 points and three assists in the home victory against Lakeland Union. Dahlke paced the Wildcats with eight rebounds and two blocked shots. Baumgartner contributed 12 points, seven rebounds and one blocked shot. Karter Butt and Schuett led Edgar with three steals apiece. Schuett added two assists in the win.

Edgar beat Chequamegon, 58-43, on Friday in Park Falls. Baumgartner scored a game-high 20 points while Streit added 12 points and Karter Butt had 10. Baumgartner and Streit paced the Wildcats with eight rebounds each and Dahlke had six. Streit led the team with seven assists while he and Dahlke paced the squad with three steals each.

The Wildcats currently have a 10-3 record in the Marawood South Conference and are 17-4 overall this season. It’s important that Edgar keep winning games so it receives a good seed in the WIAA Division 4 playoffs which will be announced late this Sunday morning, Feb. 18. Edgar concludes its regular season with three conference games against Auburndale, Marathon and Newman Catholic.

Edgar girls basketball

The Edgar varsity girls basketball squad lost to Loyal, 50-34, on Friday at home. Senior Maycie Yonker led the Wildcats with nine points and senior Taylor Lemmer added eight.

Edgar has lost four of its last six games since losing its top player, senior Makayla Wirkus, to season-ending shoulder surgery. Wirkus’ shoulder surgery will reportedly prevent her from also playing softball for the Wildcats this spring. She is working toward having a healthy shoulder in time to play college softball at Northern Iowa Community College next year.

The Wildcats currently have a 7-8 record in the Marawood South Conference and are 10-12 overall this season. The WIAA computer seeding has awarded Edgar a No. 7 seed in the Division 5 playoffs. Edgar will play No. 10 seed Newman Catholic at home at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 20, in a regional quarterfinal. Edgar ironically also plays Newman Catholic this Thursday, Feb. 15, in a road game to conclude its conference regular season schedule. The winner of Tuesday’s playoff game will likely play at No. 2 seed Pittsville on Friday, Feb. 23.

Red Raider girls hoops

Marathon’s varsity girls basketball team lost to Amherst, 42-33, on Tuesday at home while the team honored its two senior players, Madison Heise and Madisyn Lang. Marathon also lost to Philips, 7228, Thursday on the road. Individual Marathon player statistics from both games were not available before the newspaper was printed.

The Red Raiders currently have a 3-12 record in the Marawood South Conference and are 6-17 overall this season. Marathon was awarded a No. 8 seed in the WIAA Division 4 playoffs and will host No. 9 seed Ladysmith at 7 p.m. this Tuesday, Feb. 20. The winner will play at No. 1 seed Chippewa Falls McDonell, which has a first round bye, on Friday, Feb. 23.

Marathon boys basketball

The Marathon varsity boys basketball squad beat Wittenberg-Birnamwood, 51-36, Monday on the road. Senior center Grant Warren led the Red Raiders in four statistical categories with 21 points, six assists, three steals and three blocks. Senior Tyler Underwood added 11 points and sophomore Drew Woelfel paced the team with nine rebounds.

Marathon defeated Phillips, 87-53, on the road Friday. Warren led Marathon with 23 points while Woelfel contributed 22 points. Sophomore True Thurs added 13 points and Underwood had 11 points. Underwood paced the Red Raiders with nine assists and seven rebounds. Thurs led the squad with three steals.

The Red Raiders remain ranked No. 1

See BASKETBALL ROUNDUP/ page 10

GREAT DEFENSE LEADS TO OFFENSE- Edgar senior Karter Butt steals the basketball against Lakeland Union in the first half of Monday’s home game. His steal resulted in junior Leyton Schuett scoring a basket. Butt’s senior teammates, Preston Dahlke (12) and Brett Baumgartner (5) are pictured on both side of him.

STAFF PHOTO/CASEY KRAUTKRAMER Basketball roundup

Continued from page 9

in this week’s wissports.net Division 4 coaches poll. Marathon is still undefeated in the Marawood South Conference with a 13-0 record and is 20-1 overall this season. Marathon has still not wrapped up the conference championship yet because two of its last three conference regular-season games are against tough opponents Edgar on the road and Auburndale at home.

Stratford boys hoops

The Stratford varsity boys basketball squad beat Marawood North Conference champion Rib Lake, 57-40, on the road Friday. Senior Brady Schmidt led the Tigers with 13 points and senior Henry Zaleski added 11. Junior Drew Bruesewitz paced the team with eight rebounds, six assists and two steals. Stratford currently has a 9-4 record in the Marawood South Conference and is 16-5 overall this season.

Tiger girls basketball

Stratford’s varsity girls basketball team defeated Rib Lake, 41-33, on the road Thursday. Freshman Carly Pankratz led the Tigers with 16 points. Sophomore Tria Tubbs added 11 points and she paced the squad with 12 rebounds. Junior Laney Pankratz led the team with three steals. The Tigers currently have a 10-5 record in the tough Marawood South Conference and are 13-10 overall this season.

Stratford was awarded a No. 4 seed and first-round bye in next Tuesday’s WIAA Division 4 regional quarterfinals. Stratford will play in a home regional semifinal at 7 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 23, against Tuesday’s winner between No. 5 seed Abbotsford versus No. 12 seed Colby.

The winner of next Friday’s regional semifinal in Stratford will likely play at No. 1 seed Chippewa Falls McDonell in the regional championship at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 24.

Athens boys hoops

The Athens varsity boys basketball squad broke open a 23-23 tie at halftime against Pittsville on Tuesday to earn a much needed 51-48 non-conference road win. Senior Ty Johnson led Athens with 15 points and nine rebounds. Freshman Daxton Diethelm added 14 points and seven rebounds. Sophomore Riley Schultz- Becker contributed 10 points and he paced the Bluejays with eight assists. Diethelm and Schultz-Becker led the team with three steals each.

Athens lost to Auburndale, 62-32, on Thursday at home. The Bluejays were only down by seven points to the Eagles at halftime. Schultz-Becker led Athens with seven points and seven rebounds. The Bluejays currently have a 3-10 record in the Marawood North Conference and are 8-13 overall this season.

Bluejay girls basketball

The Athens varsity girls basketball team edged Auburndale, 52-50, on Friday at home. Sophomore Sy’Rih Hartwig led Athens with 15 points. Senior Sophia Coker added 13 points and she paced the Bluejays with 17 rebounds and five blocked shots. Her twin sister, Sydney Coker, had two blocked shots.

Athens lost to Pittsville, 52-46, on the road Monday. Sophomore Danica Diethelm led Athens with 14 points. Senior Jazelle Hartwig added 13 points and she paced the team with 10 rebounds, five steals and three assists. Sophia Coker led the Bluejays with three blocked shots.

The Bluejays currently have a 12-3 record in the Marawood North Conference and are 14-9 overall this season. Athens was awarded a No. 4 seed in the WIAA Division 5 playoffs and play at 7 p.m. this Tuesday, Feb. 20, against No. 13 seed Marion at home. Should Athens beat Marion then it would likely host No. 5 Loyal in a regional semifinal at 7 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 23. The winner of the regional semifinal would then likely play at No. 1 seed Stevens Point Pacelli in the regional championship at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 24.

ATTACKING THE DEFENSE- Athens senior Isaac Bushman drives into the lane and looks to pass the basketball to a teammate in the team’s 62-32 home loss to Auburndale on Thursday.

STAFF PHOTO/CASEY KRAUTKRAMER