Local teams play in state tournaments

Several local basketball teams competed in Wisconsin State Invitational Championship Tournaments held throughout the state from mid-February through early April.

These elite tournaments, which are organized by The Great Northwest Basketball League, bring together the top community-based teams from across the state to play six or seven games over a two-day weekend. State champions were crowned in divisions that are based on the enrollment of the high school into which each team feeds.

The tournament is organized by size of communities, much like the WIAA state high school tournaments, so that top teams can compete on a level playing field with other programs their size.

 Rib Lake’s eighth grade boys team was the highest-placing local squad, taking fourth in its Division 4-5 tournament in Stevens Point March 23-24. In pool play, the Redmen beat Shullsburg 45-36 and Prentice 42-25 and lost 41-37 to Darlington to reach the quarterfinals. There, the Redmen beat La Crosse Aquinas 47-45. A 57-42 semifinal loss to eventual champion Kewaunee sent Rib Lake to the third-place game, which it lost 41-33 to Poynette. Kewaunee beat Melrose-Mindoro 39-31 in the championship game.

Rib Lake’s team included Ty Niemi, Slade Scheithauer, Blake Henderson, Kylan Bartelt, Lucas Cook, Dene Zuleger, Lawson Carlson, Josiah Mann and Grant Beard.

Scheithauer was named to the 11-player All-Tournament Team.

 Medford’s eighth grade boys team went 5-1 and placed fifth in its Division 2 tournament held in Merrill March 2324. The Raiders won their pool, beating Beaver Dam 53-49, West Salem 53-30 and Merrill 78-20, but a 39-36 quarterfinal loss to Green Bay Notre Dame knocked them out of championship contention. Medford routed West De Pere 66-39 and then won the fifth-place game 51-30 over New Richmond. Onalaska beat La Crosse Central 63-45 in the championship game.

Medford’s team included Corbyn Radlinger, Restyn Kraschnewski, Sawyer Hoops, Ace Arndt, Luke Klapatauskas, Will Wojcik, Ty Thorson, Dylan Frey and Devin Dassow.

Dassow was named to the nine-player All-Tournament Team.

 Medford’s sixth grade boys team finished sixth in its Division 2 tournament played March 23-24 in the Ashwaubenon area. The Raiders went 2-1 in their pool, beating Luxemburg-Casco 32-21 and Ashwaubenon 43-30 and losing 35-19 to Mount Horeb to reach the quarterfinals. There, the Raiders lost 44-37 to New Berlin West. Medford won a rematch with Luxemburg-Casco 33-20 and then lost a rematch with Mount Horeb 37-20 in the fifth-place game. Slinger downed Onalaska 35-25 in the title game.

Medford’s Parker Ried was named to the nine-player All-Tournament team.

 Medford’s fifth grade boys team finished sixth in its Medium Division tournament played March 23-24 at Kimberly. Medford went 2-1 in pool play, beating West Salem 27-22 and St. Croix Central 4131 while falling 36-34 to Sparta. That got them to the quarterfinals, where they fell 37-27 to Green Bay Notre Dame. After a 40-31 win over Gale-Ettrick-Trempealeau, Medford lost to Sparta 28-25 in the fifthplace game. Lodi beat Notre Dame 49-36 in the championship.

Medford’s Oliver Daniels was named to the eight-player All-Tournament team.

 The Gilman Pirates eighth grade girls team finished 12th in the Small Division tournament played in Stevens Point April 6-7. The Pirates went 2-2 in the Red pool, beating Winnebago Lutheran 34-22 and Three Lakes-Phelps 41-25. They lost to Onalaska Luther 51-31 and Columbus Catholic 35-18.

In consolation play, Gilman lost 34-32 to La Crosse Aquinas and 54-43 to Boyceville in the 11th-place game. Shullsburg was the champion, beating Lancaster 49-26 in the title game.

Gilman’s team consisted of Averie Olynick, Norah Noonan, Shae Drier, Olivya Szemraj, Reece Weir, Brynn Komanec, Molly Siok and Kaitlyn Madlon.

Weir was named to the 10-player All-Tournament team.

 Medford’s seventh grade girls team placed 10th in its Medium Division tournament played April 6-7 at D.C. Everest. In pool play, Medford fell to eventual champion Fox Valley Lutheran 48-14, West Salem 44-31, Baraboo 45-21 and Bloomer 45-33. In consolation play, Wisconsin Dells beat Medford 25-17 and Osceola won the ninth-place game 35-28. Fox Valley Lutheran blew out Baraboo 4819 in the final.