Wildcats can’t hang with Chargers

By Casey Krautkramer

Edgar’s Division 4 varsity boys basketball squad was faced with the difficult task of pulling off a home upset on Monday against Division 3 non-conference opponent Wittenberg-Birnamwood. The Chargers entered the game with only two losses this season against Division 2 Rhinelander, 13-5, and undefeated No. 1 ranked Division 4 squad Bonduel.

The Wildcats pep band played great tunes to pump up its home crowd and team during the pre-game. Edgar’s starting lineup of seniors Leyton Schuett and Ty Schnelle, juniors Tucker Streit and Gavin Mauer and sophomore Carson Nowak were ready to go. Schnelle scored Edgar’s first points of the game when he faked the shot to get the defender off him and then went up for the basket.

Wittenberg-Birnamwood kept swishing three-point shots on offense but leaving Edgar players open underneath the hoop on defense. Unfortunately for the Wildcats, the Chargers were scoring more points on each of their made baskets. Wittenberg- Birnamwood made 10 of 15 three-point shots in the first half to take a 46-27 lead into the break when Edgar’s sixth-grade boys basketball players displayed their skills on the court.

The Chargers kept cruising in the second half and took out its starting players with two minutes, 53 seconds left in the game. Edgar senior reserve Zander Chenier scored three points in the closing minutes of the team’s 73-50 loss to Wittenberg-Birnamwood. Nowak led Edgar with 12 points followed by Streit with 11 and Schnelle with 10. Senior guard Jett Rogowski scored a game-high 28 points for Wittenberg-Birnamwood.

Schuett scored a game-high 22 points on Friday but it wasn’t enough as Edgar lost to Phillips, 57-50, on the road. Edgar’s only victory against an opponent with a winning record this season was against Laona/Wabeno, 10-8, on Dec. 27 in the Laona/Wabeno Holiday Classic. The Wildcats currently have a 7-12 overall record this season. Wittenberg-Birnamwood lost to Division 1 Wausau West, 4536, on Tuesday at home and now have a 16-3 overall record this season.

Wildcat girls fall

Edgar’s varsity girls basketball team lost to Auburndale, 58-35, on Tuesday at home. Edgar also fell to Phillips, 64-52, Friday on the road. Sophomore Natallya Radke led Edgar with 15 points against Phillips. Junior Brandi Halvorsen contributed 11 points while sophomore Isabella Kaiser added eight and senior Emery Borchardt had seven. Borchardt paced the Wildcats with 10 rebounds and five assists. Borchardt and Kaiser led the team with two steals each. Edgar currently has a 7-15 overall record this season. The WIAA will release the playoff brackets at 11 a.m. this Sunday, Feb. 16.

Tiger boys seventh in D-4

Stratford’s varsity boys basketball team beat Black River Falls, 69-50, in Monday’s non-conference home game. Senior point guard Drew Bruesewitz led Stratford with 25 points, six assists and three steals. Senior Kaden Foster added 12 points and he led the Tigers with six rebounds. Junior Jack Remus paced Stratford with two blocked shots. Juniors Brooks Vanderhoof and Riley Spindler scored 11 points apiece and senior Jett Schoenherr added 10.

The Tigers defeated the Chequamegon Screaming Eagles, 50-34, Friday on the road. Vanderhoof led Stratford with 11 points while Foster added 10 and Schoenherr had nine. Foster paced the Tigers with six rebounds and three steals. Spindler led the team with five assists.

Stratford currently has a 17-2 overall record this season and is ranked No. 7 in this week’s wissports.net Division 4 coaches poll.

Tiger girls are road warriors

Stratford’s varsity girls basketball squad dominated Newman Catholic, 64-24, on Tuesday in Wausau. Junior Tria Tubbs led the Tigers with 16 points and senior Kayla Casperson added 10.

The Tigers beat the Chequamegon Screaming Eagles, 65-21, Friday on the road. Tubbs led the Tigers with 10 points and Casperson added nine. Sisters Carley and Laney Pankratz had eight points each. Senior Daisy Yoder paced the Tigers with eight rebounds.

Stratford defeated Marathon, 46-39, Thursday on the road. Carly Pankratz

See BASKETBALL/ page 16

SENIOR SHOOTER - Edgar senior Ty Schnelle attempts to set a pick on Wittenberg-Birnamwood senior Jaden Clark to allow his senior Wildcats teammate, Leyton Schuett (1) attempt a shot in the second half of Monday’s 73-50 home loss to the Chargers.

STAFF PHOTO/CASEY KRAUTKRAMER Basketball

Continued from page 13

scored a game-high 22 points and seven rebounds. Laney Pankratz had a gamehigh five assists. Junior Mylee Haehlke led Marathon with 19 points including 11 of 16 shooting from the free-throw line. Stratford currently has a 17-4 overall record this season.

Marathon girls fall

Marathon drops its record to 16-5 overall this season following Tuesday’s 72-41 road loss to Wisconsin Rapids Assumption, 20-1. The Royals are still ranked No. 1 in this week’s wissports.net Division 5 girls poll.

The Red Raiders beat the Abbotsford Falcons, 56-38, Friday on the road. Haehlke led Marathon with 16 points and eight rebounds. Senior Kyla Heise added 13 points and senior Izzy Vardon had six rebounds. Sophomores Katelyn Love and Mayven Schneider paced the Red Raiders with three assists each. Schneider led the team with three steals.

Red Raider boys edged

Marathon’s varsity boys basketball team lost a tight road game to Stevens Point Pacelli, 49-48, on Tuesday. The Red Raiders were losing to the Cardinals, 2524, at halftime. Pacelli improves its overall record to 14-4 this season while Marathon falls to 12-7 overall.

The Red Raiders beat the Abbotsford Falcons, 64-56, Friday on the road. Junior guard Landon Sneider led Marathon with 14 points and five steals. Junior Drew Woelfel contributed 12 points while junior True Thurs added 11 and sophomore Ean Shuda had 10. Sneider also led the team with five steals. Thurs paced the Red Raiders with eight rebound and senior Cody Radtke added seven. Thurs and Woelfel led Marathon with three assists each.

Bluejay boys beat Royals

The Athens varsity boys basketball squad edged Wisconsin Rapids Assumption, 65-64, on Friday at home. Junior point guard Riley Schultz-Becker scored a game-high 32 points on 10 of 19 made field goals and 10 of 12 made free throws. He also led the Bluejays with eight rebounds and six steals. Athens lost to Cadott, 73-58, Monday on the road. Athens bounced back to beat Thorp, 71-55, Tuesday on the road. The Bluejays improve their overall record to 514 this season.

Athens girls struggling

The Athens varsity girls basketball team lost to Chequamegon, 47-40, on Tuesday at home. Athens also lost to Wisconsin Rapids Assumption, 73-18, on Thursday at home. The Bluejays have a 2-17 overall record this season.

CONFIDENT OUTSIDE SHOOTER - Marathon junior guard Landon Sneider attempts a corner three–point shot in Friday’s 64-56 road win against Abbotsford.

TP PHOTO/NATHANIEL UNDERWOOD