Cadott youth three-peat as basketball champions
Winning their third straight State title for Cadott, the seventh-grade basketball team athletes and coaches, left to right, in front, are Parker Matott, Elliot Koenig, Beau Folczyk, Sam Weir and assistant coach Aubree Kowalczyk. In back, are coach Jake Anderson, Kyle Kowalczyk, Brady Folczyk, Max Schneider, Jacob Anderson, Braeden Allard and coach Aaron Kowalczyk. Submitted Photo
Every March, the Wisconsin State Invitational Championship Tournament (WSICT) is held to crown a champion, for Wisconsin youth basketball teams. The tournament is invitational-only, reserved for the youth programs with the greatest amount of success throughout the state.
Among those elite, the Cadott boys seventh-grade basketball team competed in La Crosse, March 23-24, in the Small Division Tournament, which includes the best teams from Divisions 5, 4 and some 3, with 21 teams playing.
After six grueling games in two days, the Cadott boys took home their third straight championship.
“These nine young men are so much fun to coach and watch on the court,” said coach Aaron Kowalczyk. “Their level of athleticism, focus and determination, is something you don’t see very often from 12 and 13 year olds.”
To begin, the boys had three victories the Saturday of the tournament, against Wrightstown (53-35), Durand-Arkansaw (33-21) and Cumberland (55-24). Then, Sunday morning, was the start of the quarterfinals, where Cadott took down Regis, 38-27.
In the semifinal game, Cadott beat Winnebago Lu-theran, in a score of 42-36. Finally, in the championship game, Cadott beat Cameron, 39-31, to claim their third title.
“We’ve seen these kids make plays this year, that you wouldn’t normally see in high school games,” said Kowalczyk. “These boys are at practices before the coaches and we struggle to get them out of the gym. It’s a very tightknit team that are friends on and off the court.”
Cadott finished the season with a 46-1 record, over a span from mid-October to the end of March. This is the third year in a row, they have taken home this trophy, which is a rare accomplishment.
“Coach (Jake) Anderson and I, join the parents and Cadott fans, by saying how proud we are of this team and looking forward to many more enjoyable years to watch them compete,” said Kowalczyk. “We couldn’t ask for a better way to end an outstanding season.”
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Three seventh-grade athletes, left to right, Kyle Kowalczyk, Max Schneider and Brady Folczyk, all made the All-State Team for Cadott, after winning their third straight basketball championship. Submitted Photo[/caption]
