This story is sponsored by: The Marshfield Tiger Booster Club
By Paul Lecker
MarshfieldAreaSports.com
MARSHFIELD – For the first time in six years, the Marshfield boys basketball team is heading to sectionals.
The Tigers opened the game on an 11-2 run and held off every run Kimberly made at them in defeating the Papermakers 67-55 in a WIAA Division 1 regional final Saturday night at the Fredrick Construction Fieldhouse at Marshfield High School.
The No. 1 seed Marshfield (24-2) will play a sectional semifinal against No. 5 seed Kaukauna (19-7) on Thursday at 7 p.m. at Waupaca High School.
“Our guys, though they aren’t seniors, they are underclassmen, they’ve played so much and prepared themselves so much, that they aren’t afraid of the moment,” Marshfield coach Chris Fischer said. “They have confidence and don’t get nervous. Their nerves are excitement and adrenaline, and they use it in the right way.
“Whatever mistakes they do make, you just have to let it happen. You just have to let them play because you just know they are going to make a play.”
Much like in Friday’s regional semifinal win over Chippewa Falls, Marshfield came out focused and on fire.
Brant Freis hit a 3-pointer from the top of the key on the opening possession and Ethan Knecht scored twice inside as the Tigers took an 11-2 lead.
Kimberly came out of a timeout and scored eight quick points as Thomas Meyers and Carson Pendleton made 3-pointers and it was game on.
A Landon Lee 3-pointer gave Marshfield a 28-21 lead with 2:20 to go before halftime, only to see Kimberly make four-straight free throws. A basket by Lee at the buzzer gave the Tigers a 30-25 lead at intermission.
Much like the first half, every time Kimberly made a run, Marshfield had an answer, and vice versa.
The Tigers went up 42-32 after a 3-pointer by Chris Pohl and a basket by Brooks Hinson. Each team exchanged five-point runs, but Kimberly was not about to go away.
An 8-0 run by the Papermakers, which included a 3-pointer by Mikey Wildes, cut Marshfield’s led to 47-45 with 10 minutes to go.
Marshfield’s lead fluctuated between two and six over the next five minutes before the Papermakers eventually ran out of gas.
A 3-pointer by Meyers with 4:28 to go for Kimberly cut the Tigers’ lead to 56-53, but the Papermakers would not make another basket.
Lee scored to start an 11-2 run to close the game. Marshfield made 7 of 10 free throws and Hinson added a layup as the Tigers were able to finish off another playoff win without trailing at any point.
Lee ended up with a game-high 19 points and Pohl was 4-for-6 from 3-point range to end up with 14 points for Marshfield.
Pendleton led Kimberly (17-9) with 17 points.
“It’s such a joy to coach kids that understand their value and role on the team, the purpose of a team,” Fischer said. “We went seven deep tonight, almost went to an eighth or ninth because of foul trouble, and those guys would have been ready because they understand their role.”
Tigers 67, Papermakers 55
Kimberly 25 30 – 55
Marshfield 30 37 – 67
KIMBERLY (55): Bryson Vieth 2-7 5-5 9, Aaron Cullen 1-4 4-4 7, Mikey Wildes 2-6 0-0 5, Ayden Lom 0-0 0-0 0, Thomas Meyers 3-5 0-0 8, Nathan Wildes 1-3 0-0 2, Landen VanOfferen 0-0 2-2 2, Ben Grabner 1-1 0-0 3, Sam Dudek 1-2 0-0 2, Carson Pendleton 5-5 5-9 17, Owen Cockrell 0-0 0-0 0. FG: 16-33. FT: 16-20. 3-pointers: 7-17 (Pendleton 2-2, Meyers 2-3, Grabner 1-1, Cullen 1-3, M. Wildes 1-3, N. Wildes 0-2, Vieth 0-3). Rebounds: 18 (Vieth 5, Meyers 5). Turnovers: 12. Fouls: 23. Fouled out: Pendleton, Meyers. Record: 17-9.
MARSHFIELD (67): Chris Pohl 5-8 0-3 14, Joey Ketterer 0-0 4-4 4, Brooks Hinson 5-12 2-2 12, Brant Freis 1-2 2-3 5, Landon Lee 6-12 5-7 19, Valin Ramberg 0-1 4-6 4, Ethan Knecht 4-4 1-2 9. FG: 21-39. FT: 18-28. 3-pointers: 7-17 (Pohl 4-6, Lee 2-5, Freis 1-2, Ramberg 0-1, Hinson 0-3). Rebounds: 23 (Hinson 7). Turnovers: 6. Fouls: 16. Record: 24-2.