This story is sponsored by: American Family Insurance-Randy LeMoine Agency
By Steve Pilz
For MarshfieldAreaSports.com
STRATFORD – The more things change, the more they stay the same.
No. 2 seed Stratford make quick work No. 3 seed Hurley, efficiently dispatching a 20-win Northstars squad 64-32 in a WIAA Division 4 regional final Saturday night at Stratford High School.
Not so far away, as the crow flies, Auburndale narrowly defeated Marathon 51-49 in Auburndale, meaning the No. 1 seeded Eagles (23-3) and the Tigers (24-2) will face off for the third time this season, next Thursday, at Wausau West High School at 7 p.m. in a D-4 sectional semifinal.
Auburndale won the first game 50-46 on Jan. 17 before the Tigers bombed the visitors 59-33 on Feb. 24 at home.
The last time the Tigers, Eagles and Raiders vied for the Regional Title? Um, that would be most every year. Though the Raiders were left out this year, they went to the state tournament last season. Could the Tigers and/or Eagles follow suit?
Stratford (24-2) didn’t start very fast going just 1-for-8 from the field and just 1 of 5 from 3-point range early, falling behind 7-2.
The Tigers quickly turned the tables with a stifling, turnover-laden defense and some timely shooting, led by Caleb Wrensch’s four field goals and Riley Spindler’s three 3-pointers, carving out a 34-18 halftime lead and never looked back.
Stratford held Hurley (20-5) to just 14 points in the second half as the Northstars never made a threat.
“What’s in the past is the past,” said Stratford coach Chad Schmidt, when asked about his up-coming game against Auburndale. “They avenged a loss to Marathon earlier, and the Marawood and tournament basketball is tough.
“You have to make shots. (Drew) Bruesewitz was off tonight. Caleb Wrensch picks it up. Foster (Kaden) was a little off and then Brooks (Vanderhoof) went out when he hurt his eye. You just gotta figure it out.”
Wrensch finished with a game-high of 21. Spindler and Bruesewitz joined him in double figures with 12 and 10, respectively as the Tigers won their 13th game in a row.
“We started slow,” Schmidt said. “They had a big guy under the basket that could block shots but Riley (Spindler) came off the bench and made some nice shots and kinda got us going.
“I thought our defense improved as the game went on. They seemed to wear out a little. They didn’t press in the second half and didn’t go very deep.”
Junior Jack Rowe led the Northstars with 12.
Tigers 64, Northstars 32
Hurley 18 14 – 32
Stratford 34 30 – 64
HURLEY (32): Brodie Erickson 1 0-0 2, Ty Hall 3 2-2 8, Jack Rowe 5 0-0 12, Logan Schilling 0 1-2 1, Parker Sivula 0 2-2 2, Devin Soltis 1 0-1 3, Jeremiah Wallis 1 1-2 4. FG: 11-38. 3-pointers: 4-15 (Rowe 2, Soltis 1, Wallis 1). FT: 7-13. Turnovers 17. Fouled out: none. Record: 20-5.
STRATFORD (64): Caleb Wrensch 9 0-0 21, Jett Schoenfuss 2 0-0 4, Drew Bruesewitz 1 7-8 10, Riley Spindler 4 1-2 12, Brooks Vanderhoof 1 0-0 2, Brad Berg 1 0-0 2, Kaden Foster 3 0-0 8, Trygve Aschenbrenner 2 0-0 5. FG: 22-61. 3-pointers: 10-32 (Wrensch 3, Spindler 3, Foster 2, Bruesewitz 1, Aschenbrenner 1). FT- 8-10. Turnovers: 2. Fouled out: none. Record: 24-2.