This story is sponsored by: Victory Apparel
By Steve Pilz
For MarshfieldAreaSports.com
STEVENS POINT – Bonduel is heading to its first WIAA State Boys Basketball Tournament after leading from start to finish to defeat Auburndale 56-44 in a Division 4 sectional final Saturday afternoon at Stevens Point Area Senior High.
The battle of No. 1 seeds ended with the Bears moving to 27-1 this season. They will play a Division 4 semifinal at the Kohl Center in Madison on Thursday night. Game times and matchups will be announced Sunday.
Auburndale finishes another strong season and postseason run, going 24-4.
“I think they were just too long and athletic,” admitted Auburndale coach Chad Weinfurter. “We played how we wanted and got the game at our pace, but I thought we missed too many layups. We had chances at easy baskets.
“A lot of it had to do with their athleticism and length, and it finally caught up with us.”
Long and athletic said Weinfurter, with the ability to shoot. The Bears hit six of their first seven shots, including their only three 3-pointers of the game.
Junior center Ryan Westrich may have given up a couple inches to Auburndale’s 6-foot-8 Thomas Aue, but he had football player written all over him. He made four of those shots to start the game including a 3-pointer and finished with a game-high 19 points.
The Bears led 7-0 before the Eagles’ Blake Raab registered their first field goal at the 12:35 mark.
Bonduel cooled off a bit but still led 17-9 with nine minutes left and 29-17 at the half.
“I think they’re a great team,” continued Weinfurter. “If you’re gonna beat them you’ll have to play a darn near perfect game and that’s tough in these high school basketball tournaments.”
The Eagles came out of the half their usual tenacious selves. Aue, who had eight first-half points, tacked on eight more. Josh Lundgren added four 3s to go with his one in the first half. Unfortunately, they also committed some un-Eagle-like turnovers, perhaps pressing to turn a tide that never turned.
Aue led Auburndale with 16 points, in this turn-back-the clock game that saw the post players lead their teams in scoring in what has become a 3-happy basketball world. Lundgren’s five 3s gave him 15 points as he was the only other Eagle in double digits.
Bonduel senior point guard Cade Johnson pitched in with 12 points as the only other Bear in double figures other that Westrich.
Auburndale battled to within seven on several occasions, most notably on a Keegan Empey lay-up ay the 2:45 mark, but it wasn’t to be.
“Give our kids a lot of credit,” Weinfurter said. “The goal every year is to try and max-out whatever you have talent-wise and I think they did that.
“Give Bonduel credit, as well. They’ve got a great team. Coach (Duke) Copp does a really good job. I’m happy for him. He and I have known each other for a long time. Everybody wants to play at the state tournament, it just doesn’t always happen.”
Bears 56, Eagles 44
Auburndale 17 27 – 44
Bonduel 29 27 – 56
AUBURNDALE (44): Thomas Aue 8-13 0-1 16, Josh Lundgren 5-11 0-0 15, Petyon Weinfurter 2-8 0-0 5, Blake Raab 2-8 0-1 4, Keegan Empey 2-6 0-0 4, Ayden Raab 0-1 0-0 0. FG: 19-47. FT: 0-2. 3-pointers: 6-18 (Lundgren 5-9, Weinfurter 1-5, Empey 0-1, B. Raab 0-3). Rebounds: 21 (B. Raab 7, Aue 7). Record: 24-4.
BONDUEL (56): Cade Johnson 5 1-2 12, Ryan Westrich 8 2-2 19, Griffin Uelman 2 0-0 4, Carter Moesch0 2-2 2, Quinn Wesenberg 3 2-2 8, Race Anvelink 4 0-0 9, Sam Roberts 0-2-2 2. FG: 22-45. FT: 9-10. 3-pointers: 3-17 (Anvelink 1, Westrich 1, Johnson 1). FT’s-9-10. Record: 27-1.