This story is sponsored by: Valley Communities Credit Union
By Paul Lecker
MarshfieldAreaSports.com
View video highlights of the game at allmarshfield.com
MARSHFIELD – Rib Lake was intent on playing a 2-3 zone defense and the only way for Marshfield Columbus Catholic to get the Redmen out of it was to make some outside shots.
Unfortunately for the Dons, that never happened.
Columbus shot just 23 percent from the field and 26 percent from 3-point range, and Rib Lake outscored the Dons by 11 points over the final 10 minutes to win a WIAA Division 5 boys basketball regional semifinal 37-31 on Friday night at Columbus Catholic High School.
Columbus (18-6) led 25-20 following back-to-back 3-pointers by Travis Pischel late in the third quarter, but scored just two points over the next 9:15 as Rib Lake (15-7) forged ahead. The Redmen made 7 of 12 free throws in the fourth quarter and held Columbus to 2 of 14 shooting as they built a six-point lead late.
Paul Selz’s 3-pointer with 36 seconds left cut Rib Lake’s lead to 34-31, but the Dons’ final three field goal attempts missed and the Redmen closed out the win with three free throws. Rib Lake moves on to a Division 5 regional final game at Marathon High School at 7 p.m. Saturday.
“We just didn’t make enough shots,” Columbus coach Joe Konieczny said. “I don’t know if there’s really much we could have done differently, other than make some shots. Give Rib Lake credit, they are a really good team.”
Columbus started cold, making just 2 of 13 shots in the first quarter, but trailed by only six at 11-5.
The Dons quickly closed the deficit as Tyler Derfus and Pischel hit 3-pointers to tie the game.
With Rib Lake leading 15-14, Columbus tried to pull the Redmen out of their zone, but they wouldn’t budge.
Jared Boyle dribbled out 3:13 on the clock near half-court as neither team moved. The Dons called a timeout with 17.9 seconds to go before Pischel missed a 3-pointer as time expired.
Rib Lake’s height inside of 6-foot-6 Daniel Petkau (eight points, 12 rebounds) and 6-foot-2 Ethan Kohls (10 points, 13 rebounds) made things difficult on the Dons.
“A jump stop in the paint with Petkau standing there wasn’t going to be real effective,” Konieczny said. “I thought we got open looks and made a few for a while there to go on a run, but in the end, not quite enough.”
Pischel scored eight of his team-high 11 points for Columbus in the third, including the consecutive 3s that gave the Dons their biggest lead at 25-20 with 2:15 to go in the quarter.
However, the Dons made only two of its final 17 shots from the floor and couldn’t recover.
The game was the final one for four Columbus seniors – Pischel, Boyle, Selz and Jordan Derfus – who leave the program after winning back-to-back Cloverbelt Conference East Division titles and four playoff games over the past two seasons.
“I’m proud of them. We started 0-2,” Konieczny said. “Obviously, it’s real difficult to say good-bye to the seniors, who did a lot during their four years here. Since the season ended last year they committed to it and won 18 games and got a share of a conference title. I don’t think they have anything to be ashamed of.”
Redmen 37, Dons 31
Rib Lake 11 4 9 13 – 37
Columbus 5 9 11 6 – 31
RIB LAKE (37): Quentin Edelburg 0-3 1-2 1, David Fliehs 3-6 1-4 7, Jake Brehm 0-6 0-0 0, Zack Iverson 4-7 1-2 11, Ethan Kohls 2-6 6-7 10, Daniel Petkau 2-5 4-4 8, Jake Borman 0-1 0-0 0. FG: 11-34. FT: 13-19. 3-pointers: 2-12 (Iverson 2-5, Fliehs 0-2, Edelburg 0-1, Brehm 0-1, Borman 0-1, Kohls 0-1, Petkau 0-1). Rebounds: 33 (Kohls 13, Petkau 12). Turnovers: 11. Total fouls: 7. Fouled out: none. Record: 15-7.
COLUMBUS (31): Mike Iwanski 0-0 0-0 0, Jordan Derfus 0-0 0-0 0, Travis Pischel 4-22 0-0 11, Brandon Nikolai 1-3 0-0 3, Tyler Derfus 1-5 1-2 4, Jared Boyle 3-9 0-1 7, Paul Selz 2-8 0-0 6, David Cleveland 0-0 0-0 0, Zach Strobel 0-1 0-0 0. FG: 11-48. FT: 1-3. 3-pointers: 8-31 (Pischel 3-14, Selz 2-6, Boyle 1-5, T. Derfus 1-5, Nikolai 1-1). Rebounds: 25 (Selz 8). Turnvoers: 8. Total fouls: 19. Fouled out: Boyle. Record: 18-6.