This story is sponsored by Norm E Lane Farm
By Paul Lecker
MarshfieldAreaSports.com
AUBURNDALE – The Auburndale boys basketball team found itself in an unfamiliar position Saturday night in its WIAA Division 4 regional final against Amherst – having to play from behind in the final minutes.
After a runner by Willie Doll and a free throw from Joe Biadasz gave the Falcons a 34-31 lead with 2:02 left, the Apaches chased, scraped and fouled to try to get the lead back but never could, losing the regional final 43-39 at Auburndale High School.
The loss ends an incredible ride for Auburndale, which won its first 21 games before losing its final game of the regular season to Prentice. After a regional semifinal win on Friday over Crandon, the Apaches’ season comes to an end with a 22-2 record.
Amherst (18-6) moves on to a Division 4 sectional semifinal against Stratford (20-4) on Thursday at D.C. Everest High School.
Auburndale had its chances in the final 2 minutes, but missed two of six free throws and didn’t make a basket for 4½ minutes until Austin Hawkins scored twice in the final 10 seconds after the Apaches had fallen behind by six.
Markus Kleifgen and Isaac Castellano each made one of two free throws to cut Amherst’s lead to 34-33 with 1:18 left.
The Falcons responded as Biadasz drove the baseline and scored with 58 seconds left.
Kyle Greunke hit two free throws on the Apaches’ next possession to again make it a one-point game, but Amherst made five of six free throws after an Auburndale turnover and an intentional foul, pushing its lead to 41-35 with 15 seconds left.
Amherst’s 6-foot-5 senior center Steve Maves finished with 13 points and seven rebounds, Doll had 12 points and Marcus Jensen added 11 for the Falcons.
Kleifgen and Cale Weiler had nine points each to top Auburndale.
Both teams exchanged runs in the first period with Auburndale pulling out to a 12-6 lead after scoring the final seven points.
The Apaches continued their dominance into the second quarter, opening up a 19-6 lead. Kleifgen finished off the 14-0 run with a hoop at the 4:21 mark. However, that was the final basket Auburndale would score in the half and Amherst got back into the game as Jensen scored eight straight points – six coming on a pair of 3-pointers – to cut the Apaches’ lead to 19-14 at halftime.
That momentum carried into the third quarter as the Falcons scored the first eight points to take a 22-19 lead.
A 3-pointer by Weiler ended Amherst’s 16-0 run that lasted nearly 8 minutes to tie the game and it was back-and-forth from there.
There were three ties and five lead changes over the next 7 minutes before Amherst pulled ahead for good on Doll’s basket with 2:46 left in the game.
Falcons 43, Apaches 39
Amherst 6 8 10 19 – 43
Auburndale 12 7 5 15 – 39
AMHERST (43): Caleb Glennon 2-6 0-0 4, Willie Doll 4-7 4-6 12, Chris Zblewski 0-0 0-0 0, Jon Konkol 0-0 0-0 0, Jeremy Oney 0-0 0-0 0, Joe Biadasz 1-6 1-2 3, Ryan Makuski 0-0 0-0 0, Marcus Jensen 3-7 3-4 11, Steve Maves 4-8 5-6 13. FG: 14-34. FT: 13-18. 3-pointers: 2-11 (Jensen 2-6, Biadasz 0-3, Doll 0-1, Glennon 0-1). Rebounds: 21 (Maves 7). Turnovers: 11. Fouls: 14. Fouled out: none. Record: 18-6.
AUBURNDALE (39): Cale Weiler 3-10 0-0 9, Blake Anderson 1-1 0-0 2, Isaac Castellano 1-5 1-2 3, Kyle Greunke 1-3 2-3 5, Markus Kleifgen 4-11 1-2 9, Austin Hawkins 4-5 0-2 8, Tyler Hartle 1-2 0-0 3. FG: 15-37. FT: 4-9. 3-pointers: 4-15 (Weiler 3-7, Hartle 1-2, Castellano 0-3, Kleifgen 0-2, Gruenke 0-1). Rebounds: 19 (Hawkins 6, Kleifgen 6). Turnovers: 11. Fouls: 14. Fouled out: Weiler. Record: 22-2.