This story is sponsored by Norm E Lane Farm
MarshfieldAreaSports.com
AUBURNDALE – Auburndale shutout Stratford in the first quarter and closed out the game with a 17-9 fourth quarter in beating the Tigers 46-31 in a WIAA Division 4 girls basketball regional semifinal Friday night at Auburndale High School.
As has been the case throughout the season, Auburndale had a balanced scoring attack with nine different players scoring. Nicole Nikolay led the way with 11 points and seven rebounds, Mikayla Jankowski added nine points and Emma Steines chipped in eight for the Apaches (16-7).
Auburndale led 7-0 after the first quarter and 21-10 at halftime.
The Tigers (13-11) cut the deficit to 29-22 heading in the fourth before Auburndale closed the game strong.
Brooke Schultze made 7 of 9 free throws and scored a game-high 17 points for Stratford. She made 5 of 11 shots from the field, while the rest of the Tigers were just 5 of 29 from the floor.
Auburndale moves on to a Division 4 regional final Saturday at home against Marathon (12-11). Marathon upset No. 2 seed Amherst 48-45 on Friday. Auburndale defeated Marathon twice during the Marawood Conference South Division season – 32-28 on Jan. 13 and 37-29 on Feb. 21.
Apaches 46, Tigers 31
Stratford 0 10 12 9 – 31
Auburndale 7 14 8 17 – 46
STRATFORD (31): Kelsey Boeger 0-1 0-0 0, Danielle Lefel 0-1 0-0 0, Brooke Schultze 5-11 7-9 17, Amanda Rindfleisch 0-0 0-0 0, Sara Griesbach 1-7 1-2 3, Carrie Stroetz 2-9 1-3 5, Hannah Schmitt 2-13 2-6 6. FG: 10-42. FT: 11-20. 3-pointers: 0-4 (Schultze 0-2, Griesbach 0-1, Schmitt 0-1). Rebounds: 26 (Schmitt 8, Schultze 8). Assists: 9 (Griesbach 3). Record: 13-11.
AUBURNDALE (46): Sam Karl 0-0 0-0 0, Mikayla Jankowski 4-5 0-0 9, Nicole Nikolay 2-6 7-9 11, Emma Steines 3-8 2-5 8, Becky Willfahrt 1-2 1-2 4, Melanie Brandl 1-3 2-4 4, Kendra Kundinger 0-3 1-2 1, Brianna Meyer 1-1 0-0 3, Kayla Gotz 2-2 0-0 4, Shannon Yohnke 1-3 0-0 2, Stafani Karl 0-2 0-0 0. FG: 15-35. FT: 13-22. 3-pointers: 3-12 (Willfahrt 1-1, Meyer 1-1, Jankowski 1-2, Nikolay 0-2, Brandl 0-1, Kundinger 0-2, Steines 0-3). Rebounds: 22 (Nikolay 7). Assists: 13 (Brandl 4, Willfahrt 4). Record: 16-7.