Columbus Catholic boys basketball edges Neillsville in battle of second-place teams in Cloverbelt East

This story is sponsored by: Premier Home Lending

MarshfieldAreaSports.com

MARSHFIELD – Sophomore Hunter Schultz scored 17 points to lead three players in double figures and lift the Marshfield Columbus Catholic boys basketball team to a 59-57 victory over Neillsville in Cloverbelt Conference East Division action Monday night at Columbus Catholic High School.

The win was a big one for the Dons as they search for their fourth Cloverbelt East championship in six seasons.

Columbus Catholic improves to 8-4 overall and 7-1 in the Cloverbelt East after winning its fifth-straight game. The Dons are just behind first-place Spencer, which is 6-0, in the conference standings. Columbus hosts Spencer in a showdown Thursday night at 7:30 p.m.

Neillsville falls out of a tie with Columbus and is now 6-3 overall and 6-2 in the conference.

Evan Nikolai and Tyler Fuerlinger each added 10 points in the win for the Dons.

Columbus Catholic led 33-27 at halftime before Neillsville closed the gap to 41-40 after three quarters. The Dons were able to hold on by outscoring Neillsville 18-17 in the fourth quarter.

Neal Matson had 18 points to top Neillsville.

Dons 59, Warriors 57
Neillsville 15 12 13 17 – 57
Columbus Catholic 20 13 8 18 – 59
NEILLSVILLE (57):
Michael Dux 10, Jake Kunze 5, Josh Opelt 0, Sam Neville 10, Derek Krejci 0, Nathan Peterson 12, Neal Matson 18, Jason Kurth 0, Nolan Matson 2. Record: 6-3, 6-2 Cloverbelt East.
COLUMBUS CATHOLIC (59): Billy Young 6, Christian Payant 6, Ben Behling 8, Ryan Dieringer 0, Evan Nikolai 10, Hunter Schultz 17, Tyler Fuerlinger 10, Brett Loveland 2. Record: 8-4, 7-1 Cloverbelt East.