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By Paul Lecker
MarshfieldAreaSports.com
Junior guard Bobby Pilz was named Cloverbelt Conference East Division boys basketball player of the year after leading Spencer to a conference championship during the 2014-15 season.
Pilz was joined on the first-team Cloverbelt East all-conference team by teammate Mitchell Susa, a senior guard, Columbus Catholic sophomore Hunter Schultz, Loyal sophomore Cameron Brussow, Neillsville senior Sam Neville, and Owen-Withee senior Austin Milliren.
Columbus Catholic junior Evan Nikolai and Spencer senior Nate Mercier were among the second-team selecitons, and Spencer junior Calvin Lenz and Columbus sophomore Tyler Fuerlinger were honorable mention choices on the all-conference team.
Pilz led the conference in scoring at 17 points per game and provided the Rockets’ with a consistent scoring threat. Susa was named to the first-team for the second-straight season.
“Bobby had an outstanding year,” Spencer coach Randy Reckner said. “He really matured and a player and person.
“Mitchell is one of those players a coach loves to coach. He always works hard on both ends of the floor.”
Schultz led the Dons in scoring at 13.3 points per game in his first season on the varsity squad. Columbus finished tied with Neillsville for second in the conference, one game behind Spencer. Nikolai was second on the team at 12.5 points per game.
“Hunter had a great sophomore season,” Columbus Catholic coach Joe Konieczny said. “He was our leading scorer and handled the ball for us most of the season. His work ethic and willingness to spend time in the gym is very impressive.
“Evan did a little bit of everything for us this season. He was our second leading scorer and second leading rebounder. He also spent much of the games guarding the other team¹s best athlete. Because of our lack of size, he was forced to play out of position sometimes and he did great for us in some difficult match-ups.”
2014-15 All-Cloverbelt Conference East Division Boys Basketball Team
First team: Hunter Schultz, so., Marshfield Columbus Catholic; Cameron Brussow, so., Loyal; Sam Neville, sr., Neillsville; Austin Milliren, sr., Owen-Withee; Mitchell Susa, sr., Spencer; Bobby Pilz, jr., Spencer.
Second team: Neal Matson, sr., Neillsville; Michael Dux, jr., Neillsville; Evan Nikolai, jr., Marshfield Columbus Catholic; Logan Johnson, sr., Greenwood; Riley Gieger, so., Loyal; Nate Mercier, sr., Spencer.
Honorable mention: Ty Raatz, jr., Colby; Tyler Fuerlinger, so., Marshfield Columbus Catholic; James Copenhaver, sr., Gilman; Max Opelt, sr., Granton; Booker Bredlau, sr., Greenwood; Jake Kunze, jr., Neillsville; Kolton Kaduce, sr., Owen-Withee; Calvin Lenz, jr., Spencer.
Player of the Year: Bobby Pilz, Spencer.