This story is sponsored by: All Insurance of Marshfield
By Paul Lecker
MarshfieldAreaSports.com
STRATFORD – After a sluggish first half found the Auburndale boys basketball team down by nine points at halftime to rival Stratford, the Eagles came out on fire in the second half and never let up.
Auburndale scored the first 11 points of the second half and shot a sizzling 74 percent from the field over the final 18 minutes to down Stratford 60-46 in a Marawood Conference South Division contest Friday night at Stratford High School.
Stratford came out hot to start the game, jumping out to a 12-3 lead as five different Tigers scored in the opening four minutes.
A 3-pointer from Cody Miller, one of four in the game for the senior, gave Stratford a 19-9 lead with just under eight minutes to go in the half.
Auburndale woke up, scoring eight points in a row. Senior Hunter Wright made a basket, Mason White Eagle converted a three-point play, and Wright splashed a 3-pointer to bring the Eagles to within two.
Stratford responded with a 9-2 run to close out the half and took a 28-19 lead into intermission.
The Eagles regrouped at halftime and came out firing, making six of their first eight shots to take their first lead.
A driving hoop by Wright gave Auburndale a 30-29 advantage 3½ minutes into the second half.
The lead changed hands two times before Auburndale pulled away. Back-to-back 3-pointers from Schuyler Gilhausen and a basket by Alex Willfahrt gave the Eagles a 40-33 lead and they would never trail again.
Terrance Roberson made a 3-pointer that started a string of seven-straight possessions where Auburndale scored as it quickly pushed its lead to 15.
Willfahrt made all six of his field goal attempts in the second half and finished with a team-high 14 points for Auburndale (13-3, 10-2 Marawood South). Wright added 13 and Carl Lundgren 10 in the win. Auburndale made 17 of 23 shots from the field in the second half.
Miller scored 14 points and Camden Daul had 10 for the Tigers (8-7, 4-6 Marawood South).
Stratford hosts Phillips on Monday and Marathon on Tuesday. Auburndale will play at Edgar on Tuesday as it tries to catch the Wildcats for the conference lead heading into the final two weeks of the regular season. All three games will be live at zaleskisports.com.
Eagles 60, Tigers 49
Auburndale 19 41 – 60
Stratford 28 18 – 46
AUBURNDALE (60): Trayton Weber 0-1 0-0 0, Gavin White Eagle 0-0 1-2 1, Carl Lundgren 5-7 0-0 10, Hunter Wright 5-9 1-2 13, Schuyler Gilhausen 3-9 0-0 8, Lucas Yeske 0-0 0-0 0, Terrance Roberson 3-6 0-0 7, Mason White Eagle 3-3 1-3 7, Alex Willfahrt 6-7 0-1 14, Cade Krings 0-0 0-0 0. FG: 25-42. FT: 3-8. 3-pointers: 7-18 (Willfahrt 2-3, Wright 2-4, Gilhausen 2-7, Roberson 1-4). Rebounds: 20 (Wright 5, Gilhausen 5). Turnovers: 8. Fouls: 9. Fouled out: none. Record: 13-3, 10-2 Marawood Conference South Division.
STRATFORD (46): Riley Bauman 0-1 0-0 0, Cody Miller 5-13 0-1 14, Kale Weisenberger 0-0 0-0 0, Cade Bruesewitz 2-7 2-2 7, Max Vanderhoof 1-4 0-0 2, Jake Skroch 2-4 0-0 4, Camden Daul 4-10 2-2 10, Keegan Weiler 0-0 0-0 0, Kaden Griesmer 0-0 0-0 0, Zack Seitz 2-3 0-0 4, Devin Ulrich 2-3 1-2 5. FG: 18-45. FT: 5-7. 3-pointers: 5-22 (Miller 4-10, Bruesewitz 1-5, Bauman 0-1, Vanderhoof 0-3, Daul 0-3). Rebounds: 20 (Bruesewitz 6). Turnovers: 11. Fouls: 13. Fouled out: none. Record: 8-7, 4-6 Marawood Conference South Division.