This story is sponsored by: Wisconsin Homes of Marshfield
By Paul Lecker
MarshfieldAreaSports.com
STRATFORD – The turnover bug struck Stratford in the early part of the second half and Edgar took advantage.
After Stratford led for nearly all of the first 26 minutes of the game, Edgar pulled ahead with a strong push to start the second half and held on the rest of the way, beating the Tigers 55-52 in a Marawood Conference South Division boys basketball game Friday night at Stratford High School.
Stratford plays a nonconference game at Colby on Monday and finishes its regular-season and Marawood South schedule at home against Wausau Newman Catholic on Thursday.
Edgar, which had lost nine of its last 11 games, improves to 8-13 overall and 6-9 in the Marawood South, while Stratford falls to 11-9 and 8-7 in the conference. The Tigers had won seven of their last 10 with their only losses coming to the top three teams in the conference – Wausau Newman Catholic, Auburndale and Marathon.
Edgar scored the opening basket before Stratford went on a 7-0 run, capped by a 3-pointer from John Seitz, and the Tigers led the remainder of the first half.
The Tigers led by as much as nine on two occasions and Brady Schmidt hit a pair of 3-pointers, before Edgar used an 8-0 run to close to within one at 23-22.
The Tigers came back with a 6-0 run of their own, which included another 3-pointer from Schmidt, and led 29-25 at halftime after Teegan Streit hit a long ball at the buzzer for Edgar.
Schmidt and Ashton Wrensch had 3-pointers to help Stratford maintain its lead, but the Tigers turned the ball over seven times in the opening 10 minutes of the second half and eventually it caught up to them.
Streit hit two more 3-pointers to give Edgar a 41-39 lead, its first time on top since the opening seconds of the game. The Wildcats never trailed again.
Streit and Seitz exchanged 3-pointers before Edgar pushed its lead to six with just under three minutes left.
Stratford hung close, as Seitz and Wrensch scored on a layups in the final minute, cutting Edgar’s lead to 51-50 with 22 seconds left.
Streit, who finished with a game-high 21 points, converted a three-point play to make it 54-50, before Wrensch scored again for the Tigers.
After a foul, Edgar made one of two free throws, giving the Tigers one last chance, but a 3-point attempt from Wrensch at the buzzer bounced off the rim, sealing the win for Edgar.
Schmidt finished with five 3-pointers and 17 points, Wrensch added 15 points, and Seitz had 13, while Izaiah Hadlock hauled down nine rebounds for Stratford.
Brett Baumgartner added a double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds for Edgar.
Edgar will be at home against Owen-Withee on Monday and against Auburndale on Thursday as it wraps up its regular season.
The 2023 WIAA playoff brackets will be announced Sunday afternoon at 3 p.m.
Wildcats 55, Tigers 52
Edgar 25 30 – 55
Stratford 29 23 – 52
EDGAR (55): Leyton Schuett 4-9 2-2 11, Kohlbe Weisenberger 1-1 0-0 2, Marcus Huehnerfuss 0-0 0-0 0, Brett Baumgartner 5-10 3-5 13, Karter Butt 1-4 0-1 2, Preston Dahlke 1-3 0-0 2, Justin Davis 0-5 0-0 0, Teegan Streit 7-12 2-3 21, Brady Stencil 0-0 4-4 4. FG: 19-44. FT: 11-15. 3-pointers: 6-20 (Streit 5-8, Schuett 1-5, Butt 0-1, Baumgartner 0-2, Davis 0-4). Rebounds: 27 (Baumgartner 10). Turnovers: 12. Fouls: 16. Technical foul: Baumgartner Fouled out: Davis. Record: 8-13, 6-9 Marawood Conference South Division.
STRATFORD (52): John Seitz 4-9 3-5 13, Ashton Wrensch 6-15 2-2 15, Drew Bruesewitz 0-3 2-2 2, Ben Zuelke 1-1 0-0 2, Payton Glenn 0-0 0-0 0, Henry Zaleski 0-0 0-0 0, Izaiah Hadlock 1-3 1-2 3, Brady Schmidt 6-13 0-0 17. FG: 18-44. FT: 8-11. 3-pointers: 8-23 (Schmidt 5-11, Seitz 2-5, Wrensch 1-5, Bruesewitz 0-1, Hadlock 0-1). Rebounds: 24 (Hadlock 9). Turnovers: 14. Fouls: 14. Fouled out: none. Record: 11-9, 8-7 Marawood Conference South Division.