Kewaunee explodes for 96 points

Kewaunee remained unbeaten after two impressive wins in the past week, 96-58 in a Saturday blowout over NEW Lutheran and a sweet come-from-behind win Monday over state-ranked Bonduel, the school that knocked the Storm out of the football playoffs last fall.

“Oh that definitely played a role,” said Kewaunee coach Matt Bosdeck. “Kicked us out of the playoffs in football, and last year beat us badly (in basketball) at their place. Two years ago at our place, they put up 101 on us and beat us by 25, 26; something like that.”

Sophomore Dane Harrell followed a 22-point game Saturday with 14 and a pile of rebounds while battling Bonduel’s 6-6 senior — and future college football player — Ryan Westrich.
“I wanted to get back at them from that game so much,” Harrell said of the loss on Don Rabas Field last fall. “That hurt really bad.”

Kewaunee trailed 38-30 at the half, and was down by 10 early in the second.

“At halftime, Coach Boz got us fired up, ready to go, and we came out hot and shots were falling,” Harrell said. “The atmosphere tonight was awesome.”

Bosdeck said his team was settling for threes too much in the first half, while not closing enough on defense. The Bears made seven three-pointers in the first 18 minutes, but only four in the second half, and the last one was uncontested as time ran out.

“I told them at halftime we needed to start attacking the hoop more,” Bosdeck said. “Defensively, we had to guard some of their guys at the NBA line, and one at the logo. We did a lot better job of that in the second half.”

The 81 points was the most Bonduel gave up all season, nine more than they allowed in a win over Manitowoc Roncalli.

“I told the boys that it was going to take 100 percent from everybody, and we definitely got that tonight,” Bosdeck said.

Kewaunee had five players in double figures, led by Connor Kilgore’s 19. Diesel Bosdeck had 16, including a pair of threes, while Harrell added 14, Avery Jerabek 12 and Mason Kovacs 11. Senior Evan Maccoux had nine, all on crucial three-pointers in a second half that saw the Storm outscore the Bears 51-39.

Maccoux starts, but splits time with Kovacs. He came off the bench during the comeback and was lights-out from three-point land.

“I’m cool with it,” Maccoux said of spending time on the sidelines. “If we’re winning games, that’s all that matters. Any minutes I get, I have to go 100 percent, always.”

Quinn Wesenberg had a game-high 24, but five of them — a layup and a three-pointer — were uncontested in the waning seconds as the Storm had the game wrapped up and didn’t want to foul. Westrich added 19 and Carter Moesch 17.

Wesenberg had four 3s, and Jack Weier three. Bonduel made 14-of-15 free throws, while Kewaunee was 16-of-24.

“We scheduled a really tough schedule this year, because we wanted to be challenged,” said Bonduel coach Duke Copp. “Kewaunee is a heck of a team. They have no weaknesses. I told my kids that’s by far the best team I’ve seen this year. We may see them again in tournament time.”

Two days earlier, the Storm hammered NEW. It was senior day at Kewaunee, giving Jackson Walecka the opportunity to put in a lot of minutes. “Big Shooter” didn’t disappoint, connecting on five three-pointers among his 19 points, second only to Dane Harrell’s 22.

Connor Kilgore added 12, Avery Jerabek 11, Diesel Bosdeck and Mason Kovacs each nine and Evan Maccoux eight. Hayden Schultz had 21 to lead the Blazers.

Kewaunee is at Oconto this Friday, then hosts Peshtigo Monday and Gibraltar next Saturday.
Kewaunee, 16-0, is ranked No. 1 in both the media and coaches Div. 4 state polls this week, just ahead of teams like Milwaukee Juneau (14-1), Marathon and Lomira (both 15-1) and Bonduel (14-3).

Milwaukee Juneau’s only loss was by 28 points to Div. 1 West Allis Central. Marathon’s lone blemish was to D-3 Mosinee, and Lomira’s loss to D-3 Oostburg. Bonduel’s three losses were by a combined nine points and all on the road — by two to Brillion, by three to Manitowoc Lutheran and by four to Kewaunee.

Seniors Connor Kilgore (15 points per game) and Avery Jerabek (13 ppg) and sophomores Diesel Bosdeck (15 ppg) and Dane Harrell (10.4 ppg) are all averaging in double figures for the Storm. Harrell is making 56 percent of his shots, Kilgore and Bosdeck each 46 percent and Jerabek 45 percent.

Kilgore adds 7.4 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 2.9 steals and 1.1 blocks per game. Harrell is averaging 8.8 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.1 steals, while Bosdeck gets 4.1 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 2.2 steals. Jerabek adds four rebounds, 2.4 assists and 2.3 steals, and is shooting 73.3 percent from the line.

Sophomore Mason Kovacs has been a big spark off the bench, averaging 8.1 points, 3.4 assists, three rebounds and 1.1 steals per game while shooting 46 percent from the floor and 45.5 percent from deep.

Leist is back

Algoma got some good news this week when Braeden Leist was cleared to play for the first time since Jan. 12. He’s been recovering from a stress fracture on his right fibula. He’s averaged 19.4 points, 6.4 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.9 steals per game while shooting 56 percent from the floor and 73 percent from the free-throw line. Teammate Parker Lischka is averaging 20.1 points, 6.6 rebounds, 3.6 steals and 1.7 assists per game while shooting 45 percent from the floor and free-throw line.

In their last game without Leist Friday, the Wolves outscored visiting Peshtigo 25-19 in the second half, but it wasn’t enough. Algoma fell to the Bulldogs for the second time this season, 45-42. Bulldogs star senior guard Dominik Baxter was held to just 10 points, 11 below his season average, but juniors Levi Hodgins (18) and Brady Polzin (13) combined for 31. They each knocked down a trio of three-pointers, with Baxter getting the team’s other two.

The Wolves were led by Lischka with 14. Griffin Robinson had nine (two 3s), Charlie Prokash six (two 3s), and Lane Cochart five (one triple). Cayden Neuzil, Dylan Seiler, Rex Krause and Aiden Moen combined to hound Baxter all night. Each scored two points.

The Wolves have four games in the next eight days, travelling to Sevastopol this Friday, Sturgeon Bay next Thursday and NEW Lutheran on Valentine’s Day while hosting Southern Door Monday.

Spartans win two

Luxemburg-Casco edged Waupaca Friday, 54-49, before taking out Marinette Tuesday, 63-41.

Ethan Ropson had 17, Mason Trimberger 10 and Mason Burmeister and Eli Derenne each eight in last week’s win. Bryce Piesler had 15 points — all on three-pointers — and Jacob Coisman added 13 against the Marines.

The Spartans have three games in the coming week, two of them on the road and a non-conference home game against Green Bay West Monday.