Storm boys unbeaten, win in OT

It took overtime to do it, but Kewaunee kept its unbeaten streak alive last Friday with a 73-70 win over visiting Howards Grove.

The hosts gave up 37 points to Tigers star, six-foot-three junior Trace Damrow, but his missed dunk on a fast break in the second half and two missed free throws late helped the Storm secure the win.

Kewaunee got a team-high 19 points from Avery Jerabek, including five three-pointers in the first half. Connor Kilgore added 16, Diesel Bosdeck 15 and Baylor Elliot and Dane Harrell each eight. But for the second straight OT win, it was reserve guard Evan Maccoux who came in clutch.

“He saw a crease, went for it, got the shot off, got lucky it went in and got the and-one yet besides,” said Kewaunee Coach Matt Bosdeck of Maccoux’s key drive in overtime, which put the Storm ahead for good. “Massive play, totally changed the momentum in overtime.”

The Tigers still managed to get off two three-point attempts in the final five seconds, and both barely rimmed off.

“We couldn’t take a chance fouling behind the line with the continuation rule,” Bosdeck said.

Kewaunee missed eight of its 21 free-throw attempts.

“I said since the start of the season, we have to improve on that or it’s going to cost us down the stretch in a game, and it almost cost us tonight,” Bosdeck said.

Four nights later, the Storm got off to a slow start, trailing Sevastopol 15-14 midway through the first half Tuesday before going on a 23-5 run to lead 38-19 at intermission. Kewaunee outscored the Pioneers 49-17 in the final 18 minutes in an 87-36 blowout.

Bosdeck had a game-high 25, including a pair of three-pointers, while Kilgore had 19 (with two 3s) and Jerabek 15 (with three 3s). Mason Kovacs and Elliot each added eight, and Harrell seven. Bo Tanck and Logan Schuh combined for 23 for the Pioneers.

Kewaunee, 4-0 Packerland and 8-0 overall, is ranked third in the state in Div. 4 by MaxPreps, and fourth in Bound Wisconsin’s media poll. Algoma, 4-1 in conference and 8-1 overall, is ranked 12th by MaxPreps.

The Storm is scheduled to play at Southern Door Saturday afternoon, while the Wolves are scheduled at Reedsville that night. As of this writing, snow is in the forecast. There’s also the Packers playoff game at Chicago Saturday night.

Meanwhile, Tatem Klaubauf and Bryce Piesler combined for 30 points as Luxemburg-Casco beat Southern Door Friday 56-42. Eli Derenne added nine and Ethan Robson eight. Lauden Berg scored 18 for the Eagles. The Spartans then fell in double overtime Tuesday night, 63-60 at Wrightstown. Piesler and Derenne each scored 16 and combined for five three-pointers.

L-C is 3-2 in North Eastern Conference play, 5-4 overall. The Spartans hosted the state’s top-ranked Div. 3 team and NEC unbeaten, Freedom, Friday night. Tuesday they’re at Clintonville before hosting Oconto Falls next Friday and traveling to Menasha for a Saturday afternoon game.

Wolves win eighth

It didn’t come easy, but the Wolves moved to 8-1 on the season with a 59-51 win over visiting Sturgeon Bay Tuesday night. Algoma got off to a slow start, trailing 8-2, but chipped away. The lead exchanged hands a number of times before the Wolves grabbed it for good just before halftime, 23-22, on a driving layup by Braeden Leist. Leist had 10 field goals on the night, five in each half, to finish with 20 points.

Parker Lischka scored 16 of his game-high 22 in the second half, including a pair of three-pointers. Charlie Prokash had eight of his 10 points in the final 18 minutes, including two 3s. Ben Ash scored 19, including a trio of triples, to lead the Clippers.

“We have to work on continuing to grind out possessions and get the looks we’re looking to get,” said Algoma Coach Eric Schneider. “You can take a contested shot or get your teammates an open one, and that’s the one we’re looking for.”

Defensively, Schneider said the effort wasn’t good enough.

“We need to do a better job,” he said. “Play with more energy, more attitude and more effort. We need to play through the contact, play through the fouls that are or aren’t called.”

Leist continued his stellar passing, giving up drives to dish to teammates.
“I tell the guys, ‘Get yourself in a scoring position when you don’t have the ball in your hands, because Braeden will find you,’” Schneider said. “He’s so good at finding open guys.”