This story is sponsored by Dental Clinic of Marshfield
By Paul Lecker
MarshfieldAreaSports.com
WAUSAU – Hurley’s run-and-gun offense proved to be no match for Auburndale’s stingy defense.
Auburndale closed the first half on a 7-0 run, then outscored the Midgets 27-9 in the second half on its way to a convincing 54-27 victory in a WIAA Division 4 boys basketball sectional semifinal Thursday night at Wausau East High School.
Auburndale (24-1) moves on to a Division 4 sectional final against Unity (17-8) at 1 p.m. Saturday at the Johnson Fieldhouse on the University of Wisconsin-Stout campus in Menomonie. Unity edged Colfax, last year’s sectional champion, 36-35, in another sectional semifinal Thursday at Osceola. Saturday’s game will be broadcast on WOSQ-FM 92.3 and wdlbwosq.com. MarshfieldAreaSports.com will also have full coverage following the game.
Saturday’s winner grabs a spot in the 2013 WIAA State Boys Basketball Tournament next week in Madison. The Apaches are looking for their first trip to the state tournament since 2004, and Unity is seeking its first-ever state appearance.
Auburndale senior post players Austin Hawkins and Ben Bolder did the damage on offense for the Apaches. Hawkins scored 16 of his game-high 19 points in the first half, and Bolder had nine of his 15 points in the second half.
The Apaches held Hurley (14-11) to 29 percent shooting (12 of 41), and the Midgets were just 4 of 24 in the second half.
“We have some of the best defensive guards in the area – Isaac Castellano, Blake Anderson, Tom Sabel – I can’t give them enough credit,” Hawkins said. “We’re not playing for a chance to go to state here without those guys and their defense. I have the most supreme confidence that they will shut anyone down.”
Hurley’s only quick spurt came midway through the second quarter. The Apaches led 20-10 before Hurley bursted for eight points in a span of 1:32. Three-pointers by Jake Colassaco and Cole Kivisto cut Auburndale’s lead to two with 2:08 to play in the first half.
Auburndale coach Chad Weinfurter called a timeout – and from there, the Apaches rolled.
Blake Anderson made a 3-pointer to spark a 7-0 run to end the half. Hawkins scored at the buzzer to give the Apaches a 27-18 lead at the break.
The run continued as Auburndale used a 9-0 run to push its lead to 18 and closed the game by scoring 16 of the final 18 points over the last 5 minutes.
Weinfurter said earlier this week that the Apaches had to take care of the ball and play good perimeter defense. They did, committing just seven turnovers and four fouls as Hurley did not attempt a free throw in the game.
“We really wanted to take care of the ball and take good shots because Hurley is such a potent offensive club,” Weinfurter said. “They went on an 8-0 run there in the first half and were right back in it. It was just kind of a grind it out game. I knew that wasn’t how they wanted to play and I think our guards did a great job on their two guards.”
Auburndale had its dreams of a state tournament berth dashed early last year. After piling up a 21-1 regular-season record, Auburndale was upset by Amherst in the regional finals.
With three starters and a number of key players back, the Apaches now stand just a win away from playing at the Kohl Center.
“It means the world to get this chance, but honestly, it’s just a game,” Hawkins said. “We’ve put ourselves in this position for a reason. We just have to have a good day of practice (Friday) and get ready for whoever we get and go from there.”
Apaches 54, Midgets 27
Auburndale 12 15 11 16 – 54
Hurley 6 12 5 4 – 27
AUBURNDALE (54): Jake Lewis 0-0 0-0 0, Tom Sabel 1-4 0-0 2, Matthew Nikolay 2-4 2-2 6, Blake Anderson 4-13 0-0 9, Isaac Castellano 1-4 0-0 2, Zach Staats 0-1 1-2 1, Alex Marth 0-0 0-0 0, Matt Lang 0-0 0-0 0, Austin Hawkins 9-15 1-2 19, Ben Bolder 6-11 3-4 15, Cooper Krings 0-0 0-0 0, Josh VanSchoick 0-0 0-0 0. FG: 23-52. FT: 7-10. 3-pointers: 1-12 (Anderson 1-6, Nikolay 0-2, Sabel 0-2, Castellano 0-1, Hawkins 0-1). Rebounds: 33 (Hawkins 8, Bolder 7, Nikolay 6). Turnovers: 7. Fouls: 4. Fouled out: none. Record: 24-1.
HURLEY (27): Brad Vaara 0-1 0-0 0, Geno Vokolek 0-2 0-0 0, James Sukanen 0-0 0-0 0, Jake Colassaco 4-10 0-0 9, Jared Wendt 1-6 0-0 2, Cole Kivisto 4-13 0-0 10, Mark Saari 0-1 0-0 0, Mitchell Maki 0-0 0-0 0, Grant Innes 3-9 0-0 6, Jordan Kolpin 0-0 0-0 0. FG: 12-41. FT: 0-0. 3-pointers: 3-21 (Kivisto 2-9, Colassaco 1-4, Vaara 0-1, Vokolek 0-1, Wendt 0-3, Innes 0-3). Rebounds: 21 (Sukanen 4, Kivisto 4). Turnovers: 12. Fouls: 10. Fouled out: none. Record: 14-11.