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MarshfieldAreaSports.com
AUBURNDALE – Blake Anderson scored 15 points and Austin Hawkins added 14 points and eight rebounds to lead the Auburndale boys basketball team to a convincing 57-31 over Stratford in a WIAA Division 4 regional semifinal Friday night at Auburndale High School.
The Apaches (22-1) avenged their only loss of the season – Stratford beat Auburndale 46-40 on Feb. 11.
Auburndale moves on to a Division 4 regional final at home Saturday at 7 p.m. against Marathon (19-3). Two of Marathon’s three losses came to Auburndale during the Marawood Conference South Division season. The Apaches won at Marathon 55-19 on Dec. 21 and at home on Feb. 7, 69-43.
Auburndale led 15-6 after the first quarter and pulled away from there, pushing the lead to 43-25 by the end of the third quarter.
Ben Bolder added 10 points and eight rebounds for the Apaches.
Auburndale was 18 of 21 from the free throw line and held a commanding 26-15 rebounding advantage.
Jake Reif had nine points and Nolan Bargender added eight points and six rebounds for Stratford (16-8).
Apaches 57, Tigers 31
Stratford 6 8 11 6 – 31
Auburndale 15 12 16 14 – 57
STRATFORD (31): Greg Belter 2-6 0-0 5, Nolan Bargender 4-7 0-0 8, Chase Griepentrog 0-2 0-0 0, Travis Urlaub 2-10 1-2 5, Austin Strasser 0-1 0-2 0, Jake Reif 2-7 2-2 9, Andrew Marcis 2-3 0-0 4. FG: 13-36. FT: 3-6. 3-pointers: 2-9 (Belter 1-2, Reif 1-2, Urlaub 0-2, Griepentrog 0-2, Bargender 0-1). Rebounds: 15 (Bargender 6). Record: 16-8.
AUBURNDALE (57): Tom Sabel 1-2 0-1 2, Matt Nikolay 1-4 2-2 4, Blake Anderson 3-9 6-6 15, Isaac Castellano 1-3 2-2 4, Zach Staats 2-4 0-0 4, Alex Marth 1-1 0-0 2, Austin Hawkins 4-13 6-6 14, Ben Bolder 4-5 2-4 10, Josh VanShoick 1-1 0-0 2. FG: 18-42. FT: 18-21. 3-pointers: 3-13 (Anderson 3-6, Sabel 0-1, Nikolay 0-2, Castellano 0-2, Hawkins 0-2). Rebounds: 26 (Hawkins 8, Bolder 8). Record: 22-1.