Stratford girls basketball outlasts Auburndale in overtime, earns split in season series

The 2023-24 Stratford High School girls basketball team. (Submitted photo)

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STRATFORD – The Stratford girls basketball team earned a season-split with Auburndale as it defeated the Eagles 58-52 in overtime in a Marawood Conference South Division matchup Thursday at Stratford High School.

The game was tied at 20-20 at halftime and 46-46 at the end of regulation before Stratford was able to pull away in the extra period, making 5 of 8 free throws and getting a key 3-pointer from Kayla Casperson.

Lily Bellanti made a 3-pointer with 39 seconds left in regulation for Auburndale, tying the game at 44-44.

Myah Katzenberger made two free throws with 18 seconds left to put the Eagles up briefly, before Stratford’s Tria Tubbs had an offensive rebound and basket with 5 seconds to go to tie it up again.

Following a timeout with 4.4 seconds left, Auburndale turned the ball over, but Stratford was unable to score, sending the game into overtime.

Auburndale made just one basket in the overtime – a 3-pointer from Bellanti – as it was outscored 12-6 and suffered its first Marawood South loss of the season.

Casperson finished with 17 points, making 7 of 8 free throws, and Carly Pankratz and Tubbs each added nine points for Stratford (7-8, 5-4 Marawood South). Pankratz was 7-for-9 at the free throw line as the Tigers finished 19-for-31 overall.

Katzenberger scored a game-high 18 points for Auburndale (10-4, 7-1 Marawood South).

Both teams will host Marawood South games on Tuesday as Auburndale plays Wausau Newman Catholic and Stratford takes on Marathon. Both games begin at 7:15 p.m.

Tigers 58, Eagles 52 (OT)
Auburndale 20 26 6 – 52
Stratford 20 26 12 – 58
AUBURNDALE (52):
Kylie Anderson 0 0-0 0, Gracie Hasenohrl 2 1-2 5, Taylor Anderson 0 0-0 0, Lily Bellanti 3 2-2 10, Sidney Wolff 2 0-2 4, Rose Hasenohrl 3 2-2 9, Breleigh Grimm 0 1-2 1, Mya Krings 2 1-3 5, Hope Schulte 0 0-1 0, Myah Katzenberger 6 6-7 18. FG: 18. FT: 13-21. 3-pointers: 3 (Bellanti 2, R. Hasenohrl 1). Fouls: 24. Fouled out: G. Hasenohrl, Krings. Record: 10-4, 7-1 Marawood Conference South Division.
STRATFORD (58): Kayla Casperson 3 7-8 17, Laney Pankratz 1 0-0 3, Carly Pankratz 1 7-9 9, Kassedey Downey 1 0-0 2, Sailor Kauffman 0 0-2 0, Emily Zuelke 4 0-2 8, Ashley Hollatz 2 4-8 8, MyKayla Stueber 1 0-0 2, Tria Tubbs 4 1-3 9. FG: 18. FT: 19-31. 3-pointers: 3 (Casperson 2, L. Pankratz 1). Fouls: 21. Fouled out: Tubbs, L. Pankratz. Record: 7-8, 5-4 Marawood Conference South Division.