By Paul Lecker

Sports Reporter

MARSHFIELD — Auburndale pulled out to a quick lead and led the rest of the way, beating Wausau Newman Catholic 45-36 in the first-round of the Marshfield Tiger Invitational on Friday night at Marshfield High School.

Auburndale (9-1) will play Marshfield (8-1) in the championship game of the tournament at 4:30 p.m. Saturday.

The win was the Apaches’ second against Newman Catholic this season. This game counted as a nonconference game between the Marawood South rivals.

Paiton Richardson scored six of her 12 points in the first quarter as Auburndale jumped to a 16-5 lead.

Richardson added six points in the third quarter for the Apaches.

Shannon Yahnke finished with 15 points, and Taylor Gotz added 10 for Auburndale.

Caitlin Deaton had nine points to top the Cardinals (4-6).

(Hub City Times Sports Reporter Paul Lecker is also the publisher of MarshfieldAreaSports.com.)

Apaches 45, Cardinals 36

Wausau Newman Catholic 5 7 12 12 – 36

Auburndale 16 6 14 9 – 45

WAUSAU NEWMAN CATHOLIC (36): Lauren Fech 3 0-0 8, Hadleigh Baumann 3 0-1 6, Taylor Jankowski 1 0-0 3, Caitlin Deaton 3 3-9 9, Abbey Fox 0 0-1 0, Karina McGucken 1 0-0 2, Kaley Fech 0 0-0 0, Brogan Kimball 2 1-2 6, Laura Beilke 1 0-0 2. FG: 14. FT: 4-13. 3-pointers: 4 (L. Fech 2, Jankowski 1, Kimball 1). Record: 4-6.

AUBURNDALE (45): Rachel Gronemeyer 0 0-0 0, Cassie Mitchell 0 0-0 0, Ashley Peplinski 1 0-0 2, Allison Linzmeier 2 0-0 4, Cheyenne Karl 0 0-0 0, Jenna Peplinski 1 0-1 2, Sylviann Momont 0 0-0 0, Paiton Richardson 6 0-0 12, Shannon Yahnke 6 3-4 15, Taylor Gotz 4 2-2 10. FG: 20. FT: 5-7. 3-pointers: none. Record: 9-1.