By Paul Lecker

Sports Reporter

MARSHFIELD — Sophomore Hunter Schultz scored 17 points to lead three players in double figures and lift the Marshfield Columbus Catholic boys basketball team to a 59-57 victory over Neillsville in Cloverbelt Conference East Division action Monday night at Columbus Catholic High School.

The win was a big one for the Dons as they search for their fourth Cloverbelt East championship in six seasons.

Columbus Catholic improves to 8-4 overall and 7-1 in the Cloverbelt East after winning its fifth-straight game. The Dons are just behind first-place Spencer, which is 6-0 in the conference standings. Columbus hosts Spencer in a showdown Thursday night at 7:30 p.m.

Neillsville falls out of a tie with Columbus and is now 6-3 overall and 6-2 in the conference.

Evan Nikolai and Tyler Fuerlinger each added 10 points in the win for the Dons.

Columbus Catholic led 33-27 at halftime before Neillsville closed the gap to 41-40 after three quarters. The Dons were able to hold on by outscoring Neillsville 18-17 in the fourth quarter.

Neal Matson had 18 points to top Neillsville.

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

Dons 59, Warriors 57

Neillsville 15 12 13 17 – 57

Columbus Catholic 20 13 8 18 – 59

NEILLSVILLE (57): Michael Dux 10, Jake Kunze 5, Josh Opelt 0, Sam Neville 10, Derek Krejci 0, Nathan Peterson 12, Neal Matson 18, Jason Kurth 0, Nolan Matson 2. Record: 6-3, 6-2 Cloverbelt East.

COLUMBUS CATHOLIC (59): Billy Young 6, Christian Payant 6, Ben Behling 8, Ryan Dieringer 0, Evan Nikolai 10, Hunter Schultz 17, Tyler Fuerlinger 10, Brett Loveland 2. Record: 8-4, 7-1 Cloverbelt East.