By Paul Lecker

Sports Reporter

WAUSAU — Wausau Newman Catholic opened up a double-digit lead by halftime and held off Auburndale 64-55 in a Marawood Conference South Division boys basketball game Friday night at Newman Catholic High School.

The Cardinals led 30-18 at halftime and pushed the lead to 14 heading into the fourth quarter.

Auburndale scored 24 points in the fourth quarter but could not come all the way back, dropping to 7-3 overall and 3-3 in the Marawood South. Newman is 10-3 and 4-2 in the conference and sits in a tie with Stratford for second place, two games behind Marathon.

Matt Nikolay poured in 30 points for the Apaches.

Jason Tubbs led Newman with 15 points.

Auburndale plays at Amherst on Tuesday and at home against Athens on Thursday in a pair of nonconference games next week.

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

Cardinals 64, Apaches 55

Auburndale 6 12 13 24 – 55

Newman Catholic 12 18 15 19 – 64

AUBURNDALE (55): Jake Lewis 7, Matt Nikolay 30, Alex Marth 10, Dylan Peplinski 4, Josh VanSchoick 4. Record: 7-3, 3-3 Marawood South.

NEWMAN CATHOLIC (64): Jason Tubbs 15, Bailey Lemke 5, Josh Watson 14, Jake Gajewski 13, Dane Fronek 8, Jeff Ford 9. Record: 10-3, 4-2 Marawood South.