By Paul Lecker

Sports Reporter

STRATFORD — Stratford shot 51 percent and used a strong first half to down Northland Lutheran 62-45 in the Marawood Conference South Division boys basketball finale for both teams on Thursday night at Stratford High School.

The Tigers led 13-4 after the first quarter and 31-12 by halftime to pull past Northland Lutheran.

Jake Reif made 4 of 5 shots from 3-point range and scored a team-high 15 points for Stratford (13-8 overall, 5-7 Marawood South). Michael Bargender and Jake Schmitt each had 10 points and seven rebounds for the Tigers.

Jacob Price scored 26 points and grabbed seven rebounds for Northland Lutheran (3-18, 0-12 Marawood South).

Stratford will finish its regular-season schedule Feb. 26 with a Marawood crossover game. An opponent has yet to be determined.

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

Tigers 62, Wildcats 45

Northland Lutheran 4 8 10 23 – 45

Stratford 13 18 10 21 – 62

NORTHLAND LUTHERAN (45): A.J. Jensen 1-1 0-0 2, Luke Thums 0-3 0-0 0, Danny Worden 6-14 1-2 15, David Burgess 0-3 1-2 1, Noah Panzer 0-0 1-2 1, Jacob Price 10-20 3-4 26. FG: 17-41. FT: 6-9. 3-pointers: 5-9 (Price 3-4, Worden 2-4, Thums 0-1). Reboudns: 18 (Price 7). Assists: 5. Record: 3-18, 0-12 Marawood Conference South Division.

STRATFORD (62): Dawson Gebelein 0-4 0-0 0, Nick Stoflet 0-1 4-4 4, Michael Bargender 4-6 2-2 1, Ethan Nagel 2-4 0-0 5, Derek Schmidt 2-6 4-7 8, Jake Reif 4-8 3-4 15, Mitch Guralski 1-2 0-0 2, Jake Schmitt 5-7 0-4 10, Tanner Weinfurtner 3-4 0-0 6, Brenden Fecker 1-1 0-0 2. FG: 22-43. FT: 13-22. 3-pointers: 5-12 (Reif 4-5, Nagel 1-3, Stoflet 0-1, Schmitt 0-1, Schmidt 0-2). Rebounds: 29 (Bargender 7, Schmitt 7). Assists: 16 (Reif 4, Stoflet 4). Record: 13-8, 5-7 Marawood Conference South Division.