Dons now 12-0, 9-0 in Cloverbelt East

By Paul Lecker

Sports Reporter

LOYAL — The Marshfield Columbus Catholic boys basketball team earned every bit of its 12th-straight win to start the season by outlasting Loyal 79-71 in double overtime Tuesday night at Loyal High School.

Loyal led 33-25 at halftime before the Dons roared back to tie it at 54-54.

Loyal was ahead by six at one point in overtime before Columbus came back again to force a second extra frame.

After Loyal scored the opening basket in the second overtime, Hunter Schultz hit a 3-pointer, and Nick Malovrh had a steal and basket to give Columbus a 69-65 lead.

Evan Nikolai added two free throws with 15 seconds left to put away the win for the Dons, who improve to 12-0 overall and 9-0 in the Cloverbelt East.

Schultz had 28 points, Tyler Fuerlinger added 20, and Malovrh had 17 — all in the second half and overtime periods — to lead Columbus Catholic.

Cameron Brussow had 31 points for Loyal (9-3, 6-3 Cloverbelt East), which had a seven-game winning streak snapped.

Columbus Catholic hosts Gilman on Friday.

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

Dons 79, Greyhounds 71 (2 OT)

Columbus Catholic 25 29 9 16 – 79

Loyal 33 21 9 8 – 71

COLUMBUS CATHOLIC (79): Hunter Schultz 28, Tyler Fuerlinger 20, Evan Nikolai 9, Nick Malovrh 17, Matthias Gouin 3, Billy Young 2, Record: 12-0, 9-0 Cloverbelt East.

LOYAL (71): Cameron Brussow 31, Riley Geiger 18, Derrick Howard 10, Luke Bogdonovich 10, Jordan Radue 2, Ben Zimmerman 0, Elliot Genteman 0, Marcus Genteman 0. Record: 9-3, 6-3 Cloverbelt East.