Apaches in position to grab share of Marawood South title

By Paul Lecker

Sports Reporter

AUBURNDALE — A week after a big win over Wisconsin Rapids Assumption kept its Marawood Conference South Division title hopes alive, the Auburndale girls basketball team grabbed another important victory by beating first-place Marathon 55-45 on Friday night at Auburndale High School.

The win pushes Auburndale into a tie with Assumption for second-place in the standings at 8-2, one-half game behind Marathon. By winning their final two conference games — Feb. 11 at Northland Lutheran and Feb. 12 at Pittsville — the Apaches would clinch at least a share of their first Marawood South championship.

Taylor Gotz poured in 29 points and grabbed nine rebounds for the Apaches (14-2 overall). Gotz was 11 of 18 from the field and 7 of 8 at the free throw line in the win. Paiton Richardson added 13 points, and Sylviann Momont had eight rebounds and six assists for Auburndale.

Auburndale trailed 24-22 at halftime before outscoring the Raiders 33-21 in the second half to pull away. The Apaches made 17 of 20 free throws overall.

Auburndale hosts Adams-Friendship in a nonconference game Tuesday.

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

Apaches 55, Raiders 45

Marathon 24 21 – 45

Auburndale 22 33 – 55

MARTHON (45): Statistics not reported. Record: 16-3, 9-2 Marawood South.

AUBURNDALE (55): Mackenzie Raab 0-1 0-0 0, Brooke Anderson 1-3 0-0 2, Allison Linzmeier 1-5 7-8 9, Rachael Bolder 0-1 0-0 0, Sylviann Momont 1-2 0-0 2, Paiton Richardson 5-10 3-4 13, Taylor Gotz 11-18 7-8 29, Hannah Bolder 0-1 0-0 0. FG: 19-41. FT: 17-20. 3-pointers: 0-0. Rebounds: 25 (Gotz 9). Assists: 13 (Momont 6). Record: 14-2, 8-2 Marawood South.