Apaches cannot hold on to halftime lead, fall to 4-11

By Paul Lecker

Sports Reporter

AUBURNDALE — The Auburndale boys basketball team had conference champion Marathon on the ropes but could not hold off a second-half onslaught by the Raiders.

Auburndale led 26-21 at halftime before Marathon outscored the Apaches 39-22 in the second on its way to a 60-48 victory in a Marawood Conference South Division matchup Tuesday night at Auburndale High School.

Preston Wirkus and Karter Underwood each scored 12 points to lead the Raiders (15-2, 10-0 Marawood South), who have already clinched the conference title. Underwood was 4-for-4 from 3-point range as the Raiders made 7 of 12 from long range and shot 63 percent (22 of 35) overall.

Caleb Weinfurter made 5 of 8 3-pointers and finished with 16 points for the Apaches (4-11, 2-8 Marawood South). Dylan Peplinski added 11 points and seven rebounds.

Auburndale plays at Northland Lutheran on Friday.

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

Raiders 60, Apaches 48

Marathon 21 39 – 60

Auburndale 26 22 – 48

MARATHON (60): Kellen Vetter 2-3 0-0 4, Xavier Lechleitner 4-8 1-4 12, Preston Wirkus 4-7 4-6 12, Nathan Stoffel 1-3 0-0 2, Karter Underwood 4-4 0-0 12, Ryan Gassner 3-5 0-0 6, Donovan Free 0-0 1-2 1, Bryce Seubert 4-5 1-3 9. FG: 22-35. FT: 7-15. 3-pointers: 7-12 (Underwood 4-4, Lechleitner 3-4, Vetter 0-1, Wirkus 0-1, Stoffel 0-2). Rebounds: 20 (Lechleitner 5, Wirkus 5). Assists: 11 (Gassner 4). Record: 15-2, 10-0 Marawood Conference South Division.

AUBURNDALE (48): Nicholas Steele 0-1 0-0 0, Luke Olsen 2-5 1-1 6, Cason Schmutzer 0-0 0-0 0, Logan Willfahrt 0-1 0-0 0, Caleb Weinfurter 5-9 1-2 16, Colton Wright 3-7 2-4 8, Cameron Ertl 1-1 0-0 3, Christian Firnstahl 2-5 0-0 4, Dylan Peplinski 5-6 1-2 11. FG: 18-35. FT: 5-9. 3-pointers: 7-15 (Weinfurter 5-8, Olsen 1-3, Ertl 1-1, Willfahrt 0-1, Wright 0-2). Rebounds: 19 (Peplinski 7). Assists: 14 (Steele 3, Weinfurter 3). Record: 4-11, 2-8 Marawood South.