Tigers, Cardinals now tied for second place in Marawood South

By Paul Lecker

Sports Reporter

STRATFORD — Lauren Fech hit a pair of 3-pointers in overtime to push Wausau Newman Catholic to a 42-39 victory over Stratford in a battle of two of the top three teams in the Marawood Conference South Division girls basketball standings Thursday night at Stratford High School.

Stratford overcame a nine-point halftime deficit to force overtime but made only one basket in the four-minute extra period. Fech’s pair of long balls provided the difference for Newman Catholic, which is now tied with Stratford for second place in the Marawood South at 5-2, 1½ games behind first-place Marathon (6-0).

Signe Fronek led Newman (10-3 overall) with 17 points, and Fech added 12 in the victory.

Andie Zuelke scored 15 of her team-high 17 points in the second half and overtime for Stratford, which trailed 18-9 at halftime before mounting a comeback.

Taya Nett hit a pair of 3-pointers in the second half, and Kaylee Hollatz added another for the Tigers as they outscored Newman 27-18 to force overtime. However, Zuelke’s one basket in the extra period was the only made shot by the Tigers (11-3 overall).

Stratford will play at Auburndale on Tuesday as part of a Marawood South girls-boys doubleheader. The girls game will begin at 5:45 p.m. with the boys to follow at approximately 7:15 p.m.

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

Cardinals 42, Tigers 39 (OT)

Wausau Newman Catholic 18 18 6 – 42

Stratford 9 27 3 – 39

NEWMAN CATHOLIC (42): Lauren Fech 5 0-0 12, Signe Fronek 6 2-4 17, Mackenzie Krach 2 0-0 4, Makayla Slaby 0 0-0 0, Lauren Shields 0 0-0 0, Jadelyn Ganski 2 1-1 5, Julia Seidel 2 0-0 4. FG: 17. FT: 3-5. 3-pointers: 5 (Fronek 3, Fech 2). Fouls: 10. Fouled out: none. Record: 10-3, 5-2 Marawood South.

STRATFORD (39): Taya Nett 3-8 2-4 10, Blaire Linder 1-3 0-2 2, Sammy Griesbach 1-13 0-1 2, Olivia Burrows 0-0 0-0 0, Chelsey Gliniecki 0-4 0-0 0, Kaylee Hollatz 3-4 0-0 8, Andie Zuelke 6-13 5-5 17. FG: 14-45. FT: 7-12. 3-pointers: 4-7 (Hollatz 2-3, Nett 2-4). Rebounds: 28 (Zuelke 7). Assists: 12 (Griesbach 8). Fouls: 10. Fouled out: none. Record: 11-3, 5-2 Marawood South.