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By Paul Lecker

Sports Reporter

Owen-Withee held off Marshfield Columbus Catholic by making 21 free throws in the second half and defeated the Dons 72-68 in a foul-filled Cloverbelt Conference East Division game Dec. 8 at Columbus Catholic High School.

Owen-Withee was 21 of 27 from the line in the second half, and 32 of 42 overall, to pull out the victory and improve to 4-2 overall and 3-1 in conference play. Columbus had its five-game winning streak snapped, falling to 5-2 and 2-1 in the conference.

Columbus stayed in the game by making eight 3-pointers, four from Morgan Albrecht and three by Addison Baierl, but couldn’t overcome the difference at the free throw line as it finished 20 of 37.

Maren Seefluth led the Dons with 18 points, and Albrecht and Marissa Immerfall each had 14 points. Baierl finished with 11.

Jennifer Wendler had 20 points and Brianna Simington added 16, all at the free throw line, finishing 16-for-18, including 12-for-14 in the second half.

The Dons beat Northland Lutheran 68-40 in a nonconference game Dec. 5. Hailey Roehl had a season-high 16 points, as did Immerfall, and Albrecht added 14 points in the win.

Auburndale drops two straight

Wausau Newman Catholic outscored Auburndale by 13 points in the second half to pull away for a 59-42 victory in a Marawood Conference South Division game on Dec. 7 at Newman Catholic High School.

Auburndale falls to 4-2 overall and 1-2 in the Marawood South after suffering its second-straight loss. Newman is now 6-1 and 2-1 in conference play.

Newman led 27-23 at halftime before blowing the game open by holding the Apaches to 19 points in the second half.

Signe Fronek led the Cardinals with 21 points. Hannah Bolder topped Auburndale with 13 points.

The Apaches lost at home to Marathon 55-34 on Dec. 5, as they had a four-game winning streak stopped.

Marissa Ponshock had 12 points to lead Auburndale, which did not score a basket from the field in the first 7:47 of the game and trailed most of the way.

Bay Port swarms Marshfield

Marshfield committed 36 turnovers, 22 in the first half, and dropped a 49-39 nonconference game to Bay Port on Dec. 8 at Marshfield High School.

Despite the turnovers, the Tigers (1-2) trailed by only four at halftime, but couldn’t make up the deficit as they struggled offensively. The difference came at the free throw line, with Bay Port making 19 of 31 and Marshfield going just 5-for-10.

Jenna Jakobi had 14 points to lead Marshfield.

Newman holds off Stratford

Wausau Newman Catholic opened up a 10-point lead by halftime and held on to beat Stratford 55-41 in a Marawood Conference South Division game Dec. 5 at Newman Catholic High School.

The loss is Stratford’s fourth in a row and drops the Tigers to 1-4 overall and 1-1 in the Marawood South.

Newman led 33-23 at halftime after holding Stratford to just five made field goals in the first half. The Tigers stayed in the game by making 12 of 14 free throws.

Mariah Zawislan had eight points for Stratford.