By Hub City Times staff

MARSHFIELD – Heading into the postseason, many area boys basketball teams were preparing for regional quarterfinal matchups on March 3, while others got first-round byes and will see their first postseason action March 6.

In Division 1, most teams, including Marshfield, received first-round byes. The No. 7 Tigers, fresh off their third-place finish in the Wisconsin Valley Conference, host No. 10 Stevens Point on March 6 at 7 p.m. in the Boson Company Fieldhouse at Marshfield High School. The winner of that game plays either No. 2 Neenah or No. 15 Superior in a Division 1 regional final contest on March 7. The Tigers wrapped up their regular season Feb. 27 with a 58-49 win over the Panthers in Stevens Point. Anthony Posteluk led Marshfield with 15 points. Addison Hill added 13, and Joey Goettl scored 11. The Tigers have won both of their games against SPASH so far this season.

In Division 4, the Stratford Tigers were the unanimous No. 1 seed in their section, and have locked up a first-round bye. The undefeated Tigers will play the winner of the Pacelli/Colby matchup in a regional semifinal on March 6 at 7 p.m. at Stratford High School. The Tigers wrapped up their regular season with a 63-23 win over Wisconsin Rapids Assumption Feb. 27 at Stratford High School. Vaughn Breit led the Tigers with 14 points. Teddy Redman added 10.

Also in Division 4, the Auburndale Apaches have locked up a No. 2 seed and a quarterfinal round bye. The Apaches face the Phillips/Crandon winner in a regional semifinal March 6 at 7 p.m. at Auburndale High School. The winner of that game faces either Colby or Stevens Point Pacelli in a regional championship contest on Feb. 29 at 7 p.m. The Apaches concluded their regular season with a win at Wausau Newman on Feb. 27, defeating the Cardinals 86-48. Auburndale was paced by Cooper Weinfurter, with 38 points. Fletcher Raab added 18. Colby wrapped up its regular season with an 89-73 loss in the fifth-place Cloverbelt Conference crossover game Feb. 27 at Colby High School.

No. 4 Neillsville has earned a first-round bye in Division 4, and will host the Marathon/Chequamegon winner March 6 in a regional semifinal at Neillsville High School. The No. 6 Spencer Rockets had earned a quarterfinal matchup with No. 11 Abbotsford on March 3, coming out of a seeding meeting where the co-champions of the Eastern Cloverbelt Conference got lower seeds than teams who did not win the Marawood Conference-South Division championship (Auburndale, Edgar).

In Division 5, just one team – Monticello – gets a first-round bye going into the postseason. Everyone else was gearing up for quarterfinal games on March 3 after wrapping up their regular seasons in the past week. That schedule included the No. 7 Columbus Dons hosting No. 10 Rosholt. After losing to Neillsville Feb. 24 to wrap up their Eastern Cloverbelt Conference schedule, the Columbus Dons rebounded to beat Chippewa Falls McDonell in a fourth-place Cloverbelt Conference crossover game played Feb. 27 at Columbus Catholic High School in Marshfield. Eden Jacobson’s 20 points helped the Dons to a 69-57 win over the Macks. Tom Nystrom added 18.

Also in Division 5, No. 7 Greenwood had a showdown with No. 10 Bruce, while No. 8 Loyal was hosting No. 9 Wisconsin Valley Lutheran and No. 4 Pittsville had a quarterfinal game with No. 13 Marion. The Indians were coming off a 63-49 loss to Eau Claire Regis on Feb. 27 in a third-place Cloverbelt Conference crossover game in Greenwood. Cooper Bredlau led the Indians with 17 points against the Ramblers. Westen Schmitz added 12. Loyal lost its sixth-place Cloverbelt Conference crossover with Stanley-Boyd 57-47, despite 23 points from Kole Bogdonovich. Pittsville lost its CWC finale Feb. 27 to Wild Rose 60-55. Matthew Kissner led the Panthers with 26 points.

Regional finals are set for March 7 at 7 p.m. Sectional semifinals take place March 12 at 7 p.m., with sectional championships two days later. The WIAA boys state tournament runs March 19-21 at the Kohl Center in Madison.