Weekend HS sports wrap-up: State hockey championships awarded, girls’ basketball sectionals decide who heads to state and boys’ basketball regionals.

The Central Wisconsin Storm girls’ hockey program has won five state titles in program history but never back-to-back. Saturday the Storm had a chance to change that with a title game rematch with the Bay Area Ice Bears Saturday in Middleton. The Ice Bears avenged their 2024 loss to the Storm with an 8-0 win in a game heard on 98.9 WXCO. Faye Brunke scored four goals for Bay Area, who have now won two state titles in the last three years. Cami Flohr made 23 saves for the Storm, who finished their season at 23-5.

The Wausau West hockey team was back at state for the first time in six years but fell to Notre Dame Academy 8-4 in a Division 1 semifinal on Friday, another game heard on 98.9 WXCO. The Warriors struck first on a Drake Kuharske goal in the first period but the Tritons would respond with four goals in a period of 4:48 late in the first period. After Notre Dame exended their lead to 5-1 early in the 2nd period, Wausau West came flying back. Two goals by Chase Crass and a goal by Cooper DePuydt pulled the Warriors within 5-4 with 4:57 to go in the 2nd period. However, NDA regained the momentum just 30 seconds later on a Ryker Thomas goal and then added a pair of third period goals to pull away for the win. West finished their season at 21-7 while Notre Dame would then fall to Madison Edgewood 5-2 in the D-1 championship game on Saturday.

In Division 2 Tomahawk earns their first state championship after rallying past Amery 5-3. Jett Reilly scored two goals for the Hatchets, who finish the season at 22-6-1. Trevor Seliskar had 22 saves in net.r

Tickets to the WIAA girls’ state tourney at the Resch Center in Green Bay were earned on Saturday in the sectional finals. In Division 5, Assumption is heading to state after rolling past Sevastopol 61-42 in Waupaca on Saturday. Assumption (27-1 overall) received a #1 seed for the state tournament and will meet 4th seeded Owen-Withee in the first semifinal at 9:05 am on Friday. Owen-Withee outlasted Eau Claire Immanuel Lutheran 37-29 in a sectional final. Lourdes Academy will face Barneveld in the other D-5 semifinal.

Central Wisconsin will not be represented in the other Divisions this weekend in Green Bay. The closest call came from Wittenberg-Birnamwood in Division 3 as the Chargers took a 27-0 record into a sectional final vs. Appleton Xavier. For the second straight year Xavier keeps Witt-Birn from the Resch Center with a 63-45 win.

This week’s WIAA State Girls’ Basketball Tournament Schedule:

DIVISION 1
Semifinals – Friday, March 14
Game-1:  #1 Kimberly (27-1) vs. #4 Appleton East (19-8) – 6:35 p.m.
Game-2:  #2 Arrowhead (25-3) vs. #3 Muskego (24-4) – 15 mins. folllowing Game-1

Championship Final – Saturday, March 15
Game-3:  Winner of Game-1 vs. Winner of Game-2 – 15 mins. following Div. 2 final

DIVISION 2
Semifinals – Friday, March 14
Game-1:  #1 Edgewood (27-1) vs. #4 Rice Lake (23-5) – 1:35 p.m.
Game-2:  #2 Wauwatosa East (27-1) vs. #3 West De Pere (23-5) – 15 mins. folllowing Game-1

Championship Final – Saturday, March 15
Game-3:  Winner of Game-1 vs. Winner of Game-2 – 6:35 p.m.

DIVISION 3
Semifinals – Thursday, March 13
Game-1:  #1 Elk Mound (26-1) vs. #4 Xavier (18-10) – 1:35 p.m.
Game-2:  #2 Oostburg (26-2) vs. #3 Laconia (24-4) – 15 mins. folllowing Game-1

Championship Final – Saturday, March 15
Game-3:  Winner of Game-1 vs. Winner of Game-2 – 15 mins. following Div. 4 final

DIVISION 4
Semifinals – Thursday, March 13
Game-1:  #1 The Prairie School (26-2) vs. #4 Cuba City (23-5) – 6:35 p.m.
Game-2:  #2 St. Mary Catholic ( 25-3) vs. #3 Durand-Arkansaw (23-5) – 15 mins. folllowing Game-1

Championship Final – Saturday, March 15
Game-3:  Winner of Game-1 vs. Winner of Game-2 – 15 mins. following Div. 5 final

DIVISION 5
Semifinals – Friday, March 14
Game-1:  #1 Assumption (27-1) vs. #4 Owen-Withee – 9:05 a.m.
Game-2:  #2 Lourdes Academy (24-5) vs. #3 Barneveld (21-7) – 15 mins. folllowing Game-1

Championship Final – Saturday, March 15
Game-3:  Winner of Game-1 vs. Winner of Game-2 – 11:05 a.m.

In boys’ basketball it was the regionals this past weekend. In D-1, Wausau West beat D.C. Everest in the semifinals 61-45 on Friday but fell at Eau Claire Memorial 53-25 on Saturday. West finished their season at 18-8 while Everest completed their season at 13-12. WVC champions Marshfield met 2nd place SPASH for the third time this season and survived the Panthers 57-56 to move on to the sectionals. A Joey Ketterer three-pointer with about 3 minutes left gave the Tigers the lead for good. 2nd seeded Marshfield will meet 3rd seeded Eau Claire Memorial on Thursday in Neillsville. Marshfield routed ECM late in the regular season.

In Division 2, Wausau East wins a regional title after edging Merrill 52-50 on Friday and dominating Menomonie 68-35 on Saturday. East (18-7) moves on to a sectional semifinal on Thursday in Ashland vs. the winner of Monday’s game between Rhinelander and New Richmond. Also in D-2, Mosinee edged Sparta 75-74 on Friday but came up short at Onalaska 80-67 in the regional final on Saturday. Mosinee finishes 18-8.

In Division 4, in a game heard on 98.9 WXCO, Auburndale got a buzzer beating tip-in from Thomas Aue to lift the Eagles to a 51-49 win over Marathon. The teams had split a pair of games in the regular season, including a Marathon win at Auburndale in the final game of the season. Auburndale (23-3) moves on to meet another Marawood-South rival, Stratford, in a sectional semifinal on Thursday at Wausau West. Stratford (24-2) had an easier time Saturday with a 64-32 win over Hurley.

Boys’ basketball sectional semifinals will be played Thursday and the sectional finals on Saturday.