ONALASKA — The Onalaska High School boys basketball team had to beat a familiar face on Friday if it wanted to advance to a WIAA Division 2 regional championship game on Saturday.
The top-seeded Hilltoppers took care of business by beating a Menasha team it beat by 41 points just two weeks ago by an 81-66 margin for a regional semifinal win at the Chuck Deeth Fieldhouse.
Senior Ian Kowal scored a team-high 16 points, and sophomore Gavin McRoberts added 15 for Onalaska (21-3), which earned a regional final at home against fourth-seeded West Salem on Saturday night.
The Hilltoppers used a strong start to the second half to create separation that expanded from eight points to 15 and never dipped into single digits from there.
Sophomore Tyler Kowal and senior Rowan McGrath also scored 12 points apiece for Onalaska, which has won five games in a row and beat West Salem 81-66 on Feb. 19.
West Salem 62, New London 61
WEST SALEM — The Panthers (21-4) came back from a late six-point deficit and made enough free throws down the stretch to hold off the fifth-seeded Bulldogs (15-8) in a home semifinal.
West Salem gets a second crack at Onalaska after a late Nate Dillaber 3-pointer put in front after scrambling back from the deficit.
Senior Tyson Labus scored a team-high 19 points and made three 3-pointers. Dillaber hist two 3s on his way to 15 points, and juniors Drew McConley and Elliott Corcoran scored 10 points apiece.
Central 52, Sparta 33
LA CROSSE — The second-seeded RiverHawks (21-4) earned a regional final against third-seeded Fox Valley Lutheran (16-9) at the Mark Sutton Memorial Gymnasium by handling the Spartans for the third time this season.
Central pulled away from a six-point halftime lead and held Sparta to 14 second-half points.
Junior Anthony Jones scored a team-high 16 poots and pulled down five rebounds for the RiverHawks, who have won seven of eight games.
Junior Gabe Servais added 15 points and six rebounds, and junior Will Schilling scored 10 points. Sophomore Jorden Calvert didn’t score, but he led Central in both rebounds with eight and assists with four.
The Spartans were held to 14 field goals and 29.2-percent shooting in the game.
Division 4
Luther 61, Osseo-Fairchild 60
OSSEO — The sixth-seeded Knights (15-11) were down by 19 points early and 11 at the half before storming back to beat the third seed and earn a shot at second-seeded Eau Claire Regis (20-5) on Saturday.
Luther scored 17 of the first 23 second-half points to tie the game at 42 and went on to lead by as many as 12 before Osseo-Fairchild came back late in the half.
Senior Brody Greeno scored 22 points to lead four double-figure scorers and added a team-high eight rebounds. Greeno made 8 of 17 shots and knocked down three 3-pointers.
Junior Logan Pierce made two 3-pointers and had four assists to go with his 11 points for Luther, which also received 10 points apiece from junior Trent Berg and freshman Javon Zenke. Zenke and Greeno also had four assists each.
Division 1
Kimberly 84, Holmen 66
KIMBERLY — The seventh-seeded Papermakers (16-9) eliminated the 10th-seeded Vikings (13-12) from the postseason for the second year in a row.
Senior Alex Berget made 10 of 17 shots on his way to a team-high 23 points in a game Holmen was outrebounded by 20. Berget made his only 3-point attempt and both free throws he attempted.
The Vikings were outscored 18-4 from the foul line.
Sophomore Cohen Kendhammer made three 3-pointers and 7 of 11 shots to add 17 points for Holmen, which had the game tied at 26 after the first half. The Papermakers gave themselves quick separation in the second half by making the first six shots.
Division 3
Lodi 54, Aquinas 52
LA CROSSE — The defending Division 4 state champions were eliminated by the seventh-seeded Blue Devils (17-9) at the Reinhart Athletic Complex and had their season come to an end at 20-5.
Senior Finley Strom and junior Calvin Bahr had 12 points each to lead Aquinas, while senior Logan Becker scored 10.
The Blugolds had their offense shut down in the first half as Lodi took a 25-13 lead and made them play from behind the rest of the way.
