LA CROSSE — The Central High School boys basketball team had a five-game winning streak ended after a tough second half of a nonconference game against River Falls on Tuesday.
The RiverHawks — ranked sixth in Division 2 for this week’s Bound Wisconsin/Zaleski Sports media poll — were outscored by 23 points after halftime in what turned into a 74-54 loss to the Wildcats at the Mark Sutton Memorial Gymnasium.
Central (19-4) led 35-32 after one half before the Wildcats (17-6) made 17 of 27 shots during a 42–point second half. The RiverHawks made 6 of 28 shots (21.4 percent) in the second half.
Juniors Anthony Jones and Gabe Servais led Central with 17 and 15 points, respectively, but they combined to make 10 of 29 shots. Jones and junior Drew Ehler-Blum tied for the team lead with five rebounds, and Jones had four assists and four steals.
Junior Gander Conrad made three 3-pointers and added nine points for the RiverHawks, who host West Salem (20-3) on Thursday.
BOYS HOCKEY
WIAA sectionals
Division 1 semifinal
Madison Edgewood 7, Onalaska/La Crosse 1
VERONA — The Crusaders, who are seeded first and won the Division 1 state championship last season, scored six goals in the third period to end a big season by the Hilltoppers at the Verona Ice Arena.
Onalaska/La Crosse (24-3) scored 16 seconds into the game when Onalaska sophomore Rylan Tomashek set up Central senior Logan Sauter for the goal before the Crusaders came back with a goal in the second period. The goal is Sauter’s 15th and the assist Tomashek’s 20th.
The Crusaders (24-2) then scored six times in the third to pull away and advance to the sectional final.
