Transcript
Big High School Sports Show 2/4/26: Mosinee boys BB coach Matt Lindsey and Marathon senior Drew Woelfel
Big High School Sports Show · Wed Feb 4, 2026
Welcome back it is our number two of the big high school sports show on ninety eight point nine WXCO online at WXCO dot FM mobile devices and Alexa by searching WXCO on the civic media app and also on YouTube at youtube.com and the ninety eight point nine WXCO channel I am Chad Holmes and our special guest co-host this week
Current new mechanical high school boys basketball coach Jeff Gress I said for so many years former former former now It's current it's like
it's more
gray a little more beard little less voice.
Yes
I
appreciate you stopping in tonight.
Thank you for having me
BJ sent another update from superior And it was a really good update because in the midway through the third period one of his daughters just scored Storm 3 superior one, so we're keeping an eye on that he'll be back
with us next week.
But right now, it's time for our student-athlete guest from Marathon High School, multi-sport athlete Drew Wolfeldrew.
Thank you for popping out over tonight.
Thank you very much for having me.
Absolutely.
Make sure you get nice and close to that microphone.
I'm going to ask you first about the multi-sport aspect because we're going to talk a lot about the basketball season and what's going on.
Not only do you play the three seasons sometimes we'll get kids that come in with three seasons I think you'll know this as well.
They'll play football.
They'll play basketball or hockey and then the spring they'll play golf Nothing against golf, but it's a thing a little less Intense out there.
You're three sports that I think are pretty intense.
You have to battle in football.
You have to battle in basketball have to battle in baseball How do you?
Do it.
How do you try to keep the edge?
How do you try to not get burnt out on sports when you're so busy throughout the course of the year?
Well, you see I like to get a lot of rest in between For basketball football, especially football when you're constantly I mean you have early two-day practices
that you
have so you have to get as much rest as possible and I think in the summer we're constantly weight training and Conditioning so that kind of helps to and keeping us built up
I should say.
So yeah, constant rest and strength and addition keeps us all on edge too.
It's rather mature.
We all need the rest.
That's good advice, because I have no idea how to take, get more rest.
Drew, one of the things I think that is always interesting to me is, is that balance, in light when you talked about the rest, but also how to, you know, decide what time you're going to give to what sport.
Is there a
You just try to always continue to develop as many as you can.
Is there ones you look at like, hey, I got to improve in this?
Is there ever an unbalance in that where you find yourself over focusing on one?
Because I think it's hard to do when you want to be the best that you can.
You want to help your team as much as you can.
And you love them all.
So that's why you're playing.
Is there ever a time?
time you have to sit back and figure out a better way to balance it.
Well, you see, I think of it as whatever season it is that is the sport you give your 100% time to.
So if it's baseball season, I'm 100% devoted baseball, working on my craft and baseball.
If it's football, doing the same for that in basketball, so on and so on, where we have some wrestlers that during baseball season, they go out and wrestle and they're kind of split 50-50 and they're kind of not really focused on baseball where I try and focus as much on.
Baseball's I can't if it's baseball season.
That's why I kind of
I'm gonna put you up this one I'll put you on the spot and the coaches can't is there one that is there one that's your favorite I mean and no harm here I mean coaches can accept that if they like one or more than the other is there one that just Easy for the German coach to tell you that Well, I have my kids I could tell you right now which players I have where the basketball is third line between the other two sport It's just what it is.
I'm happy to play it But do you have one that stands out that that you're gonna maybe miss the most at the end of the day or one that is well
A little more enjoyable just because of the way
it's played.
I have played been playing basketball and baseball the longest time so probably one of those two but basketball you know my dad's coach basketball for a very long time so he's always been making me play basketball so I feel like I say basketball now and then probably baseball because I mean travel ball baseball has always been a fun time for me and basketball I've always had fun too.
What's it
like having your dad as a coach?
Are you guys able to
separated at all, or was it brought back at the dinner table?
What does that
mean?
You know, sometimes it is brought back at the dinner table, but that's because I'd try and do my best to separate coach and dad.
He's been coaching me for a very long time, so I kind of know what he wants from me and he expects from me.
You know, sometimes he'll get on me, but that's only partially because he knows how I can play.
So yeah, he's just been a very good mentor to me.
He's always on me, but it's a good thing.
How about the consistency of the coaching staff?
Because as many strengths and good things as we can list for marathon basketball, I think one of the things that's...
Consistent is that coaching staff?
I mean, you know, you have coach soybird at the JV level you have coach Jacobson has been there while your dad joined in I mean there's just a wealth of knowledge and experience is it a I guess is it a prideful thing to say that that that's your coaching staff You got a lot of guys that are willing work and you got consistency of guys that are there throughout most of your career.
Oh, yeah, absolutely I mean we have a very experienced coaching staff, which is very good.
I mean they know what they're talking about they
They kind of push you because they know they can get the most out of you.
They're not afraid to do that at all.
And they really are very experienced and well-knowledged.
Let's talk about this year's team because boy, I mean, it's been a very, from the outside, it's been very consistent.
It feels like your guys come out, I mean, even this week going to Columbus is not an easy place.
You went over there and you earn another W. We see different.
Players often is scoring one thing a marathon always seems to do every time I'm going through and getting my stuff together It's like at least three marathon players and double digits.
I mean you all get involved and then good rebounding How would you describe this version of the marathon team?
Is it any different than maybe the basketball teams you played on in the past?
Well, I would say this and coach Jay says is to that this team is extremely unselfish
you know, this team is always looking to make the extra pass no matter where it is, um, unselfish and we're competitive.
So every day of practice, that competitive edge really strives us.
So we have a good, um, bench that we go against too.
Um, Jay always says that sometimes you got to look at teams and who they practice against who they practice against is really what makes a team.
Um, yeah, I would say that and probably, uh,
Sorry.
Well, so it sounds like metal sharpens metal doesn't
it?
Yes.
That's the kind
of thing where where if It sounds like a practice it could be very easy to be embarrassed because
you have good backups.
Yep Coach J also prides on humility because you're gonna get Yes, absolutely, so he prides himself on that and unselfishness like I said are pretty much what wraps around this team, you know, no one's afraid to
It's not about get mine or try and be the superstars making for the team to win.
Well, let's talk about a little bit more about your team this year.
Obviously, we've usually seen the seed.
I don't have the personal experience for coaching against you guys.
So I know a feeling of what it takes that.
to try to beat you guys, which was just not easy.
It hasn't been done.
You know, and you played in the mirror with long enough to know that it's got to be something you guys can hang your hat on with that umblemish record right now.
I mean, people come to play every given night against each other and with the North getting stronger over the last couple of years.
It's just a, it's a war, no matter what side you're playing on with a lot of these teams.
What do you think are somewhat, you've talked about the unselfishness, but maybe a couple of things.
What is, is the best
couple qualities of marathon basketball that makes it successful year in and year out, as well as gives you guys the success this year.
So in your mind, what makes marathon basketball successful?
I would say, um, probably the culture, you know, from what we've built off of that, everyone knows like, oh, marathon basketball school, right?
And we kind of pride ourselves off that.
Um, but also just coach Jacobson really doesn't matter who you have.
He's going to try his best to make.
get everything out of you, and I think everyone buys into that.
No matter who you are, everyone buys into the standard, and I feel like no one just wants to lay each other down.
So I was jumping off the humility thing, then.
Anything you think you have to, as a team going down the stretcher, we got to get a little better at, we got to work on, because just to be ready for the playoffs, make that final push to hold what you want to hold in the conference, all that type of stuff.
Yeah, I would say right now,
Every now and then we got to be able to handle pressure better because you know that game against Mohsen E They ran a one two one one I believe press and we didn't handle it very well at all the first half so that's a big thing to handle and just I would say Handling pressure and Probably every now and then our defense can get broken down, but other than that I think
We try and stay consistent as possible on much of our objectives, really.
Hey, we're talking to Drew Wolfolf, senior for Marathon High School, our student athlete guest this week, the big high school sports show on 98.9 WXCO.
Let's talk about some of the guys.
Who are some of the guys that you look at as leaders on the team?
It could be in the locker room, it could be at practice, it could be in the games.
Who are some of the guys that even yourself may lean on once in a while?
Well, I would say for sure truthers truthers has been a guy in every sport too where he's just the leader He's the guy who speaks for the games.
He's a guy who says let's go He tries to get everyone up on their feet no hanging their heads He's the guy that you look to to lean on and get the team going in every sport And also I would probably say Lanna Snyder.
He's a part of that too He's a good athlete in all sports as well.
He really has that
Just go mentality where nothing's gonna stop him He is really good at not hanging his head.
He looks the next play very well like a bunch of other guys on our team We also have Garrett Bracewell who was a tremendous athlete also.
He's a really good leader knows knows how to Keep his head up as well a lot of these guys do Garrett Bracewell
Sawyer Barrens, Charlie Aert, much more juniors who are experienced juniors, like most of them played as sophomores last year.
So they're very experienced.
They know how to respond when times get tough.
So that's always huge for a team.
And then also, I would say, Landon Hillgart as well, Quill and Kunkel.
I could pretty much
name
a whole bunch of guys day in and day out.
They just work.
No one's slacking off at practice.
Logan Peters, all those guys, they always go 100% every day.
And that's the thing.
You can't really leave anyone out of that.
And correct me if I'm wrong.
You played on the varsity since you were a freshman.
Yes.
So in that time, how have you seen a difference in freshman Drew?
Versus senior drew what's the growth?
What's the mindset that's changed a lot maybe in you over those years or or stayed consistent?
Whatever might have been
Well as a freshman, you know, we had Grant Warren drew left hot run words So I kind of figured I wasn't expecting to do much as a freshman You know, I kind of tried to be a role player, you know get offense or rebounds Pass the ball when they're open just kind of fit my role and be a good teammate and let the other guys
do what they need to do.
As a senior this year, I've been playing on the varsity level for four years, so I kind of had that experience and I kind of am a part leader of this team.
Me and True have been playing for a long time, so we were kind of taking that roll over that Grant and Drew had, and now we're kind of looking to be the top guys to get stuff done or run the offense or do this, do that, whatever it takes.
Let's step away from the sports for a moment.
What's your favorite class at school?
Favorite class?
I would probably say I like biology a lot, sciences.
Do you have any idea what you're going to do next year?
Are you hoping to go to college?
Yes, I am hoping to go to college, either point or the cross, but I haven't really decided on that yet.
I'm going to try and take these sciences and become a teacher of some sort.
I haven't decided where yet, but that's my goal.
Are you hoping to continue to play sports?
That would be nice.
I haven't really looked into it that much, but if I had the opportunity to, I'd probably take it.
What do you like to do to get away from it all?
If you have a few moments that you're not studying, you're not in the weight room, you're not at practice or a game.
If you have a moment where it's like, I just need to kind of get away from it all.
What do you like to do?
I really like the outdoors, so I like hunting and fishing.
Just being in nature, that's kind of my big thing.
Yeah, that's pretty much it, hunting and fishing.
That can also take up a lot of time too.
When you've done this, like you said, your dad coached you when you were young.
You've been playing a lot of sports for a very long time, whether it's through the youth ranks in a high school, playing as a freshman a lot of times.
You've seen a lot of sports.
And you're on the tail end of it for your high school career.
What will you miss the most once it's all said and done when the baseball season ends in the spring?
I would say, in every sport, being with the team.
Sometimes the most fun times of the season are just the bus ride back from games.
After a big win, those are always extremely fun, or after practice, or constantly on the field with the team, cracking jokes, stuff like that.
It's just fun being around these guys for four years.
Is there been a highlight on the field of play in any of these sports that you kind of say, boy, that was a moment that I really like to go back to?
Because you've had a lot of great experiences here because you've had a lot of success.
Your baseball seasons always seem to go pretty long.
Basketball seems to go pretty long.
Any highlights up to this
point?
I would say basketball was Definitely probably winning that sexual final that ever says a sophomore going to state feeling the just the Surrealness of being in that sexual final in a packed gym was just awesome and being able to go on to state and play at the Coles Center That was extremely funny, especially as a sophomore and then I would say baseball was There's baseball would say
Playing in a sectional final as a freshman against St.
Croix Falls.
That was still an awesome environment to play in in the regional final last year versus Stratford where You know people kind of Stratford beat us twice in regular season.
So Nothing people were kind of
feeling
down but and then going out and winning that five-nothing And a shutout was an awesome time for me.
Do you have with all the sports you play again?
Do you have a
Favorite team whether it's in a specific sport or just overall throughout all the teams you've seen the conferences Plus when in the youth of you grow up playing against these same guys.
Is there a favorite team you really?
Get into against that's a good rivalry for you guys or for you personally that you're like We're not gonna let him have it.
We got to have that.
We gotta have that team because that's the team I always strive to be or we always try to get after
yeah To big rivals is always either Auburn Taylor Edgar.
I mean Edgar's been
extremely long rival, extremely competitive rival.
And every time we play them, we just gotta know this gotta be our A-game.
Same with Aubrandale.
I mean, Aubrandale or Edgar, you always eventually will see in playoffs.
Yeah, it always seems like Marathon and Aubrandale play
three times every
year in all these
parts.
Pretty much.
I'm pretty sure every year I've played basketball.
It's always been...
Auburn Dillon sectionals or regionals
and I know that's it's set up ahead of time And it always is what it is with those teams being in the you know, you're with your population your divisions all that type of stuff Do you ever look and sometimes think because you because you get your wars within the conference?
And I know some of the other coaches just be nice to get away from each other for once And did you ever have that same feeling where'd be nice to go to a different part of the state or or play a couple different teams outside during the playoffs?
Oh, yeah, absolutely.
I mean playing like
I feel like it'd be cool to be in kind of Bondwell's area because they have Bondwell, Iola, Wittenberg.
Just feel like playing over there would be fun too.
Yeah.
Any other questions for Drew before our final question?
No, I'm just, again, obviously respect that your program and your guys play a ton.
It's something to be said that you can stay consistent like that and atop the conference and good things are happening.
So wishing you well the rest of the season.
And I know he's glad you don't have to see them again.
You're right.
You're glad you don't have to be playing Marathon.
We're okay.
We've got a couple of games.
Not that we would never accept the challenge, but it's sometimes easier when those games are finished.
They did very well against us.
Based on your experience, and you've had a lot of experience, as you said, being a freshman who's participated in varsity, athletics, three sports.
That was a senior.
Based on your experiences, what do you give as a piece of advice to a freshman?
Just starting their journey based on what you've learned.
Maybe something to think about for them as they begin their, their hopefully four years of success at Marathon.
I would say it goes fast.
So enjoy every moment you can of it and it'll be gone just like that.
So every chance you get, you take.
Drew Wolf, again, congrats on a lot of success and many sports over at Marathon.
You must have a lot of letters.
Fill that jacket up,
right?
But congrats on all the success and best of luck.
Rest of your basketball season, of course, in the baseball season as well.
Thank
you very
much.
Drew Wolfler, student athlete guest this week from Marathon High School.
We're going to take a time out and talk about what's been going on in high school basketball.
Maybe get dressed to say something that you shouldn't be saying as a coach now.
Oh,
no, I'm wrong.
I'm toeing the line, man.
This is a different responsibility for me, so I'm not going to do that.
I
know you're good.
You're good.
But we're going to take a time out and come back with more big high school sports show on 98.9 WXCO.
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So, how are the kids?
Well, Emily made the honor roll.
Oh, good for her.
Yeah, we're really proud of her.
Tyler, on the other hand, though.
What's going on?
He's been moody lately, just feeling
down and not like himself.
Oh, we've been there.
Nick was struggling last spring.
He was so anxious and stressed.
Really?
What helped?
Well, he joined the soccer team.
And ever since, he's been a lot happier.
He has more energy, he's less stressed, and he's definitely in a better mood at home.
It's made a huge difference.
That's awesome.
Yeah, I'm glad he's getting out of the house.
He's getting some exercise, and he's off his phone for once.
It's been good for his mental health.
Sounds like it's been good for your mental health too.
Participating in Wisconsin High School sports improves students' physical and mental health.
Encourage your son or daughter to get involved.
This message presented by the WIAA and the Wisconsin Athletic Directors Association.
And welcome back it is the big high school sports show 98.9 WXO online at WXO FM Mobile devices and Alexa by searching WXO on the civic media app and tonight as well on YouTube YouTube comm and the 98.9 WXO channel Well, you got your interview skills back.
I mean usually now the guy just gets asked the questions and now he has to answer a few questions as well
Yeah, no, it's enjoyable.
Again, whether I have been sitting in this theater, I get to be a listener at home.
The best part about this show is getting the picture from the coaches and the players.
I mean, you just, you can't go wrong.
And anybody that listens and has been involved in this knows that at the true heart of this, it's not necessarily all the regurgitation of the statistics
and
standings.
It's the picture that that paints of the value of high school sports in the moment with those players, coaches, and teams.
So I think that's a big deal.
Exceptually proud that I get to be a part of that in the past and now and also right now.
This is cool Well,
it is it's great to have you
back and
update.
Yeah, the storm went three to one.
So that's very good.
So
Storm three superior one.
That is a big win because again, as I mentioned, and this is a fun time of the year before we get into the basketball, these next three weeks, I always love it because you wake up on Sunday and start refreshing and refreshing and refreshing because you want to see those brackets.
Right.
And I know that it's just, it's a wonderful time of the year.
Isn't it?
It is because you want to, uh, everybody wants to know where they stand.
Everybody wants to know if they held onto the spot they thought they had.
Were they able to advance?
Is there some surprises?
What's going on?
So it's just, it's a, it's a good time of year with a lot of sports.
going on to see who's going to be who's going to make surprises who's going to make actually
do what they're supposed to do is they're going to be consistency and there's just that element of unknown in the playoffs that can come up that makes the season exciting.
Absolutely.
Hey, let's talk some boys basketball.
Let's get you outside your Newman bubble for a few minutes here.
No, I know.
I'm there.
You keep an eye on things.
I have time to time.
I
do.
But let's talk about the Wisconsin Valley Conference.
You got Marshfield in first place.
They're 15 and two overall, five and on the conference.
You got Spash and Everest, both four and one in the conference.
Evergreens are 14 and two over.
Stephen's point is 12 and 5 overall.
Then you have Wasa East 2 and 3 in the conference 4 and 11 overall.
Wasa West 1 and 5 in conference 8 and 9 overall.
Rapids 0 and 6 in League 3 and 13 overall.
And I had a chance to see Everest last week.
They played West on Thursday night.
And West I thought played really well that night.
It was one of those games where Everest would take a little lead.
West would come back.
West will not go away.
And in the end, it was 17 to 52.
It was one of those games where at the end they pulled away.
It was a much closer game throughout.
It was one, it was actually a really interesting game where the first half it was 35, 26 and half time.
Scored the second half was 35 26, so it ended up 70 to 52 and I thought hey, I haven't seen that in a while Yeah, but Vander True Act 16 Kate Fulton Xavier Edwards 15 for Everest Jackson Riley had 19 for Wausau West But I have to say that ever esteem that was like an evergreen team that has not lost in a long time and they've every one of these wins has been double digits
It's been really impressive.
They got a lot of talent.
They got a lot of, I think, good physical skills.
Van der Troys is a big kid.
He can work down low.
They got a good mix.
It's a very scary team, I think, for opponents going down the stretch.
All right, when you were at that balance, I mean, I saw a handful of them when we were doing the Optimus tournament this weekend and running the youth stuff.
Some of them came and watched some of the youth players and they were standing in our gym and they just got the basketball size and the frames.
And you can just tell that those guys can carry forth those
natural attributes that they have into their skill set onto the court.
And that's what I've heard.
I haven't seen Evers play, but just from talking to other Valley coaches or people in the area that they're just balanced.
And when you got the...
You know coach Lindsay talked about it and you didn't say it exactly that way but describing people being unselfish and knowing their roles when those roles are defined like yeah you're our defensive guy you're our guy that's going to clean the glass you're the guys when we need a bucket's going to get it this way.
The better off teams know that and balance each other off that that makes a stronger team.
And then the closer it is to being towards perfection of understanding each other's roles as you get to the end of the season, you're going to do some damage in the playoffs.
And definitely seeing on paper and seeing whatever's been able to accomplish so far, they have a very balanced team.
And Marshfield is a team that I've seen a couple of times, both in person and also on video.
They are 15 and 2, 5 and 0.
There were two games this week.
They beat Rapid 68 to 37 on Friday.
Chris Pohl had 30.
Then last night they beat Holman 88 to 53.
Pohl had 32.
And the thing that jumps out about Marchfield is it's very rare for a high school team where it looks like they have that ability to turn it on.
That they can almost cruise for a little while.
And then it's like, oh.
We're good.
We're we're heading out and I mean they it's a different team than it was a last year And that's the thing.
It's so impressive.
They've had different strengths the last couple of years and yet they just still find ways to win
Well, and when you get in consistency where you got a guy that you can go to for a necessary basket We scoring 30 plus that's a big deal, but they got a lot of they got Ramberg, you know the
Biggest, I don't know the person.
MacTaggart.
Yeah.
You know, we don't always know with based on, you know, it goes from year to year, you got your rotations and kids graduate and they lost.
the solid guards and Lee and Hinson that they had and just a graduation and there's guys waiting in the wings or the guys that were maybe your sixth and seventh player eighth ninth guy off the bench that are willing to take that step forward and work hard enough in the offseason to take on that role and the good teams find guys that that fill those roles and then they work hard enough to like
Drew talked about tonight.
You're not gonna let your teammates down anyway.
That's a big deal.
You fill in and make sure that what needs to happen in skill sets and team play go forward.
So for Marshfield still the same consistency still being top of that conference and but a little bit different look like you said where maybe the guys that are doing the punching is more coming from the down low end with.
Role players filling in on the time.
I think sometimes that Chris Fisher doesn't get the credit he deserves because I mean again some years it's been an inside first team other years been an outside first team and yet the consistency to win in that conference all the time They're not the biggest school in that conference there.
They just find ways as well I mean they came so close to taking it all last year and then to come back with a different Strength, I think this year.
I just am very very impressed.
Yeah, and as it caught you, you know
as much, you know, the players are running things and executing things.
The coach has to keep all that organized for them.
He has to, whether it's getting guys to get along and understanding what they have to do, whether it's getting guys to execute those various strategies.
So, you know, Coach Fisher does a great job and it's evident.
That last year, you can be a state runner up, lose a little bit to graduation, get some of those guys back and still stay at top of that conference.
That's a good job overall in that program.
Steven's point is still a little bit of an enigma to me because, I mean, there have been games like, the game against East.
East is struggling a bit, but it was still an 84-29 win on Thursday.
So Von Dengas 16 Sam Kornowski 14 then they go on the road and lose to a decent one a key team but not a not a superstar one a key team on Monday 54 to 46 So again, I just I think Steven's points got some potential But they're just they have not been as consistent as either Marchfield or ever so far this year
No, I'm a little bit different.
They lost
Shana was one of their main scores.
Yeah, the attack is well, it's a little more bailiff So you got 13 12 and 11 for their top three scores From from the statistics for the Valley is so Yeah, I guess just judging what what you're sharing a little bit from that scheduling is is is Exactly the identity of what they are because they seem to they're always gonna play it off I think they're still gonna be a headhunter in the Valley the teams are gonna look out for but you know
They can, the...
tougher games sometimes come outside that in that first round, the first couple rounds of playoffs.
After a bit of a struggle, Wasa West has now won three of the last four, and I thought they played, I thought the best I've seen them play this year was against Everest.
They really battled over there, and then they came back on Friday and beat Ashland 63 to 46, and then as well on Monday night, they won their first conference game, 53-50 against Wisconsin Rapids.
And again, it's a young basketball team, and I've had a chance to see them a number of times, and it's a team that
lost the kid that they were expecting to be their leader in Kar-ji Cooper he was supposed to be perhaps even though the player of the year in the conference he's that good he's a very talented young man a great person to sort of hang your head on and he's had a foot issue for a number of weeks now and I think when they were having some trouble
consistently find the offense, but Jackson Riley's look like he's getting a little bit more aggressive.
Matthew Hyman is a young player who's had hot and cold streaks with his shooting.
When he's shooting well, they're a much tougher team, and they always come out there and they play the tough defense.
And I think that they were kind of teetering there for a little bit.
And now with the win three or four, I think a good week for Wausau West.
Yeah, well, those, you know, wins.
As you're younger, those younger players got to learn how to win a little bit more.
Once they come up to the varsity level, even if they've won at the lower levels, it's still figuring out with a different size and speed.
excuse me, if how you got to keep up with that stuff.
And for, you know, with coach Lemons, they're always going to show that stifling kind of stingy defense and keep them in games.
And, and they've done that.
And, and those wins are only going to breed confidence.
And I think for any team, including West, I was fortunate enough to go to the East West game earlier in the year.
And that was the first time I saw that Kargi Cooper was out.
And, and those, when you have your best player,
Not not being able to be out there that brings so many there whether you just get you a basket when it's needed Whether it's the locker room banter that keeps in check it switches everybody's roles and sometimes people want to see Instant results and it takes some time because other kids have to fill those roles.
They have to step up They have to play under different situations and circumstances that wasn't what it was
while he was out there on the floor with them.
And it takes a little time to learn how to be that different team.
So I think that they've found that consistency.
It's a credit to them and their coaches, and it's good for a program.
And Vasa East, and again, we knew coming into the season, they lost so much.
Incredible talent that took him to the state tournament and the off to a bit of a slow start against a very tough non-conference schedule But they've had a few ups recently that win against West was a big one They had a win against Rapids in the conference In fact, they don't look at the conference standing there ahead of Western Rapids and that's you know the overall record is probably not what Dan Garrett would like but again, you got Robbie and Julie with 21 dander Klein 20 that win against Antigone
The the year after that's not an easy year is it
the year
after you lose so many Talents have seen you so much production.
Yes, a lot of these kids were there But now they're being put right into the spotlight very quickly.
Yeah, and it's a it's a it's a quick transition and there's there's bumps along the road and highs and lows and inconsistencies But you know looking at their lap, you know, they got the win against handling win win against Annago I They played a couple of the tougher teams that are closer to their size divisionally with Rhineland
or a Northland Pines, they played them tough.
And I can, we saw what Pines was worth earlier in the year.
I mean, to, you know, they lost East lost by seven, which means you played them tough.
And Rhinelander, we know how good they are in the, in the great Northern.
So I think things that.
are still transitioning because you do have some kids on that team that can put the ball in the basket.
Definitely Robbie can can fill it up.
I watched him do it that night against West.
So things that you just keep building on still still time.
There's a month left of still time to try to get to where you want your team to peek if you haven't felt there there yet.
I've been complaining to BJ for a number of weeks now about the fact that we just don't have enough conference games.
It's not
the old
Friday, Tuesday pattern anymore in the Valley.
Cause again, they lost Meryl this year, but this week, you got the Friday, Tuesday.
And for DC Everest, it's going to be a massive week.
They got Friday night hosting Marshfield and Tuesday night, they go to Steven's point.
That game at Everest on Friday night, I think is one of the big games of the week.
Uh, no matter what sport it is.
Well, right.
And you got five and old versus four and one.
Like, I mean, they're coming in trying to a cop.
different things.
One's trying to create a little space so if Marshfield can win, that's a big deal.
Obvious Everest is just trying to keep pace to tie that thing up and keep a run at the Valley Conference title.
So it's a huge game.
It's always one of those ones that
that ahead of time on paper and when you get to witness it live, it's going to be a fun one just based on how those teams have played already throughout the
season.
Clinched it because
yeah, I would
five and six a second for Armadale eight and ten overall Edgar eight six and ten four and six Assumption seven and eight four and six New Macathic seven and eleven four and seven Strafford seven and ten three and seven.
Let me ask you real quickly about strafford.
They also really slow start
They're playing better basketball since then.
New coach this year.
What's your take on Stratford?
Well, Stratford's got a lot of physicality and athleticism.
And for people that haven't watched him closely, Brooks Vanderhoof has been out from some football stuff he had early in the season.
He's recently come back, which makes a difference for their team.
He's a guy that, again, you talk about that on-floor leader that can put the ball in the basket.
That was relied on and got some minutes.
So last year was an all-conference player in that, and now you got him back.
Definitely helping add to some of these wind totals.
I think by having him out on the floor because again, it takes pressure off everybody else and adds to part of your game.
So, you know, when we get them the second time around, obviously looking at a little bit more dangerous team and a team that we're going to have to play a little tougher against than we did the first time around, even though we didn't come out with a win.
So we're going to have to pick it up a little bit more.
But I think they're playing, definitely playing some better basketball.
And there's been a lot of close games.
I mean, you can look at your team, but the other teams in this battle between second and sixth.
I've seen a lot of three point games five point games two point games That must have made that win at Auburn Dale so much more important because you've you lost a game in the final possession It's assumption right previous to that you've had some close games and there's been not just involving your team I mean there's an Auburn Dale Edgar game that was a 39 36 game.
I
think
just recently It's really tight this group, isn't
it?
Yeah, and so, you know, there's marathon out ahead and as coaches sometimes God Joe they're out there and they were all fighting for what's left and and it is
as right now with the records.
I think that it's tough.
Any given night with that in that area, and even with the North, anybody is beating anybody.
I mean even Auburn Dale, with Prentice's lead out there in the North, Auburn Dale took Prentice to two over at their place.
So it's just, teams are resilient and looking to fight.
It's that same mentality as always, Ben.
You're not going to get a night off.
You're not going to get a gimme.
I've even seen teams where you've walked into some of these games and they're missing players due to sickness or injury or somebody got hurt in practice, whatever it might be.
And it's still a war.
It doesn't change it.
You know, the certain players will look at, oh, yeah, this guy's out.
Well, he could have mattered because they're still coming at you.
So I just think it's the nature of that conference that it's so tough night in and night out.
And that's why you have a lot of those tight games.
You know, coaches know each other.
They know the style of play as.
we've talked about before, these kids grew up playing against each other
and
you wouldn't want it any different way.
I think going in and saying, okay, we can maybe win this by 20.
I'd rather go in and say, this is gonna be a tight one.
We're gonna have to play.
It's just more, it's maybe a little more stressful, but at the end of the day, it's more fun.
And I think like for us as a division five school, it makes us tougher when we get to the playoffs that we've had a war with a lot of these bigger schools and fight through and whether we've played a lot of different ways so far, losing tight ones and winning tight
ones.
Probably shouldn't even bring this up, but obviously the way that the last minute winning its assumption You hated to go through it, but man you're now
Ben there.
I mean, you were in that situation.
You're probably gonna be in that situation again, either in the regular season or in the playoffs where, hey, it didn't go exactly the way you wanted to in that game, but you have these opportunities.
Again, you played a game where you had to make free throws and take care of the basketball on the road in a hostile environment on Friday night.
I mean, even the game up in Crandon, I mean, you had to face a hostile environment late.
I mean, this is the kind of stuff that makes a team ready.
for the playoffs, and we've seen other teams that cruise through a regular season and never have to go through a situation like that the first time it happens.
Holy cow, it can be very difficult.
Well, you've learned things about it.
I'll give you the perfect example.
We were fortunate enough to pull the win out against Edgar.
They got up by 11, we came back and won it by one.
And at that point, I was able to create a couple plays on the bench that our guys could run on the fly that helped us get some looks.
I tried the same thing in assumption with a couple of plays like that way, and we didn't get the looks.
So the next day in practice, what are you figuring out?
We're running into the game situations, sideline inbounds, a specific play, how we want to attack a certain angle off our offense.
It's just all learning in that.
And you can even get confidence that one thing works and one thing doesn't.
So I think being battle tested in all those other situations is really going to help you on the stretch.
We've got the toughest crossover Friday.
What are some of the other ones?
We don't have it easy with Fred.
I was going to say, maybe you could say you.
Well, I would say we're definitely in the running.
I would say, yeah.
But to give our kids credit, you know, they're always up for any channels that we get.
We're looking to go up there and be the underdog and play them tough and give them the game that we think we can get and
come out ahead.
The reason I bring it up is because all those years we talk, I mean, you can't, the idea is you can't lose that game or else you're going to lose the game to everybody.
But now it's a little different.
because other teams are going to have challenges as well, but I'm sure the mentality is still there.
You don't want to give up a game in one of these crossovers.
No, you're trying not to, but it's gotten a lot more tougher because the North has gotten that much better over the last couple of years.
And I've tried to think, does Riplake have assumptions?
What is Riplake?
They have Stratford.
Yeah, so that's going to be a challenge.
You know, Riplake's not an easy team, and you never know.
appreciative, though, that these games should count.
They just mean more.
When the first time around, they weren't doing that.
No, I don't think that was
right.
They need to count.
And by the way, did you see the Northeast Wisconsin homeschool beat Auburn Dale last night?
Coach Whiteford and I were talking about that team.
I
was impressed when you guys played them.
Yeah, they have some big kids.
They have some talented ball players, and they're challenged.
They're a little bit different than the regular teams you face in terms of how they run their
their overall program, so gives you a little bit different look.
And I coached Weinfurter knew that would be, he said that was going to be a challenging game.
Great Northern Conference on the boys.
Mosini, 14-3, 9-0.
Rhinelander, 15-2, 8-1.
Medford, 5-4, 5-4.
Merrill, 5-4.
Pines, 3 really solid programs.
Lakeland, 2-7 in the conference.
Anago, 1-8.
Tomahawk, 0-8.
Rhinelander has been outstanding this year.
And for Mosini to go up there and beat them a couple weeks back was impressive.
Merrill taking Mosini to overtime twice.
And they're starting to play better basketball recently as well, just even this past week.
they had the game against, most of the Friday they lost an OT.
Then they beat Pines on Monday, which I was, again, I shouldn't be surprised, but I mean, the whole Pines to 40 points in that game, I thought that was an outstanding defensive effort for Merrill.
And so again, I think that conference really did add a lot
to have Merrill in there.
Right, I think Merrill brings another element of that, and they've been playing each other so long in the non-conference games when they're part
of the valid.
Yeah, so I think it really
It adds a whole other good program into that.
into that conference.
And I think you're right, they've been playing better.
To get a win against Pines is a big deal.
From what I saw in the beginning of the year, how good and balanced I thought Pines was.
And then you know what you got in Rhinelander and Moles and E up top.
We talked quite a bit about that with Coach Lindsay.
But you also have a very young Medford team hanging around there at five and four.
And then everybody tells me there's a handful of sophomores and they're young.
So I think that top echelon of the conference is really tough.
And if Coach Lindsay and his team can hold onto that,
lead for the rest of the season and there's something to be said because that's a war and none of those games are easy and I think it is cool as nerve-wracking and stressful as it can be that it could come down to that last game between Mosny and Rhinelander for that conference title at the end.
It's cool that it's something to play for at that point.
And that's always and I think having that game to play for because one thing you don't have to play for at that point is seating.
Right.
Because it's after the seating.
So
it's like
that's always that little odd aspect to it to where you know.
You have these couple of games usually at the very end that don't affect seeding.
And sometimes it turns into one of those games that probably would affect it in a significant way.
Right.
And I think for Mohseny, can you get to play that game at the end of the year?
You get that W that can really propel, keep things even rolling a little bit better and a little bit faster into playoffs the way you want it to.
Again, some great battles in there.
And this is what else you like to see is teams kind of coming into their own as the season rolled down.
who's playing, who's playing that way, the way they should be getting ready for the playoff run.
And because, you know, you have your teams that start off strong and stay consistent and they're finishing strong.
And then you got the ones like it takes a little bit of time to gel based on whatever circumstances.
And then you have some of your surprise ones.
So I think that playing out at the end of the season is all a big deal.
Wisconsin
Valley Conference on the girls side, Steven's point.
Far away.
This has been one team race pretty much all season long smash 7 and 0 15 and 3 overall
Everest has actually been a little surprising this year.
They've been able to win the games They need to win and they're now in second place at five and two ten and nine overall Rapids ten and nine four and three Marshfield six and thirteen three and three West six and fourteen one and six Wasa East five and twelve oh and six I'm gonna say something about West and East number one for Wasa East They have won back-to-back games last two nights, which we have not seen very often They had a what a 20-point comeback.
I think it's new mechanic
on Monday night and beat the card 65-62.
And then on Tuesday last night, they came back and beat Pines 51-47.
So again, that's a program that we're wondering if they're going to be even playing.
Varsity basketball and I had one of the young ladies on very early in the season and I was one of my favorite interviews all year It was because she just had the right attitude She has been involved in multiple sports softball and basketball and other sports and has not had a lot of success but talked about
the competition talked about the connections with their teammates.
And I just love the fact that East is starting to build a little something here late in the season.
Well, yeah, and credit to them.
And then the other side of East, if you watch them play or know they're young.
So they're doing some of this.
They've
got multiple freshmen in that starting lineup
all year.
And I think, again,
The more situations your team can be tested in throughout a season, it's only going to bode well down the straight.
And you might hit a buzz saw where it's just too much of a discrepancy in ability levels or how teams play.
But I think if you can be in a lot of situations you feel good about.
entering the playoffs as the team you are at that point, it's only gonna help you.
So for East, to have a couple comeback wins to get that success, especially as a younger team, that should only help propel you in some of the games you can
get.
And last night, West beat Eau Claire North on the road 58-53, and that's significant because they put out last week the WIAA, the first projections, and this would have been as projected as perhaps a matchup in the play-in game.
Instead of having to go to Eau Claire this probably puts was a lesson a position to host instead So so again, it is significant and I think they knew it going into this game
Oh, yeah, those
things about those projections you say well, I mean we're right behind them here chance to jump them with a win
right and as a coach That's the stuff you're gonna talk about that stuff.
You're gonna use in practice because you want
I think the kids need to know what's at stake.
It might help them fight a little harder through a, you know, maybe through some foul trouble throughout the game.
It might help them fight a little harder if they are knocking on the shots, maybe to stay in tune a little bit more on their offense.
It just, I think it helps to know what the games are.
Today at our practice, we talked about, you know, some of the conference standings and we talked about right now,
where we would roughly stand in the playoff bracket.
And how important these things are, as much as we're also talking about just playing our game and playing consistently.
So I think when those things are named and things are going on, those games mean something.
And one other thing, and I know that over the years we talked about Jada Cybert over at Stevens Point, did you see that she's going to Iowa?
Yes, I heard she was either, I don't know, wasn't she a Channel 9 athlete?
something like that recently, or a little bit, and they talked about it.
That's
pretty cool, isn't
it?
That is, well, to get that offer and kind of, you know, some of these players, when they come in, share that they have aspirations to play at a higher level.
And some don't know, and some just want to get that process over, because they know they can, but they want to know where their home's going to be.
So I'm always interested, though, how that affects a player that figures out that pathway earlier as a junior.
Does that just take all the pressure off?
Or does it make you worry more?
You know don't want to get injured don't want to lose this don't want to you know Where's your focus level go?
I guess is the is the part in question on that
and then the Merrow itself girls basketball and boy It's quite a battle at the top yet Stratford 16 and 2 10 and 1 Marathon 17 and 2 10 and 2 they've had an incredible turn around this year assumption 12 and 7 9 and 2 Armadale 12 and 8 8 and 4 Edgar 7 11 4 and 7 Newman 5 and 13 2 and 8 but we had Jeff Schneider on a few
weeks ago
if I
listen with that, I mean.
You love to see it for a guy who's been doing it for a couple of decades.
He's gone through the ups.
He's gone through the downs and he has gone with this group for the last number of years and you've been in this situation where
you have to grow
with your team.
Right.
And you see them flourish like this.
I think it's just outstanding.
Oh yeah.
He's got to be enjoying it with the, you know, and the flip side of that is, you know, you have your, which is never easy.
He has his daughter on the team, but you get to coach your kid.
You get to be around your kid's friends.
Um, and, and so you have obviously a good rapport there and, and it makes it.
difference in those games and he's come in and talked about the highs and lows at times too.
when they weren't winning or they weren't accomplishing what he had felt they could.
So I think it's a testament to staying to the system, staying true to your players, maybe adjusting even a little bit and figuring output, but props to them at 17 and two and top that conference with 10
wins.
And last night, Marathon went to Columbus, Catholic and beat them 54-46, Columbus number six in division five.
15 and four overall big win on the road again marathonist They've been consistent and that's something that as a coach that you must love to see
all right Yeah, if you're firing on all cylinders where players are understanding their roles offensive and defensive Execution is coming the way it should I think it's when you could pick up those tough non-conference wins against good opponents It's only gonna get you more playoff ready.
So Of course, Schneider obviously has to be very happy with that win and obviously his team's playing right now
in Stratford last night be Bondi well 46 43 bondi
was number eight and d4 strafford number 10 so another win for that it shows again when you win outside the conference that the great records are not just
A factor of what you're doing in the conference.
You're winning some very significant not conference games as well
Well, right now I was one of our our guys that's a one of the salesman that comes into school his daughter is a starter on the Stratford team And he was talking about this big game against Bondiwell, you know, they're good We're gonna have our hands full and and so it was that in was that abstract further in Bondiwell that strafford.
Okay, so nice to get him on your own home floor, but
I think a true testament to what you're saying is that these teams aren't good just within their conference and their records and their wins aren't showing up just within their conference.
There's beating tough opponents, ranked opponents, teams that are going to be
that are high in their conference and going to be higher seeds in their divisions that they're knocking off.
So Stratford a balanced team.
I was able to watch them play at Newman with the, between the guard play and the bigs that they had their true testament to their record and getting wins outside the conference.
And real quickly, the top of the great Northern Conference, Mosini 10 and own conference, Medford eight and one.
Those teams will meet in Mosini on Friday night.
Really the only two teams with a chance to win that conference championship.
And that should be.
a fun one in Mosini on Friday.
Definitely.
Well, you gotta have Mosini hanging around with that.
