WEM opens Sub-Section Playoffs with 86-31 win
WEM junior Cole Kokoschke scored a team-leading 17 points against New Ulm Cathedral February 28 and a team-leading 16 in a victory over St. Clair March 4. (Jay Schneider Photo)
Five players scored in double figures for the WEM boys basketball team in a Section 2A Quarterfinal win over St. Clair Monday in Waterville.
The Bucs led 36-21 at halftime and exploded for 45 second half points in the 86-31 win.
This was the second time the Bucs defeated the Cyclones, who start four freshmen and a sophomore. Jan. 3 the Bucs downed St. Clair 90-54.
Cole Kokoschke scored 16 points, Grant McBroom 14, Tanner Ranslow 12, Bladyn Bartelt 11, and Domanick Paulson 10. Issac Pratt almost made it a half dozen double figure scorers, chipping in eight points.
The Cyclones kept the game relatively close throughout the first half and into the early portion of the second half.
The Cyclones scored six of the first eight points of the second half to pull to within 12, 39-27.
WEM went on a 21-0 run over the course of the next six minutes, building a 60- 27 lead.
A Gavin McGowan field goal with 8:44 remaining ended the Buccaneer run.
The Bucs scored 12 of the next 14 points to increase their lead to 72-31.
The last four field goals made by the Bucs were all three-pointers. Paulson hit a pair and Zack Sticken came off the bench to hit a pair.
Freshman Thomas Loeffler led the Cyclones in scoring with 12 points.
WEM, winners of 21 straight, will take their 24-1 record to Lake Crystal Thursday, March 7 for the South Sub-Section Semifinals.
Nicollet, the No. 5 seed, upset United South Central, 79-74 Monday. The Raiders are 18-7 overall.
The other semifinal will include No. 2 seed Springfield against No. 3 seed Mountain Lake/Comfrey.
The winners of the two semifinal games will play......
To see more on this story pick up the March 7, 2019 print edition of the Lake Region Life or The Elysian Enterprise.
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