EDGAR BOYS BASKETBALL STORMS BACK TO DOWN CLEAR LAKE, ADVANCES TO STATE TOURNAMENT

Edgar coach Dave Huss celebrates after the Wildcats' win over Clear Lake in a WIAA Division 4 boys basketball sectional final Saturday at Edgar High School. Edgar advances to the state tournament for the first time since 1997. (Zaleski Sports photo)

Zaleski Sports

EDGAR – For the first time in 24 years, the Edgar boys basketball team is going to the state tournament.

Edgar overcame a six-point halftime deficit to down Clear Lake 74-60 in a WIAA Division 4 sectional final Saturday afternoon at Edgar High School.

Edgar (23-2) moves on to the Division 4 state tournament on Friday at the La Crosse Center. Seedings and matchups will be announced Sunday.

Edgar will be making its fifth state tournament appearance and first since 1997 when it won the Division 4 title. The Wildcats are participated in the 1936, 1937 and 1980 state tournaments.

The Wildcats trailed by eight points before Drew Guden hit a buzzer-beater and Clear Lake took a 35-29 lead into halftime.

The Edgar boys basketball team is going to the WIAA Division 4 State Tournament at La Crosse on Friday. (Zaleski Sports photo)

Edgar cut into the deficit until finally taking control and never let go.

A pair of 3-point plays by Brayden Baumgartner gave Edgar a 47-46 lead with just under 10 minutes to play and the Wildcats never trailed again, eventually pushing their lead to double digits as they ended the game on a 30-14 run.

Baumgartner finished with 19 points, Austin Dahlke added 13 and Ayden Weisenberger had 11, all in the first half, for Edgar.

Riley Peterson had 14 points and Adam Loenser added 13 for Clear Lake, which suffered its first loss of the season and finishes with a 22-1 record.

Wildcats 74, Falcons 60

Clear Lake 35 25 - 60

Edgar 29 45 - 74

CLEAR LAKE (60): Adam Loenser 5 0-0 13, Angel Guillen 1 0-0 2, Riley Peterson 3 7-7 14, Jacob Burbach 1 0-1 2, Tyson Blanchard 4 0-1 9, Alex St. John 3 0-0 9, Caleb Logan 0 1-2 1, Ashtyn O’Bryan 4 2-2 10, Zach Aune 0 0-0 0. FG: 21. FT: 10-13. 3-pointers: 8 (Loenser 3, St. John 3, Blanchard 1, Peterson 1). Fouls: 23. Fouled out: Burbach, St. John. Record: 22-1.

EDGAR (74): Everet Brehm 0 0-0 0, Drew Guden 2 5-6 9, Austin Dahlke 4 3-3 13, Ayden Weisenberger 5 0-0 11, Konnor Wolf 3 1-2 9, Kyle Brewster 3 6-8 13, Ashton Schuett 0 0-0 0, Brayden Baumgartner 8 3-3 19. FG: 25. FT: 18-22. 3-pointers: 6 (Dahlke 2, Wolf 2, Weisenberger 1, Brewster 1). Fouls: 17. Fouled out: none. Record: 23-2.