Bulldogs whip Webster, fall to Mondovi
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by Joel DeWitt
Sports Correspondent
BOYCEVILLE — Coming off a win against rival Glenwood City, the Boyceville boys’ basketball team was sitting with a .500 record and looking to use the final week as a springboard into the WIAA playoffs.
They opened the week, February 20, hosting Webster for their final non-conference contest of the year. They jumped out to an early lead and then clamped down defensively in the second half for the 61-43 win.
The Bulldogs concluded the regular season with a home contest versus Mondovi. Looking to avenge a 15-point loss earlier in the season, the Bulldogs came out flat and dropped the final 68-40.
Boyceville concluded the regular season at 12-12 (4-10 in conference) and earned a tenth seed in WIAA Division 4 tournament.
They traveled to Park Falls on February 28 to face seventh seed Chequamegon in the first round of regional play. Chequamegon finished fourth in the Marawood North Conference with an 10-14 record.
The winner of this matchup will face host Ladysmith on March 3.
Webster
To wrap up their non-conference schedule, the Bulldogs played host to Webster. Much like the Bulldogs, the Tigers are hovering around the .500 mark and hoping to improve heading into the playoffs.
While on paper both teams appeared even, on the court the Bulldogs were far superior. The combination of the Bulldogs inside game, along with their long-range shooting lifted Boyceville on the evening.
Grant Kaiser controlled the paint on the evening. Boyceville’s big man was 6-for-8 on the evening and had a team high 14 points. He also grabbed 15 rebounds to complete the double-double on the evening.
The dominant inside presence allowed the Bulldogs outside shooters to find easy shots. Combined, the team drained seven 3 pointers on the evening, led by Caden Wold who was 3-for-6 from behind the arc. Wold finished second on the team with 13 points.
The Bulldogs pulled out to an early lead and cruised into intermission up 36-25. The second half saw Boyceville clamp down defensively and only allow 18 Tiger points.
The lead allowed coach Colby Dotseth to go deep into his bench and give many of his players quality minutes. 11 Bulldogs logged minutes on the evening with nine registering at least a field goal.
The depth of the Bulldogs squad allowed them to pull away and secure the 61-43 victory.
Simon Evenson was the third Bulldog to score in double digits on the evening. He had 11 points on 5-for-8 shooting.
Mondovi
Entering the final game, the Bulldogs had won 3-of-4, including win over a Colfax squad that had beaten them earlier in the year. Boyceville was looking to duplicate that feat against Mondovi, but the Buffalo had other ideas.
Mondovi was hot from the start. The Buffaloes hit seven 3 pointers in the opening 18 minutes en route to 46 first-half points.
While Mondovi was finding its groove, the Bulldogs were struggling from the field. Boyceville connected on only five field-goals in the opening frame, led by Devin Halama’s five points, to trail 46-13 at halftime.
The second half proved to be more fruitful for the Bulldogs, in large part to the inside presence of Kaiser. The junior forward put up 14 second-half points to lead his squad.
Despite his effort, the Bulldogs were not able to overcome the 33-point halftime deficit and fell 68-40 in the season finale.
Kaiser led the team offensively with 14-pionts on a near perfect 6-for-7 from the field, while Halama and Bowell were close behind with 8 and 7 points, respectively.