GC boys drop games to Colfax and Elk Mound, defeat Immanuel
PROTECTED CONTENT
If you’re a current subscriber, log in below. If you would like to subscribe, please click the subscribe tab above.
Username and Password Help
Please enter your email and we will send you a password reset link.
THE TOPPERS’ Caleb Klinger (#13) attempted this three-point shot during the February 21 home game against Elk Mound. Glenwood City lost the contest 61-52. —photo by Shawn DeWitt
by Joel DeWitt
Sports Correspondent
GLENWOOD CITY -— As the Hilltoppers boys’ basketball team heads down the home stretch of the 2024-25 season, they hosted a trio of games in five days. While they dropped the opening two contests against conference opponents, they were able to pick up a victory in their final non-conference game.
Trailing Colfax by a game in the conference standings, Glenwood hosted the Vikings on February 18 with hopes of pulling into a tie for fourth place. The duo of Aiden Fischer and Russell Polkoski combined for 35 of Colfax’s 64 points on the night to propel their team to the 64-45 victory.
The Hilltoppers played Elk Mound for the second time in eight days on February 21. Unfortunately, the Toppers fell behind by double figures late in the second half prior to fighting back to make it a close contest. Similar to the first match up, free throws by the Mounders secured the 62-54 win.
Glenwood wrapped up the week hosting Eau Claire Immanuel Lutheran. The Hilltoppers took the early lead and never trailed in the contest to beat the Lancers 59-51.
Colfax
The Hilltoppers started the game taking an early lead against the Vikings. Brody Olson’s deep three pointer on their first possession gave Glenwood the 3-0 lead. Brody Riba then poured in seven straight Hilltopper points to push the Topper advantage to 10-5 with 13:30 left in the first half.
Olson extended the Hilltopper lead to six at 18-12 midway through the first half with a drive to the bucket, however Fischer helped turn the tide for the Vikings. The senior guard drained a three pointer on the next possession to trigger 12-0 Colfax run to take a 24-18 lead with four minutes left in the half.
Trailing 30-23 the Hilltoppers started the second half much like the first ended, with the Glenwood offense being ice cold. Colfax scored the first 14 points of the second half and pulled ahead by as much as 26 points on a Polkoski layup with 8:00 left in the game to lead 57-31.
The Hilltoppers scored the final nine points of the game but couldn’t dig out of the deep hole and fell 64-45.
Riba led the Hilltoppers with 17 points on 7-of-11 shooting. Ben Klatt paced his team with eight rebounds.
UNDERHANDED HOOP — Glenwood City junior Brody Olson scored a basket during a home game against Elk Mound Friday, February 21. —photo by Jacob Maes Photography
Elk Mound
Much like their game against Colfax, the Hilltoppers jumped out to the early lead. Tyler Harrington book ended the Hilltopper start by converting on a put back to start the game and hitting a three pointer to put his team up 9-0 with 14:50 left in the half. Brady Thompson scored the other four points on a basket and a pair of free throws.
Unfortunately, the rest of the first half was reminiscent of their loss to Colfax. The Mounders outscored Glenwood 24-5 over the next nine minutes to take a controlling 24-14 lead.
Another Harrington three pointer and an Olson fade away tried to stem the Mounders’ advance, but Elk Mound went into halftime up 36-25.
The Mounders extended their lead to 47-29 with 11:00 left in the game before the Hilltoppers responded. A fast break layup from Olson started a 23-10 Hilltopper run to cut the deficit to five on a pair of Riba free throws with 00:43 left in the game. Elk Mound converted on four free throws in the final seconds to hold on for the 61-52 win.
Harrington and Thompson paced the Hilltoppers in scoring with 15 and 14 points, respectively.
Eau Claire Immanuel Lutheran
Thompson and Olson ignited the Hilltopper offense early with the duo accounting for all 11 points as Glenwood jumped to a nine-point advantage with 13:30 left in the first half.
Harrington’s three pointer, and a pair of Olson baskets, extended the Topper lead to 18-7 with 7:50 remaining in the half. The Lancers mounted a minor comeback late in the first half to trim the Glenwood lead to 30-24 at halftime.
Harrington started the second half with a three pointer to push Glenwood’s lead to nine, but Eau Claire responded with a 13-4 run to knot the score at 37 apiece with 12:30 left in the game.
Olson’s three pointer on the next Hilltopper possession gave his team the lead for good as Glenwood ripped off an 11-2 run to go up 48-39 with 6:00 left in the game en route to the 59-51 win.
Olson put in 26 points on 7-of-16 shooting and hit on all ten of his free throws. Thompson added 14 points.
Glenwood City (10-10, 5-8) wraps up the regular season with a trip to Elmwood to take on the Wolves (6-16, 2-11) February 27.
The Hilltoppers earned a #10 seed in the Division 4 WIAA boys’ basketball tournament and travel to Unity (12-10) on Tuesday, March 4. The game is scheduled to start at 7:00 p.m.