Bulldog boys basketball team beat down by Elk Mound

By Cara L. Dempski

ELK MOUND — It is a simple fact that the Boyceville boys’ basketball squad has improved drastically since their first games this season.

The team is throwing up more substantial defense, getting some nice looks and even nicer baskets, and seems to be much more confident on the floor.

That being said, it still has to be a little intimidating to step onto the home court with the top team in the Dunn-St. Croix. Especially if that team dished you a 73-31 walloping during the squads’ first go-round this season.

The Bulldogs appear to have gone to Elk Mound with a fight on their minds on February 9, and held their own in the first half with only a nine-point deficit to worry about when the two teams broke for the half.

But then the Mounders “happened.”

Elk Mound managed to put a pretty efficient stop on all but 16 points worth of Boyceville’s shots in the second half while chalking up another 36 points of their own for an eventual 66-37 victory. 

The loss at Elk Mound last Thursday dropped the Bulldogs to 0-2 against the Mounders and 2-9 in the D-SC.

Boyceville played a substantial first half with Luke Knudtson and Bryce Boda each scoring eight on field goals and taking credit for at least three free throws. Jayson Gonzalez contributed a two-point chip shot to make the Bulldogs’ score 21 at the half.

The Bulldogs were forced to seek other players as shooting options in the second half, and saw moderate success with Cooper Boesl, Logan Knudtson, Gonzalez, Bryce Larson and Luke Knudtson all earning points in the final 18 minutes.

Luke Knudtson led the Bulldogs scoring effort with 15 points distributed over five field goals and five free shots. Boda chipped in another nine points, Gonzales and Larson tied with four apiece, Logan Knudtson sent up a single outside shot for three, and Boesl earned two points.

Elk Mound senior Dane Lew led the game in scoring with 17 points.

BOYCEVILLE 37, ELK MOUND 66
Boyceville………………………21  16 — 37
Elk Mound…………………….30  36 — 66

TEAM STATISTICS (FG-FT-F-T)

Boyceville (14-6-8-37) B. Boda 4-1-4-9, C. Boesl 1-0-0-2, Lo. Knudtson 0-0-0-3, J. Gonzalez 2-0-1-4, B. Larson 2-0-0-4, Lu. Knudtson 5-5-3-15.

Elk Mound (20-8-11-66) D. Lew 5-1-1-17, C. Pritchard 2-0-2-4, J. Rubenzer 1-0-0-2, R. Mohr 2-0-2-7, B. Lambele 2-0-2-4, D. Black 1-2-0-7, N. Zurbuchen 5-0-2-10, C. Schreiber 1-3-0-11, M. Kinblom 1-2-0-4, C. Mavis 0-0-2-0.

THREE-POINTERS B — Lo. Knudtson 1; EM — D. Lew 2, R. Mohr 1, D. Black 1, C. Schreiber 2.