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T-Birds open season with two wins

With one senior on its roster, the Iola-Scandinavia boys’ basketball team will have to rely on its underclassmen.

That’s not such a bad thing, according to coach Sam Bertsch.

“We’re not expected to do too well with that one senior,” he said. “That’s not a knock on Mike Blum, but if you look at our roster, we’re relatively young. A lot of kids that are juniors played as sophomores. We have a little experience. We’re not as raw as you think, but it still presents some challenges, especially in a such a good league.”

Although the Thunderbirds have yet to play a Central Wisconsin 8 Conference game this season, they already have two wins under their belt. Freshman Kristian Welch scored a game-high 19 points Nov. 13 in a season-opening 49-45 win over Port Edwards, while I-S picked up a 59-52 win over Wild Rose Nov. 16 in the home opener.

“We have some nice height across the board with Issac Lashua, Connor Lodewegen and Kristian Welch,” Bertsch said. “All three of those guys have about the same shoulder width and height. We’re not overpowering, but we’re not short, either.”

Nine of Welch’s points in the opener came on three team-high three-pointers. The T-Birds trailed 15-14 after one quarter, but outscored the Blackhawks 10-7 in the second quarter and 19-10 in the third quarters. Lodewegen also finished in double figures in the Port Edwards game with 11 points.

“We didn’t get a lot of wins last year, so getting that first one put us in a good mood,” Bertsch said. “We know we have a couple of wins that are achievable. You like to start off the season with a win.”

The CWC-8 will likely be a different story, however.

“It was a tough league last year and I don’t think it got any easier,” Bertsch said. “The top two teams – (Stevens Point) Pacelli and Shiocton – it’s not going to be a one-year thing. They’re loaded with juniors. The expectations for us are kind of low, but we’d like to improve on that. You take a look at Amherst and the tradition there and possibly the best player in the league in Mitch School from Wittenberg. Teams like Manawa, they’re full of seniors. You’re going to see teams win quite a few ballgames come tournament time because we’re going to beat each other up during the time.”

Playing in such a competitive league helped the T-Birds last season, as they nearly upset Oshkosh Lourdes, a team that went to state, in a regional semifinal.

“We won one game in the tournament last year and took a team that made it to Madison down to the wire,” Bertsch said. “Our league prepared us to play well in the tournament. The guys on the team last year said, ‘We won one game in the tournament, why can’t we win two?’ We are building off of that. These guys are ready to get after things.”

Iola-Scandinavia

Boys’ Basketball

2012-13 Schedule

Varsity

Saturday, Nov. 10 – Scrimmage at D.C. Everest, Schofield, 9 a.m.

Tuesday, Nov. 13 – at Port Edwards, 7:30 p.m.

Friday, Nov. 16 – vs. Wild Rose, 7:30 p.m.

Tuesday, Nov. 27 – vs. Edgar, 7:30 p.m.

Tuesday, Dec. 4 – at Wittenberg-Birnamwood, 7:30 p.m.

Friday, Dec. 7 – vs. Stevens Point Pacelli, 7;30 p.m.

Tuesday, Dec. 11 – at Shiocton, 7:30 p.m.

Friday, Dec. 14 – vs. Amherst, 7:30 p.m.

Tuesday, Dec. 18 – vs. Wisconsin Valley Lutheran (Rock the Gym), 5 p.m.

Thursday, Dec. 20 – at Marion (Rock the Gym), 4:50 p.m.

Thursday, Dec. 27 – at Tigerton (Rock the Gym), 4 p.m.

Thursday, Jan. 3 – at Manawa, 7:30 p.m.

Tuesday, Jan. 8 – vs. Weyauwega-Fremont, 7:30 p.m.

Friday, Jan. 11 – at Bonduel, 7:30 p.m.

Friday, Jan. 18 – vs. Wittenberg-Birnamwood, 7:30 p.m.

Tuesday, Jan. 22 – at Stevens Point Pacelli, 7:30 p.m.

Friday, Jan. 25 – vs. Shiocton, 7:30 p.m.

Tuesday, Jan. 29 – at Rosholt (Rock the Gym), 6 p.m.

Thursday, Jan. 31 – at Amherst, 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, Feb. 2 – at Cambria-Friesland, 12:30 p.m.

Tuesday, Feb. 5 – vs. Manawa, 7:30 p.m.

Friday, Feb. 8 – at Weyauwega-Fremont, 7:30 p.m.

Thursday, Feb. 14 – vs. Bonduel, 7:30 p.m.

Junior Varsity

Tuesday, Nov. 13 – at Port Edwards, 6 p.m.

Friday, Nov. 16 – vs. Wild Rose, 6 p.m.

Tuesday, Nov. 27 – vs. Edgar, 6 p.m.

Tuesday, Dec. 4 – at Wittenberg-Birnamwood, 6 p.m.

Friday, Dec. 7 – vs. Stevens Point Pacelli, 6 p.m.

Tuesday, Dec. 11 – at Shiocton, 6 p.m.

Friday, Dec. 14 – vs. Amherst, 6 p.m.

Tuesday, Dec. 18 – vs. Wisconsin Valley Lutheran (Rock the Gym), 5 p.m.

Thursday, Dec. 20 – at Marion (Rock the Gym), 4:50 p.m.

Thursday, Dec. 27 – at Tigerton (Rock the Gym), 4 p.m.

Thursday, Jan. 3 – at Manawa, 6 p.m.

Tuesday, Jan. 8 – vs. Weyauwega-Fremont, 6 p.m.

Friday, Jan. 11 – at Bonduel, 6 p.m.

Friday, Jan. 18 – vs. Wittenberg-Birnamwood, 6 p.m.

Tuesday, Jan. 22 – at Stevens Point Pacelli, 6 p.m.

Friday, Jan. 25 – vs. Shiocton, 6 p.m.

Tuesday, Jan. 29 – at Rosholt (Rock the Gym), 6 p.m.

Thursday, Jan. 31 – at Amherst, 6 p.m.

Saturday, Feb. 2 – at Cambria-Friesland, 6 p.m.

Tuesday, Feb. 5 – vs. Manawa, 6 p.m.

Friday, Feb. 8 – at Weyauwega-Fremont, 7:30 p.m.

Thursday, Feb. 14 – vs. Bonduel, 6 p.m.

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