Norse boys clinch conference title

Strong play continued for the Whitehall boys basketball team last week as they clinched the Dairyland Conference Large Division title with a win over Augusta on Tuesday.

It was a balanced attack for the Norse as they pulled away in the second half for a 76-57 conference-clinching road win over Augusta. They were on the road again on Friday, taking control late in the first half of a 61-43 win over Eleva-Strum.

The wins put the Norse at 18-4 on the season and 13-1 in DC play, two games better than second-place Melrose-Mindoro. Whitehall, with a 14-1 record in 2022, will close out the regular season at Cochrane-Fountain City on Thursday.

The Norse were awarded the fourth seed in their Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association bracket and will play the winner of the game between (5) Plum City/Elmwood and (12) Cadott next Friday. The regional final, likely at (1) Spring Valley is scheduled for next Saturday.

Whitehall 76 Augusta 57

With a balanced attack, the Whitehall boys basketball team pulled away for the convincing win. 

Whitehall led by seven points at halftime, but slowly increased the lead in the second half. 

Devon McCune led the Norse with 21 points while Aidan Sonsalla scored 13 and Jonathan Thorn added 11. The team also got nine points from Luke Beighley, eight from Brayden Lisowski, six from Preston Schroeder, four from Ian Pank and two apiece from Isaac Skoyen and Seth Lambeck. 

Whitehall 61 E-S 43

The Norse took control of the game late in the first half.

Whitehall took an early lead as Beighley made a three pointer on the team’s first possession. The teams had gone back and forth until a three from Lisowski put the Norse ahead by 10 at 16-6 with 7:30 remaining.

The Cardinals got two points back on a fastbreak layup, but the Norse scored seven straight — putting their run at 10-2 — to take a 23-8 lead with 

E-S was within 10 at 23-13 with two minutes left in the first half, but Lambeck came back with a three for the Norse. Ian Pank scored to put the team ahead by 15 then Lisowski got inside for a layup that made the score 30-13 with about 40 seconds left in the half. That’s where the score stood at halftime.

The teams went back and forth in the second half, but the Norse held on for the win.

No statistics were reported to the Times prior to press time.