By Michael S. Hoey
Correspondent
The Lake Geneva Badger basketball teams split a doubleheader against Waterford last Friday night.
The Badger boys defeated the Wolverines 60-37 to remain in second place in the Southern Lakes Conference, a half game behind Burlington (5-1). The girls lost to Waterford 57-47 and fell into third place in the SLC.
The Badger boys got off to a fast start, outscoring Waterford 19-6 in the first quarter. Badger (6-2, 4-1 SLC) led 33-17 at the half and made sure there would be no Wolverine comeback by winning the third quarter 17-11.
Badger did struggle from the long range or the margin of victory could have been greater. Badger shot just 25 percent from behind the three-point arc. Lincoln Wieseman led three Badgers in double figures with 21 points. Jacob Berhorst added 14 and Joe Freeman had 11. Chris Saltzmann led Waterford (8-4, 4-2) with 13.
Badger traveled to Elkhorn on Tuesday and plays at Wilmot on Friday. Badger will face Kenosha India Trail in a non-conference matchup at 2:30 p.m. Saturday and play at Westosha Central on Tuesday.
The Badger girls fell behind 14-7 after one quarter and trailed 26-21 at the half against Waterford (10-2, 6-1). The Badgers (8-4, 5-2) made things interesting in the third quarter, outscoring the Wolverines 13-7 and led 34-33 heading into the fourth quarter. Waterford dominated the fourth quarter, outscoring Badger by 11 for the win.
Lily Quinn and Sam Tisa led Badger with 13 points apiece. Jennifer Freeman added 11. Madison Blair led Waterford with 20. Tiffany Stiewe added 19, and Shauna Malchine had 14.
The Badgers hosted Big Foot on Monday, traveled to Kenosha Tremper on Tuesday and play at Wilmot on Friday. Badger hosts Muskego on Tuesday.
Wrestlers take second
The Badger wrestling team, which is an honorable mention in the state rankings, finished second at the Badger Invitational on Saturday with 352.5 points. Milton won the event with 382.
Badger had two champions in Cole Mikrut (4-0 at 285 pounds, 38 team points) and Edgar Ortiz (3-0 at 152 pounds, 37.5 points). Second-place finishers included Stevie Kraus (113 pounds, 4-1, 29.5 points), Robby Mutimer (120 pounds, 4-1, 31 points), Tim Coyne (126 pounds, 3-1, 28 points), Reggie Kelly (182 pounds, 3-1, 27 points), Nick Halpin (195 pounds, 3-1, 29 points).
Other top finishers included Tony Howard (third at 160, 3-2, 25 points), Logan Mitchell (third at 220, 2-2, 23 points), George Somerville (fourth at 132, 19 points), Chase Craig (fourth at 138, 20 points) and Zach Leonard (fourth at 170, 20 points).
Badger (14-1, 5-0 SLC) also defeated Wilmot 66-3 on Jan. 15. Individual winners included Kraus (113, 12-5 decision), Mutimer (120, fall), Craig (138, fall), Adan Ortiz (145, fall), Edgar Ortiz (152, 13-9 decision), Leonard (170, fall), Kelly (182, fall), Halpin (195, fall), Mitchell (220, fall) and Mikrut (285, fall).
Swimmers beat Comets
The Badger co-op swim team defeated Delavan-Darien 112-58 on Jan. 13. First-place finishes were turned in by Emmett Mathews in the 200-yard freestyle (2:02.47) and the 100-yard freestyle (55.27), Andrew Shane in the 200-yard individual medley (2:13.37) and the 200-yard fly (58.84), R.J. Szweda in the 50-yard freestyle (23.67) and the 500-yard freestyle (5:35.39), and Tony Trajkovich in the 100-yard backstroke (1:08.43) and the 100-yard breaststroke (1:14.08).
Badger also won the 200-yard medley relay (Szweda, Shane, March Gibbs, Logan Rogers; 1:53.95), the 200-yard freestyle relay (Mathews, Trajkovich, Alex Kulik, Jimmy Corpus; 1:40.87), and the 400-yard freestyle relay (Shane, Corpus, Szweda, Trajkovich; 3:42.28).
