Players from Whitehall, G-E-T earn all-state honors

Fresh off of an appearance in the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association State Tournament, two players from Whitehall earned all-state honors earlier this week.

Whitehall’s Devon McCune and Luke Beighley were both named honorable mention for the Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association Division Four All-State team, which was announced on Monday. 

McCune led the Norse, averaging 16.8 points per game, while shooting 48.5 percent from the field. He also averaged 7.3 rebounds and 3.9 assists for the team. Beighley averaged 11 points and 7.5 rebounds for Whitehall.

The duo helped the Norse to a 22-7 record and the program’s first trip to the WIAA State Tournament since 1986. McCune finished his career with 1,436 points, breaking the previous Whitehall record of 1,418, held by 1970 graduate Ralph Rasmuson. 

Also being honored was Gale-Ettrick-Trempealeau junior Cody Schmitz, who was honorable mention in Division Three.

Schmitz finished sixth in the state with an average of 29.4 points per game as he led the Red Hawks to a regional championship and a 15-13 overall record. G-E-T lost to eventual state runner-up West Salem in the sectional semifinal game. 

This is the second season Schmitz has been honored as he was an all-state selection as a sophomore as he scored 30.2 points per game. While his scoring average dropped, Schmitz was more efficient, going from shooting 44.2 percent from the field as a sophomore to 51.9 percent as a junior. He has 1,811 career points, four shy of the G-E-T boys basketball school record held by 2016 graduate Nick Wagner.