Whitehall boys win close games over Lancers, Pirates

One win took overtime and the other a stop at the buzzer, but the Whitehall boys basketball team came away with two victories.

The Norse allowed a score at the buzzer to force overtime last Tuesday. But the team finished the extra period with a 12-0 run to defeat Eau Claire Immanuel Lutheran, 72-62, on the road. On Friday, Cochrane-Fountain City had a chance to steal a win in Whitehall, but the Norse forced a miss and held on for a 55-54 win.

The wins won’t impact Whitehall’s final conference standings as Osseo-Fairchild also won last week to clinch the Dairyland Conference Large Division title. Whitehall enters the final week with a 15-4 record, two games behind O-F with only one remaining on the schedule. The Norse are 17-6 overall this season.

Whitehall’s final regular season game comes at Alma Center Lincoln this Thursday. 

The Norse begin Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association play next Tuesday with a home game against Augusta. Whitehall earned the fifth seed and the winner of Tuesday’s game will play either (13) Cadott or (4) Durand next Friday with the regional final — likely at (1) Fall Creek — set for Saturday. 

Whitehall 72 Immanuel 62

The Norse finished the game with a 12-0 run to get the win in overtime.

Whitehall had the lead late in regulation but a three-pointer just before the buzzer forced overtime. The Lancers hit another three early in overtime and then scored to take a 62-60 lead with three minutes remaining. 

Will Youngbauer got a basket inside and drew a foul in the process on Whitehall’s next possession. His free throw gave Whitehall the lead with 2:50 remaining in the game.

A free throw by Aiden Evans added to Whitehall’s advantage before Youngbauer went six-for-six from the charity stripe in the final 70 seconds of the game and Cayden Platteter added two free throws as the Norse secured the win.

Whitehall had a two-point advantage at halftime and the game was close throughout the second half.

Youngbauer scored 17 points to lead Whitehall while Bo Killian added 16 and Mason Przybylla finished with 12.

Whitehall (field goals/attempts-free throws/attempts-rebounds-fouls-points) — Ausderau 0/2-0/0-0-0-0 Youngbauer 3/9-11/16-5-1-17 Semb 0/0-0/0-0-1-0 Evans 3/5-3/5-4-1-9 Stevens 0/2-0/0-2-1-0 Przybylla 3/6-6/8-6-2-12 Platteter 1/2-4/6-7-2-6 Steig 1/5-0/0-1-0-3 Killian 6/12-1/3-3-3-16 Herman 4/10-1/3-5-3-9 

Whitehall 55 C-FC 54

The Norse got one last stop to preserve the win.

Whitehall appeared to be in control after a three by Killian and basket by Herman put the team ahead 51-42 late in the game. C-FC didn’t go away easily, however. The Pirates scored eight straight points to pull within one.

Cayden Platteter stopped the bleeding with two free throws. C-FC responded with a basket before Whitehall’s Deacon Steig scored to give the Norse a three-point lead. C-FC again answered to pull within one. After a miss by Steig and a C-FC rebound, the Pirates called timeout with less than 50 seconds remaining in the game.

The Pirates moved the ball around to hold it for the last stop before Dylan Hager drove to the basket. Hager put up a contested shot from a few feet away, but the ball rolled off the rim with about three seconds remaining. The final buzzer sounded as the teams battled to control the loose ball. 

The game was close throughout. Whitehall took a 28-25 lead into halftime. It remained a one-score game until Whitehall went on a little run to go ahead 45-36. C-FC answered, but was never able to pull ahead. 

Youngbauer scored 28 points in the winning effort.

Whitehall (field goals/attempts-free throws/attempts-rebounds-fouls-points) — Youngbauer 9/17-2/3-4-1-28 Evans 0/0-0/0-2-0-0 Stevens 0/0-0/0-1-0-0 Przybylla 2/2-1/2-3-5-5 Platteter 1/3-3/3-6-4-6 Steig 2/9-0/0-3-1-5 Killian 3/12-1/2-3-1-9 Herman 1/1-0/2-6-3-2