For three consecutive seasons, the Marshall boys basketball program has claimed Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association (WIAA) regional titles. The first iteration of this feat, 2021-22, the Cardinals made it all the way to the UW-Madison Kohl Center for the state semifinals. In the two following, Marshall bowed out in the sectional semifinal round.
The most recent iteration of this trend came to be on Thursday, March 7. Marshall, the No. 5 seed, had toppled No. 12 seed Necedah, No. 4 seed Cambridge, and No. 8 seed Poynette to get to that point. The tallest challenge yet stood in their way, No. 2 seed Randolph. The Cardinals and Rockets clashed in neutral site action at Pardeeville High School. Marshall hung tough but eventually fell, 59-51.
It was a tight game throughout with Randolph only leading 28-24 at the halftime break. The Rockets found their stride midway through the second half, though, at one point reaching a 16-point lead. The Cardinals battled valiantly down the stretch, but could never erase the deficit fully in the eight-point loss.
Junior Kenyon Miggins led Marshall in scoring with 18 points, followed by sophomore Brady Kleinheinz with 13 and junior Daniel Nickel with seven. The Cardinals only attempted 11 free throws in the game, of which they made four.
Randolph didn’t fare much better from the free throw line, going 7-18. Junior Nick Medema led the Rockets in scoring with 17 points, followed by senior Karter Meredith with 15 and sophomore Ben Paul with 11. Randolph fell one game shy of reaching the Kohl Center. The Rockets met No. 1 seed Mineral Point in the Division 4, Sectional 3 title game at Portage High School on Saturday, March 9 and suffered a 68-57 loss.
With the loss, Marshall finishes the 2023-24 season with a 16-12 record. This included a 5-5 record in Capitol — South conference play to tie for third place in the final standings with Cambridge. It also brings an end to the high school careers of Marshall’s three-man senior class of 2024. The Cardinals will lose Karter Grossman, Jackson Neuberger, and Matthew Motl to graduation in the offseason.
On the bright side, Marshall will be largely the same team in 2024-25. The Cardinals return all five starters with juniors Kenyon Miggins, Teseo Ruelas, Carson Connelly, and Daniel Nickel as well as sophomore Brady Kleinheinz. Freshman Jaylen Miggins also showed great promise in his first high school season, giving Marshall a great chance to continue its postseason success next year.
Most Popular
Comments / 0