By Scott Williams

Feb. 28, 2020

MOSINEE – The Central Wisconsin girls hockey team entered Friday night’s sectional title game looking for a 13th consecutive state tournament appearance.

No. 13 proved to be unlucky for the Storm.

Ranked No. 1 in the most recent Wisconsin Hockey Coaches Association poll, Central Wisconsin was denied another trip to Madison by the sixth-ranked Fox Cities Stars who recorded a convincing 6-2 win at the Mosinee Rec Center.

The Storm finish their season at 19-3-2.

The Stars led from start to finish to earn a date with an undetermined opponent at Veterans Memorial Coliseum on Thursday. Teams will be seeded Sunday once all four state participants have been finalized.

Eden Gruber accounted for the first Central Wisconsin goal but the Stars still enjoyed a 3-1 lead heading into the final period.

The Storm was never able to mount a serious comeback over the final 17 minutes and watched their dream of bringing home a fourth state title vanish.

GIRLS BASKETBALL

Division 2 regional semifinals

Rhinelander 66, Wausau East 57

RHINELANDER – The Lumberjacks were hoping to pull off a second straight upset in the postseason Friday night.

Fresh off stunning Merrill in the regional opener for its first win against a Wisconsin Valley Conference foe in 10 years, East found things much tougher against the second-seeded Hodags.

East was unable to stop or slow down the Hodags’ Kenedy Van Zile, who poured in a game-high 31 points to end the Lumberjacks improbably postseason run.

Cynthia Beavers chipped in with 20 points for the Hodags, who will host New London in the regional final Saturday.

Abby Thompson and Kit Kronberger paced East with 13 and 11 points, respectively. The Lumberjacks end the season at 5-19.

Division 1 regional semifinals

Hudson 62, Wausau West 37

HUDSON – The fourth-seeded Blue Raiders never let the Warriors build any momentum and eventually overwhelmed West.

West concludes its season at 11-12.

Hudson will face SPASH, a 65-58 winner over De Pere, on Saturday for a berth in the sectional semifinals.

Bay Port 62, D.C. Everest 24

BAY PORT – The Evergreens proved no match for the Pirates and watched their season come to an end.

D.C. Everest finished the season with a 4-20 record.

Bay Port earned a date with Eau Claire Memorial in the regional final.