Highway 29 and Above: Updates on Niagara, Rhinelander, Clear Lake

Periodically during the 2024-25 high school basketball season, we will take a look at teams from Highway 29 and above in Wisconsin. Giving teams from "up north" some coverage on Prep Hoops Wisconsin is the goal of this new feature. Due to the considerable travel involved with many of the schools we plan to profile, information for these articles is gained after watching streams of the teams. So, here is a quick update on three teams from Highway 29 and Above: NIAGARA Overall Record: 9-2 Marinette & Oconto Conference Record: 7-0 Offensive Average: 57.9 ppg Defensive Average: 41.1 ppg The Badgers are looking to win the championship in the Marinette & Oconto Conference for the first time since 1986-87. Coach Terry Youren's squad is senior heavy and defeated the first seven league opponents on its schedule. In a recent win at Crivitz, five senior starters played the majority of the game and scored all 58 points in a five-point win over the traditionally strong Wolverines. Athletic senior forward [player_tooltip player_id='2630012' first='Cameron' last='Schiefelbein'] (6-6) led the Badgers with 15 points and seven rebounds. He scored the majority of his points near the basket, but he also knocked down a three-point shot and hit a couple of mid-range jumpers. Niagara's backcourt tandem of Alexander Tripp (5-8) and Gavin Neuens (5-9) spearheaded the Badgers' 3-2 zone defense with their speed and aggressiveness on top of the zone. They also contributed 10 and 12 points, respectively. Wing [player_tooltip player_id='2630001' first='Tommy' last='Martin'] (6-2) pitched in 11 points and used his physical strength and bounce to make things difficult for Crivitz near the basket. The fifth starter -- forward Dante Stachowicz (6-0) -- added 10 points. Senior Easton Holmes (6-0) and junior Brayden Bartels (6-1) saw limited action off the bench for the Badgers, who have two losses to date with both coming to teams from Michigan (Norway and North Dickinson). Niagara remains the only team with an unbeaten league record, but Crivitz and Coleman loom right behind the Badgers in the standings with just one loss each. Youren led Niagara to M&O titles in 1976-77, 1978-79 and 1979-80. He also was the Badgers' head coach when they won the WIAA Class C state title in 1978-79. RHINELANDER Overall Record: 9-3 Great Northern Conference Mark: 5-1 Offensive Average: 66.3 ppg Defensive Average: 48.3 ppg Looking to win a conference championship for the seventh time in 15 seasons, Rhinelander took a giant step forward in that quest with a recent 63-54 road win over Great Northern Conference rival Mosinee. The Hodags made 13 straight foul shots late in that game to secure the win despite the fact its top two scorers -- senior [player_tooltip player_id='2627157' first='Truman' last='Lamers'] (6-3) and junior [player_tooltip player_id='2386579' first='Devon' last='Feck'] (6-0) -- both fouled out. The hero for the impressive victory over Mosinee was junior guard Jay Barkus (6-2), who made 10 straight foul shots in the second half and finished with 15 points. Barkus also played strong defense for coach Derek Lemmens squad as his on-the-ball pressure in both man-to-man and trapping zone defenses was instrumental in the Hodags' victory. Feck, one of the state's better long-distance shooters, finished with 13 points and drilled three triples while Lamers added six points, all in the second half after sitting much of the first half with foul issues. Rhinelander also got good showings from rugged junior forward Evan Schoeder (6-4), who posted up well and had 10 points, and from senior wing Seth Nofftz (6-2), who had nine points and made two big free throws late in the contest when Mosinee was making a push to overcome a 28-20 halftime deficit. Off the bench, Lemmens used sophomores Rowan Wiczek (6-2) and [player_tooltip player_id='2815612' first='Abe' last='Gretzinger'] (6-2) along with senior Hayden Schommer. They combined to score 10 points. Rhinelander did lose its next outing, a Great Northern confrontation with Medford. Still, the Hodags still control their destiny in the seven-team league as they enter the second round of conference play. CLEAR LAKE Overall Record: 11-1 Lakeland West Conference Record: 8-0 Offensive Average: 61.8 ppg Defensive Average: 50.2 ppg Other than a lopsided loss at McDonell Central Catholic over the Christmas break, Clear Lake has been perfect during the 2024-25 season. Long-time coach Jason Sargent has an experienced squad with plenty of versatile players and a difference maker in skilled sophomore guard [player_tooltip player_id='2429609' first='Caleb' last='Arcand'] (6-0). In a recent 61-37 victory over Fredric, the Warriors held the visitors to just 10 second-half points and broke away from a 32-27 halftime advantage to an easy 61-37 victory. Arcand had 23 points in the contest and his ability to score with mid-range jump shots and from outside the arc while also getting to the foul line are all big assets for Clear Lake, which sits on top of the Lakeland West Conference standings. Arcand is averaging 17.8 points, 6.3 rebounds and 1.8 assists through the first half of the regular season. Joining Arcand as a double-digit scorer is sophomore forward Max Everts (6-1), a very active rebounder who can get points in the post and from the perimeter. Everts is averaging 14.9 points and 7.2 rebounds, and he is first on the squad in made three-point field goals with 32. In the backcourt, Clear Lake has three stellar performers in quick senior point guard Will Brantner (5-9), improved junior Lane Prusak (5-9) and physical senior [player_tooltip player_id='2628737' first='Jordan' last='Blanchard'] (5-9). All three of those guards are averaging at least 3.0 assists per game, and Prusak leads the team in steals. Forwards Kasey Becker (6-0) and Miles Johnson (6-2) along with guard Cameron Tibberts (5-9) also play key roles for Clear Lake, a WIAA Division 4 school looking to make noise now and well into the WIAA playoffs.

Periodically during the 2024-25 high school basketball season, we will take a look at teams from Highway 29 and above in Wisconsin. Giving teams from "up north" some coverage on Prep Hoops Wisconsin is the goal of this new feature. Due to the considerable travel involved with many of the schools we plan to profile, information for these articles is gained after watching streams of the teams.

So, here is a quick update on three teams from Highway 29 and Above:

NIAGARA

Overall Record: 9-2
Marinette & Oconto Conference Record: 7-0
Offensive Average: 57.9 ppg
Defensive Average: 41.1 ppg

The Badgers are looking to win the championship in the Marinette & Oconto Conference for the first time since 1986-87. Coach Terry Youren's squad is senior heavy and defeated the first seven league opponents on its schedule. In a recent win at Crivitz, five senior starters played the majority of the game and scored all 58 points in a five-point win over the traditionally strong Wolverines. Athletic senior forward Cameron Schiefelbein Cameron Schiefelbein 6'6" | PF Niagara | 2025 WI (6-6) led the Badgers with 15 points and seven rebounds. He scored the majority of his points near the basket, but he also knocked down a three-point shot and hit a couple of mid-range jumpers. Niagara's backcourt tandem of Alexander Tripp (5-8) and Gavin Neuens (5-9) spearheaded the Badgers' 3-2 zone defense with their speed and aggressiveness on top of the zone. They also contributed 10 and 12 points, respectively. Wing Tommy Martin Tommy Martin 6'2" | SF Niagara | 2025 State WI (6-2) pitched in 11 points and used his physical strength and bounce to make things difficult for Crivitz near the basket. The fifth starter -- forward Dante Stachowicz (6-0) -- added 10 points. Senior Easton Holmes (6-0) and junior Brayden Bartels (6-1) saw limited action off the bench for the Badgers, who have two losses to date with both coming to teams from Michigan (Norway and North Dickinson). Niagara remains the only team with an unbeaten league record, but Crivitz and Coleman loom right behind the Badgers in the standings with just one loss each. Youren led Niagara to M&O titles in 1976-77, 1978-79 and 1979-80. He also was the Badgers' head coach when they won the WIAA Class C state title in 1978-79.

RHINELANDER

Overall Record: 9-3
Great Northern Conference Mark: 5-1
Offensive Average: 66.3 ppg
Defensive Average: 48.3 ppg

Looking to win a conference championship for the seventh time in 15 seasons, Rhinelander took a giant step forward in that quest with a recent 63-54 road win over Great Northern Conference rival Mosinee. The Hodags made 13 straight foul shots late in that game to secure the win despite the fact its top two scorers -- senior Truman Lamers Truman Lamers 6'3" | SF Rhinelander | 2025 State WI (6-3) and junior Devon Feck Devon Feck 6'0" | SG Rhinelander | 2026 State WI (6-0) -- both fouled out. The hero for the impressive victory over Mosinee was junior guard Jay Barkus (6-2), who made 10 straight foul shots in the second half and finished with 15 points. Barkus also played strong defense for coach Derek Lemmens squad as his on-the-ball pressure in both man-to-man and trapping zone defenses was instrumental in the Hodags' victory. Feck, one of the state's better long-distance shooters, finished with 13 points and drilled three triples while Lamers added six points, all in the second half after sitting much of the first half with foul issues. Rhinelander also got good showings from rugged junior forward Evan Schoeder (6-4), who posted up well and had 10 points, and from senior wing Seth Nofftz (6-2), who had nine points and made two big free throws late in the contest when Mosinee was making a push to overcome a 28-20 halftime deficit. Off the bench, Lemmens used sophomores Rowan Wiczek (6-2) and Abe Gretzinger Abe Gretzinger 6'2" | CG Rhinelander | 2027 State WI (6-2) along with senior Hayden Schommer. They combined to score 10 points. Rhinelander did lose its next outing, a Great Northern confrontation with Medford. Still, the Hodags still control their destiny in the seven-team league as they enter the second round of conference play.

CLEAR LAKE

Overall Record: 11-1
Lakeland West Conference Record: 8-0
Offensive Average: 61.8 ppg
Defensive Average: 50.2 ppg

Other than a lopsided loss at McDonell Central Catholic over the Christmas break, Clear Lake has been perfect during the 2024-25 season. Long-time coach Jason Sargent has an experienced squad with plenty of versatile players and a difference maker in skilled sophomore guard Caleb Arcand Caleb Arcand 6'0" | SG Clear Lake | 2027 State WI (6-0). In a recent 61-37 victory over Fredric, the Warriors held the visitors to just 10 second-half points and broke away from a 32-27 halftime advantage to an easy 61-37 victory. Arcand had 23 points in the contest and his ability to score with mid-range jump shots and from outside the arc while also getting to the foul line are all big assets for Clear Lake, which sits on top of the Lakeland West Conference standings. Arcand is averaging 17.8 points, 6.3 rebounds and 1.8 assists through the first half of the regular season. Joining Arcand as a double-digit scorer is sophomore forward Max Everts (6-1), a very active rebounder who can get points in the post and from the perimeter. Everts is averaging 14.9 points and 7.2 rebounds, and he is first on the squad in made three-point field goals with 32. In the backcourt, Clear Lake has three stellar performers in quick senior point guard Will Brantner (5-9), improved junior Lane Prusak (5-9) and physical senior Jordan Blanchard Jordan Blanchard 5'10" | CG Clear Lake | 2025 WI (5-9). All three of those guards are averaging at least 3.0 assists per game, and Prusak leads the team in steals. Forwards Kasey Becker (6-0) and Miles Johnson (6-2) along with guard Cameron Tibberts (5-9) also play key roles for Clear Lake, a WIAA Division 4 school looking to make noise now and well into the WIAA playoffs.