Highway 29 and Above: Prentice emerges from rugged Marawood North

Rib Lake might have been the preseason favorite to win the Marawood North Conference championship, but with two games left in league play, it's rival Prentice that has emerged as the top dog in the competitive six-team conference. Prentice takes a 17-3 overall mark and 12-2 Marawood North record into its remaining conference outings with Abbotsford and Phillips, two teams that have struggled to remain competitive within league play. Rib Lake, which won the Marawood North by three games a year ago, is two games behind Prentice in the loss column so the league crown is all but wrapped up for the Buccaneers, who finished just 8-8 in the conference last winter. Coach Adam Blomberg is getting major production from two veteran performers as seniors [player_tooltip player_id='2412829' first='Evan' last='Lord'] and [player_tooltip player_id='2629213' first='Aidan' last='Hause'] have paved the way for the Buccaneers, who swept both Rib Lake and Athens, its nearest competitors, in league action. Lord, a four-year varsity performer with more than 1,600 career points, is averaging 18.3 points, 6.8 rebounds and 3.3 assists while also connecting on 34 three-point baskets. Hause, also a four-year varsity player, recently surpassed 1,000 career points and is averaging 17.7 ppg, 6.8 rpg and 3.4 apg, numbers remarkably similar to those of Lord. Junior [player_tooltip player_id='3021816' first='Hardy' last='Hueckman'] is the third Prentice player averaging in double figures as he currently sits at 12.6 ppg along with 4.2 rpg and 3.2 apg. Prentice has fared well against its foes from the Marawood South with wins over Auburndale, Edgar, Assumption and Newman Catholic and losses to highly regarded Marathon and a Stratford team that has played very well since the return of previously injured [player_tooltip player_id='2918512' first='Brooks' last='Vanderhoof']. The Buccaneers compete in Sectional 1 of Division 5 and hope to win their first sectional crown since 1999, but have some tough competitors in the lower half of the sectional in Athens, Columbus Catholic, Flambeau, Loyal, Mellen and Rib Lake, among others. Turtle Lake wraps up Lakealand West championship Turtle Lake advanced to the WIAA Division 5 State Tournament last March despite finishing third in the Lakeland West Conference standings. This time around, the Lakers enter the playoffs with a league championship under their belts. Coach Angie Wagner's squad won the title last week with a 77-39 triumph over Luck. With a week left in the regular season, Turtle Lake sits at 17-4 in all games and 12-0 in league play, three games ahead of second-place Webster. Wagner's son, senior forward [player_tooltip player_id='2406762' first='Brandon' last='Wagner'], has been the catalyst behind the Lakers' success. A NCAA Division II football recruit for Minnesota State Mankato, Wagner is averaging 17.8 points, 14.4 rebounds and 2.7 blocked shots. He is an effective player in the paint with his physical strength, size and skill, but he also possesses a soft shooting touch from the perimeter. Wagner has made 37 three-point shots on the season. [player_tooltip player_id='3022613' first='Cam' last='Davis'] and [player_tooltip player_id='3022619' first='Brody' last='Tarman'] joined Wagner in the Lakers' starting rotation on last year's squad that lost in the Division 5 state semifinals to Cochrane-Fountain City. And both players have turned in stellar seasons with Davis averaging 12.3 ppg, 7.3 rpg and 3.1 apg and Tarman contributing 15.4 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 3.6 apg and 2.5 spg. Like Prentice, Turtle Lake competes in Sectional 1 of the D5 playoffs, but in the softer upper half of the bracket. Strong potential opponents in that 16-team field include Drummond, New Auburn, Washburn and Webster. Quick Hitters ... Junior [player_tooltip player_id='2815674' first='Jake' last='Farley'] of St. Thomas Aquinas in Marinette went for 44 points and made eight-of-nine three-point shots in a 79-60 win at Suring Thursday. His teammate, senior [player_tooltip player_id='2505378' first='Caleb' last='Duvall'], added 17 points and reached 1,000 points for his four-year varsity career in the same contest ... Drummond junior [player_tooltip player_id='2630832' first='Aaron' last='Christenson'] recently surpassed 1,000 career points. Christenson is averaging 14.2 points and 5.4 rebounds while helping Drummond to a 16-4 record ... Crivitz recently secured its eighth straight championship in the Marinette & Oconto Conference. Senior [player_tooltip player_id='2630004' first='Kade' last='Thoma'] is having a big season for the Wolverines as he is averaging 18.1 points and 9.5 rebounds for coach Buck Gehm's squad ... Other players to go over 1,000 career points in recent outings include Lake Holcombe's [player_tooltip player_id='3020643' first='Emmit' last='Johnson'], Cadott's Taylor Hager and New Auburn's [player_tooltip player_id='2827465' first='Colten' last='Lotts'].

Rib Lake might have been the preseason favorite to win the Marawood North Conference championship, but with two games left in league play, it's rival Prentice that has emerged as the top dog in the competitive six-team conference.

Prentice takes a 17-3 overall mark and 12-2 Marawood North record into its remaining conference outings with Abbotsford and Phillips, two teams that have struggled to remain competitive within league play.

Rib Lake, which won the Marawood North by three games a year ago, is two games behind Prentice in the loss column so the league crown is all but wrapped up for the Buccaneers, who finished just 8-8 in the conference last winter.

Coach Adam Blomberg is getting major production from two veteran performers as seniors Evan Lord Evan Lord 6'2" | SG Prentice | 2026 State WI and Aidan Hause Aidan Hause 6'4" | C Prentice | 2026 WI have paved the way for the Buccaneers, who swept both Rib Lake and Athens, its nearest competitors, in league action.

Lord, a four-year varsity performer with more than 1,600 career points, is averaging 18.3 points, 6.8 rebounds and 3.3 assists while also connecting on 34 three-point baskets.

Hause, also a four-year varsity player, recently surpassed 1,000 career points and is averaging 17.7 ppg, 6.8 rpg and 3.4 apg, numbers remarkably similar to those of Lord.

Junior Hardy Hueckman Hardy Hueckman Prentice | 2027 WI is the third Prentice player averaging in double figures as he currently sits at 12.6 ppg along with 4.2 rpg and 3.2 apg.

Prentice has fared well against its foes from the Marawood South with wins over Auburndale, Edgar, Assumption and Newman Catholic and losses to highly regarded Marathon and a Stratford team that has played very well since the return of previously injured Brooks Vanderhoof Brooks Vanderhoof 6'0" | PG Stratford | 2026 WI .

The Buccaneers compete in Sectional 1 of Division 5 and hope to win their first sectional crown since 1999, but have some tough competitors in the lower half of the sectional in Athens, Columbus Catholic, Flambeau, Loyal, Mellen and Rib Lake, among others.

Turtle Lake wraps up Lakealand West championship

Turtle Lake advanced to the WIAA Division 5 State Tournament last March despite finishing third in the Lakeland West Conference standings.

This time around, the Lakers enter the playoffs with a league championship under their belts.

Coach Angie Wagner's squad won the title last week with a 77-39 triumph over Luck. With a week left in the regular season, Turtle Lake sits at 17-4 in all games and 12-0 in league play, three games ahead of second-place Webster.

Wagner's son, senior forward Brandon Wagner Brandon Wagner 6'6" | PF/C Turtle Lake | 2026 State WI , has been the catalyst behind the Lakers' success.

A NCAA Division II football recruit for Minnesota State Mankato, Wagner is averaging 17.8 points, 14.4 rebounds and 2.7 blocked shots. He is an effective player in the paint with his physical strength, size and skill, but he also possesses a soft shooting touch from the perimeter. Wagner has made 37 three-point shots on the season.

Cam Davis Cam Davis Turtle Lake | 2026 WI and Brody Tarman Brody Tarman 5'11" | CG Turtle Lake | 2027 WI joined Wagner in the Lakers' starting rotation on last year's squad that lost in the Division 5 state semifinals to Cochrane-Fountain City. And both players have turned in stellar seasons with Davis averaging 12.3 ppg, 7.3 rpg and 3.1 apg and Tarman contributing 15.4 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 3.6 apg and 2.5 spg.

Like Prentice, Turtle Lake competes in Sectional 1 of the D5 playoffs, but in the softer upper half of the bracket. Strong potential opponents in that 16-team field include Drummond, New Auburn, Washburn and Webster.

Quick Hitters ... Junior Jake Farley Jake Farley 5'10" | PG St. Thomas Aquinas | 2027 State WI of St. Thomas Aquinas in Marinette went for 44 points and made eight-of-nine three-point shots in a 79-60 win at Suring Thursday. His teammate, senior Caleb Duvall Caleb Duvall 6'2" | CG St. Thomas Aquinas | 2026 WI , added 17 points and reached 1,000 points for his four-year varsity career in the same contest ... Drummond junior Aaron Christenson Aaron Christenson 6'2" | SF/SG Drummond | 2027 WI recently surpassed 1,000 career points. Christenson is averaging 14.2 points and 5.4 rebounds while helping Drummond to a 16-4 record ... Crivitz recently secured its eighth straight championship in the Marinette & Oconto Conference. Senior Kade Thoma Kade Thoma 6'6" | PF Crivitz | 2026 State WI is having a big season for the Wolverines as he is averaging 18.1 points and 9.5 rebounds for coach Buck Gehm's squad ... Other players to go over 1,000 career points in recent outings include Lake Holcombe's Emmit Johnson Emmit Johnson 6'2" | SF Lake Holcombe | 2027 WI , Cadott's Taylor Hager and New Auburn's Colten Lotts Colten Lotts 6'4" | SF New Auburn | 2026 WI .