Polar Bears fall in overtime

By Greg Seubert

The Hortonville boys’ basketball faced a familiar opponent in the second round of the WIAA state tournament.

The Polar Bears had split a pair of Fox Valley Association games with Appleton North during the regular season,

but the third matchup – a WIAA Division 1 regional final March 4 at Hortonville High School – ended their season.

The Lightning outscored the Polar Bears 14-12 in overtime and returned home with a 61-59 win.

Hortonville had opened state tournament play the previous day with a 67-44 win over Holmen.

App. North 61, Hortonville 59 (OT)

Hortonville scored the first point of the game on a free throw from Camden Kuhnke, but that turned out to be the Polar Bears’ only lead of the game.

Appleton North headed to the locker room at halftime with a 29-24 lead and led by as many as nine points in the second half before Hortonville tied the game twice late in regulation.

The teams headed to overtime tied at 47-47. The Lightning opened the four-minute extra period with an 8-1 run. The Polar Bears eventually cut the lead to 60-59 on Kuhnke’s three-point play with seven seconds remaining. Abraham Tomori hit one of two free throws for the Lightning to give the Polar Bears one more chance to tie or win the game, but Kuhnke’s shot at the buzzer bounced off of the rim.

Kuhnke led the Polar Bears with 14 points, while August Maurer and Riley Mueller added 13 and 10, respectively.

Trent Mullen led Appleton North with 14 points.

Hortonville 67, Holmen 44

Kuhnke connected on eight of nine shots and led the Polar Bears with 18 points.

Holmen’s Reid Tengblad led all players with 22 points.

Hortonville finished the season with a 15-11 record.