Business
Onalaska, Luther among boys basketball teams playing at La Crosse Center in state tournament
Two high schools from Onalaska have a chance to win gold balls this weekend at the WIAA boys state basketball tournament, which begins Thursday.
Both Luther and Onalaska will play at the La Crosse Center in separate divisions — Luther at 9:05 a.m. Friday and Onalaska at the same time Saturday. The Hilltoppers semifinal is already sold out.
The head of the local visitor bureau, A.J. Frels, expects another good tourism weekend like last week, when the girls state tourney was in town.
“Just the fact that we were able to showcase our communities and our region to something of this magnitude, plus the fact that we’re able to market the area on TV to different regions of the state as well that are covering these events is always helpful,” Frels said.
La Crosse has hosted the WIAA state track meet for 30 years, except for last June because of the pandemic. The state meet this year is scheduled for June 25-26.
La Crosse and Oshkosh will again split the hosting duties for the state tournament, with Divisions 2, 4 and 5 playing in the La Crosse Center.
DIVISION 1 – Saturday, March 6 at Menominee Nation Arena
Semifinals
#1 Kimberly (24-2) vs. #4 DeForest (16-5) – 10:45 a.m. SOLD OUT
#2 Wauwatosa East (21-3) vs. #3 River Falls (21-2) – 2:10 p.m. SOLD OUT
Championship Game
Winner of Semifinals – 8:30 p.m.
DIVISION 2 – Saturday, March 6 at La Crosse Center
Semifinals
#1 Onalaska (18-0) vs. #4 Xavier (23-4) – 9:05 a.m. SOLD OUT
#2 Pewaukee (25-3) vs. #3 Lake Mills (23-5) – 12:25 p.m. SOLD OUT
Championship Game
Winner of Semifinals – 6:35 p.m.
DIVISION 3 – Friday, March 5 at Menominee Nation Arena
Semifinals
#1 Racine Saint Catherine’s (26-1) vs. #4 Wrightstown (24-4) – 10:45 a.m. COURT or BOUNCE
#2 Lake Country Lutheran (25-1) vs. #3 Saint Croix Central (23-2) – 2:10 p.m. HOOP or PASS
Championship Game
Winner of Semifinals – 8:30 p.m.
DIVISION 4 – Friday, March 5 at La Crosse Center
Semifinals
#1 The Prairie School (23-3) vs. #4 Luther (19-1) – 9:05 a.m. LEMON
#2 Lourdes Academy (23-5) vs. #3 Edgar (23-2) – 12:25 p.m. SLATE or PEBBLE
Championship Game
Winner of Semifinals – 6:35 p.m.
DIVISION 5 – Thursday, March 4 at La Crosse Center
Semifinals
#1 Hustisford (16-3) vs. #4 Wauzeka-Steuben (16-2) – 9:05 a.m. COTTON
#2 McDonell Central Catholic (16-4) vs. #3 Green Bay N.E.W. Lutheran/Providence (16-10) – 12:35 p.m. TAN or SAND
Championship Game
Winners of Semifinal Games – 7:05 p.m.
