By Jed Buelow
Tomahawk Leader Co-Editor, Sports and Nature Editor
The Tomahawk Hatchet boys’ basketball team season came to an end Tuesday after falling to Northland Pines 91-48 in the opening round Regional of the WIAA D3 tourney.
With the win, the #5 Eagles (7-6, 13-9) advanced to take on the #4 seeded Clintonville Truckers (13-5, 15-6) on March 6. The winner of that game was scheduled to take on the winner of #1 Wrightstown and #8 Wittenberg-Birnamwood on Saturday.
Tomahawk finished the regular season with a 6-16 record overall that included a big conference win over Lakeland back on Dec. 17. The thrilling 43-40 victory marked the first time the Hatchet hoopsters traveled to T-Bird Country and brought home a win dating all the way back to 1992 – putting an end to a nearly 30 year drought for Tomahawk against Lakeland.
First-year head coach Jacob Jarvensivu called it his team’s most complete game of the season as the defense had become a weapon as they managed to take Lakeland out of what they were trying to do offensively.
Drew Bolder led the offense in scoring as he went 4-for-6 from behind three point land to finish with 14 points and Connor Dichsen added 12 in the win over Lakeland.
The big conference win sparked a winning streak for the Hatchets, as they took part in a holiday tourney in Fall River where they notched a pair of non-conference wins over Montello and Fall River to win the tourney and make it three road victories in a row.
After falling to a tough Antigo team Jan. 3, the Hatchets would rally once again getting non-conference victories over Prentice and Ladysmith to improve to 5-6 on the season.
Tomahawk then almost managed to make it a season sweep of Lakeland but came up just a bit short in a 49-45 loss to the T-Birds back on Feb. 7. They would also play Pines tough in the regular season finale before falling to the Eagles in the opening round of the WIAA D3 playoffs to bring their season to an end.