The Menomonie and Colfax girls basketball teams each advanced one game from next week's state tournament with semifinal wins on Thursday evening.
The Mustangs (19-8) are onto the Division 2 sectional finals after a 56-31 semifinal win over Tomah at Eau Claire Memorial. Menomonie has now won five games in a row and will seek its second straight trip to state on Saturday at 1 p.m. in Medford against Lakeland.
The T-Birds (21-6) routed New London 77-46 in their semifinal. Lakeland won the Great Northern Conference championship during the regular season with an unbeaten league record and is led offensively by Lehigh University commit Julianna Ouimette (20.4 points per game according to WisSports.net) and 6-foot-2 sophomore Kristina Ouimette (19 PPG).
Colfax outlasted Phillips 67-56 in overtime of a Division 4 semifinal to move into Saturday's sectional championship game versus Neillsville at Osseo-Fairchild. The Vikings (20-6) have won eight of their last nine games overall and are seeking the program's first trip to state since 2013.
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Neillsville (27-0) beat Fall Creek 60-35 in their semifinal meeting and is seeking a second straight trip to state after advancing to the state semifinals last year. The Warriors are led by Eastern Cloverbelt Conference junior Paris Opelt (17.8 PPG).
Saturday's winners move onto next week's state tournament on Thursday through Saturday at the Resch Center in Green Bay.
IN PHOTOS: Menomonie winter sports photos by Dale Moe
Hudson at Menomonie wrestling 12-1-22
Menomonie's Bailey Casey battles with Hudson's Austin Schmidkunz during their matchup at 106 pounds on Thursday evening in Menomonie.
Holiday dance
The Menomonie Dance Team hosted its 17th annual Holiday Classic on Saturday evening in Menomonie.
Hoops battle
Menomonie's Desirae Ford shoots a free throw against Eau Claire North on Friday in Menomonie. The Huskies defeated the Mustangs 54-40 in a Big Rivers battle. The Mustangs (2-3) have a busy week of three games this week, starting at Rice Lake on Monday before hosting Medford on Tuesday and New Richmond on Friday.
Up with the shot
Menomonie's Ashleah Quilling scores on a layup during a game aginst New Richmond on Friday. The Mustangs earned a 61-41 victory over the Tigers to improve to 5-3 on the season.
Pinning a win
Menomonie's Brayten Casey rolled his way to a first place finish at 113 pounds on Saturday at the Eau Claire North Husky Invite in Eau Claire. Casey won three matches by pinfall and one by technical fall. Kellan Aure finished second at 138 pounds and Bailey Casey was third at 106 pounds as the Mustangs took sixth as a team with 254 points.
Rice Lake at Menomonie girls basketball 1-26-23
Menomonie's Anna Wheeler goes up for a shot against Rice Lake on Thursday in Menomonie. The Mustangs beat the Warriors 67-44 to improve to 11-6 on the year and have won three of their last four games. Following a game at Eau Claire North on Tuesday, Menomonie plays at New Richmond on Friday and at Prescott next Monday.
Menomonie Whitetail Shootout 1-27-23
Menomonie senior Kellan Aure wrestles at the Whitehail Shootout on Friday in Menomonie.
Menomonie Whitetail Shootout 1-27-23
Menomonie senior Kellan Aure won his 100th career match at the Menomonie Whitetail Shootout on Friday in Menomonie.
Menomonie Whitetail Shootout 1-27-23
Menomonie senior Kellan Aure wrestles at the Whitehail Shootout on Friday in Menomonie.
Splitting the week
Menomonie sophomore Cortlyn Greeley shoots during a game against Eau Claire North on Jan. 31 in Eau Claire. The Mustangs split two games this week after being Eau Claire North 54-43 before falling on Friday to New Richmond 55-52. Following Monday's nonconference game at Prescott, the Mustangs host Chippewa Falls on Thursday before playing at Eau Claire Memorial on Saturday.
Eau Claire Memorial at Menomonie wrestling 2-3-23
Menomonie sophomore Ben Helminski battles for a pin during a matchups versus Eau Claire Memorial at 220 pounds on Friday in Menomonie.
Eau Claire Memorial at Menomonie wrestling 2-3-23
Menomonie sophomore Ben Helminski battles for a pin during a matchups versus Eau Claire Memorial at 220 pounds on Friday in Menomonie.
Chippewa Falls at Menomonie girls basketball 2-9-23
Menomonie's Makenna Amundson shoots a free throw against Chippewa Falls on Thursday evening in Menomonie.
Chippewa Falls at Menomonie girls basketball 2-9-23
Menomonie's Brooklynn Birt makes a basket against Chippewa Falls on Thursday in Menomonie.
Division 1 wrestling regionals in Hayward 2-11-23
Menomonie's Brayten Casey scores a pin at 113 pounds during Division 1 regionals Saturday in Hayward.
Division 1 wrestling regionals in Hayward 2-11-23
Menomonie's Cody Kwak pins an opponent at 220 pounds at Division 1 regionals on Saturday in Hayward.
Division 1 wrestling regionals in Hayward 2-11-23
Menomonie's Kellan Aure wrestles at 132 pounds at Division 1 regionals on Saturday in Hayward.
River Falls at Menomonie girls basketball 2-17-23
Menomonie's Sammy Jacobson goes up for a shot during a game against River Falls on Friday in Menomonie.
Division 1 wrestling sectionals at Eau Claire North 2-18-23
Menomonie's Bryce Shepard has his hand raised in victory after defeating Marshfield's Mason Seidl for second place to advance to state at Division 1 sectionals on Saturday at Eau Claire North.
Division 1 wrestling sectionals at Eau Claire North 2-18-23
Menomonie's Bryce Shepard battls with Marshfield's Mason Seidl in their match for second place at Division 1 sectionals on Saturday at Eau Claire North.
Division 1 wrestling sectionals at Eau Claire North 2-18-23
Menomonie's Brayten Casey wrestles on his way to a Division 1 sectional championship at 113 pounds on Saturday at Eau Claire North.
Division 1 wrestling sectionals at Eau Claire North 2-18-23
Menomonie's Kellan Aure wrestles on his way to a Division 1 sectional championship at 132 pounds on Saturday at Eau Claire North.
Kellan Aure
Menomonie senior Kellan Aure stands on the podium after winning the Division 1 state championship at 132 pounds on Saturday in Madison.
Kellan Aure
Menomonie senior Kellan Aure lifts Kaukauna's Bryan Winans during their Division 1 state championship match at 132 pounds on Saturday in Madison.
Brayten Casey
Menomonie junior Brayten Casey stands on the podium after finishing second in Division 1 at 113 pounds at the state individual wrestling tournament on Saturday in Madison.
Brayten Casey
Menomonie junior Brayten Casey grapples with Brown Deer/Messmer/Shorewood's Maximus Hay during their Division 1 semifinal at 113 pounds on Friday in Madison.
Bash Nielson
Boyceville senior Bash Nielson overpowers Cadott's Lvi Lindsay during their Division 3 quarterfinal at 195 pounds on Friday in Madison.
Menomonie girls basketball vs Tomah 3-2-23
Menomonie's Sammy Jacobson goes up for a shot against Tomah in Thursday's Division 2 sectional semifinal at Eau Claire Memorial.
Menomonie girls basketball vs Lakeland 3-4-23
Menomonie's Mary Berg shoots against Lakeland on Saturday afternoon in Medford.
