The Week in Review SPASH Boys basketball: Host Wisconsin Rapids handed SPASH its first loss of the season Tuesday night, 56-54. Casey Taggatz carried the Panthers (3-1 overall, 2-1 in the Wisconsin Valley Conference) in the third period, scoring SPASH's first 13 points. His three 3-pointers and one four-point play helped the Panthers tie the game 37-37 entering the fourth quarter. But in the final quarter, Rapids used an 11-2 run to open a 48-41. Taggatz finished with 17 points and Josh Hall had 14. The Panthers were outrebounded 34 to 22 by the Red Raiders. The Panthers exploded in the second quarter and didn't look back in a 77-61 home win over Merrill last Friday. SPASH led 18-12 after one quarter but then opened a 47-24 halftime advantage thanks to a 19-4 run that ended the half. Taggatz and Jon Bergeron both scored 15 points to pace the Panthers. John Allee added 14. Girls basketball: SPASH (2-1 in WVC) got back on the winning track Tuesday night by topping Wisconsin Rapids 50-39 at home. With center Janel McCarville on the bench with foul trouble much of the first half, other Panthers elevated their games and SPASH led 30-20 at half. Rapids rallied within seven points in the fourth quarter but the Panthers scored 11 straight points to put the game away. McCarville still paced SPASH with 11 points while Rachel Kreuser scored 10. SPASH's offense disappeared last Friday at Merrill, as the Bluejays cruised to a 58-27 win. The Panthers scored only 10 points in the first half and only three SPASH players got into the scoring column the entire game. Steph Karaliunas led the Panther with 11 points and McCarville had 10. Kreuser scored six. Gymnastics: The Panthers started their season on a winning note, taking the Early Bird Invitational Saturday in Menominee, Mich. SPASH scored 134.3 points to top conference foe Wisconsin Rapids (128.8). Tracy Knippel took the all-around title while Kimberly Jo Barden was third and Raenee Bugarske took fourth. Knippel was second in both the floor and beam exercises and finished third in the uneven bars. Bugarske won the beam and was third in the floor exercise. Barden finished second in the uneven bars and third in the vault. Hockey: The Panthers (3-0) won the showdown of the two top-rated teams in the state Saturday, topping Wausau West 3-1 at the Marathon Park Ice Arena. Adam Kostichka scored a pair of third period goals after the Warriors tied the game at 1-1 earlier in the final period. Freshman Joe Pavelski gave SPASH a 1-0 lead five minutes into the game as he beat West goalie Andy Dustan in the first period. SPASH's Shaun Kruzitski made 24 saves in goal while Dustan had 21. Justin Danielski lit the lamp four times as the Panthers rolled over Merrill, 9-1, last Thursday at the K.B. Willett Arena. SPASH opened a 5-0 first period lead and didn't look back. Jake Swenson and Noah Johnson both had a pair of goals while Eric Anderson closed the scoring in the third period. Boys swimming: Two Panthers picked up a pair of wins but SPASH was nearly doubled-up by Eau Claire Memorial in a dual Saturday, 102-67. Jon Ronzani (200-yard freestyle, 100-yard butterfly) and Geoff Thill (200-yard individual medley, 500-yard freestyle) both won two events. The 200-yard freestyle relay team of Ronzani, Ted Conachen, Ryan Burhite and Jacob Nantell also finished first. SPASH dropped a dual meet to Marshfield, 91-79, last Thursday. The Panthers were led by Ronzani's two wins (200-yard freestyle and 100-yard butterfly). Nantell (50-yard freestyle), Thill (100-yard backstroke), Conachen (100-yard freestyle) and Corey Prince (500-yard freestyle) also won individual events. Wrestling: SPASH finished 3-2 Saturday at the Seymour Tournament. The Panthers beat Escanaba (Mich.) 34-27, Manitowoc 66-6 and Peshtigo 48-17 and then fell to Seymour 44-20 and Freedom 45-20. Ty Pope (145 pounds), Rob King (160) and Robb Kolodziej (275) all finished 5-0. Nate Kurzsewski (119) finished 3-0 at 119 and Jed Haas (171) was 3-1. Six Panthers posted pins in SPASH's 64-6 slamming of Wausau East last Thursday. Kurzsewski (119), Adam Kurzynski (130), Brian Stremkowski (135), King (140), Josh Zinda (171) and Kolodziej (275) all secured pins in coach Gee Pope's debut. Kevin Duda (125) and Brian Baumgartner (160) won by decision and Mike Bachinski (152) was victorious by major decision. Steve Bachinski (103), Joe Louis (112) and Pope (145) won by forfeit. Pacelli Boys basketball: The shorthanded Cardinals dropped to 0-3 on the season after a 58-43 loss at Medford Monday. Pacelli, who was without five players for disciplinary reasons, fell victim to fatigue and Medford's 69 percent shooting effort. Kurt Kramer paced Pacelli with 15 points and eight rebounds while Josh Owens added 10 points. Girls basketball: Medford jumped to an 18-4 advantage and didn't look back, beating Pacelli 59-29 Tuesday night. The Cardinals cut the lead to 28-14 at halftime, but the host Red Raiders outscored the visitors 18-9 in the third. Kristin Mitchell scored 14 points and Lindsey Radomski had 12. A strong second half erased Poynette's 27-15 halftime lead and carried the Cardinals to a 54-46 road win last Thursday. "We had a total team effort tonight," Pacelli coach Jim Warzinik said. "We talked at half and decided that we needed to do three things - play tougher man-to-man pressure defense, take care of the ball and not to try and make up the deficit all at once." Laura McCorkell scored 14 points and had 11 rebounds before fouling out with about two minutes remaining. Cindy Lila added 13 points. "Kristin Mitchell and Lindsey Radomski really showed me a different side tonight, scoring 10 and 15 points and 5 assists each." Wrestling: Pacelli won four of five dual meets Saturday at the Ripon Dual Tournament. The Cardinals beat North Fond du Lac 39-21, Winneconne 45-24, Appleton West 45-23 and Oregon 43-22 but lost to Ripon 63-12. Ben Kissel (275) finished 5-0 and won all of his matches by pin. Mike Kaczmarek (103), Franz Klein (119), Tim Snow (160) and Neil Jurgella (171) each finished with 4-1 marks. Matt Schulist (189) was 3-0. "This was a good tournament for us," Pacelli coach Jay Yenter said. "The kids came ready to wrestle. We had the two tough duals earlier in the week. But they worked hard all week and it paid off today." Snow (160) and Schulist (189) were the lone Cardinals to post wins last Thursday in a 49-7 loss to Spencer. Six of Pacelli's wrestlers were pinned and two fell by major decision. "Our growing pains continued tonight. We came out flat and when you do that against a good team like Spencer, they'll make you pay for it," Yenter said. Almond-Bancroft Boys basketball: The Eagles took control late in the fourth quarter to top Bowler, 67-60 last Friday at home. A-B jumped to a 19-11 first quarter lead only to see the Panthers rally for a 32-31 halftime score. Kent Dernbach (7-of-13 shooting) paced the Eagles with 23 points and Trevor Dernbach had 19 points and nine rebounds. Girls basketball: A-B remained undefeated in Central Wisconsin Conference small division play by turning back Port Edwards Tuesday night, 62-44. The Eagles (4-2 overall, 3-0 in CWC) jumped to a 9-0 advantage and led the Blackhawks 31-16 at the half. A-B had its way on the boards, grabbing 23 offensive rebounds, compared to just four for Port. Stephanie Jenz scored 18 points, Andrea Cummings had 13 while Sarah Berry had 11 points and 15 rebounds. A-B dumped Bowler last Friday, 54-46. Jenz led the Eagles with 18 points while Darlene Turzinski scored 10 off of the bench. Berry had 18 rebounds. Amherst Girls basketball: A strong third quarter helped Amherst cruise, 55-35, over Weyauwega-Fremont Tuesday night. The host Falcons (4-0 overall, 1-0 in CWC large division) outscored W-F 15-4 in the quarter and opened their four-point halftime lead to a 43-28 fourth quarter advantage. Meghan Simkins led Amherst with 22 points, 11 rebounds and five blocks. Jenny Orsund added 15 points and had three steals. After scoring just two points in the second quarter, Amherst's offense came alive and topped Wausau Newman, 41-31, last Thursday at home. Simkins led the Hornets. The senior center had 17 points, 12 rebounds and four blocks. Jamie Krutza added eight points. Wrestling: Amherst secured four pins and dumped Omro 40-27 in a dual meet Tuesday. Al Bohm (119), Randy Ward (145), Nate Peplinski (152) and Dan Ehr (160) all pinned their opponents while Shane Rzentkowski (189) won by major decision. Joe Dambroski (171), Adam Perrott (135) and Scott Hintz (103, by forfeit) all picked up wins. Three Falcons won consolation championships as Amherst finished ninth out of 12 teams at the Little Chute Tournament Saturday. Bohm (119), Jeff Peskie (125) and Ward (145) each took home consolation titles. Seven forfeits made for an easy day for Amherst last Thursday, as the Falcons topped Shiocton 51-23 on the road. Brandon Wolding (130) and Rzentkowski (189) won their matches while Hintz (103), Bohm (119), Jeff Peskie (125), Nolan Kayon (140), Ward (145), Peplinski (152) and Dambroski (171) won by forfeit. Rosholt Boys basketball: The Hornets opened a 17-1 first quarter lead and never looked back, routing Tigerton 60-28 Tuesday night. Tigerton kept pace in the second quarter, but Rosholt exploded again in the third, outscoring the Tigers 20-5. Ryan Zdroik led the Hornets with 17 points and nine rebounds while Bryce Domask and Kevin Flick each scored nine. The young Rosholt team grew up in a hurry last Friday, beating conference-favorite Iola-Scandinavia 59-38. The Hornets were on fire from the field, shooting 53 percent, while the Thunderbirds struggled with 21 percent shooting. Zdroik scored 23 points and grabbed 11 rebounds. Joe Kluck also had 11 boards. Girls basketball: Rosholt pulled away in the fourth quarter to dump Tigerton 44-33 Tuesday night at home. Leading 30-27 entering the fourth quarter, the Hornets used their full-court pressure defense to outscore the Tigers 14-6 in the final period. Amy Scott paced Rosholt with 15 points and Jenna Eschenbauch had 12. Iola-Scandinavia handed the Hornets their first loss of the season last Thursday, 41-36 at I-S. The Thunderbirds led by three in the closing seconds and Scott missed the first of two free throws. Scott then purposely missed the second, but I-S grabbed the rebound to seal the win. I-S was 15-of-22 from the free throw line while the Hornets connected on just 7-of-18 from the line. Scott had a huge night for Rosholt, scoring 21 points while grabbing 14 rebounds.