The Columbus Cardinals put up a very strong fight against LCL Saturday afternoon at Beaver Dam, but not strong enough to prevent the Lightning from heading to the Kohl Center in Madison for their second consecutive trip to the D3 state tournament.
The score remained close throughout the duration of the matchup, with the Cardinals making things tough for the Lightning who were fresh off the loss of versatile senior John Nehls to a knee injury. However, LCL was able to overcome the loss and squeak by in the sectional final, 61-56. Luke Haertle, leading the scoreboard in typical fashion, put up 23 points including 12 of 15 free throw shooting, with Noah Howard and Ben Lubbers following in scoring with 13 and 10.
After coming so close to bringing home the school’s first basketball championship in Oshkosh last March, going home was not an option for the Lightning yet. Following being crowned D3 regional and sectional champions in the playoffs, the LCL boys have punched their ticket to state yet again, this time seeking redemption in Madison on Thursday.
Stay tuned for WIAA updates on state tournament seeding and game times as developments continue. Make sure to travel out to Madison this coming Thursday to support your Lightning and cheer them on in their run for the gold ball.