By allowing ads to appear on this site, you support the local businesses who, in turn, support great journalism.
#1 Cubans top Pointers to snag regional crown
Olson
Cuba City junior guard Carter Olson glides in for two of his game- and career-high 32 points in the Cubans' 73–49 WIAA Division 4 regional final victory over Mineral Point last Saturday night. Olson also had eight assists and four steals in the win. - photo by By Tom Gunnell
Published: Feb 25, 2021, 4:50 PM

CUBA CITY — Cuba City has some unfinished business left over from last season. The top-ranked Cubans took a big step towards finishing what they have strived for over the past two seasons by defeating SWAL rival Mineral Point, 73-49, to capture a WIAA Division 4 regional boys’ basketball championship title at CCHS on Saturday, Feb. 20.

“With everything that has been going on this year– from our two Covid shutdowns to two major injuries to key players– I am extremely proud of the kids for coming through in adverse conditions to win the regional. I’m just really happy and proud of these kids,” said Cuba City head coach Jerry Petitgoue.

Four players reached double figures to spur on the Cubans’ offense, while the defense teamed up to limit the Pointers’ leading scorer, junior Joah Filardo, to just four points in the game.

“The key all year for our success I think has been our defense. We’re a tough group to handle. We force a lot of turnovers, and we get a lot of points in transition from those turnovers, which has been the secret to our success on offense. We were able to shut down (Mineral Point’s) top scorers and get some turnovers that allowed us to get ahead early,” Petitgoue pointed out.

Junior guard Carter Olson pumped in 13 of his game-high 25 points in the opening half to lead the top-seeded Cubans (20-2 overall) out to a 33-20 halftime lead. Olson also tallied four assists and three steals on the night.

The Cubans are normally golden from 3-point range but in the regional finale they struggled shooting the 3. After going 0-for-11 from beyond the arc in the first half, the hosts connected on two treys in the second half to finish 2-for-16 (13 percent) for the game.

However, with the 3s not falling, the Cubans made the necessary adjustments and found other ways to score, sinking 31 shots from inside the arc (31-for-53, 59 percent) to shoot down the #2-seeded Pointers (17-7) for the third time this season.

Senior guard Riley Richard contributed 14 points and six rebounds to the victory, while senior forward Jack Misky posted a double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds to go along with his five blocked shots and four assists.

Sophomore Max Lucey added 10 points for the Cubans, who claimed a regional title for the second straight season.

Mineral Point junior Dominik McVay also had a double-double with a team-high 11 points and 10 boards. Senior Liam Stumpf was the only other Pointer in double-digits with 10 points.

Cuba City received the #1-seed in their sectional grouping and will host #4-seeded and #7-ranked Randolph (22-3) in a sectional semifinal game on Thursday, Feb. 25, starting at 7 p.m. The Cubans defeated the Rockets, 76-53, in a non-conference game on Jan. 30. Randolph has won seven straight games since that loss.

“They are a good basketball team. You have to get yourself mentally prepared for a different game than the first time. You don’t want t take anything for granted at this level. You just have to go out and take care of business,” said Petitgoue.

Thursday’s winner moves on to face the winner of the other semifinal between #2-seeded and #3-ranked The Prairie School (21-3) and #3-seeded and Fennimore (16-5) at the home of the highest remaining seed on Saturday at a time to be announced.

Coach Jerry Petitgoue’s crew advanced to Saturday’s regional final contest by burying the #4-seeded Parkview Vikings (10-12) by a score of 119-59 in a D4 regional semifinal game at CCHS on Friday, Feb. 19.

The Vikings topped the century mark with a 103-70 win over Iowa-Grant in Tuesday’s playoff opener, but they fell on the other side of a scoring avalanche on Friday night as the Cubans went off for a season-high 119 points– which may also be a school record because Petitgoue can’t remember a Cuban team scoring that much in a game in his 50 years as their coach.

The Cubans got heat up early with defense forcing a bunch of turnover, which in turn fired up the transition game on offense and they were off to the race.

The Cubans jumped ahead 42-15 midway through the first half and held a 68-29 advantage at the intermission. The points kept coming fast and furious in the second half as they added another 51 to cruise to a 60-point victory.

Olson went 13-of-19 from the field with two 3-pointers and was 4-of-5 from the free throw stripe to finish the game with a career-high 32 points. He had a team-high eight assists and four steals as well.

Misky was 10-of-11 from the field en route to 21 points, while Richard tallied 14 points, seven rebounds, six assists and three steals and junior Mason Reese chipped in with a career-high 14 points.

Junior Blake Bussan came off the bench to register a double-double with a career-high 14 points and 11 rebounds. Sophomore Reece Rosenkranz and junior Drew Robson each sank two triples to add six points apiece for the Cubans.

Tyler Oswald led three Vikings in double figures with 20 points. Avery Crane followed with 13 and Connor Simonson netted 11 for Parkview.
Darlington honors long-time coach Arnie Miehe
School renames cross country course after legendary coach
Arnie Miehe
Former Darlington cross country coach Arnie Miehe (left) stands as it is announced that the DHS cross country course will be renamed after him at the Darlington Invitational on Sept. 7. The years of accomplishments are displayed on the banner behind Miehe. - photo by Casey Lindecrantz
Natalie Dillon, Fox Tales
Updated: Sep 13, 2024, 4:03 PM
Published: Sep 13, 2024, 4:04 PM

DARLINGTON — At its 41st annual Darlington Invite, the cross country team honored long-time head coach Arnie Miehe by renaming the course after him.

“It’s an incredible honor,” Arnie said. “It’s very humbling. It makes me think of all the hours, days, weeks and years that went into it — all the events and kids I’ve come in contact with.”

Since taking over  the program in 1982, Arnie has had nine state championship teams — eight for the boys and one for the girls — including six consecutive boys’ titles from 2011-2016. Another 39 teams went to state — 23 for the boys and 16 for the girls. For four straight years from 1993-1996, Darlington boys were state runners-up to Cochrane-Fountain City. In this 41-year span, he’s also had numerous individual state runners.

Two of those runners were his sons, Kent and Tyson. Tyson has run in the Olympic trials, and Kent currently coaches the Redbirds cross country teams.

“The recognition needs to be spread out,” Arnie said. “It should really be named the Miehe course. My wife and kids had as much to do with the success as I did. It was an entire family effort.”

But Kent was quick to turn the recognition back to his father.

“All the success we had started here, with him,” Kent said of Darlington’s home course and the annual Invite, which Arnie had begun years ago.

Darlington kept its successful streak at home with the girls finishing runners-up to Lancaster. Adalee Berget led the squad with her third-place finish. As a team, the Lady Redbirds, ranked No. 9 in Division 3 per Week 1 of the Wisconsin Cross Country Coaches Association Poll, ran faster than the 2023 squad that finished third at state.

“We are learning what good is,” Kent said. “The returners know what it takes to be good. We have a perspective of what we are working toward. The season is far from over.”