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All-Time Best: Schade the best to ever come out of Wausau

05/25/2020, 3:30pm CDT
By Mark Miller

(Editor's Note: WisSports.net basketball writer Mark Miller is using the extra time available due to COVID-19 to research the high school basketball history of some of Wisconsin's larger cities. His All-Time Best series will run on WisSports.net during the next few months).

One player -- Frank Schade -- has made it to the big time from Wausau.

Others, of course, played at a very high level following high school, but Schade is the lone player to make it all the way to the National Basketball Association.

Though Shade had a brief NBA career, he opted to stay in the game for a long time to come as head coach at both Plymouth and Oshkosh North high schools. 

Schade headlines the list of stellar players to come out of Wausau over the years. Following is an in-depth look at some of Wausau's best:

Criteria For All-Time Wausau Teams
1) In order to be chosen to the first or second all-time team, a player must have earned first, second, third or fourth team all-state honors from either the Associated Press or United Press International. Exceptions will be made, but will be rare.

2) In addition to the accomplishments a player achieved in high school, their college honors in the sport also weigh heavily when selecting the teams.  

All-Time Wausau Team

NAME HEIGHT GRADUATION YEAR HIGH SCHOOL All-State Team
FIRST TEAM
Frank Schade 5'11" 1968 Wausau High School 1st (UPI)
Bob Steif 6'5" 1971 Wausau East 1st (AP)
Scott Oleson 6'7" 1977 Wausau East 1st (AP)
Jim Gross 6'6" 1981 Wausau West 1st (UPI)
Dick Dutrisac 6'3" 1957 Wausau High School 1st (AP)

Frank Schade, 5-11, PG, 1968, Wausau High School
First Team All-State 1968 (UPI)

One of the top defensive backcourt players to ever play high school baskeball in Wisconsin, Schade excelled for coach Ken Anderson and the Wausau Lumberjacks in 1966-67 and 1967-68. A bulldog who used his quickness, physical strength and mental toughness to hound opponents, Schade was the starting point guard for a Wausau squad that went 23-3 and lost to Milwaukee Lincoln 61-56 in the 1967 WIAA state-title game. Schade averaged just 8.9 ppg as a junior, but his ball handling, passing and defense were instrumental in the Lumberjacks' success. A year later, as the lone returning starter, Schade helped Wausau to a 15-5 record and averaged 24.1 ppg, finishing his prep career with 718 points. After spending his freshman year at Texas El-Paso, Schade opted to follow Anderson to UW-Eau Claire. In four years at Eau Claire, Schade scored 1,599 points, earned all-league recognition three times and was the Player of the Year in the conference as a senior when the Blugolds lost to Kentucky State in the NAIA championship game. Schade was drafted by the Kansas City-Omaha (now Sacramento) franchise and played nine games with the Kings in the NBA during the 1972-73 campaign. He went on to coach at both Plymouth and Oshkosh North, compiling a remarkable 610-317 coaching record. 

Bob Steif, 6-5, F, 1971, Wausau East
First Team All-State 1971 (AP)

Voted the state's Player of the Year in 1971 by the Associated Press, Steif wowed the crowds in the University of Wisconsin Field House at the 1971 WIAA State Tournament despite the fact East finished just 1-2 at the event under coach Roger Davis. Steif had 28 points and 17 rebounds in a quarterfinal victory over Cumberland, and then completed his stellar prep career with 39 points and 17 rebounds in a 70-69 loss to Neenah in the third-place game. Though a bit undersized in the post at 6-feet, 5-inches, Steif nonetheless used his physical strength and impressive jumping ability to average 26.2 ppg and 18.3 rpg as a senior, helping the Lumberjacks to a 19-7 record. As a junior and sophomore, Steif played for coach Doug Martin at Wausau High School as Wausau split into East and West for the 1970-71 school year. Steif played in three straight WIAA State Tournaments and completed his prep career with a then-Wausau record 1,504 points. He played one year at NCAA Division II Northern Michigan before transferring to UW-Oshkosh, where he competed for three seasons under coach Bob White.

Scott Oleson, 6-7, F, 1977, Wausau East
First Team All-State 1977 (AP)

Only those blasted Old Abes from Eau Claire Memorial kept Oleson and the Lumberjacks of Wausau East from appearing in the WIAA State Tournament in 1976 and 1977. East lost sectional contests to Eau Claire Memorial in both years. During Oleson's senior year in 1976-77, the Lumberjacks went 21-2, won the Wisconsin Valley Conference and featured two of the state's top players in Oleson and wing Brian Fenhaus. No matter, Eau Claire Memorial defeated coach Larry Tranberg's Lumberjacks 56-46 in the sectional final despite 27 points from Oleson. A skilled 6-foot-7 forward, Oleson scored 1,061 career points and averaged 19.8 points, 10.0 rebounds and 3.1 assists as a senior while shooting 54 percent from the field. He earned first-team all-league honors as a junior and senior, was recruited to Penn of the Ivy League by former Detroit Pistons coach Chuck Daly, and played college basketball for the Quakers in 1979-80.

Jim Gross, 6-6, F, 1981, Wausau West
First Team All-State 1981 (UPI)

A physical bruiser who led Wausau West to the 1981 WIAA State Tournament and then helped the Warriors to a runner-up finish, scoring 28 points in the Class A title game against Milwaukee Madison. Gross earned first-team all-Wisconsin Valley Conference honors as a sophomore, junior and senior playing for coach John Ihde. He scored 1,468 career points and was extremely difficult to stop in the lane due to his soft shooting touch, physical strength and solid jumping ability. In the sectional final in 1981 against Eau Claire Memorial, a team which had ended the Warriors' season a year earlier, Gross scored 22 points as Wausau West qualified for the state tournament for the first time in school history. Gross is one of the top all-time scorers in the Wisconsin Valley Conference with 1,063 points in 64 league games. He went on to play two years at South Plains Junior College in Texas and two years at Texas A&I (now Texas A&M University -- Kingsville), earning all-Lone Star Conference honors as a senior in 1984-85.

Dick Dutrisac, 6-3, G, 1957, Wausau High School
First Team All-State 1957 (AP)

As a sophomore, Dutrisac played on a Wausau squad that went 20-8 and played in the WIAA State Tournament under coach Marshall Taylor. He played in sectional tournaments as a junior and senior, and his reputation as one of the top backcourt players in Wisconsin grew, particularly during his senior season when he scored 520 points and had 44 in a single game against Shorewood. The first-team all-state performer earned a basketball scholarship to play at the University of Wisconsin, and he played very well for the Badgers as a senior, scoring 25 points in an upset victory over Michigan State and completing his collegiate careers as one of the Badgers' top scorers during the 1960-61 season.

All-Time Wausau Team

NAME HEIGHT GRADUATION YEAR HIGH SCHOOL All-State Team
SECOND TEAM
Paul Waldvogel 6'0" 1978 Wausau Newman 1st (AP)
Joel Ungrodt 5'11" 1960 Wausau High School 2nd (AP)
Mike Schmidlkofer 6'2" 1961 Wausau High School 1st (UPI)
Brian Fenhaus 6'3" 1977 Wausau East 2nd (AP)
Dave Bliss 6'10" 2004 Wausau West 3rd (AP)

Paul Waldvogel, 6-0, PG, 1978, Wausau Newman
First Team All-State 1978 (AP)

Unfortunately, Waldvogel's biggest moment on the high school stage ended in a loss that is still being discussed by those close to the Wausau Newman program. In a semifinal game of the 1978 Wisconsin Independent Schools Athletic Association Class A State Tournament, Waldvogel finished with 19 points, 10 rebounds and five assists in a match-up with a Whitefish Bay Dominican squad that was loaded with talent and would eventually win 62 games in a row. The Cardinals' made some crucial mistakes in the final 30 seconds of the game, lost a 46-43 lead, and sustained a grueling 47-46 loss, despite the heroic efforts of Waldvogel and his teammates. The talented 6-foot-0 point guard earned Player of the Year honors in the Central Wisconsin Catholic Conference as a senior in 1978 and also won two state cross country titles and two state championships in track and field in the two-mile run. He went on to play college basketball at Northern Michigan and Ripon College. At Ripon, Waldvogel averaged 9.7 points and 6.0 assists in 1981-82 while playing for his former high school coach, Bob Gillespie. 

Joel Ungrodt, 5-11, G, 1960, Wausau High School
Second Team All-State 1960 (AP)

Green Bay's loss turned into Wausau's gain when Ungrodt moved with his family to Wausau following his junior year at Green Bay West. As a senior at Wausau High School, Ungrodt helped engineer one of the biggest turnarounds in school history. After losing its last four regular-season games and finishing with a 9-9 record prior to the start of the WIAA playoffs, Ungrodt and Co. reeled off eight consecutive victories to win the state title. A skilled point guard who was known for his leadership and defense, Ungrodt averaged 15.3 ppg as a senior as the Lubmerjacks finished 17-9 under coach Marsh Taylor. Ungrodt went on to star at Lawrence University in Appleton for four years, scoring 1,247 points and still ranking as the No. 1 player in school history in points-per-game for a career at 19.1 ppg. 

Mike Schmidlkofer, 6-2, C, 1961, Wausau High School
First Team All-State 1961 (UPI)

In three seasons of varsity basketball at Wausau High School, Schmidlkofer scored 893 points and helped the Lumberjacks to the 1960 WIAA state championship under coach Marsh Taylor. At 6-foot-2 and 220 pounds, Schmidlkofer had the physical strength to finish through contact. He finished with 16 points and 11 rebounds in Wausau's 74-65 triumph over Menomonie in the state-title contest. As a senior, Schmidlkofer set a then-Big Rivers Conference record for most points in a season (212 in eight games) and best scoring average (26.5 ppg). During his senior season in 1960-61, Schmidlkofer averaged 22.1 ppg and 12.2 rpg on the way to earning first-team all-state honors from UPI and second-team laurels from AP. He went on to play on the freshman basketball team at the University of Wisconsin before switching to baseball and earning a varsity letter for the Badgers' baseball team. 

Brian Fenhaus, 6-3, G/F, 1977, Wausau East
Second Team All-State 1977 (AP)

Playing a key role on the Lumberjacks' 1977 Wisconsin Valley Conference championship team, Fenhaus averaged 15.3 ppg as a senior en route to earning first-team all-league honors and second-team all-state recognition. Teaming with 6-foot-7 forward Scott Oleson, Fenhaus helped Wausau East to a 21-2 record under coach Larry Tranberg in 1976-77. He led the team with 86 assists as a senior after averaging 9.0 ppg and earning honorable mention all-Wisconsin Valley Conference laurels as a junior. After high school, Fenhaus played basketball and baseball at Lawrence University in Appleton.

Dave Bliss, 6-10, C, 2004, Wausau West
Third Team All-State 2004 (AP)

The ultimate "late bloomer," Bliss had a solid high school career at Wausau West. He earned first-team all-Wisconsin Valley Conference recognition as a junior and senior, averaging 14.6 ppg and 11.8 rpg in league play in 2002-03 and 19.8 ppg and 12.8 rpg in conference action a year later. He scored nearly 900 career points for coach Chris Schell at Wausau West, including 435 as a senior. Bliss signed in the spring of his senior year to play at Georgia and he averaged 7.5 ppg and 5.5 rpg as a senior for the Bulldogs in 2007-08. He then entered the coaching field and spent the 2019-20 campaign as an assistant coach with the Oklahoma City Thunder of the NBA. 

Wausau's Additional All-Staters

NAME HEIGHT GRADUATION YEAR HIGH SCHOOL All-State Team
Ben Fischer 6'2" 2006 Wausau East 4th (AP)
Chad Angeli 6'9" 1997 Wausau West 4th (AP)
Todd Christianson 6'2" 1984 Wausau East 3rd (UPI)
Paul Mattiacci 6'2" 1981 Wausau East 4th (AP)
Dan Witter 6'5" 1978 Wausau Newman 4th (AP)
Gordie Gillespie 6'3" 1976 Wausau Newman 3rd (AP)
Mark Jehn 6'2" 1975 Wausau West 3rd (AP)
Jerry Siewart 6'3" 1968 Wausau Newman 4th (AP)
Ken Roeder 6'3" 1967 Wausau High School 2nd (UPI)
Al Kuehl 6'2" 1964 Wausau High School 2nd (UPI)
Jack Koltes 5'10" 1960 Wausau Newman 1st (UPI - Catholic)

Notes (2000s): Ben Fischer played four years of varsity basketball for coach Jason Teske at Wausau East and scored 1,185 career points. He helped the Lumberjacks to two Wisconsin Valley Conference titles, one trip to the WIAA State Tournament and an 82-13 record during his varsity career. Fischer was named Player of the Year in the WVC as a junior and senior. After one year at Minnesota to play football, Fischer transferred to NCAA Division II Winona State to play basketball. He helped Winona State to the NCAA Division II national title in 2008 and scored 1,142 points from 2007-11 at the school. Fischer ranks first in assists in Winona State history with 660 and second in free-throw shooting percentage for a career at 81 percent.

Notes (1990s): Chad Angeli was a physical and skilled 6-foot-9 power forward who scored 866 points during his prep days at Wausau West playing for the late coach Jim Murphy. As a senior in 1996-97, Angeli helped Wausau West to an 18-7 and a spot in the WIAA Division 1 State Tournament. The two-time first-team all-Wisconsin Valley Conference performer averaged 16.6 ppg and 7.8 rpg in his final year of prep basketball. Angeli went on to star for four years at NCAA Division I Milwaukee. He scored 1,417 points during his collegiate career and ranks No. 7 all-time in Panther history in most points scored. He also grabbed 519 career rebounds while playing for both Ric Cobb and Bo Ryan at Milwaukee.

Notes (1980s): Todd Christianson (6-2) scored 872 points in 41 career games for Wausau East for an average of 21.2 ppg. He had 37 points in a victory over Chippewa Falls as a senior in 1982-83 when he averaged 21.6 ppg for the Lumberjacks, who went 10-10 under coach Larry Tranberg. Christianson went on to play college basketball at UW-Stevens Point, scoring 893 career points and earning all-league honors for the Pointers ... One of the better passers to come out of Wausau, Paul Mattiacci (6-2) was a key performer for Wausau East's Wisconsin Valley Conference title team in 1980-81. The unanimous first-team all-league performer averaged 15.1 ppg as the Lumberjacks went 16-3 under coach Larry Tranberg. Mattiacci went on to play college basketball at UW-Eau Claire and holds the record for most assists in a game with 17 set in 1982 against Northland College ... 

Notes (1970s): Dan Witter was a skilled and aggressive 6-foot-5 manchild in the paint who scored 1,264 points in three years of varsity basketball for coach Bob Gillespie at Wausau Newman. A first-team all-Central Wisconsin Catholic Conference pick on what many consider to be the best team in school history in 1977-78, Witter scored 600 points and led Newman to a 22-3 record. He went on to play college basketball at NCAA Division II Columbus College in Georgia for two years before transferring and playing his final two years at Mount Senario. Witter came back to serve as head coach at Newman from 1990-99, posting a 127-89 record in nine seasons. He currently is the head coach at Wisconsin Rapids Lincoln ... Gordy Gillespie spent one magical year at Wausau Newman, helping the Cardinals to a 17-7 record, a share of the Central Wisconsin Catholic Conference title and a spot in the WISAA Class A State Tournament in 1975-76. The younger of first-year Newman coach Bob Gillespie, Gordie Gillespie played as a sophomore and junior for the varsity squad at Joliet Catholic in Illinois. But when his brother got the Newman job, he opted to move to Wausau for his senior season. Gillespie averaged 16.8 points and 10.0 assists, was named to the WISAA All-Tournament team and became the first player in school history to be named Player of the Year in the CWCC. The 6-foot-3 guard went on to play three years at St. Francis College in Joliet, Illinois ... Mark Jehn (6-3) was one of the top all-around athletes to come out of Wausau in the 1970s. He excelled in football, basketball and baseball at Wausau West. A first-team all-Wisconsin Valley Conference performer as a senior in 1974-75, Jehn averaged 19.4 ppg for coach John Ihde and the Warriors, who finished with a 17-5 record. Jehn, who scored 30 points in a victory over Medford in the regionals as a senior, averaged 12.7 ppg as a junior and went on to play college football at Western Illinois.

Notes (1960s): Jerry Siewert played three seasons for the late Connie Knoche at Wausau Newman and averaged 26.8 ppg as a senior in 1967-68 when the Cardinals went 14-10. A 6-foot-3 forward, Siewert scored a then-school record 43 points in a victory over Prairie du Chien Campion and finished his prep career with 1,044 points. He earned all-tournament honors at the Catholic State Tournament in 1968 and went on to play college basketball at UW-Stevens Point ... Scoring 515 points in 26 games (19.8 ppg) as a senior, Ken Roeder (6-3) helped Wausau High School to a 23-3 record and runner-up finish in the 1967 WIAA State Tournament. An-WIAA State Tournament pick, Roeder scored 20 points in a quarterfinal win over Barron, 18 in a semifinal triumph over Appleton and 16 in the title-game loss to Milwaukee Lincoln. Roeder, who averaged 12.2 rpg as a senior, finished his prep career scoring 754 points for coach Ken Anderson and the Lumberjacks ... Al Kuehl (6-2) played four years of varsity basketball at Wausau High School, scoring 962 career points from 1960-64. A first-team all-Big Rivers Conference performer for coach Jack Teorresani as a senior, Kuehl averaged 22.8 ppg in 1963-64. He went on to play defensive back in football at Nebraska ... An absolute scoring machine for coaches Jim Kurzynske and Connie Knoche at Wausau Newman, Jack Koltes earned a basketball scholarship to attend Notre Dame. He graduated from Notre Dame and then got another degree from the University of Wisconsin before working in finance in Minneapolis for many years. As a high school player, Koltes scored 30 or more points 12 times during his two-plus years of varsity basketball and helped the Cardinals to 28 wins from 1958-60. He scored a then-school record 42 points in a victory over De Pere St. Norbert (later Pennings) as a junior and had 37 in a win over Marshfield Columbus as a senior. He finished his brilliant prep career with 1,041 points and averaged 25.9 ppg as a senior. 

Stars Prior To All-State Teams (Pre-1957)

NAME HEIGHT GRADUATION YEAR HIGH SCHOOL
Gerald LaFave 6'1" 1956 Wausau Newman
Brian Kulas 6'4" 1955 Wausau High School
La Vern Luebstorf 6'2" 1955 Wausau High School
Elroy Hirsch 6'2" 1941 Wausau High School
Frank Siewert 5'10" 1939 Wausau High School

Notes: Gerald LaFave was the first star at Wausau Newman, which opened in the fall of 1952. Playing for coach Jim Kurzynske, LaFave earned first-team all-La Crosse Diocese honors as a junior and senior. He scored 1,165 career points and netted a then-school record 30 points in a triumph over Stevens Point Pacelli in 1955 ... Brian Kulas (6-4) was the first player in city history to score 1,000 points as he finished his prep career in 1955 with 1,039 points. An athletic player who grew a couple of inches after high school while playing major minutes for the University of Wisconsin, Kulas poured in 578 points in 28 games (20-8) as a senior in 1954-55 for a 20.6 ppg average. Kulas helped coach Marsh Taylor's squad to the Wisconsin Valley Conference championship and a trip to the WIAA State Tournament in 1955. Kulas also earned first-team all-league honors as a junior and senior, and his son, Kirby, was selected as an all-state player at Medford in 1981 ... La Vern Luebstorf (6-2) played a major role on Wausau's talented 1954-55 squad that went 20-8 as he averaged 9.9 ppg for a team led by Brian Kulas. Luebstorf went on to become the first 1,000-point scorer in UW-Stevens Point history and still ranks among the school's all-time greats with 1,260 career points. Luebstorf went on to coach for many years at Brookfield East and is a member of the Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame ... Elroy (Crazy Legs) Hirsch (6-2) was best known for his football exploits, but he also played basketball at Wausau High School and was a key member of the Lumberjacks' WIAA Class A state runner-up squad in 1939 ... Frank Siewert (5-10) was named captain of the 1938 WIAA State Tournament by the Wisconsin State Journal after his stellar all-around play helped Wausau High School shock heavily favored Wauwatosa 24-16 in the Class A state-title game. Siewert played a huge role in helping coach Win Brockmeyer's squad earn a spot in the state tournament once again in 1939, but he had to miss the Lumberjacks' games in Madison due to injuries to both knees. Siewert went on to play college basketball at the University of Wisconsin.

Wausau's All-Time Top Scorers

NAME HEIGHT GRADUATION YEAR HIGH SCHOOL POINTS
Bob Barnett 5'11" 1994 Wausau Newman 1,655
Bob Steif 6'5" 1971 Wausau East 1,504
Jim Gross 6'6" 1981 Wausau West 1,468
Chris Gustafson 6'2" 1993 Wausau Newman 1,352
Gabe Krueger 6'4" 2020 Wausau East 1,291
Dan Witter 6'4" 1978 Wausau Newman 1,264
Taylor Penn 6'3" 2015 Wausau West 1,210
John Rosemurgy 6'3" 1957 Wausau High School 1,204
Ben Fischer 6'2" 2006 Wausau East 1,185
Jim Prey 6'4" 1989 Wausau West/Newman 1,178
Dick Dutrisac 6'3" 1957 Wausau High School 1,162
Gerald LaFave 6'1" 1956 Wausau Newman 1,150
Don Brzezinski 6'2" 1958 Wausau Newman 1,105
Dane Fronek 6'3" 2016 Wausau Newman 1,061
Mike Brzezinski 6'2" 1972 Wausau Newman 1,085
Jakob Tordsen 6'3" 2017 Wausau West 1,073
Scott Oleson 6'7" 1977 Wausau East 1,061
Chris Krenz 6'2" 1997 Wausau West 1,047
Jerry Siewart 6'3" 1968 Wausau Newman 1,044
Jack Koltes 5'10" 1960 Wausau Newman 1,041
Brian Kulas 6'4" 1955 Wausau High School 1,039
Perry Waldvogel 5'10" 1987 Wausau Newman 1,030
Zak Alwin 6'0" 1989 Wausau West 1,003
Marcus Gabriel 6'3" 2014 Wausau Newman 1,004

Notes (2000s): Playing for first-year coach Troy Pieper at Wausau East, Gabe Krueger (6-4) turned in a stellar season for the Lumberjacks in 2019-20, scoring 623 points and earning first-team all-Wisconsin Valley Conference honors. A versatile player who could score from the perimeter and in the post, Krueger had a career-high 45 points in a victory over Ashland and averaged 28.3 ppg as Wausau East went 9-13 ... Jakob Tordsen (6-3) was a model of consistency during his four years of varsity action at Wausau West from 2013-17. In Wisconsin Valley Conference play, Tordsen scored 101 points as a freshman, 125 as a sophomore, 146 as a junior and 148 as a senior. A two-time first-team all-league performer, Tordsen helped coach Nate Lemmens' squad to double-digit victories for three straight years. A solid all-around athlete, Tordsen went on to participate in track and field at NCAA Division II Concordia-St. Paul ... Helping Wausau Newman to two regional titles and earning Player of the Year honors in the Marawood South Conference as a senior in 2015-16, Dane Fronek (6-3) completed his four-year career playing for coach Jeff Gress with 1,061 points. He scored a career-high 34 points in a win over Rib Lake and went on to play college basketball at Concordia University in Mequon ... Taylor Penn (6-3) earned first-team all-Wisconsin Valley Conference recognition as a junior and senior for coach Nate Lemmens at Wausau West. He scored 1,210 career points and went on to play college basketball at NCAA Division III St. Norbert College ... Marcus Gabriel (6-3) used his versatility and athleticism to score 1,004 career points at Wausau Newman for coach Jeff Gress and the Cardinals. The 2014 graduate helped the Cardinals to a 20-7 record and a sectional final appearance as a senior. He also scored a career-high 26 points as a junior against Edgar.

Notes (1990s): A four-year varsity performer and two-time second-team all-Wisconsin Valley Conference performer, Chris Krenz (6-2) was a key player on coach Jim Murphy's 1997 Wausau West squad that went 18-7 and qualified for the WIAA State Tournament. Krenz's versatility, experience and skill were especially evident in the Warriors' regional-final victory over Wisconsin Rapids in 1997 when he scored 32 points ... Bob Barnett (5-11) was a scoring machine as a senior in 1993-94 for Wausau Newman and coach Dan Witter. Barnett scored a whopping 815 points in 23 games for a robust 35.4 ppg average that ranks among the best one-year performances in Wisconsin prep history. A lefty who constantly earned trips to the foul line, Barnett has a smooth jumper and scored 30 or more points 18 times as a senior, including a school-record 49 in a 76-62 victory over Wausau West. Barnett scored a Wausau-leading 1,655 career points and went on to play college basketball at Mount Senario ... Chris Gustafson (6-3) played alongside Barnett in 1992-93 and helped Wausau Newman to a 17-9 record and a runner-up finish in the WISAA Division 3 State Tournament. He had 38 points in a regional-final victory over Sheboygan Lutheran and then tossed in 29 in a 55-52 loss to Central Wisconsin Christian in the title game. A two-time first-team all-CWCC performer, Gustafson completed his prep career with 1,352 points. He went on to play college basketball at UW-Stout.

Notes (1980s): Jim Prey (6-4) scored 1,178 career points playing for both Wausau West (freshman, sophomore and junior) and Wausau Newman (senior). At Newman, Prey scored 563 points and led the Cardinals to the Central Wisconsin Catholic Conference title in 1988-89. He averaged 22.5 ppg and helped Newman to a 22-3 record and a spot in the WISAA State Tournament. After earning second-team all-Wisconsin Valley Conference honors as a junior at Wausau West, Prey picked up first-team all-CWCC recognition as a senior while playing for coach Dan Sullivan. He went on to play college basketball at UW-Parkside ... Zak Alwin (6-0) scored 693 points in three years of play within the Wisconsin Valley Conference and 1,003 points overall at Wausau West. He netted 40 points in a triumph over Milwaukee Vincent and had 29 in a sectional victory over Wausau East during his senior year in 1988-89. A two-time first-team all-WVC performer for coach Jim Murphy, Alwin went on to play college basketball at UW-Stout ... Perry Waldvogel (5-10), the younger brother of Paul Waldvogel, scored 1,030 points during his prep career at Wausau Newman. The two-time first-team all-Central Wisconsin Catholic Conference honoree led the league in scoring as a junior (16.6 ppg) and senior (20.0 ppg). He went on to play college basketball at Mount Senario in Ladysmith where he scored more than 2,000 points and had 17 points to help the Saints defeat Jordan College of Detroit, 111-109, in overtime to win the 1991 National Small College Athletic Association national title ... 

Notes (1970s): As a four-year starter at Wausau Newman for coaches Connie Knoche and Jim DeBroux, Mike Brzezinski (6-2) established a then-school record for most points in a career with 1,085. He earned first-team all-CWCC laurels as a senior in 1971-72 when he helped the Cardinals to an 18-7 record and a spot in the WISAA Class A State Tournament. Brzezinski went on to play college basketball at UW-Eau Claire. 

Notes (1950s): John Rosemurgy (6-3) played three years of varsity basketball and scored more points than any player in school history at the time of his graduation in 1957. He finished his stellar prep career with 1,204 points and earned second-team all-Big Rivers Conference honors as a senior. As a junior, Rosemurgy scored 507 points in 23 games for an average of 22.0 ppg ... Don Brzezinski was a 6-foot-1, 210-pound athlete who went on to play college football at the University of Miami after scoring 1,105 points in three varsity seasons for coach Jim Kurzynske at Wausau Newman. Brzezinski earned honorable mention all-state honors from the Associated Press in 1957-58 when he averaged 20.5 ppg and earned a spot on the all-Central Wisconsin Catholic Conference squad. He netted a career-high 33 points as a senior in a triumph over De Pere St. Nobert (Pennings) ... 

Additional Notes: Chad Thompson (6-0) of Wausau West scored 714 points in 64 games in the Wisconsin Valley Conference during his stellar prep career with the Warriors. As a senior in 2006-07, Thompson was voted first-team all-league after receiving second-team recognition as a junior. For his four-year prep career, Thompson scored 946 points ... Jeff Meyer (7-0) played for coach Larry Tranberg at Wausau East as a junior and senior, earning first-team all-Wisconsin Valley Conference honors as a senior in 1989-90. He averaged 18.7 points, 8.6 rebounds and 6.0 blocked shots while helping the Lumberjacks to a 19-4 record and a share of the league title. Meyer, who grew 10 inches between the end of his eighth grade year and the start of his junior year of basketball, went on to play at NCAA Division I Massachusetts for current Kentucky coach John Calipari ... Craig Formanek (6-0) scored 879 in three seasons at Wausau Newman and helped the Cardinals to a league title and a spot in the WISAA Class A State Tournament in 1988-89. He averaged 16.2 ppg as a senior and earned honorable mention all-state honors. Formanek went on to play college basketball at Edgewood College ... Jim Martell (6-5) played alongside Bob Steif at Wausau East in 1970-71 and finished second on the team in scoring (16.3 ppg) and rebounding (10.5 rpg). He scored 25 points in an 89-82 overtime loss to Milwaukee King in a WIAA State Tournament semifinal game, and he helped the Lumberjacks to a 19-7 record. Martell went on to play four years of college basketball for UW-Eau Claire ... Playing in the last year of Wausau High School prior to the split into East and West in 1969-70, guard Bruce Weinkauf (6-2) helped the Lumberjacks to a trip to the WIAA State Tournament and a 21-4 record under coach Doug Martin. Weinkauf, who averaged 7.8 ppg as a junior for a Wausau team that went 17-8, averaged 17.9 ppg and 3.1 apg as a senior. He went on to score 1,077 during his stellar collegiate career at UW-Stevens Point ... Judd Schoeneman (6-6) earned first-team all-Central Wisconsin Catholic Conference honors as a junior and senior at Wausau Newman. Playing for coach Connie Knoche, Schoeneman averaged 18.0 ppg and 11.3 rpg as a senior in 1962-63 while helping Newman to a 14-8 record. Schoeneman scored a career-high 32 points in a victory at Pacelli and also earned a spot on the Wisconsin Catholic Interscholastic Athletic Association All-Tournament team in 1963. He went on to play basketball at the University of Wisconsin ... Mike Hughes (6-8) became an all-Wisconsin State University Conference performer at UW-Stevens Point following his high school days at Wausau Newman. As a senior at Newman in 1963-64, Hughes averaged 13.7 ppg and a remarkable 20.0 rpg as he helped the Cardinals to a 13-9 record. At Stevens Point, Hughes still ranks as the No. 1 player in school history in rebound average per game at 12.0 rpg. He also holds the school record for most rebounds in a game, grabbing 26 caroms in a game against UW-Superior ... Al Cronk (6-5) proved to be a top frontcourt player for coach Marsh Taylor at Wausau High School from 1955-58. As a senior, Cronk earned first-team all-Big Rivers Conference honors, honorable mention all-state recognition and averaged 17.5 ppg and 18.5 rpg while helping the Lumberjacks to the league title and a spot in the WIAA sectional finals, where they lost in the playoffs for the third straight season to Shawano. Cronk scored 760 points during his three-year varsity career ... Jim Otto graduated from Wausau High School in 1956 and went on to play 15 years in the NFL with the Oakland Raiders. Otto is a NFL Hall of Fame inductee, but at Wausau High School in the winter, he did not play basketball, but instead opted for hockey. 

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