Balanced Falcons take on challenge

Greenfield - Balance, teamwork and unselfishness are boosting the Whitnall boys basketball team to new heights - and the surge is coming just in time.

The Falcons routed Wauwatosa West, 82-57, on Friday and downed Pewaukee, 70-56, on Jan. 10 to extend their winning streak to four games. In that stretch, they have outscored opponents by 20, 41, 14 and 25 points and are averaging just over 70 points.

Lots of scoring abounds

Against Pewaukee, they placed three players in double figures and against Tosa West, they just missed having four in double digits. Even more impressively, they did all this with last year's leading scorer, Stephen Pelkofer, scoring just five points against Pewaukee and sitting out the West game with a sore back.

"We are playing well as a team," said head coach Kent Kroupa after his squad improved to 12-1 overall and 8-1 in the Woodland Conference. "No one guy is looking to score, and everyone is getting involved in the scoring. We've had five guys around nine points in some games."

This is a good time for the Falcons to be in top form because they visit New Berlin Eisenhower at 7:30 p.m. Friday in a showdown for first place in the Black Division of the Woodland. The Lions come in at 8-2 in the division and 10-3 overall, having lost two of their last three and beating Greendale by just one point in the other game.

"They've had some close calls," Kroupa said of the Lions, who shared the Woodland Black crown with the Falcons last season at 13-4. "They are in the same seat as us. When you're at the top, people come looking for you, and you'd better be ready.

"This is always a big game. There is a lot at stake. If we can win, we have a two-game lead in the conference over them."

Big leads over Tosa West

In Friday's Tosa West game, the Falcons bolted to leads of 28-5 after one quarter and 49-18 at the half.

Wing player Ian Ray was sizzling from the outside, nailing five 3-point field goals en route to a team-high 22 points.

"Offensively, he is probably our best scorer, with his quickness and 3-point shooting," Kroupa said. "Defensively, he has picked up his game, which will give him more playing time."

Luke Mentkowski finished with 16 points and Sam Mentkowski and Michael Bonin nine apiece for Whitnall. Pelkofer dressed for the game but did not play, with Kroupa wanting him to rest his sore back.

"(The back problems) are accumulated from all his hard work," said the coach, who added that Pelkofer would be available for the Eisenhower game.

Luke Mentkowski led the way against Pewaukee with 22 points, while Ray added 18 with a trio of 3-pointers and Bryan Nagy 11 points.

Whitnall is gearing for a difficult finish to the season, with games left against St. Thomas More, Brown Deer and South Milwaukee (7-2 in the Woodland Black), plus a rematch with Eisenhower in the home season finale.

WOODLAND BLACK

The standings in the Woodland Black Division, going into this week:

Whitnall 8-1, 12-1

New Berlin Eisenhower 8-2, 10-3

South Milwaukee 7-2, 9-3

Greendale 4-5, 4-9

Wauwatosa West 2-7, 2-12

Greenfield 0-9, 0-12