After victories over the Cyclones and a pair of Eagles, the Bulldog Boys took first place at the Kwik Trip Holiday Tournament at BLC.
As the 2025 portion of the winter sports season came to a close on December 29, the Janesville-Waldorf Pemberton Bulldog Boys not only continued their undefeated streak, they brought home some well-earned hardware after a first place finish at the Kwik Trip Holiday Tournament.
This would be the second straight year JWP competed in the Championship game; however, they fell just short to the towering Fairmont Cardinals 66-59 in 2024. This time around, the Bulldogs used their blend of blazing speed, rugged defense, and a few highlight plays by the Bauer Bros to secure a 3-0 record in the tournament capped off by a convincing 68-46 over the Maple River Eagles.
In an odd twist of fate, JWP squared off against St. Clair–a team they had handily defeated 84-46 four days prior–in the opening round of the tournament. The opening minutes showed traces of the first matchup as the Bulldogs relied on their fast and furious tempo to lead to scoring opportunities. Back-to-back threes by Gavin Bauer sparked a shooting spree on the court and JWP soon led by as many as 13; however, St. Clair showed some resolve by adapting their defensive scheme.
A full court press forced a few transition baskets while Sam Freitag buried two three pointers of his own to bring the game at 37-33. Determined to keep momentum on their side, Daultin Bauer splashed a three, Quast hustled on a putback, and G. Bauer converted a difficult acrobatic layup as the half ended with JWP leading 43-35.
Though the Bulldogs maintained control throughout the second half, a commitment to the full court press forced frequent turnovers, and the Cyclones capitalized to come within a single point of tying the game at 58. Quast quieted the noise with a five-point run of his own, Wolff–who at this point played with tissue stuffed in his snout–floated a shot over a defender then drilled a three in transition, and D. Bauer rocketed a pass to Quast inside to punctuate a 13-1 run. St. Clair persisted as the final minutes ticked down, but a reverse layup by DB sealed a 77-68 final score. D. Bauer led the team with 25 points, Quast with 18, Wolff with 15.
In a game this reporter defined as a “rollercoaster,” the Bulldogs delivered a gutsy, dogged performance in their 83-76 semi-final victory over the New Ulm Eagles. Both teams appeared evenly matched, and the game featured numerous ties and lead changes throughout; however, in the most pressing moments down the stretch, JWP relied on its two premier players, the Bauer Bros–who combined for 54 points–to punch their ticket to the Championship round.
The opening frame was a back-and-forth affair that saw both teams struggle to find a consistent rhythm. New Ulm had a noticeable size advantage inside, and they capitalized on that fact to jump out to an early lead; however, the Bulldogs kept nipping at their heels with a series of highlight plays. GB needled a pass to Weedman for an inside score, Kronbach hustled for a putback on the break, and DB’s corner three tied the game at 19 then a display of exceptional team basketball led to a wide open Quast in the corner. Despite a late 11-6 run by the Eagles, Weedman knocked down a critical three-pointer, and a beautiful pick-and-roll from DB to Quast ensured the teams went into the locker room deadlocked at 42-42.
As the Bulldogs emerged from the break, their renewed intensity in the transition game proved to be too much for the Eagles to contain. Three pointers by DB and Quast broke the game wide open as JWP led 59-50…which at this point was the largest lead for either team. That lead only grew after an offensive board by Kronbach led to another GB triple, pushing the Bulldog’s lead to double digits. New Ulm refused to go quietly, clawing back to within two points at 72-70 following a string of JWP turnovers and defensive lapses.
With two minutes remaining and a slim 74-72 lead, the Bauer Bros became the necessary one-two punch to deliver the final blow in the contest. There was no more room to stand on ceremony as both took to a more physical style of play, driving to the basket and enduring what punishment befell them, but it would be a leaning three by GB that ultimately decided the game, marking a 83-76 win. D. Bauer led with 31 points, G. Bauer with 23, Quast with 11.
For the second straight year, the Bulldog Boys would compete in the Championship game of the tournament and oddly enough, they would have to go through their second straight Eagles team–Maple River–to reach the mountaintop.
In many ways, the title game played out more like a chess match as each team posted differing playstyles. The Bulldogs relied on its transition game to spark an early 8-0 run; however, the Eagles clawed their way back with a formidable post presence down low. Both teams traded control of the lead and the defensive intensity swelled up at times, resulting in hard fouls, an elbow or two to the ribs, and the occasional thud of a player hitting the floor. A thrilling opening salvo to determine the tournament champion, JWP and Maple River served as the ideal counter to each other’s strengths, and a 23-22 halftime score reflected a physically draining 18 minutes of basketball.
As the second half unraveled and the score tied at 28, it appeared another slugfest between two victory-hungry teams would break out; however, a trap zone defensive adjustment by the Bulldogs paved a smoother path to a decisive victory and championship trophy. G. Bauer scored seven straight unanswered points, including a coast-to-coast layup which sparked a 12-2 run that the Eagles never recovered from. JWP’s chemistry was on full display as Wolff connected with D. Bauer on a pick-and-roll lob for a basket while the hallmark “Bauer to Bauer” finish had Bulldog fans barking with joy.
A switch had been flipped and Maple River soon became unable to keep up; their attempts at the inside game became void as JWP’s rotations eliminated passing lanes. The lead ballooned to 54-40 and Weedman’s gritty second-chance finish followed by a quality dime to Quast on the break served as the official daggers to a commanding 68-46 victory. G. Bauer led with 18 points, D. Bauer with 15, Weedman with 12.
Following the game, members of the Holiday Tournament team were announced with Gavin Bauer, Daultin Bauer, and Caleb Quast receiving recommendations.
It may have been a grueling set of games at the Kwik Trip Holiday Tournament, but the Bulldogs showcased incredible perseverance en route to their championship-winning performance. Each game pushed JWP to adapt their strategies and overcome moments of struggle, physical play, and last-minute theatrics, and yet they can rejoice in not only a flawless 10-0 record on the season, but in being crowned the top Dawgs.
Gavin Bauer, Caleb Quast, and Daulton Bauer received nominations for the All-Tournament Team.
