The road to the state tournament often requires a team to outlast the pressure of the postseason, and for the Janesville-Waldorf-Pemberton Bulldogs, that journey culminated in a showering of praise by a howling fan section and the rhythmic snipping of the nets. After a dominant semifinal showing and a gritty championship victory, the Bulldogs are officially Section 2A Champions and State bound.
The final week of the Section 2A tournament kicked off on Monday, March 9th, at Gustavus Adolphus College. Facing the #5 seeded Nicollet Raiders, the #1 Bulldogs wasted no time asserting their dominance.
Gavin Bauer set the tone immediately, scoring on the first possession and following it up with a steal and score to put JWP up early. While the Raiders briefly ignited their fan section with a three-pointer to take a slim lead, it was short-lived. G. Bauer answered with a triple of his own, riling up his pack of Bulldogs to go on a steady run.
Daulton Bauer added points off steals, while Caleb Quast dominated the glass. By the time the halftime whistle blew, the Bulldogs had built a commanding 41-24 lead. Though Nicollet attempted to rally in waves during the second half, the Bulldogs were relentless, punching their ticket to the Section 2A finals with a 75-58 victory. G. Bauer led the team with 21 points, D. Bauer with 18, Gavin Weedman with 15, Quast with 13.
Two days later, Minnesota State University provided the stage for the Championship game between JWP and the Springfield Tigers. These two teams had battled in early January with the Bulldogs claiming a slim victory; however, the Tigers entered with the motivation of two years of playoff heartbreak while the Bulldogs entered as a freight train that had spent most of their season steamrolling the competition.
Despite a brief delay due to a clock malfunction, the intensity was high from the jump. Springfield brought a height advantage, but the Bulldogs utilized their speed and quickness to hound the Tigers defensively. D. Bauer and Quast worked the interior, while Parker Geariety hit a crucial early three to keep JWP ahead 9-6. Postseason play invites opportunities to rise above the competition, and by all simple means, the first half became the Gavin Bauer show. Driving the lane, hitting euro-steps, and nailing shots from the elbow, Bauer pushed the lead to double digits before ending the half with 15 points. A late three from Tyson Kronbach sent the Bulldogs into the locker room with a 45-31 advantage.
Determined to not let history repeat itself three years straight, Springfield refused to go quietly, cutting the lead to nine points midway through the second half. However, every time the Tigers gained even a sliver of momentum, the Bulldog defense tamed them with an interior defense that suffocated passing lanes. G. Bauer continued his scoring clinic with a flurry of threes, and-ones, and fastbreak scores, finishing with a staggering 37 points.
As the clock ticked down, the outcome became inevitable. A final reverse layup by D. Bauer put the exclamation point on an 80-65 victory. As the reserves entered the game, the JWP faithful erupted, a sea of fans howling in utter joy as their team secured the first state trip for the program since 2008. D. Bauer with 12 points.
With the final buzzer, the Bulldog Boys howled in celebration as a season of high expectations and State dreams had become a reality. A ceremony awarding JWP the Section 2A Title followed the game and each Bulldog received a piece of the net as a personal keepsake to remember this extraordinary moment.
Throughout this playoff run, the Bulldogs have displayed incredible resilience, overcoming a slow start in the opening round against GHEC only to blaze a trail to State off three straight dominant wins. In those three games against the Clippers, Raiders, and Tigers, JWP outscored their opponents 247 to 188—proving why they are now the top dogs of Section 2A.
In the post game, the Bauer Bros were beside themselves as they absorbed the moment. Reaching State has been a dream for the dynamic duo and their play during the Section 2A tournament helped lead the Bulldogs to a date with destiny, “It’s amazing,” said Daulton Bauer. “We have been working hard for the last four years. So great to see that hard work pay off.”
Gavin Bauer, who returned from an early-postseason injury to become the team’s catalyst in the final against Springfield, echoed the sentiment. “It’s a great feeling playing with my brother and these guys. We play so well together… to make it to State is nothing short of incredible.”
For Coach Nick James, the victory was the culmination of years of steady growth with the program. “It still feels a bit surreal. After a few years, you start to feel that maybe you will never get the opportunity,” he said. “I’m just so proud of the boys for earning themselves this opportunity. They have worked so hard all season.”
The Bulldogs now look ahead to the State Tournament held thru March 26-28, where three games in three days will test their depth and endurance. If their Section 2A run was any indication, the Bulldogs are ready to grind their way to become the top dog once more.
