Appleton North ready to take on Wisconsin Lutheran

APPLETON (WLUK) — Appleton North is going where no team before it in program history has ever been, the state basketball tournament.

The Lightning beat rival Kaukauna in a Division 1 sectional final to reach a state semifinal and they’re excited.

“State is so cool,” senior Nathan Ramus said. “It’s going to be a great experience and all the hard work we put in throughout the last four years and even when we were kids, it’s just going to mean everything to end our careers there. We’ve worked so hard to get here.”

“It’s been a worldwind and for us reaching our goals, that we set at the start of the season, goals that we’ve never reached before,” coach Chris Kellett said. “Just trying to get the players to kind of calm down, take a deep breath, and then kind of reset and start over. And then obviously preparing for Wisconsin Lutheran through a snowstorm has been a quite challenging as well.

“So just getting a chance to reset the minds and the body and just get ready to compete.”

No. 4 seeded Appleton North (24-4) will open state tournament play Friday at the Kohl Center against undefeated and top-seeded Wisconsin Lutheran (28-0), which is 86-2 over the last three seasons with a state championship last year in Division 1 and a state championship the year before in Division 2. Because of that, not many people will give North a chance to win this game, but the Lightning will be ready.

“Wisconsin Lutheran is a great team,” Ramus said. “We know we’re going to have to beat them at some point, so might as well beat them first night. We know we’ve got to win two games to win state. That’s the goal, so yeah, nothing changes.”

“They were deserving of a number one ranking, you know, all year, they’re a great team, well coached,” senior Grant Hardy said. “They went down to South Carolina, you know, they won that tournament. They’re long, skilled, they’re a great team. I think people will overlook the FVA, and how tough that is.

“We’re prepared for this moment, I think. We’re just kind of waiting for the moment to strike, and we’re excited to show the state of what we’re about.”

No better time to do it against the state’s to-ranked team on the biggest stage.

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