Merrill Varsity Boys Basketball Team falls to Menomonie in WIAA Regional Semifinal, players named to All-Conference

The Merrill Varsity Boys Basketball season came to a close on Friday, March 6, 2026, as the Bluejays traveled to Menomonie for a WIAA Regional Semifinal matchup and fell to the home team, 34-56.
Merrill kept it close in the first half, trailing by just three points at the break, 19-22. However, the second half told a different story.
“I was glad we were able to play well enough on defense to keep us in it at halftime, but we came out a little slow out of the break, and they extended a three-point lead into a double-digit lead, and we just never could get back into it,” Merrill Varsity Boys Basketball Team Head Coach Troy Pieper said.
Defense was a bright spot throughout the game, even as the offense struggled to find its rhythm.
“Tonight wasn’t our night,” Pieper said. “We couldn’t get anything going offensively all night.”

“I thought our defense was solid and we did a nice job on that side of the floor,” he said. “However, we just couldn’t convert stops on the offensive side.”
Tyson Ott led the Bluejays in scoring with 15 points (6 FG, 3 3pt, 4 reb, 3 ast, 1 stl). Eli Burtman also turned in a strong performance with 9 points (4 FG, 1 FT, 5 reb, 1 ast, 1 stl, 3 blk).
With the loss, several Merrill Seniors played their final game in a Bluejay uniform — something not lost on their coach.
“I sure am going to miss my Senior group a lot,” Pieper said. “— A great group of awesome young men that have made a huge impact on our program. Some great leaders on and off the court, they leave the program in a better place and leave big shoes to fill for the underclassmen.”
“Not the way I thought tonight would go, but sometimes it’s just not your night,” he said. “It hurts really bad right now. — I love coaching this group; wish it didn’t end so abruptly.”
Pieper had a message for the players who will return next season.
“For the underclassmen, you can’t forget this feeling. Use the feeling we had after the game as fuel for the off season,” he said. “As always, Roll Jays.”
Box Score:
Merrill 34 @ Menomonie 56

Merrill players named to All-Conference, Seniors leave big shoes to fill

Four Merrill High School (MHS) Varsity Team players were recognized this season when All-Conference honors were being named.
MHS Junior Tyson Ott was named Second-Team All-Conference. “I think Tyson had a good enough year to earn First-Team,” Pieper said, “But sometimes it doesn’t go as you expect. There were a handful of really good players in the running for the last First-Team spot, and I understand why the votes went the way they did, but I — being a little biased — think Tyson is a First-Team player.”
Sophomore Payton Zimmerman, Senior Cooper Wendorf, and Senior Eli Burtman were all named Honorable-Mention All-Conference.
“Payton really came into his own down the stretch on the offensive side,” Pieper said. “Defensively he was there all season, as he led the Conference in steals, and came up just two short of setting the single-season school record. Sometimes, as a Sophomore, there is a bit of a feeling-out phase; however, for Payton, he realized early on that his natural talent and ability fits just fine at the Varsity level, and each game you could see his confidence soar, and I think he’s very deserving of being recognized.”
“Cooper is a natural leader on and off the court,” he said. “He is going to be a hard one to replace for multiple reasons. He’s one of those players who does a lot and sometimes it doesn’t always show in a stat. He’s our leader and has been all year, and his stats were right there to be a potential Second-Teamer, but getting recognized is still a great honor and well deserved for Coop.”
“Eli I think is the best true ‘big’ in the Conference and deserved to be a Second-Teamer, but the votes didn’t fall quite the way I expected,” Pieper said. “He led the Conference in blocks, was second in rebounding, and was a force in the paint all season. We will for sure have a hard time filling his role next year. Not sure if we will be able to fill the size he gave us. His hard work over the years really showed this year, and I’m glad he was recognized this year.”