SHIELDS - The Panther boys basketball team failed to clinch a TVC Championship on Tuesday as they dropped a 73-66 decision to the Vikings. The game got off to a fast start as both offenses were firing on all cylinders in the first period as the teams combined for 47 points in the first eight minutes. Both teams dropped back in the second period, however, and the game was played at a much slower pace. Alma (14-4, 10-2 TVC Central) scored just eight points in the quarter, and the Vikings (11-7, 9-3 TVC Central) found themselves ahead 37-32 at the half. Swan Valley quickly pushed their lead out to 12, at 50-38 a little over halfway through the frame. The guests would cut the lead back down to nine heading into the fourth. The guests would make a run to cut the score to two after junior Than Wood hit a pair of technical free throws to make the score 65-63, but a Panther miss on the ensuing possession led to a Garrett Preston three pointer on the other end that all but sealed the victory for the Vikings. Junior Dylan Carl led the way for the Panthers with 22 points, 15 rebounds, and five blocks. Wood was also big for the Panthers as he scored 17 on the night. Alma will host Ovid-Elsie (9-9, 6-6 TVC Central) on Friday in their final home game of the season. The game will tip at 7:30 p.m.
SHIELDS - The Alma girls basketball team fell in a defensive battle on Tuesday night. The Panthers came into the contest just a game behind the Vikings (11-7, 8-5 TVC Central) for third place in the conference, but after the loss, Alma (10-9, 6-7 TVC Central) fell to a three-way tie for fourth with Hemlock and Shepherd. The Panthers dominated time of possession throughout the first period as they dictated the tempo and controlled the stanza. The ball simply eluded to find the bottom of the net. After one, the Panthers found themselves on the wrong side of a 3-0 score. The Panthers continued to dictate the tempo in the second quarter, but still found themselves trailing 9-5 at the half. Coming out of the break the guests again went a full period without a field goal and began to feel pressure as the Viking lead was extended to eight heading into the final frame. There, the Panthers would find their offense, but so would the hosts as the Vikings rode out the quarter to a 24-17 victory. Sophomore Kenzie Seeley had a game high 12 points. The Panthers will end their regular season on Friday for senior night as they host Ovid-Elsie (4-15, 1-12 TVC Central) for a 6:00 p.m. tip-off.
The Alma girls bowling team competed at the TVC Tournament on Saturday. The team started the day sitting in first place in the league standings, and held the spot through the first to matches as they shot a 847 and 889. In the third, however, the Panthers bowled just a 784 and fell down to fourth in the 18 team league.
Freshmen Kemmie Shunk led the way for the Panthers as she took fifth at the tournament and freshman Morgan Johnson bowled a 546 - good for eighth on the day. The team will compete at regionals this week.
ALMA - A 15-0 run to start the game was enough to propel the Panthers to victory over defending TVC Champion Hemlock. The Huskies (11-6, 7-4 TVC Central) had no answer for the Panther (14-3, 10-1 TVC Central) offense as they scored 20 points in each of the first two quarters to lead 40-22 at the break. Hemlock made one run to cut the Panther deficit to eight, but the Panthers quickly pushed the lead back to double digits. Junior Dylan Carl led the way for the Panthers as he had 28 points and 14 rebounds. Sophomore Ryan Cornejo added 14 points and ten rebounds of his own, and sophomore Konner Vedrode had 11 points. The Panthers will look to lock up a share of the TVC Central crown on Tuesday when they travel to Swan Valley for a battle with the Vikings (10-7, 8-3 TVC Central).
The Alma wrestling team fell to Whitehall on Wednesday night as they finished their historic season. The team won their first district championship since 2004. After the district competition the Panthers found themselves in a region with perennial powers Whitehall and Chippewa Hills - and there they would see the end of their season. Alma will lose seniors Boyd Hubbard, Damian Castillo, Gabe Wadsworth, Jared Peterman, Jerrick Brecht, and Nick Moeggenborg, but will return a core group of wrestlers including junior Gilbert Rosas, and freshmen Alex Rosas and Jaden Jerome. Five wrestlers will look forward to wrestling at individual regionals on Saturday.
ALMA - The Panther boys basketball team cruised to another 20 point win as they defeated Bay City John Glenn 73-50 on Tuesday night. The Panther offense had no trouble all night, but after one the Panther advantage was just one at 21-20. After the first, Alma (13-3) locked down defensively, holding the guests to just nine points in the second quarter. The Panthers held a seven point advantage at the break, 36-29. A 7-0 run to start the second half all but sealed the game for the Panthers as the Bobcats (8-6) never cut the lead to single digits again. From that point forward the Panthers cruised as they continued to push their lead out. Junior Dylan Carl paced the Panthers 12 points, 12 rebounds, five assists and five blocks. Sophomore Konner Vedrode added 14, junior Than Wood had 13 and sophomore Ryan Cornejo had 12 points and ten rebounds. Sophomore Anthony Humm and senior Zach Hanson added six a piece off the bench. The Panthers will get back to TVC action on Friday when they host second-place Hemlock (11-5, 7-3 TVC Central) for a 7:30 p.m. tip off.
Boyd Hubbard and Damian Castillo have had seasons to remember as seniors in 2014-15. They checked another box in their checklists on Saturday as they won their individual district championships at Chippewa Hills. Both will move on to the regional competition next weekend. Senior Gabe Wadsworth took second on the weekend and will join the pair at regionals. Sophomore Sage Gonzales and freshman Alex Rosas also will advance to regionals. The team will compete at team regionals on Wednesday.
ALMA - The Alma boys basketball team team gave up a season low 40 points on Friday en route to a 57-40 victory over Chesaning. The Panthers pushed their lead out to seven early in the first quarter and slowly extended it out through the rest of the game. Alma (12-3, 9-1 TVC Central) would take a 30-20 lead into the break. In the third quarter the Panther defense would again shine as the Indians (2-13, 2-8 TVC Central) would score just five points in the stanza. From their the Panthers would cruise to a 57-40 victory. Junior Dylan Carl led the way for the Panthers with 19 points and 15 rebounds while sophomore Konner Vedrode added 17. Alma will host Bay City John Glenn on Tuesday for a 7:30 p.m. tip.
ALMA - The Alma girls basketball team recovered from an early deficit to defeat the visiting Indians 50-37 on Friday night. The teams went back and forth in a clash of styles in the first quarter as the bigger Indians (4-13, 1-10 TVC Central) scored from the inside while the Panthers (10-7, 6-5 TVC Central) used an outside attack. The visitors would pull ahead in the second quarter to take a 22-20 lead at the intermission. The third quarter would belong solely to the Panthers. The hosts would outscore Chesaning 20-6 in the third quarter and from that point would cruise to a 13 point victory. Sophomore Kenzie Seeley led the way with 20 for the Panthers, while sophomore Mariah Castillo added nine. The Panthers will next host Hemlock (9-8, 4-7 TVC Central) on Friday for a 6:00 tip.
Seniors Damian Castillo (middle left) and Boyd Hubbard (middle right) pose with their dads after winning the district on Wednesday.
ALMA - The Alma wrestling team won their first district championship since 2004 on Wednesday night when they took down Ithaca and Lakeview. In the first match the Panthers rolled past Ithaca by a score of 63-12. Lakeview took down Central Montcalm on the other side of the bracket, setting up a final between the Panthers and the Wildcats.
The Panthers started off hot with a wins by freshman Alex Rosas, senior Damian Castillo (by vin) and sophomore Sage Gonzales to put them up 12-0. Lakeview would answer and take a 16-12 lead heading into the 160 pound weight class. There, junior Antonio Rosalez would put the Panthers back up 18-16 with a victory by pin. Senior Jared Peterman would follow with a pin of his own, and then fellow senior Boyd Hubbard would win via void to put the Panthers up 30-16. A win by junior Adam Bemis at 215 would put the score at 33-16 - meaning the Panthers needed just one win between the heavy weight, 103, 112, and 118 weight classes to clinch the title.
The Panthers wouldn't have to wait long.
And it would be decisive.
Senior Gabe Wadsworth handily defeated his opponent, winning by tech fall, and giving the Panthers a decisive 38-16 advantage. The Panthers then chose to void the final three classes to eliminate risk of injury, making the final score 38-34.
"It was huge for us to win this. We've worked so hard all year for exactly that," said Castillo. "It makes it even more better that we were able to win it during my senior year.
As a team, the Panthers will look forward to wrestling at Grant next week in a very tough regional.
"We have worked hard for it all year, and now that work has paid off," said Hubbard, "No we have to go back and work even harder to try and pull off some upsets at regionals."
The next action for the wrestlers will be Saturday when they travel to Chippewa Hills for individual districts.