Hurons travel to Alcona for district tournament

?This was a good game to get us ready for Posen and for Mio,? said coach Karl Grambau after his team pulled out a gritty 48-43 win over Cheboygan Tuesday. The Hurons (11-8) wrap up the regular season with a game at Posen Friday then travel to Alcona Wednesday for a 6 p.m. game with Mio in the district tournament. The district finals are set for Friday, March 9, at Alcona. Alcona plays Whittemore-Prescott Monday at 7 p.m., and the winner of that game plays Hale Wednesday after the RC vs. Alcona contest.

NEITHER TEAM could gain the upper hand over the other Tuesday, with the Hurons using a stifling zone to suppress the smaller Chief lineup and Cheboygan playing physical man-to-man. Cheboygan scored the first four points of the game and held on to a 12-11 lead at the end of the first quarter. Turnovers plagued the Hurons in the opening minutes as the team played its last home game of the season. A sharp pass from Scott Kowalewsky to a cutting Jordan Claus pulled the Hurons to within one at 19-18 with 3:59 left in the second quarter. With the Huron zone clogging the inside, forcing Cheboygan to launch unsuccessful three-pointers, the Hurons took the lead on another shot by Claus, this time set up by a pass from junior guard Bret Karsten. Cody Wirgau?s steal and breakaway lay up gave the Hurons their final points as the half ended tied at 22-22.

THE LEAD CHANGED hands two times in the third. The Hurons tied the game on a 15-foot jumper from senior guard Andy Tulgestke with 2:54 left in the half, and then took the lead as Tulgestke drained a three-pointer from the right corner with one minute left in the half. After the Hurons made their lead eight, as Kowalewsky hit a cutting Wirgau with an inside pass, the Chiefs called time out. They responded by scoring the next five points to cut the lead to three at 43-40 with two minutes left in the game. A three-pointer cut the lead to one at 44-43 with one minute left, but Cheboygan could get no closer. Tulgestke led the team with 12 points, adding eight rebounds. Kowalewsky had nine points, 14 rebounds, and five assists. Wirgau added nine points and five rebounds. Rogers City played without starters Scott Grulke, out with a knee injury, and Trent Holmes, home sick. Holmes is expected back Friday, but Grulke?s return is uncertain. ?We would sure like him back, but we want to do what is best for Scott,? Grambau said. He said it is possible that Grulke, who brings speed and a great three-point shot to the Hurons, could play Wednesday in the tournament.

SATURDAY AT Rudyard, in a make-up game,

The Hurons lost 59-53. Rogers City led 39-38 heading into the last quarter before Rudyard rallied for 22 points in the final stanza for the win. Karsten had 19 points, Kowalewsky scored 18, Holmes had 10, and Tulgestke had six as only four Hurons scored in the game. Rogers City went to the free throw line only three times, hitting two of them.

FRIDAY, THE Hurons thumped Newberry, 52-33. Rogers City started sluggishly, trailing 18-16 at halftime. But a 36-point second half powered the comeback win. Kowalewsky had 14 points while Tulgestke had 12, The Hurons were money from the line, hitting on 13-of-15 shots.

THE HURON JV won two-of-three games this week, starting with a 49-20 win over Newberry. Justin Idalski scored nine as 12 players scored in the win over the Indians. Saturday at Rudyard, the JV Hurons suffered a 56-40 loss after falling behind 19-5 after the first quarter. Devon Ferris had 16 points in the loss as the Hurons hit on just 7-of-18 from the free throw line. ROGERS CITY shot down Cheboygan 72-50 as the home team led all the way. Jordan Zempel scored 14, Ferris had 13, Kevin Fairbanks 12, and Pat Quaine added 10 in the game.