Onaway basketball team prepare for stretch run

The OHS varsity basketball team dropped two straight last week to fall to 3-12. Only five games remain before the Cardinals take part in the district tournament. Between now and then, the Red Birds have to improve or an early departure from the post-season is inevitable. Coach Jason Larson said that improvement must start at the defensive end.

“We’re just not playing good defense right now,” Larson said after his team dropped Tuesday’s contest at Pellston, 72-63. “We’ve got to pick it up there?s no question. We’ve got to work much harder on that end.” The Cards will host a talented Bellaire squad in tonight’s (Friday’s) homecoming game. Then, on Tuesday, they will travel to Rogers City for a rematch with the Hurons, who defeated them a few weeks ago, 76-58.

Onaway now has given up 70-plus points in three straight games. The Cards have managed to stay in those games by hitting some shots, but in the end their defense has failed them. Pellston led OHS 24-20 after one period on Tuesday, but the Cards tied the game at 37 heading into the intermission. A 22-11 edge in the third frame put the Hornets in command for good. “They had three kids that scored 22 points in that period,” Larson said. “And they were the three kids we said before the game that we needed to contain. That’s disappointing.”

Senior center Alex Forth paced the Cards, who couldn’t get closer than nine in the final stanza, with 18 points. Carl Bednark chipped in with 14, while Harry Cleaver had 13. Earlier in the evening, the JV Cardinals improved to 9-6 with a 50-37 win over Pellston. Onaway led 16-8 after one period, 26-12 at the half, and 39-21 after three stanzas.

“We never trailed and we were never really threatened, but we kind of let them hang around,” said coach Marty Mix. “The kids were a little flat on defense, but on offense we’re moving the ball really well. “The one thing you can say about this team is they never stop working. We only had six kids suited up for this game but they all continue to give it everything they’ve got every night.” Johnny Palmer led the JV Red Birds offensi

vely with 16 points. Derick Peterman added 12 points, while Ben Rieger finished with 10 points for Onaway. Last Friday, the varsity Cards lost at Central Lake 75-64, trailing 28-13 after one period, 47-33 at the half, and 69-44 after three frames. Again, defense was a problem. On the offensive end, senior guard Corbin Splan led the way for Onaway with 18 points. Forth added 14 points for the Red Birds, and Bednark scored 13. The JV Cardinals won their game with the Trojans 54-25, busting out to a 28-8 lead after one frame before pulling off their press. The Cards led 39-13 at the half and 49-17 after three periods.

Rieger connected on four trifectas on his way to a game-high 19 points for Onaway. Lonnie Splan chipped in with 17 points. The Cards lost by just two against RC last time, and will be looking to turn the tables Tuesday. The final three games for the Cards are against Rudyard, Newberry, and a yet-to-be-determined foe in the annual Ski Valley Conference cross-over game.