District roundup: Pellston, Inland Lakes win; Onaway bows out
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MACKINAW CITY – Things can change in a hurry.
One week ago, in the same gymnasium, the Pellston Hornets were overwhelmed by the rival Mackinaw City Comets, who earned a lopsided home victory.
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On Monday, Feb. 23, the Hornets made amends for their disappointing setback by upending the Comets with a 52-40 victory in an MHSAA Division 4 boys basketball district first-round game in Mackinaw City.
“The kids did a great job of not panicking,” Pellston coach Jared Anderson said. “I think last the last time we played against them, we kind of panicked against their press, that hurt us, but we had some great practices the last few days with some alumni in to help us and simulate it, so that was great.”
In a game of momentum swings for both teams, the Hornets (9-14) came out firing early as senior Connor Keller drilled a pair of 3-pointers, which played a part in Pellston opening the contest on a 12-0 run. Keller, along with senior Josh Grondin, helped the Hornets take a 16-5 advantage after one.
However, Pellston saw its lead evaporate in the second quarter against the Comets (14-8), who received four first-half threes from senior Kyle Valot. After being outscored by 11 in the first, the Comets flipped the script with a 19-2 advantage in the second and took a 24-18 lead into the break.
But right when it looked like the Hornets might see their chances slip away, their defense showed up in a big way in the second half, limiting Mackinaw City’s guards and especially senior Ben Strittmatter, who could never find a scoring rhythm inside. In the end, it was enough for Pellston to keep its season alive.
“(Mackinaw City) scored 61 points on us last week. They scored 46 of those in the paint, so that was a big win for us tonight, to try and make them shoot a little bit and force them out and not give Ben (Strittmatter), who’s a great player, a bunch of layups and putbacks,” Anderson said. “We talked about one shot at a time, don’t give them multiple chances between Ben and Kyle (Valot) because they’re both great rebounders, and I thought we did a good job of that.”
Grondin and Keller both netted 19 points to fuel the Hornets. Sam O’Neil recorded six points, while Lucas Livermore and Donovan O’Rourke chipped in with four apiece.
While the Comets received an excellent performance from Valot, who finished with a game-high 22 points, their struggles in the second half came at the worst possible time.
“All the credit goes to Pellston. They made some big-time adjustments going back to last week, and they outworked us tonight,” Mackinaw City coach Elijah May said. “A ton of credit goes to (Grondin). He really tore us up on the offensive glass, and his shot making was much better than last week, and he showed that he’s the real deal. It was a real game of momentum.”
Tyler Hingston tallied 10 points for Mackinaw City, which received four from Strittmatter and two from Knox Wilson. Hingston, along with Strittmatter and fellow senior Braylon Currie, played their final games as Comets on Monday.
“These guys came into Mackinaw City basketball in a time where we had lost some phenomenal athletic groups, and we made a regional final run, and they had big shoes to fill,” May said of his seniors. “Last year was kind of a rebuilding year, and we took our lumps last year, and they stuck with it. These seniors put in a ton of time over the summer, and they’re really three nose-to-the-grindstone kids, and I couldn’t be more proud of the culture they built. It’s a lasting culture now. We defend hard and we work hard, and it’s because of each of those kids.”
Pellston travels to face undefeated Pickford (21-0) in a 6 p.m. district semifinal on Wednesday, Feb. 25.
Bulldogs beat Charlevoix, advance to semifinals
MANCELONA – The Inland Lakes boys basketball team started its postseason by earning a 55-48 victory over Charlevoix in an MHSAA Division 3 district first-round game at Mancelona on Monday, Feb. 23.
Zander Robinson scored 18 points to lead the Bulldogs, who received 11 points from Mason Green and 10 from Andre Bradford.
“We played pretty well at both ends of the floor after we settled down,” Inland Lakes coach Bryan Newman said. “We had a little trouble getting shots to fall for us early, but once we started to pick up the pace and get some easier looks at the basket, it helped get us in a rhythm.”
Inland Lakes also received seven points from Ryder LaBrecque and six from Cash DePauw.
“Defensively, we made some adjustments and encouraged communication, and the boys worked very well as a team after that on the defensive end,” Newman said. “It was a good win for these guys, and I am extremely proud of their effort tonight.”
Inland Lakes (15-8) faces East Jordan in a 7 p.m. district semifinal at Mancelona on Wednesday, Feb 25.
Cardinals fall short of comeback at Rogers City
ROGERS CITY – It could’ve gotten ugly, but the Onaway Cardinals refused to let it happen.
Down by as many as 17 points in the second quarter, the Cardinals fought back to put themselves in a position to stun rival Rogers City in the postseason.
However, the Cardinals, who got to within a point with 30 seconds left, fell short and saw their season end in a 54-50 loss to the Hurons in an MHSAA Division 4 boys basketball district first-round game at Rogers City on Monday, Feb. 23.
“I’m proud of these guys. They worked their butts off and made it an exciting game when it could have been a blowout,” Onaway coach Eddy Szymoniak said. “These guys weren’t going to quit. We got rattled early but once we settled in, we played great and moved the ball well.”
Delivering the best performance of his young career was freshman guard Deacon Szymoniak, who finished with a team-high 21 points and knocked down three of his five 3-pointers in the fourth quarter. Senior Trenton Soik added 13 points, while Casey Kindt scored eight, Drew Harman-Blanchard added six, and Keagan Beyer chipped in with two.
While the season was a disappointment results-wise for the Cardinals (5-18), Szymoniak likes where his program is headed, especially with many players returning for 2026-27.
“We definitely have potential for a bright future,” Szymoniak said. “These guys had a great attitude all year, and they took their lumps. As long as they put in the work, I think they’re going to be a fun team to watch. I wouldn’t want to be in any locker room other than this one.”
Jacob Catalano’s 23 points paced Rogers City.
The Hurons host Hillman in a 7 p.m. district semifinal on Wednesday, Feb. 23.
Contact sports editor Jared Greenleaf at [email protected]. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter @sportsCDT
This article originally appeared on Cheboygan Daily Tribune: Pellston boys basketball opens districts with win over Mackinaw City