On Friday night’s version of the “Original Big Show” we brought you highlights from a couple of different sports all across Northern Michigan!
WRESTLING STATE QUARTERFINALS
BENZIE CENTRAL VS IRON MOUNTAIN
Benzie Central 59, Iron Mountain 13
For the second consecutive year, the Benzie Central Huskies wrestling team has made program history; this time it advanced to a state semifinal for the first time ever with a 59-13 victory over Iron Mountain on Friday afternoon.
The third-seeded Huskies used three pins and a pair of Mountaineer voids at the start of the match to build an insurmountable 30-0 lead. Iron Mountain was only able to score one pin in the dual match, while the Huskies recorded five falls.
The Huskies will now face second-seeded St. Louis, the team that eliminated Benzie Central in the quarterfinals a year ago, in the Division Four State Semifinals at Wings Event Center in Kalamazoo on Saturday morning. A Benzie Central victory would send them to the state final match on Saturday afternoon against the winner of Hudson and Manchester.
HART VS CONSTANTINE
Down 17 points with three matches to go in their Division 3 State Quarterfinal on Friday, the Hart Pirates needed three straight pins to win and advance to the state semifinals.
They got the first two pins, but could not quite get the third, as they fell in heart-breaking fashion to Constantine 32-30.
The match turned on a controversial call in the match at 190 pounds, where Hart’s Adrian Tice took down Constantine’s Gregg Read, but the referees stopped the match, fearing that Read had been knocked out. Tice was not awarded points for the takedown, and the match ended up going to overtime, where Read got a takedown to earn a win for the Falcons.
This was the fourth straight season that the Pirates’ season has ended in the state quarterfinal round of competition. They entered Friday as the fifth-seed, and nearly pulled off the upset of the fourth-seed Constantine. Hart finishes the season with a 26-7 overall record.
The Falcons advance to face Dundee in Saturday’s state semifinal match.
BOYS BASKETBALL
BEAVERTON VS GLADWIN
Beaverton 54, Gladwin 45
Beaverton gets the win on Roy Johnston’s final home game as Beaverton’s boys’ basketball coach after 50 years at the helm, he holds the all time record for most wins in the state of Michigan as a boy’s basketball coach. Both of these teams will start district play next week.
BRIMLEY VS NEWBERRY
Brimley 65, Newberry 48
Brimley got off to a fast start thanks to Trey Lynn and held off a late rally by Newberry.
The Bays improve to 8-14 and begin district play on Wednesday against Pickford.
Newberry is now 4-16 and meets Engadine Monday night for a district matchup.
GIRLS BASKETBALL
ELK RAPIDS VS EAST JORDAN
Elk Rapids 60, East Jordan 38
The Elks came into the contest atop the Lake Michigan Conference 12-1. With the win, they advance to 13-1 in the conference and 19-2 overall. Their final regular season game will take place on Tuesday against Kingsley on the road. As for the Red Devils, they drop to 10-10 overall and 5-9 in the LMC. Their next game will be a makeup from 1/15 against Pickford at home on Monday.
BEAVERTON VS GLADWIN
Beaverton 62, Gladwin 26
These crosstown rivals met Friday night with the Beavers rolling past the Flying G’s. Beaverton (11-9) visits Evart (16-4) on Tuesday. Gladwin (11-9) visits Houghton Lake (2-19).