Author: Tanner Hoops

Tessa Leece scored a career-high 33 points and grabbed eleven rebounds to help Westwood defeat Menominee 65-60 in overtime on Tuesday.

The Patriots scored the first nine points of the game but the Maroons rallied and took the lead late in the first quarter. Westwood went on a 10-0 run midway through the second period and carried a 29-25 lead into halftime.

Leece blocked a shot late in the third quarter, collected the rebound and raced down the floor for a buzzer-beating layup to put Westwood ahead 48-42 after three quarters. However, the Maroons started the fourth frame on a 12-0 run and Westwood was held without a field goal for over five minutes.

Trailing 56-53 with 25 seconds left, Leece split a pair of free throws to bring her team within two points. After an empty Maroon possession on the other end, Leece was fouled with three seconds left and connected on both free throws to send the game into overtime.

Menominee scored the first four points of the extra session but the Patriots ended the game the way they started it; on a 9-0 run. Ellie Miller hit the go-ahead layup with 49 seconds left and the Patriots never trailed after that.

Leece accomplished her double-double while connecting on 9/13 field goals and 14/17 foul shots. Westwood was 84% at the free throw line as a team. Madelyn Koski added 15 points and Miller finished with ten. The Patriots are now 1-0 and welcome L’Anse on Thursday. Menominee drops to 0-1 on the season.

Westwood allowed just one field goal in the third quarter Monday night, rolling past West Iron County 53-31 in West PAC boys basketball action.

The lead changed hands four times in the opening quarter but Westwood led 10-9 after one frame. The Patriots build an 18-10 lead midway through the second quarter but the Wykons ended the half on a 7-2 run to get within three points at the break.

However, the Patriots opened the second half with a 7-0 run and outscored West Iron County 17-5 in the third quarter. Westwood led by as many as 25 points late in the game and collected their third consecutive win in the series.

Ty Alderton led the Patriots with a game-high 13 points. Nathan Beckman finished with twelve and Zach Niemi added nine. Westwood is now 2-1 and hosts Ishpeming on Friday. West Iron County drops to 1-1 and returns home to take on Crystal Falls Forest Park next Monday.

Westwood shot just 26% from the floor while being limited to three field goals after halftime as the Patriots fell to Houghton 43-33 on Friday.

Westwood went on an 8-0 run midway through the opening quarter and led by as many as nine points on multiple occasions. However, the Pats failed to connect on a three-pointer after the first quarter. The Gremlins ended the first half on a 7-0 run, capped by Brad Sirard’s buzzer-beating half court heave, to get within 17-15 at halftime.

Houghton took their first lead of the game with 5:21 left in the third quarter and led 26-23 heading into the fourth. Westwood got within four points on multiple occasions but the Gremlins made enough free throws down the stretch to secure the victory.

Sirard turned in a game-high 19 points while George Butvilas added 14 to pace Houghton. Nathan Beckman led Westwood with twelve points and Blake Hewitt finished with ten.

The Patriots drop to 1-1 and host West Iron County on Monday. Houghton moves to 1-0 and visits Kingsford on Tuesday.

The Westwood Patriots opened the 2018-2019 season in style, cruising past L’Anse 47-19 on Tuesday.

Westwood scored the first fourteen points of the game and led 18-2 after one quarter. The Patriots went into halftime leading 28-8 and Nathan Beckman’s buzzer-beating jump shot put Westwood up 38-17 after three quarters.

Seven different Patriots scored and Westwood finished 12/15 at the free throw line. Beckman turned in a game-high thirteen points, while Zach Niemi and Ty Alderton each finished with ten. Alec Rajala led the Purple Hornets with six points off the bench.

Westwood is now 1-0 (1-0 West PAC) and hosts Houghton on Friday. L’Anse falls to 0-1 (0-1) and returns to action Monday night against Hancock. 

Tue, Nov 27 (Boys) vs L’Anse 7:15 pm
Fri, Nov 30 (Boys) vs Houghton 7:15 pm
Mon, Dec 3 (Boys) vs West Iron County 7:15 pm
Tue, Dec 4 (Girls) vs Menominee 7:15 pm
Thu, Dec 6 (Girls) vs L’Anse 7:15 pm
Fri, Dec 7 (Boys) vs Ishpeming 7:15 pm
Mon, Dec 10 (Boys) @ Hancock 7:15 pm
Tue, Dec 11 (Girls) @ West Iron County 7:15 pm
Thu, Dec 13 (Girls) @ Manistique 7:30 pm
Tue, Dec 18 (Girls) @ Gladstone 7:15 pm
Thu, Dec 20 (Boys) vs Gwinn 7:15 pm
Fri, Dec 28 (Girls) vs Hancock 7:15 pm
Thu, Jan 3 (Boys) @ Iron Mountain 7:45 pm
Tue, Jan 8 (Boys) @ Gladstone 7:15 pm
Fri, Jan 11 (Boys) @ Ishpeming 7:15 pm
Mon, Jan 14 (Girls) @ Iron Mountain 7:45 pm
Tue, Jan 15 (Boys) @ Escanaba 7:30 pm
Fri, Jan 18 (Girls) @ Negaunee 7:15 pm
Tue, Jan 22 (Girls) vs Gwinn 7:15 pm
Thu, Jan 24 (Boys) vs Iron Mountain 7:15 pm
Fri, Jan 25 (Girls) @ Ishpeming 7:15 pm
Tue, Jan 29 (Boys) @ Marquette 7:15 pm
Fri, Feb 1 (Boys) @ Manistique 7:30 pm
Tue, Feb 5 (Girls) vs Iron Mountain 7:15 pm
Wed, Feb 6 (Boys) vs Negaunee 7:15 pm
Fri, Feb 8 (G/B) vs Manistique 5:45 pm/7:15 pm
Tue, Feb 12 (Boys) @ Gwinn 7:15 pm
Thu, Feb 14 (Boys) @ Calumet 7:15 pm
Fri, Feb 15 (Girls) vs Negaunee 7:15 pm
Mon, Feb 18 (Boys) vs Gladstone 7:15 pm
Wed, Feb 20 (Boys) @ Negaunee 7:15 pm
Thu, Feb 21 (Girls) @ Gwinn 7:15 pm
Thu, Feb 28 (Girls) @ Kingsford 7:45 pm

The annual Upper Peninsula Sportswriters and Sportscasters Association football meeting was held this week to determine area postseason honors. Marquette County schools swept the Team of the Year, Coach of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year and Lineman of the Year awards while earning eleven All-Upper Peninsula Dream Team selections.

Ishpeming earned Small School Team of the Year while head coach Jeff Olson was voted Coach of the Year as the Hematites finished the regular season unbeaten for the fifth time in ten years.

Westwood’s Sam Gilles was named both Lineman of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year after recording six sacks in seven regular season games while forcing two fumbles.

Ishpeming and Westwood each landed four players on the Dream Team while Marquette added two and Gwinn had one.

Jacob Kugler and Devon Nyman represented the Hematites on offense along with Nathan Beckman and Blake Hewitt of Westwood. Gwinn lineman Eddie Chapman and Marquette receiver Ethan Martysz were both Dream Team selections as well.

Defensively, Ishpeming was represented by Hunter Smith and Logan Kruhlik while Gilles was joined by Westwood teammate Ashton Bergman. Marquette punter Drew Wyble was Marquette County’s lone selection on special teams.

2018 All-Upper Peninsula Dream Team:

Offense:

Jacob Kugler, Ishpeming, center…Eddie Chapman, Gwinn, guard…Noah Tourangeau, Escanaba, guard…Blake Hewitt, Westwood, tackle…Devon Nyman, Ishpeming, tackle…Craig Kamin, Escanaba, quarterback…Nathan Beckman, Westwood, runningback…Luke Terrian, Kingsford, runningback…Tate Kay, Sault Saint Marie, runningback…Ethan Martysz, Marquette, end/receiver…Jared Nash, Escanaba end/receiver

Defense:

Bryant Schram, West Iron County, tackle…Reid Marshall, St. Ignace, tackle…Alex Studebaker, Calumet, tackle…Sam Gilles, Westwood, end…Logan Kruhlik, Ishpeming, end…Ashton Bergman, Westwood, linebacker…Anthony Mattson, Munising, linebacker…Trevor Hendrickson, Calumet, linebacker…Hunter Smith, Ishpeming, defensive back…Christer Carne, Escanaba, defensive back…Brent Loukus, Calumet, defensive back

Special Teams:

Shawn Sandahl, Menominee, kicker…Drew Wyble, Marquette, punter…Carter Crouch, Lake Linden-Hubbell, returner

Matt Ojala caught the game-winning touchdown pass as time expired in the third quarter and his twin brother, Travis, came up with an interception late to secure Calumet’s 6-0 victory over Westwood in the opening round of the district playoffs on Friday.

Stellar defenses were on display throughout the contest. Westwood drove deep into Calumet territory twice in the first half but couldn’t score. The Copper Kings employed a trick play to reach the Patriots 30-yard line with five seconds left in the first half but an offensive pass interference penalty on the next play sent the game into halftime scoreless.

Calumet forced a punt late in the third quarter and took over at the Westwood 48-yard line. A drive aided by multiple Patriot penalties culminated in Calumet quarterback Brent Loukus tossing a 14-yard touchdown pass to Matt Ojala as time expired in the quarter.

The Patriots forced and recovered a fumble at their own 43-yard line with less than seven minutes to play. Faced with a long fourth down, Westwood quarterback Nathan Beckman completed a 17-yard pass to Zach Niemi. The Patriots drove inside the Calumet redzone with less than two minutes to play before Travis Ojala intercepted a pass at the ten-yard line to seal the victory.

Calumet improves to 10-0 and advances to the district championship next Friday night against Traverse City St. Francis. Westwood closes the season at 7-3 and graduates eleven seniors.

Matt Ojala caught the game-winning touchdown pass as time expired in the third quarter and his twin brother, Travis, came up with an interception late to secure Calumet’s 6-0 victory over Westwood in the opening round of the district playoffs on Friday.

Stellar defenses were on display throughout the contest. Westwood drove deep into Calumet territory twice in the first half but couldn’t score. The Copper Kings employed a trick play to reach the Patriots 30-yard line with five seconds left in the first half but an offensive pass interference penalty on the next play sent the game into halftime scoreless.

Calumet forced a punt late in the third quarter and took over at the Westwood 48-yard line. A drive aided by multiple Patriot penalties culminated in Calumet quarterback Brent Loukus tossing a 14-yard touchdown pass to Matt Ojala as time expired in the quarter.

The Patriots forced and recovered a fumble at their own 43-yard line with less than seven minutes to play. Faced with a long fourth down, Westwood quarterback Nathan Beckman completed a 17-yard pass to Zach Niemi. The Patriots drove inside the Calumet redzone with less than two minutes to play before Travis Ojala intercepted a pass at the ten-yard line to seal the victory.

Calumet improves to 10-0 and advances to the district championship next Friday night against either Traverse City St. Francis or Elk Rapids. Westwood closes the season at 7-3 and graduates eleven seniors.

Matt Ojala caught the game-winning touchdown pass as time expired in the third quarter and his twin brother, Travis, came up with an interception late to secure Calumet’s 6-0 victory over Westwood in the opening round of the district playoffs on Friday.

Stellar defenses were on display throughout the contest. Westwood drove deep into Calumet territory twice in the first half but couldn’t score. The Copper Kings employed a trick play to reach the Patriots 30-yard line with five seconds left in the first half but an offensive pass interference penalty on the next play sent the game into halftime scoreless.

Calumet forced a punt late in the third quarter and took over at the Westwood 48-yard line. A drive aided by multiple Patriot penalties culminated in Calumet quarterback Brent Loukus tossing a 14-yard touchdown pass to Matt Ojala as time expired in the quarter.

The Patriots forced and recovered a fumble at their own 43-yard line with less than seven minutes to play. Faced with a long fourth down, Westwood quarterback Nathan Beckman completed a 17-yard pass to Zach Niemi. The Patriots drove inside the Calumet redzone with less than two minutes to play before Travis Ojala intercepted a pass at the ten-yard line to seal the victory.

Calumet improves to 10-0 and advances to the district championship next Friday night against either Traverse City St. Francis or Elk Rapids. Westwood closes the season at 7-3 and graduates eleven seniors.

Westwood and Negaunee landed a combined 17 different players on the All-West Peninsula Athletic Conference football team for the 2018 season. Westwood lineman Sam Gilles was named West PAC Copper Division Lineman of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year while unanimously collecting all-conference honors on both sides of the ball. Nathan Beckman earned honorable mention for Offensive Player of the Year. Area All-West PAC Copper Division Selections *Unanimous selection First Team Offense:Jacob Adriano (Westwood), *Nathan Beckman (Westwood), Ashton Bergman (Westwood), *Sam Gilles (Westwood), Blake Hewitt (Westwood) Honorable Mention Offense:Peyton Anderson (Negaunee), Drew DuShane (Negaunee), Leo Helppi (Negaunee), Brayden Velmer (Negaunee)

First Team Defense:Erik Anderson (Westwood), Nathan Beckman (Westwood), *Ashton Bergman (Westwood), *Sam Gilles (Westwood), *Hayden Mann (Westwood), Brayden Velmer (Negaunee), Jason Waterman (Negaunee), Alex Zampese (Negaunee) Honorable Mention Defense: Garrett Mann (Westwood), Alex Munson (Negaunee), Chad Pohlman (Westwood) First Team Kicker:Erik Salminen (Negaunee)