ML-WR Boys Win Tight Game Against Hermantown

Dwight Cadwell-NSO

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Dec 16

Dwight Cadwell-NSO

HERMANTOWN- Thursday night saw an epic battle as the Rebels and the Hawks fought up and down the floor and in the end it was the Rebels coming in and getting the win over the Hawks by a final score of 65-64. The Rebels came in with a record of 3-0, and the Hawks entered with a 3-1 record overall and winners of their last three games.

“This was a grind it out type of game,” Head Coach Neil Dickinson told Northland Sports Online. “To win a close road game does wonders for us and our confidence.” The Rebels are in the midst of a three game stretch over three days, with Silver Bay on Friday and the states #2 ranked team in Class AA Braham coming in on Saturday.

Both teams fought for the early advantage as each made several small runs to take leads only to see other team respond right back. There were eight first half lead changes as both teams battled to the half with Moose Lake-Willow River leading 30-27 at the break. The Rebels shot very well from the outside hitting four 3-pointers in the first half including two from forward Taylor Mattison.

The second half saw both teams again using solid defense and great shooting to keep the game tight. Corey Kucza scored 12 of his 19 points in the second half and teammate Spencer Johnson poured in 10 second half points for Hermantown as well. Johnson and Kucza were the games leading scorer with 19 points each.

“It was a tight battle,” Head Hermantown Coach Mike Pothast told Northland Sports Online. “The kids worked hard on both sides of the ball and we never gave up, we work hard until the end.” “Moose Lake is very talented and deep.

These types of games are fun and exciting to watch, I wish we were on the winning end, but we will grow and get better from a game like this.” Pothast added

The game was close and came down to the last few minutes as Adam Johnson would secure the Rebels victory when he hit two clutch free throws to give the Rebels a four point lead of 65-61. Hermantown, trailing by four points with less than ten seconds remaining, came down the court and Kevin Folman buried the three-pointer to cut the lead to 65-64, but that was it as time expired on this non-conference battle.

Hermantown continued with its balanced attack and had four players reach double figures in scoring. Kucza and Johnson again had 19 points, Kevin Folman ended with 12, Corey Anderson 10, Alex Comstock and Jeff Schade each ended with 2 points in the loss. Trevor Nummela led the Rebels in scoring with 16 points on the night, Adam Johnson and Ryan Adamczak each added 13, Caleb Koecher finished with 10, Mattison scored 6, Michael Bennett finished with 5, and rounding out the scoring with 2 points was Nick Tokar.

The Rebels improve to 4-0 on the season. On Friday they will host the Silver Bay Mariners in a Polar League matchup and on Saturday they face the Braham Bombers in another tough test for the Rebels. Both games are played at Willow River High School. The Rebels will close out this four game stretch over a period of six days with a Polar League contest at Two Harbors on Tuesday.

The Hawks fall to 3-2 on the season, they will close out their 2010 portion of the schedule with a Lake Superior Conference matchup in Cloquet against the Lumberjacks on Tuesday. Cloquet is 0-3 entering action on Friday night.

Dwight Cadwell can be reached at dwight@northlandsportsonline.com