MANISTEE – Hesperia’s boys basketball squad went to Manistee Jan. 6 and even though they wound up losing to the Mariners, they were in the game virtually to the end.
SCOTTVILLE — Mason County Central jumped out to a huge lead over Hart in the first quarter, 26-9, on the way to a 51-47 victory over the Pirates in a West Michigan Conference Rivers Division boys basketball game on Thursday in Scottville.
HOLTON – The Shelby Tigers won their girls basketball contest against Holton 42-29 Jan. 3 behind Jayna Burmeister’s 20 points and 11 rebounds, along with two steals.
The Hart Pirates overcame rustiness from a two-week vacation to defeat Mason County Central, 58-30, in a girls basketball game at Hart Jan. 3 as Reese Smith led the way with 20 points.
PENTWATER – The Falcons boys basketball squad ran away from Big Rapids Crossroads Charter Academy 85-15 in a West Michigan ‘D’ League game Jan. 3 in which the Falcons controlled the game the entire way.
RAVENNA – Hesperia was behind the entire boys basketball game against Ravenna January 2 and could not stop Ravenna’s hot shooting and handle their pressure as the Panthers were routed 58-26.
MONTAGUE – Hesperia’s Noah Walker and Skyler Stalbaum reached the championship finals of the Eric Scott Mat Cat Clasic wrestling tournament Dec. 28.
HOLTON – The Hesperia boys basketball squad finished in third place in the Holton Holiday Classic December 28 by routing Holton 54-30, breaking open a close game in the fourth quarter on some hot three-point shooting.
The Shelby boys basketball team lost and the Shelby girls team won in a boys-girls basketball doubleheader at Manistee Dec. 21.
SHELBY – The Tigers boys basketball squad routed Hesperia 61-38 on Parents night Dec. 20, with a team effort the Tigers head coach said was a step in the right direction.
PENTWATER – First place was on the line when previously undefeated Bear Lake came into one-loss Pentwater Dec. 20, and the Falcons came out winners, upsetting the Lakers, 79-66.
HESPERIA – The Hart Pirates finished 1-1 and the host Hesperia Panthers finished 0-2 in the Toys for Tots meet Dec. 18.
A fast start by the Hart girls basketball squad enabled them to defeat North Muskegon 53-24 Dec. 19, highlighted by a strong defensive effort.
MARION – The Pentwater Falcons had to travel in the snow to play Marion Dec. 19, but the Falcons were able to come on top in their girls basketball game 32-27.
HESPERIA – Despite the snow making roads slippery, Shelby ventured out to Hesperia Dec. 19 to play girls basketball and came out victorious over the Panthers in a rout 65-11.
MARION – Pentwater was knocked off the ranks of the unbeaten teams in boys basketball in the state Dec. 18 as they lost a heartbreaker to Marion 57-55 on a last second tip-in.
MUSKEGON — The Pentwater boys defeated Muskegon Catholic Dec. 13 by controlling the tempo of the game enabling the Falcons to win 66-62 in the second game of a boys-girls basketball doubleheader.
FREMONT – In a battle of the defending girls basketball champions of the West Michigan Conference Rivers and Lakes divisions Dec. 13, Fremont defeated Hart by only one point, 53-52.
PENTWATER – Both the Falcons boys and girls won their games against Walkerville in a basketball doubleheader Dec. 11, with the boys winning in a rout 78-17.
SHELBY – Tom Weirich has enjoyed much success coaching the Tigers volleyball team, winning 511 games over his 21-year career.
SHELBY – The Hart and Shelby girls basketball teams played in a thriller as the Pirates defeated the Tigers 37-31 in a rivalry game that was close right down to the end.
BALDWIN – both the Pentwater boys and girls basketball teams won their games over the Panthers in a doubleheader Dec. 6.
GRAND RAPIDS – Hart defeated NorthPointe Christian 55-33 in the Hoop Summit Showcase girls basketball event Dec. 7 at Aquinas College after taking control of the game in the first quarter.
SHELBY — In a boys basketball rivalry game Dec. 3, Hart came in and routed the Tigers on their home court, 66-29, in a game that the Pirates got off to a quick start and never looked back.
MUSKEGON – What was a close boys basketball game at halftime became a rout as Muskegon Catholic Central defeated Hesperia 74-40 as MCC’s Bradley Richards had a big game.
MUSKEGON – Pentwater boys basketball traveled to Western Michigan Christian high school on Monday and came out with a 57-55 win in the last seconds of a close game from start to finish.
In the season opener for both host Hart and Grant’s girls basketball game December 12, the jitters came early but the Pirates won 44-32.
WHITEHALL – The Vikings got off to a decent start, but once the Shelby girls basketball squad started making some baskets and applied their press, they ran away with the game and won 53-17 Dec. 2.
PENTWATER – In their season opener, Pentwater got off to a quick lead and ran away with a 66-35 victory over Hesperia in a non-conference boys basketball game Nov. 30.
CUSTER – Hesperia kicked their boys basketball season off Nov. 26 with a victory over Mason County Eastern 69-56.
In the season opener, Hart’s size and length were the deciding factor as they defeated, Montague 59-29, in a boys basketball game played in Hart November 26.
2024-25 OHJ winter sports schedule
The Panthers are looking to have a better girls basketball season in 2024-25 because some newcomers could bring more athleticism to a team that struggled last year.
Hart will be returning many experienced players for the 2024-25 boys basketball season who hope to make an impact on this season.
A solid group of seniors and juniors returns to the Falcons boys basketball team and are seeking another West Michigan ‘D’ League championship.
Tigers Head Girls Basketball Coach Sarah Wolting is counting on her returning players to be leaders on and off the court.
With only one key player returning to the 2024-25 boys basketball squad, the Wildcats will be leaning on young players to help carry them through the season.
According to Wildcats Head Girls Basketball Coach Mandy Atcherhof, the key players returning in the 2024-25 season will be expected to share their experience with the younger players coming in.
According to Hesperia Boys Basketball Coach Scott Warsaw, the name of the game is to have fun, play hard and be good role models in school and in the community.
Hart is returning five starters, including three seniors, including only the second player to score 1,000 points for a career in the history of the girls program, for its 2024-25 girls basketball squad.
PENTWATER – The 2024 Falcons welcome almost everyone back from the girls basketball team that won 15 games last season in the West Michigan ‘D’ League and are looking to have a similar record or better.
For the Tigers boys basketball squad, returning players will be needed to set the tone for what will be a young team in the 2024-25 season.
Two Hart and one Shelby boys soccer players made the 2024 All-West Michigan Conference Rivers Division team.
Hart, Hesperia and Shelby all had players selected for the All-West Michigan Rivers football team for the 2024 season.
Shelby’s Gauthier headlines 2024 All-WMC Rivers volleyball team
Hart dominated the selections for the 2024 All-West Michigan Conference cross country for both boys and girls.
SHELBY – Former star volleyball player Navea Gauthier officially signed with Ohio State Nov. 15 and is looking forward to playing there and she and others offered reminisces of her time with the Tigers.
HOUGHTON LAKE – Shelby fell to Roscommon in a Michigan High School Athletic Association Division 3 semifinal game 3-0 at Houghton Lake High School Nov. 12.
PENTWATER — It has been five years since the Pentwater volleyball team last won a district title. It was hoping to begin a new streak Nov. 8, but couldn’t get it done.
SHELBY — The Tigers have advanced to the Michigan High School Athletic Association’s volleyball regional round after defeating Hart in the district final, 3-0.
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